Thanks for checking our our “More Than Social” page. We’re working to have a more engaging experience with our clients and this is a place to check out more of our thoughts and some content only dropped here!

The Best in MTB - BikeCo.com

More Than Social

Want to learn more about the content on TheBikeCompany  social media posts?  Here BikeCo’s More than Social page for special offers as well as extra details on our images or videos.

All without your phone listening to you and producing the wacky “Leer Jet to Iowa” ad suggestions! (true story)

Defining which MTB Tires are Best for You

We’re putting a lot of work into some new SEO and content for our Maxxis MTB lineup here on BikeCo.com. Along with getting trail experience we also like to have the best mechanical understanding of the product possible.

Below is some internal video (no audio) showing a drop test to help define how Maxxis Dual Compound, 3C MaxxTerra and 3C MaxxGrip center and cornering lugs differ in behavior.

Comparing Maxxis MTB Tire Compounds: BikeCo Internal Drop Test Video

Keep an eye out for an edited version where we’ll look at this drop test (damping) as well as durometer and do our best to help define stickiness or tackiness or grip… That one’s proving a bit difficult but I think I’ve got an idea.

More Than Social Starting Image of Chain Guide

Welcome to BikeCo’s More Than Social. We hope you enjoy some additional candor, insight, specials and more.

This idea came about when we were chatting about Sea Odder and someone asked if I missed being there. Well, I don’t. I mean, I miss watching the Slalom Racing for sure and seeing some of our old friends (and their dogs, let’s be honest). But other than that – nah. Joe travels the world with Cody Kelley so we’ve seen the real deal products for next year already (and it seems like the vendors displaying should be CNC machine makers or air shipping freight carriers right?)

Somehow the conversation shifted to how “social” might not be my thing (totally the guy in the back looking for the first chance to leave with the least amount of people seeing me), which shifted to Social Media is kinda a necessary evil. But, what if we could provide our clients more? Well we can and it’s here. So every now then remember to stop by this page for more than what we’ll share “socially”.

Where I might be a lousy BBQ guest I think BikeCo is unbeatable as a professional resource where we’re here to help you with all things MTB!

So what do you see in the image?

1-  Launch the More Than Social page (good to have reminders right?)

2 – The OneUp Top Guide with Bash is a great deal at $79.50 while including all the bits you’ll need no matter the chain ring size you run. ISCG05 is the common mounting style and depending on your chain ring / crank configuration you “may” be able to install it without removing the cranks. Be ready to remove the cranks though it can be a lot easier.

3-  My favorite BikeCo logo in a long time. This drive has gigs and gigs of our images from the years. I almost hate to open it because I end up time travelling for a while through them.

4-  Upcoming feature on PressFit BB installation – I run the SRAM DUB bb on my SB130.

5-  A little less plastic in the world, I use pencils.

King Hub adjustment tip & and some definition of details in pic

Allen Wrench Tip Adjusting King Hubs loosen Brake Bolt

While you don’t have to do it often, when new or after a rebuild it is common to need to adjust your King hubs. This is easiest with the hub in the bike as you can quickly feel when the lateral “click” has been eliminated without needlessly overtightening the system.

A quick trick is to loosen the rotor bolt to ensure a confident fit on your small allen wrench. This allows a proper grip between the tool and fastener with the least likelihood of stripping the fastener.

More than Social: or, what else you see in this image!

This is my personal bike and you’ll note a couple things if you look closely.

First, you’ll see it’s not titanium hardware. First I don’t think saving that little bit of weight has a value to me. Second, and it’s been A LONG time since I’ve stripped or broke a rotor bolt, BUT if you do removing titanium hardware is an absolute bitch to do. On larger hardware my opinion starts to shift at some point due to weight and the less likelihood of stripping – but on small fasteners I’ll take the stock offerings thanks.

Surface rust on a rotor? Yup. Couple things here. First I live coastal and the extra salt in the air is hard on a lot of things. Keeping the bike clean helps minimize the extra wear, which is important on nipples in particular. I don’t really spend a lot of time “washing” rotors other than a quick spray off now and then. I run Magura HC rotors which are published to be made of x30cr12 steel. With web scraping I’m not 100% sure it’s x30 or if that is another name for some variant of steel. There is an interesting article on 3CR12 here comparing some of its properties compared to a more conventional 304 stainless. Another interesting look is on the D30CR13 grade here : Basically the 30 refers to the Carbon composition and the 13 Chromium.  Point is, the rotors are made of a steel with some stainless properties without being as “soft” as the stainless you might think about on your sink or refrigerator. Spec’ing a rotor’s material balances weight, specific heat, heat transfer, wear, friction coefficient, etc, etc. 2 piece rotors often use something like the x30cr12 for the contact radius and an aluminum center section. The goal of this is to increase the mass of metal working as a heat sink transferring momentum to heat to slow your bike. Aluminum takes on heat quickly and is light weight which makes it a good heat sink material. It doesn’t not hold up to stresses required of the contact surface though.

180 rotors. I like to use my rear brake in particular to help steer or adjust the bike’s attitude. Pairing the slightly smaller 180mm rotor with the Magura modulation allows plenty of stopping power with a loss of subtle feel.

Third: DT Swiss spokes. No one beats DT Swiss’s attention to detail across production runs. There are more expensive spokes. There are bladed spokes (I only see those as stress risers off-road where the theoretical aero advantage is pretty much just that, theoretical). But for my money, and more importantly my on trail experience, I count on DT Swiss double butted spokes. DT’s processes and QC are second to none producing a predictable, quality finished product.

Titanium eeWing Cranks and Tita, err Polished Aluminum Oval Chain Ring

Cane Creek eeWings with Absolute Black Polished Chain Ring

I have a passion for metal fabrication. And I work hard to use the least amount of plastic and carbon as I can. So, it’s only natural that I would be in love with the Cane Creek Titanium eeWings cranks right? Light and stiff with incredible attention to detail.

Pair those with the Absolute Black Polished, and no it’s not technically named Polished they call it Titanium – but since it’s an aluminum ring naming the color Titanium seems ultra confusing. So, Polished. It’s polished. But it does match that titanium crank real well doesn’t it?

Using the right fixative on the chain ring and crank mounting surface will help increase the service interval providing quiet performance.

Product Featured: Cane Creek eeWings with Absolute Black Polished Chain Ring

Rim Tape Application & 30mm Internal rims from RideFast

Installing Stan's Rim Tape

There’s a couple things you’ll see on this image.

First: while I had Tracy exaggerate the stance a bit, a friend was getting the Indian Tattoo and it reminded me of it, when installing rim tape you need to stretch the tape for proper adhesion. Rim tape isn’t super “sticky” per se and requires the stretch to generate “grab”.

Second is the RideFast LocoMoto rim. A 30mm internal aluminum rim the LocoMoto provides a good tire profile allowing for cornering lugs to engage even at high lean angles. The wider rim options tend to stretch the cornering lugs more vertical which means riders cornering with high lean angles can ride “past” the cornering lugs compromising traction. Conversely the narrower rim provides less volume requiring higher for support compared to a wider, say 35mm option.

RideFast LocoMoto Rim Tire Profile
RideFast LocoMoto rim with CushCore Valve Stem

Wolf Tooth ReMote Light Action: leverage for comfort

Wolf Tooth Remote

Wolf Tooth’s Light Action ReMote is my favorite option. The longer lever increases, well, the leverage which means it takes less power to operate your adjustable seatposts. I have hand issues which mean anything I can do to lower the pressure through my fingers or palms is worth looking at. Nearly all cable driven posts can mix or match their remotes.

Product Featured: Wolf Tooth Light Action ReMotes Available in a variety of limited edition colors.

Electric Shifting & Lightning: SRAM AXS wireless drivetrain kit

SRAM AXS Kit image over Lightning Image

Frankly I just wanted to use some of my lightning photos and thought, what about SRAM AXS upgrade kits? These are one of the most popular upgrade to both completes as well as existing bikes.

We had a couple cool storms at the end of summer / early fall: an hour or so of dry lightning followed by rain. A bit different than what coastal SoCal tends to have. Enjoy some other shots from the backyard.

Lightning in San Diego Late Summer / Early Fall 2021. ©2021 nate collins nate(at)bikeco.com
Product Featured:

BikeCo.com More Than Social
The Bike Company More Than Social

We hope you enjoyed scrolling through and learning a bit more about the content here on BikeCo’s More Than Social page.

Questions? Our staff is available to help you dial in your bike with The Best in MTB.

Bonus: Social Media Post with a Point

RaceFace Declines InterBike

Seriously one of my all-time favorite social media posts. From 2016 and I still have a screenshot of it on my phone. Interbike had become such a huge waste of time that less and less real business was accomplished and it was nice to see it wasn’t just my opinion as companies pulled stakes and went different ways.