u/Naive-Actuary4414

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So I have a Rockrider ST120. It originally came with a narrow-wide teeth chainring that relied on two, very poor quality, plastic discs as "chain-guides". These two discs broke and my chain kept dropping.

To remedy that I had bought this Shimano Cues narrow-wide teeth chainring. Thing is, at that time (which is last December) I have NO idea that a Linkglide chainring needs a Linkglide chain. So I kept using the original KMC Z9 chain that my Rockrider came with.

However recently it started dropping a lot and I could see space between the chainring and the chain, so I got this new KMC X9.

So my question is: Does this KMC X9 fit well with my Shimano Cues crankset or do I need to buy a Linkglide chain ?

This is my current Drivetrain:

1. Shimano Cues FC-U4000-1 square tapered crankset.

2. KMC X9 chain

3. Microshift Advent 11-42T 9 speed chain

4. Microshift Advent RD

5. SRAM X5 9 Speed RD Shifter.

Will KMC X9 be okay or do I need Linkglide chain for my Cues crankset ?

Are frames where the top tube forms a straight line with the seat stay and where there is a gusset welded to the seat tube weak when compared to a frame where seat stay and top tube do not meet and there is no gusset on the seat tube ? E.g. the frame of the Polygon Xtrada 6, 2026 version.

So this is my Rockrider ST120. And yes, I know that it isn't a MTB but due to Decathlon's false marketing this is what I am stuck with.

Anyways, I was thinking, if I want to make it "slacker", other than increasing the fork travel, can I replace the rear tire with a 26" wheel and make it a 27.5"x26" mullet just like how people make 29"x27.5" mullets.

So the stock Rockrider ST120's Drivetrain isn't bad, but unlike what Decathlon claims, it is NOT a mountain bike nor does it have a drivetrain that should be on a mountain bike.

1. A narrow-teeth crankset that relies on two very low quality plastic disc chain guides that can break easily

2. A non-Clutched deraileur

3. 11-36T cassette. While this is not a bad gear range, when it comes to actual mountain trails this is severely insufficient, especially for a bike that is built with a 1x Drivetrain.

So I, in my hubris and desire to somehow salvage the INR 25K I spent on it, bought a lot of different but "somehow workable parts". I did that unintentionally and because I had half-baked knowledge on what to buy. The blame lies squarely on me.

Anyways now my Drivetrain consists of:

1. Shimano Cues Square-Tapered, Narrow-wide teeth crankset

2. Microshift Advent 9 speed deraileur

3. 11-42T Microshift Advent 9 speed Cassette

4. SRAM X5 9 speed RD shifter

5. KMC Z9 chain (this is the only part leftover from the stock drivetraib).

So my Shimano Cues crankset's top layer has been stripped off by my KMC Z9 chain. So if I want save my Shimano Cues crankset, should I use a Linkglide chain ? Also will the Linkglide chain work well, or even at all, with my Microshift Advent 9 speed 11-42T cassette and RD ? Or should I go for a KMC X9 chain ? Please help 🙏🏼

P.S. the picture of the entire bike was taken yesterday, before I had installed the new 11-42T cassette and SRAM X5 Shifter.

So the stock Rockrider ST120's Drivetrain isn't bad, but unlike what Decathlon claims, it is NOT a mountain bike nor does it have a drivetrain that should be on a mountain bike.

1. A narrow-teeth crankset that relies on two very low quality plastic disc chain guides that can break easily

2. A non-Clutched deraileur

3. 11-36T cassette. While this is not a bad gear range, when it comes to actual mountain trails this is severely insufficient, especially for a bike that is built with a 1x Drivetrain.

So I, in my hubris and desire to somehow salvage the Rs. 25K I spent on it, bought a lot of different but "somehow workable parts". I did that unintentionally and because I had half-baked knowledge on what to buy. The blame lies squarely on me.

Anyways now my Drivetrain consists of:

1. Shimano Cues Square-Tapered, Narrow-wide teeth crankset

2. Microshift Advent 9 speed deraileur

3. 11-42T 9 speed Cassette

4. SRAM X5 9 speed RD shifter (thanks a lot to u/Zilork for this, he helped me with this otherwise I was so close to ordering a Microshift shifter from Amazon for Rs. 5K)

5. KMC Z9 chain (this is the only part leftover from the stock drivetraib).

And somehow all of these parts work together. BUT I will not recommend that you get parts from different systems. They might somehow work together but it is not always a guarantee that they will and things like pairing the wrong chain with the wrong crankset can actually damage the crankset (my Shimano Cues crankset's top layer has been stripped off by my KMC Z9 chain).

P.S. the picture of the entire bike was taken yesterday, before I had installed the new 11-42T cassette and SRAM X5 Shifter.

Today while exploring my hometown, I came across a dirt road that ran up the mountain behind the Bamin-Michi village of Ziro. And man, some parts were so steep that even after slamming my seat down, and bending so low that my balls scrapped against the rear wheel, I felt that I was gonna go OTB.

REALLY made me realise how much I need a bike that has a wider wheel base, slack HTA and a Dropper Post (getting off to drop and lift up the seatpost is such a pain in the ass 😂).

A good day overall.

So this Sony headphone is available for Rs. 1,104 on Amazon, and this price includes delivery charges and everything else. I just want a good value, low cost headphone for normal day to day use like YouTube, Netflix, Anime and gaming. Not looking to get good, audiophile quality sound but something that is good enough.

Is this a good money value deal ?

This is not the first time where people, who just have the brain capacity to watch phone reviews on the YouTube Shorts format, hate on the Google Pixel 10a WITHOUT having the proper knowledge about it.

Not saying that Google Pixel 10a is the best phone, but it is objectively better than the Pixel 9a and whenever I tell people to go for the 10a as the modem is objectively better, these no brain haters just regurgitate whatever they have seen on YouTube shorts.

So my rear brake had been feeling very weak lately and today I noticed that the brake pads are just moving from one side. I also have the same brakes as my front brake and the pads on front brakes are moving inwards from both the sides, i.e. the pads are moving in a "pinching" motion towards the rotor. Is my rear calipre gone ?

So I and my friends from Ziro MTB went on a ride to check out a race track and see how it is during the monsoon. We plan to host an XC race on this track on June 3rd (it is the World Cycling Day). So when I saw an opportunity to "Send It", I took it and failed. Luckily, I didn't crash and bash my head on the rocks there at the bottom of this drop.

But man I REALLY need a bike with a dropper post. My current cycle is the Rockrider ST120 (DO NOT RECOMMEND IT AT ALL).