u/BrainDamage2029

Got a pair of these. Love the little leg bands like cycling shorts. Would prefer modal/bamboo/cotton though instead of the Nylon and I think too much is going on with the pouch (I generally don't like cradle/"ball control" pouches that have too much going on.

I have been hunting for similar options to them in cotton or modal if you guys can point me towards them. Unfortunately if you put "silicone" and "boxer briefs" In a search engine, the only thing that pop ups up is All Citizens or just an ungodly amount of fetish underwear.

Have a Ibis Ripley. There's a lot of take offs or OEM overstock on the Float X around and I'm kinda trying to decide if the upgrade would be worth it enough to matter or feel it. Would also maybe do it in conjunction with bumping the fork up to the 36 all mountain.

On the one hand its not much weight extra. But it is a lower travel trail bike. I think you can ruin that class of bike by getting carrier overbuilding it.

Biggest issue is if I basically spend $500 and not notice a difference lol.

Edit: also I am 200lb

SF Bay Area based and weight about 200lbs with occasional forays to Santa Cruz. Would be replacing an Ari Cascade that I overforked (160/140) but felt was a hog to pedal.

Reasons for the Ripley:
- I’m getting older, I have kids. I don’t need to get hurt ripping or doing huge jump lines. A friend recommended “just do a shorter travel. You’ll be going slower when you crash.”
- on that note most of my rides are weekend dad time where I get 4-6 hours to get a big day in so a more pedaly bike would make sense.
- I know it makes more sense because I’m already riding a heavy longer travel alloy bike and I think how slow it pedals is my biggest annoyance.
- kid is about ready to start riding with me and I would need no more than a short travel bike with them for awhile.
- I already have a Fox 36SL fork I could put on this bike (or sell)

Reasons for the Ripmo
- short travel bikes can kinda be redheaded step children: they don’t pedal much better than all mountain bikes but descend worse. You’re tempted to keep putting burlier tires and suspension parts on….and create an all mountain bike with 20mm less travel for no reason.
- my main trail systems (Pacifica or El Grenada) would suit a longer travel bike more even if I go to the others.
- I’m actually at the weight it might make sense to bump up tire casing and suspension.
- I really like that sweet raw aluminum finish option.
- a Ripley kinda overlaps with my backpacking bike (a steel XC-ish hardtail)

Fyi I’m aware Ibis made the bike convertible between the two. I know myself enough that changing shock clevises and forks is something I will never bother with.

Alright always have ridden MTB in flats and love the grippy Velcro feel you get with a good set of pins digging into a good shoe. Don’t like I suck at foot placement and am always readjusting. Really like trying the clips (not calling them clipless it’s stupid) off my gravel bike for a few rides and am upgrading to a real clip and shoe setup.

It’s not that I don’t want **any** float at all but I am looking for that “dig in” feeling you get with pins. Tried HT pedals and they honestly feel no different that my gravel shoes?

Just for the sake of relative argument assume you ride the major trail systems/locations about equally plus a trip to Santa Cruz when you have the time a few times a year. Ignore road trips to the lift served parks in the sierras.

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I have previously used a little fanny pack that’d carry food and tools that’d thread through my some of the belt loops on my pants or shorts. I don’t like it going over clothes or it sliding around my skin.

Now I’ve moved to a bike that only allows one bottle in the frame so I need something that’ll carry water.

I think this new Shimano cassette offering kinda flew under the radar. First is just because the sport got stuck in a "more big teeth on sprocket" war between SRAM and Shimano (50t then 51 then 52t). But because of how gearing works, 1t less in smallest sprocket is a bigger range jump than 1t more in the biggest. So the cassette is still 500% range even if it loses 6 teeth on the big sprocket. All you have to do is go down in chainring size to make up for it, like a 30t or 28t.

The second reason is also because Shimano only "offered" this for XTdi2 and XTRdi2 derailleurs. FYI they don't always explain their cross compatibility but any medium cage derailleur (GS) from their previous cable lineup also works. And Shimano hasn't changed cages in forever. You can just buy the GS cage as a standalone part for like $20 to convert. I did this for a cabled XT derailleur I had.

Advantages I've noticed

- Significantly less chain slap. The fact the cage is shorter means the clutch just has less leverage working on it. And the chain length you need is shorter. So it keeps the chain more consistently taut. I've very much noticed this.

- More clearance: less cage sticking out = less chance to snag. Haven't noticed it yet but its hard to notice the derailleur impacts you don't take.

- more consistent and faster shifting into and out of the highest gear. The chain isn't so god awful long and so tight to get up to that biggest sprocket. Its noticeably faster and smother.

- less total weight. I think I notice but it isn't a crazy amount. The cassette is lighter, you lose a little bit with the smaller chainring and a little more with a shorter chain. They add up on my scale to 70g less over the same XT setup 10-51t.

Downsides:

- cost: you aren't just buying a cassette, you'd almost certainly need a new chain ring too. And maybe a new derailleur or at least the cage part. Oh and a new cassette lock tool, Shimano uses a slightly different one to make it fit.

- slightly less range. Its only 500% vs 510 but its just enough to be noticeable. I went to a 28t chainring, chosing to spin out ever so slightly sooner rather than lose granny gear inches.

- 9t will wear a little faster than a 10t but not really a downside considering I always wear out cassettes in the largest (aluminum) gear.