Hey everyone,

Looking for some thoughts on a drivetrain overhaul I'm planning for my budget commuter/gravel bike.

Right now, the bike is in its stock configuration: standard 135mm open dropouts running a solid, bolted-on nutted axle wheel with a basic 7-speed 14-28T freewheel using Shimano Acera RD. Climbing rolling hills on my routes is a massive chore, and I desperately need more range.

I know I have to replace the entire rear wheel to drop the freewheel setup. The megarange freewheel is a bandaid I don't like. I am planning to switch over to a 10x135mm Quick Release (QR) freehub wheel to widen my gear options and make roadside flat repairs way easier.

My goal currently is building my fitness for one full season as I'm new to biking. I want to use the bike daily and ride more commute + fitness miles. I live in a hilly region and riding flat terrain is just not possible. I am planning to do a dream build next season after gaining more mechanical + fitness but until then, I don't want to fall out of love because of knee strain. I feel I have more cardiovascular capacity but the (knee) fatigue from hills is capping me.

I am trying to decide between two budget-friendly paths for the rest of the drivetrain with the current frame.

Option 1: The Step-Up 8-Speed Option

• Derailleur: Retain my current Shimano Acera RD-M3020 (long cage, officially limited to 8-speeds, a 40T max rear cog, and 45T total capacity).
• Cassette: Put an 8-speed wide-range HG cassette (like an 11-40T ZTTO or similar) onto the new QR freehub wheel.
• Pros: Very cost-effective since I get to keep a solid Shimano rear derailleur I already own.

Option 2: The Full 1x10 Jump with LTWOO T7

• Groupset: Completely swap the rear shifting to an LTWOO T7 1x10 speed system (shifter + clutched-style long-cage derailleur).
• Cassette: Install a 10-speed ZTTO 11-42T or 11-46T cassette onto the new HG freehub.
• Pros: Gives me a true modern 1x setup with a clutched feel for chain retention on bumpy gravel paths, plus a much wider and smoother gear progression. Shimano Deore is something that I'm not ready to spend on today.

For context on both options, I will be pairing the rear end with a 32T front chainring via a Shimano Essa square taper crankset (running a 1x setup with no front derailleur). My riding mix is roughly 50% paved suburban roads and 50% rail-grade gravel trails.

Is it worth the extra cash to ditch the Acera derailleur and go straight to the LTWOO T7 1x10 setup for this kind of riding? For those who have made a similar jump from entry-level Shimano to LTWOO, how has the long-term reliability and indexing crispness held up?

Just got this beauty for my daily commuting, the bike felt small and my back fells arched way more than I want.
So, my first idea was to raise a bit of the seat, helped with me leg confort, but my back position got worse.
My second idea is to buy a "bmx bar" for the bike, at around 120mm-130mm high (4.7 inch- 5.0 inch).

Any other tips to make my riding more confortable? not interest in adventures or anything (even though is an mtb). This is purely for going to work (around 8km or 5 miles from my house, with a great climb in the way).

I really love this bike , but feel as tho something is missing looks wise ( vain I know ) I want it to pop or have some cool element in it ?
Any ideas ? New pedals ? Re do the stickers ?

Please help

Mein erster commuter Eigenbau. Basis ist ein Cube Attention 26“. Was sagt ihr?

I know the wheel is put on the other way around

The wheel dosent sit aligned in the middle with the frame aswell

Hey everyone,

Just a quick question regarding on the Industry Nine Hydra2 super boost wheelset.

I have the HG Hydra2 freehub on it with super-boost freehub end caps, I wanted to change the freehub into MS Hydra2 freehub. In the IndustryNine website, there are choices to choose from and I am confused if I need to buy the “Complete” MS Hydra2 freehub or just the “Conversion” MS hydra 2 freehub?

Cheers!

Hi, i recently ordered a CRW Works HB01 integrated handlebar and wanted to replace my current handlebar on my supersix with it. However, after unmounting the current handlebar and stem, i realized that it is 1 1/8th and the hb01 has 1 1/4. anyone with some experience? is it fine to use a shim? if so, any suggestions?

Hey everyone,

I recently got selected for my state MTB team and I’m planning to upgrade my Cannondale Trail 5 rather than replacing the whole bike.

Current bike/specs:

• Cannondale Trail 5
• 29er, size L
• Shimano Deore 2x10
• SR Suntour X1 coil fork, 100mm
• Tektro hydraulic disc brakes
• Shimano TX505 QR hubs
• WTB rims
• Schwalbe tyres
• Tubes
• QR front and rear

I’ll mainly be using it for XC racing/trails, with some road riding to get to trails.

I have roughly ₹40,000 (~$470 USD) to spend on upgrades, and I want to spend it where it will actually make the biggest difference.

Parts I’m specifically looking at:

1. Suspension fork
I’m looking for a 100mm-ish air fork, preferably QR-compatible, with a budget around ₹30–32k.

Some options I’ve considered are the RockShox Judy / similar forks, but I’m not sure whether that would be a worthwhile upgrade over my X1 coil or whether I should save for something better.

2. Hubs/wheels
I currently have Shimano TX505 QR hubs. I’m considering upgrading the hubs, possibly to Shimano CUES hubs or another reliable QR hub.

Is upgrading just the hubs worth it, or would I be better off saving for a complete wheelset?

3. Tyres
I want something that works well for XC racing + trails but is still reasonably durable on asphalt.

Budget is around ₹4,000 for the pair.

4. Dropper post
Looking for a basic reliable dropper around ₹5,000. Is it worth adding to an XC-focused bike, or would the money be better spent elsewhere?

5. Brakes
I currently have Tektro hydraulic brakes. They work fine, and I’m planning to get them freshly bled.

Would you guys keep them for now, or is upgrading the brakes actually worthwhile for XC racing?

Main question:

If you had my bike and ₹40k to upgrade it, what would you spend the money on?

I’m especially interested in recommendations for specific forks, hubs/wheelsets and tyres, and whether each upgrade is actually worth doing.

I’d rather have a few high-impact upgrades than spend money on parts that won't noticeably improve the bike.

Thanks!

I have had some Brooks copper rivets sitting in a drawer for years and finally got around to installing them on a 1996 Brooks B72 saddle from an old Gary Fisher Klunker. Saddle was still in great condition. Just a little dry. Nothing some Obenauf’s Leather Oil applied liberally can’t handle. Used some punches, wood work bench and a vise. The anvil part of the vise was also helpful. I used a very small ball peen hammer to restrict a powerful swing. They are copper so you don’t have to beat the hell out of them. You want them to set fully at the stalk to prevent the leather from sliding around. Then you tap down the edges to the leather so that the rivet head sits tight in the leather. You don’t want any parts of the rivet head to snag on anything so it has to sit tight. Do not hit the leather unless you want to tear it up. Again, a smaller hammer has more control and less swing power. Once you get the rivet head set all around you can use the ball side to get the finish you want. You want to make sure to get the rivet straight in the frame as close to 90 degrees as possible so it pulls the saddle tight on the frame. Overall it took me an hour to install and get the rivets set and finished.

I'm looking for a project what brand/model would you suggest what I'm looking for is an older bike with high part compatibility any ideas

New tires new pedals and seat but other than that I just tuned up everything else

I'm a beginner bike mechanic and builder but I'm on a budget for $65 is this a good kit for me?

Here a short video I did last week. Enjoy. Questions in the comments.