MTB: Coo, backlit.
MTB: Scalextric view
MTB: Paths everywhere...!
Apple: When is a service bundle worth it? The Apple One edition.
So Apple announced a service bundle yesterday, packaging up services in an effort to upsell you on their expensive services. As someone who already uses an Apple family music plan and iCloud, none of these are interesting or at all price competitive.
Would I like to pay an extra £9 a month for Apple Arcade and Apple tv+ and News +? No. Would I take them for free at the prices I’m currently paying? No.
As usual though we got the breathless uncritical coverage from the UK media…
MTB: Last week up on the Braids...
MTB: I took the path less travelled...
MTB: Towards Allermuir
Tech: Wondering where tiktok hides its cookie settings?
If you go to TikTok in a web browser, you get the option to ‘Accept’ their cookies or read their very exciting Cookie Policy. Click on ‘Cookies Policy’. Scroll almost to the bottom of the page, looking for a red button (it’s a big red button on mobile). This takes you to a page where you can ‘Opt Out’ of tracking from TicTok’s surprisingly short list of partners. Or you could just go straight here: https://www.tiktok.com/legal/cookie-settings?lang=en
MTB: Do you need to get 4 pot (4 piston) hydraulic brakes for your mountain bike?
Most mountain bikes are sold with 2 pot (or 2 piston) hydraulic brakes. But you can also buy 4 pot hydraulic brakes. Which is right for you?
Two pot brakes have two pistons – one on each side of the brake rotor – which squeeze the brake pads against the rotor and cause friction, which slows you down.
Two pot brakes are fine for everyday on-road riding – but they might not be fine for off-road riding. Four pot brakes have four pistons – two on each side of the rotor – which enables you to use much larger brake pads, which should give your brakes rather more stopping power and control.
There are two cases where you want 4 pot/4 piston mtb brakes.
1. How much do you weigh?
Honest question – give an honest answer.. If you weigh more than 180lbs – or 13 stone – or 80kg – then I think you’ll want 4 pot brakes. The extra control and stopping power will come in handy.
Why bike companies sell XL frames with 2 pot brakes is beyond me – I think that’s a guaranteed accident waiting to happen.
2. How well do you stop – and how controlled is your stop?
The other question for you is how well do you stop – can you stop as quickly as you want to, and how well can you control/modulate your deceleration?
If you have a two pot brake and you can’t really control your deceleration as well as you like – and I’m assuming you’ve got well maintained brakes that are properly bled and your brake pads are in good shape – then you might get better results with a 4 pot brake.
Learn more – watch a video
Summary
Personally I think 4 pot brakes are great – in my experience they give you significantly more control (and power). It’s cheaper to go straight to 4 pot brakes than it is to buy 2 pot brakes and be forced to upgrade later.
Photo: Stick shift
8-ball manual stick shift.
MTB: Snack time!
MTB: Sunday afternoon slow climb around Allermuir
Photo: Up and down and up and down
Bank of escalators, Rotterdam Market Hall.