Cassettes just aren't worth spending a ton of coin on, they shift the same, and weigh slightly less for an expensive one, why bother?
Shifts perfect, under load too, it's perfect. Whatever Shimano did with Hyperglide 2, it's incredible. Never misses, never really does anything wrong either. I always replace after 3 chains, so they get usually 15000 miles on them and even in the middle/common gears, they are still fine, but that's just my rule.
No issue. Like the 11/34 spread with my 54/40 up front, got gears on all sides that way and almost never need more.
I have long been a fan of the original Gravelking SK in 700x38c. They provide good traction on everything but mud and are pretty much indestructible. The only downsides were that they make a lot of noise and feel like slugs on pavement. I recently built up a frame that has room for 50mm tires, so I entered the massive cloudy world of gravel tire choices. For a few weeks, I had so many tires rotate in and out of my cart, I read and watched reviews, asked friends, etc. I went the low weight route, I went the heavy duty route, I went the low rolling resistance route, then finally returned to my senses and asked myself what was important in a tire. I wanted a robust tire that performed well on and off road, looked nice, and wasn't going to leave me on the side of the road fitting a tube into a tire full of snot.
Enter the Gravelking X1 in 700x45c. These things are excellent! Mounting happened with my thumbs, bead seating happened with a floor pump, and they hold air forever. They roll very very well on pavement - a very noticeable improvement over their SK predecessor, they grip chunky gravel beautifully, they're wide (48mm on 26mm internal rims) so they do well in sugar sand so long as you maintain power, and they are quiet! Weight is fine. They aren't light, but they aren't dogs either. I've driven these things over all types of surfaces while not being too picky in line selection, and they look damn near brand new. I can't comment on mud yet, but judging by the tread, I can't imagine they're much better than the SK.
If you run these tires, you have to get the pressure right. After a bunch of trial and error, a good starting point would be to take the pressure you run now and let out a heap of air. I weigh 195 lbs and run the 700x38 SKs at 30-35. The 700x45 X1s are happy at 16-20. Any more than that and they aren't comfortable at all - like full of concrete feeling.
Buy these if you want a tire that performs pretty much perfectly which you don't have to worry about.
The Thomson Masterpiece C is incredibly lightweight, you can immediately feel the weight savings over its competitors and even the aluminum Thomson seatposts.
?More than just light, it's bombproof. The machined construction is flawless, and the two-bolt clamp system is the gold standard for micro-adjustability and secure saddle positioning. I've put this through harsh road & gravel riding, and it hasn't slipped or creaked once. It's a genuine "install and forget" component that truly lives up to its "Masterpiece" name.
?Highly recommended for performance and longevity.
?I upgraded to the 165mm SRAM RED E1 DUB arms, and the difference is incredible. These are absurdly light, you can instantly feel the weight savings over the old generation. The carbon stiffness is phenomenal; every watt goes straight to the wheels.
?Switching to 165mm has been a game-changer for my fit, boosting my cadence and reducing hip fatigue on long climbs. Installation was easy thanks to the DUB spindle standard. My only complaint is the price, but if you want the absolute best and lightest crank arms for your build, these are it. A truly premium, five-star upgrade.
