It's been very changeable but nowhere near as bad as the forecasts have looked. 3 weeks ago I think I got wet a couple of times, then last 2 weeks only 1 real soaking. Lots of drizzle and 'light rain' where it hasn't really amounted to anything.
Haha but I'm also rubbish at cleaning my bike(s)! Another excuse not to ride in the mud... Typical rain forecast all weekend here with the club run CX, when last 2 days have been glorious!
Couple of them out today got the route marked - https://www.strava.com/activities/15864975288
Got mine down to 9.9kg - full metal guards, zipp 303S and Gp 5000 STR tubeless in 30mm (with inserts). Fairly pleased with that! Was always 11-12kg with alloy wheels & cheaper tyres.
It does say it's got a replaceable Ti derailleur hanger - so likely something they manufacture themselves??? Not impossible they would they make a UDH version and you can just screw that in...
Don't know if SRAM have royalties etc on them - probably. Very much the American way name it 'universal' then have a patent on it so nobody else can use except under licence
SRAM always been expensive but did notice everything else creeping up too... More than just Brexit/imports? Things which cost £21-23 last year on regular deals now around 25-26.
It's not usual you'd be able to choose between internal/external as usually frames+forks are designed for 1 or the other (note the internal size differences in your diagrams)?
The EC44-ZS44 sizing for the headset would usually imply the EC44 upper being an External Cup, then ZS44 being Zero-Stack at the bottom - which is possible... But just sounds strange, possible with the translation it swapped them around? Thin it would be more common to call it ZS44-EC44 - so the external cup was at the bottom. Depends on the cost of them fitting and supplying it to not have the hassle yourself of mixing and matching - some are expensive - but look colour options! https://www.tredz.co.uk/.Chris-King-Inset-8-ZS44-EC44-Headset_250010.htm
With your suspension forks on it you might have to use an external at the bottom anyway? Best read up on the requirements and sizing for fitting them to check. Looking at their website pictures of the builds they are a mix, most with different forks using an external cup... But mixing and matching or swapping around headsets is something I have no experience of. I've always swapped/replaced like for like.
Yeah. It is pricey but more just buying individual adds up to more than just the Force groupset. I debated buying it whole for what I need but then you have the effort of reselling and extra risk/hassle.
For the headset I’ve confirmed I’ve bought the right thing (expensive Cane Creek Hellender 70) and the guy is going to fit it for me. Which saves a lot of hassle.