All my Aliexpress MTB purchases reviewed.

Runnin the same green one, haven’t had to use it yet either.
Just don't go pulling it hard more than 2000 times:

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EDIT:
Also luckily these weren't available or I might have spent some serious bike money on a 4-pack
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I've fallen down a deep AliExpress rabbit hole... Looking for either a top tube bag, handlebar bag, or a full length under top tube bag.
 
I've fallen down a deep AliExpress rabbit hole... Looking for either a top tube bag, handlebar bag, or a full length under top tube bag.
I've got a Blackburn expandable half frame bag you can have for a nominal fee plus shipping. It's too big for my bike and hubby has a full frame bag he likes.

Edit: photos
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A couple of small holes from the zip where it expands.
470mm long
170mm high (not expanded)
260mm high (expanded)
60mm wide
 
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I've fallen down a deep AliExpress rabbit hole... Looking for either a top tube bag, handlebar bag, or a full length under top tube bag.
I'll have a look at my Ali purchases shortly, I highly recommend feed bags too. Very easy to grab water or snacks on the go.
 
I've looked at those too, I don't think I'll have an issue with knee strikes.
These are what I use.

If it's a warm weather ride I put a 500-750mL bottle in each of two feed bags and another 1L bottle in an Arundel Looney cage on the frame. Then snacks/meds in a handlebar bag. I hate carrying a backpack.

Cooler weather I might put a bottle in one bag and snacks in the other.

I've got a cheap handlebar bag from RAM Cycles, but they are out of stock now. I reckon one of these would be a good snack receptacle.
 
So, updating the Gravelpacker journey here, now that the site is back up ;) If you're on the Discord channel you've already seen this, apologies for those who have to read my words twice ;)

First up, on the AliEx Bikepacking fork, I finally managed to get the seller to send the partial refund he had agreed to. I 100% think they were hoping I'd just forget about it, but got my $20 USD back via paypal yesterday. So, that makes this particular fork $60USD before shipping. Not too shabby for what the fork is.

With the whole setup now being boost, I chucked in my "XC" wheelset, a LB AM928 carbon setup with some low tread 2.4" Pirellis in, and it now make for a Beast Mode commute. A bit slower on the way to work, beign all down hill, but about the same on the way home, as it's all up hill. It feels slower, but actual ride time is in the same ball park. Looking to get on some easy trails soon too.

The Ltwoo drivetrain is still OK, although showing a bit of laziness in the middle of the cassette. The derailler might be loosening up a bit, but it's just sloppy, slow to down shift and slow to up shift, but only in the middle of the casstte. gears 1-4 seem fine, and 8-12 also fine, just the bits in between. I've noticed a few people now offering them up locally, but for the same price as GRX gear. Definitely not as polished or clean as GRX, but at less than half the price, I'm still happy with it.
 
Who will be brave enough to try the cranks out? I can't imagine they'll actually be that dangerous, it's not like they're Crank Brothers.
 
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