00:00 As the next wave of road bikes gets released,
00:02 we've seen some brands step backwards
00:04 with the technology that they're offering.
00:06 We've seen this on the Cannondale Synapse,
00:08 the Specialized Aethos, and a few others.
00:11 Now this can come in the form of a 27.2 seat post
00:14 or more reliable bottom bracket fittings.
00:18 So here are six things which I've identified,
00:20 which I think should be on the majority of new bikes.
00:27 Now this one is one that I hope is a current trend
00:30 and will soon fade away, and that is the use of matte paint.
00:34 Now I can imagine this is gonna polarize quite a few people.
00:37 However, I for one would love to see
00:40 the mass return of the gloss finish.
00:43 One of the key reasons why a lot of bike makers
00:45 opt for matte paint,
00:46 especially on their performance road bikes,
00:49 is because it's actually a lot lighter than a gloss finish.
00:52 So it does provide a very easy way
00:55 for them to knock some weight off the bike.
00:57 However, frames with gloss paint are much easier to clean.
01:01 Grease marks are easier to wipe off,
01:03 and you can polish them to a high shine
01:05 over and over again.
01:07 Matte paint tends to get shiny
01:09 once you've washed it a number of times,
01:10 and you can never get it to be as crisp
01:12 and as fresh as it was when it was brand new out the box.
01:16 So let's hope the timeless gloss finish returns in force,
01:19 and we can all have bikes which gleam and glisten
01:21 in the sunshine for as long as they're on the road.
01:24 (upbeat music)
01:26 I'm a massive fan of a normal stem
01:30 with a normal face plate with a normal set of bars.
01:33 The ability to adjust handlebar angle,
01:36 switch between different handlebar widths,
01:38 change stem length with ease,
01:40 and to experiment with different handlebar shapes
01:43 is too much of a benefit to miss out on
01:45 for the aesthetic benefit of an integrated setup.
01:49 A conventional stem also allows for a more affordable
01:52 and convenient way to adjust your position
01:55 as it changes over the years.
01:57 If you're heading out for a fast chain gang ride
01:59 and you want to take advantage
02:00 of the negative drop on your stem, then you can.
02:03 However, if you've got a sportive the next day
02:06 and you want to flip the stem for a more relaxed position,
02:09 then you can also do that as well.
02:11 And that is something you would not be able to do
02:14 with an integrated setup.
02:15 On top-end bikes, I wouldn't feel shortchanged
02:18 if they'd been fitted with a lightweight carbon stem
02:20 and lightweight carbon bars.
02:22 And if I could choose the sizes of those components
02:25 at the point of purchase,
02:27 then I'd know that it'd be dialed in
02:28 for my position from the get-go.
02:30 Surely that's more valuable than offering a lump of carbon,
02:33 which only caters for the pros.
02:35 Continuing in the same vein,
02:41 integrated cables, but to an extent.
02:44 Now that Shimano have joined the wireless party,
02:46 on many new bikes, we're only left with the brake hoses
02:49 to find a home for.
02:51 Now I am happy to see hoses routed through the frame,
02:54 and I'm not even opposed to seeing them being routed
02:57 through the bars.
02:58 The place where I draw the line is at the stem.
03:01 If the cables were to pop out at the center of the bars
03:04 and then promptly slide into the top of the frame
03:06 at the head tube and at the top of the forks,
03:09 then I only see that as a benefit.
03:11 You're not gonna have to deal with that three-hour
03:13 brake bleed just to make a small adjustment to stem height.
03:16 It's understandable that on aero bikes,
03:18 they do go fully integrated.
03:20 And of course, for the pros, it also makes a lot of sense.
03:23 However, for us mere mortals,
03:25 having them exposed really isn't an issue,
03:28 and it only serves to save you both time and money
03:31 when servicing or you need to make a small adjustment.
03:34 As I've already mentioned,
03:38 I think we'd all love to see the mass return
03:41 of the 27.2 seat post.
03:43 However, I do have a caveat,
03:45 and that is that I think it should be reserved
03:47 for endurance and climbing bikes.
03:50 When we look at aero race bikes,
03:52 I think they should stick
03:53 with their annoying proprietary seat posts.
03:55 They offer a valid gain for the intended style of riding,
03:59 and you can't argue against their aesthetic credentials.
04:02 However, on climbing and endurance bikes,
04:05 those aero advantages aren't as important.
04:07 So using something that's a bit more universal
04:10 does make a lot of sense,
04:11 especially when you need a post
04:13 that actually builds in a bit more comfort
04:15 and isn't directly honed in for those aero gains.
04:19 Now, as an extra bolt onto this,
04:20 I would actually like to include seat post clamps as well.
04:24 I think the bike makers have had their opportunity
04:26 to play around with some pretty weird and wacky designs,
04:29 but actually, the standard seat post collar
04:32 is definitely the best one out there.
04:34 The worst possible failure you could encounter
04:36 with a seat post collar is the bolt snapping.
04:39 Now, this is usually down to salt corrosion
04:41 or just a lack of bike washing.
04:43 Now, this will be unlikely,
04:45 but potential failure is actually a whole lot better
04:48 than the potential with the internal seat post clamps
04:51 that we're seeing on modern bikes.
04:53 And that's because I would much rather have a bolt snap
04:56 than have a seat post that slides down,
04:58 that creaks, or risks over-tightening
05:02 and then potentially damaging not only the seat post,
05:04 but the frame itself as well.
05:06 I think the simple matter of fact
05:07 is that your standard seat clamp actually works perfectly
05:11 and usually ends up being lighter weight
05:13 than the usual bungs found in modern frames.
05:16 (upbeat music)
05:18 Yep, that's right.
05:21 I know you saw this one coming,
05:22 so I'll keep it brief.
05:24 Threaded bottom brackets, they just work.
05:27 Even though the bearing is still technically pushed
05:29 inside of the threaded cup,
05:31 you aren't interfering with the frame itself.
05:34 You won't work the frame out of tolerance.
05:37 You fit one, you ride a few thousand creak-free kilometers,
05:40 you take it out, and then you replace it with a fresh unit,
05:43 which fits in exactly the same way as the old one did.
05:46 It's simple, it's effective,
05:47 and really, they should just be standard
05:50 across all performance bikes.
05:52 (upbeat music)
05:54 I'm really tired of tiny Allen key bottle cage bolts.
05:58 I'm seeing more and more bikes coming out
06:00 with three millimeters
06:01 or even two and a half millimeter heads.
06:04 These bolts are ones that tend to end up
06:05 in a really awkward position,
06:07 meaning it's really hard to get a clean swing of them.
06:09 This tricky angle can often result
06:11 in mashing up the head and eventually stripping the bolt.
06:15 They're small and fiddly,
06:17 and I want all new bikes to have a minimum
06:19 of a four millimeter head.
06:20 When bolts have a four millimeter head,
06:22 you have a greater ability to latch onto a purchase
06:25 and more successfully turn the bolt
06:27 without stripping the head.
06:29 I'll admit, it's a very niche problem to have,
06:31 but the solution is so, so simple.
06:35 Well, there we have it.
06:37 There's six things which I think should be included
06:40 on the majority of new bikes.
06:42 Let me know what you think about them
06:43 and if you think I missed any.
06:45 If you enjoyed the video, drop it a like,
06:47 subscribe to the channel for more content,
06:49 and I'll see you again very soon.
06:51 (motor revving)
06:53 [BLANK_AUDIO]
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