You've got an answer that it's 31.8mm already, I just want to help demystify a little. The only size that matters here, and which is what you're seeing on listings, is the diameter of the bars where the stem clamps them. Easy enough to confirm the measure at home with calipers, or wrapping a string around the circumference and dividing that length by π to find diameter. The size of the steerer tube doesn't really come into play because they are very standardized on newer bikes at 1-1/8 inch at the top where the stem goes on. Straight vs. tapered steerers differ on the bottom end, not the top. It might come into play on vintage bikes using threaded steerers and quill stems, but 2015 isn't even coming close to that. You could also consider getting a new bar with greater rise instead, as adjustable stems rotate the angle of the stem, not only going higher but bringing the bars closer to you as well. ... View more

Hi @ksavage89 - Thanks for bringing this question to the community! When you purchase something on REI.com using PayPal, you will get the 5% dividend as long as your REI credit card is linked to your PayPal account. For the 2% mobile wallet dividend that @TomV mentioned, your PayPal account cannot be linked to that feature, so non-REI purchases via PayPal will only receive the 1%. A 2% dividend can be earned in-store by using your phone’s tap-and-go feature or while shopping on a mobile app and paying with your phone's mobile wallet - just be sure your REI master card is loaded into your phone’s wallet and the selected method of payment. Hopefully this helps. Let us know if you have any more questions. ... View more

Some good tips from @REI-JohnJ but I'll add a couple. The Tips article he posted touches on these but I wanted to call attention to them: Regardless of what exact bike you end up on, try running it with less pressure in the tires than you would in summer. This lets the tire bend and squish more to conform to the surface and with greater contact for more traction. It does slightly increase the risk of flats from pinching the tube against the rim, so it's a balancing act of not letting out too much air. Even fat tire bikes can struggle in some conditions, especially ice. John already suggested studded tires which are great, but a lot can be done just by adapting your riding and being very slow and smooth with your inputs. Jerking the handlebars is often a good recipe for the bike to slip out from under you. This can take balance and practice to get good at. Even the nicest bike is ruthlessly attacked by the increased moisture of winter conditions, especially road salt. Chains and other parts like gear cogs are inevitably going to rust and need replacement, though it can be prolonged with frequent maintenance. Like cleaning and re-lubing the chain weekly at minimum level of maintenance, maybe even after every ride. It's not unheard of to just keep a secondhand "beater" bike to take the punishment. If you're hauling the bike by car anywhere, many opt to skip roof or hitch racks and make it fit inside so it's protected from the road spray. ... View more

@sgona2008 Thanks for reaching out! @TomV did a great job talking you through the different things that may be causing your chain to make that sound in that gear combination. If you're not comfortable making the adjustments yourself, we encourage you to reach out to your local REI bike shop with your questions and they may be able to provide some guidance over the phone. Additionally, if you purchased your bike at REI, you receive a free warranty tune up after a few months of riding. If you haven't taken advantage of that service yet be sure to bring this up with the bike techs when you do. Hopefully this helps, thanks! ... View more

@anil Great question! @TomV pretty much nailed it with his response, but I had a few points I wanted to add. All of my tubeless experience has been with fat tire bikes, which are highly functional with a tubeless set up as you can drop your air pressure really low and get the most flotation possible out of your tire. As such, I can't speak with direct experience to road/gravel riding while tubeless. However, I have some friends who ride road/gravel with tubeless and they really enjoy it. Advantages of tubeless: Helps prevent small puncture flats and eliminates pinch flats. This can be particularly helpful if you are riding gravel where you may have issues with thorns. Allows you to run with lower pressure, which can make your ride more comfortable and actually reduce rolling resistance and make you faster. This can be helpful if you ride gravel or varied terrain where adjusting your pressure can be a big advantage. If you're not the kind of rider who is going change your tire pressure depending on the ride and you tend to ride with your tires at max pressure, going tubeless probably will not give you much of an advantage. If you simply want an extra layer of protection from puncture flats then a slime tube is likely your best bet there. Installation and regular maintenance are definitely a factor going tubeless so if you want something that is simple and won't require a lot of work then a slime tube will work better there as well. However, if you don't mind putting in the extra work to get the best feel for your ride and you ride varied terrain where tire pressure matters, then going tubeless might be a great option for you. Hopefully this helps, thanks! ... View more

Thank you @TomV  and @TomIrvine . I actually ended up ordering a couple of CO2 cartridges and a Bontrager CO2 inflator. I'll give them a shot to see how they work. There is a control knob on the inflator that I hope will help control the airflow. Thank you. ... View more

I grew up on the Canadian Prairies (Ahhh, Winnipeg, a great place to be from) where it can hit -40 before the wind chill! (did I mention it's a great place to be from?) In addition to the great information from @Philreedshikes , I'd also recommend layering when it comes to your hands and feet, too. Catch a chill at your extremities and you'll feel it through your entire body, regardless of how warm your jacket is. A pair of glove liners (non-cotton, of course) can be a game changer (as can sock liners). ... View more

It had actually crossed my mind... but figured I'd throw it out there and get all possible leads as I start my search! ... View more

Reviving this thread for a little update, I just finished going tubeless, not to mention lots of other upgrades/customizations like a dropper. I ended up going with Orange Seal Subzero for the tubeless sealant, we'll see how it holds up, but so far the tires are holding well. The Mulefüt rims have a really tight bead seat, kind of a pain in the butt to get the tire on and off, but it's a good thing once it is on there. Air and sealant start to leak out around 15 psi, but I doubt I'll ever be riding that pumped up anyways; 10 psi and under they're seeming all good. I also put some reflective conspicuity tape on the inside of the rim strip, both for the white accent in daytime, but a little extra visibility for night as well (compare some of the first pictures to the last couple). It's all the little things that add up to really make it feel like my bike. Also some praise for Salsa here: the frame actually has sleeves molded in as part of the frame design, so internally routing the dropper cable and swapping the shift housing was an absolute breeze, just push it through no special tools/magnets/fishing wires. Slick pedals and bottle cage New Ergon oil slick grips, PNW dropper, and color pop on the cables Out on the trails Wheels after tubeless, holding well even before sealant added Nukeproof slick valves and conspicuity taping Nukeproof Sam Hill saddle on the way It has been a blast riding it around so far, just needs the snow now... ... View more

If the chain is falling off even in the 3x configuration, I'd suspect something isn't set up quite right, probably limit screws. Or maybe the chain is a couple links too long, hard to say, but both are relatively simple adjustments to make. Tourney is a lower end spec, but without major overhaul, I still am not sure going 1x is going to transform your ride experience based on my own conversion to 1x8. Part of the XCE issues are probably lack of adjustable rebound, so the suspension compresses then just bucks you back after the initial hit, which is typical of budget coil forks. I guess as long as you're gonna do something, I'd choose the fork over the drivetrain, as long as the Judy has that rebound adjustment (not sure if that's on the $170 one you're looking at, you did say it's air at least). But mostly my main concern is when the bike is new in the ~$600 range, that's a third of the cost of the bike new, probably more like half the worth now. Plus any shop labor to install it if not doing it yourself (cutting the steerer to size, moving the crown race over from the old fork). So if it were me I'd probably just save it for that next bike, but like I said, if you're going to anyway I'd do the fork. ... View more

It's likely a Presta valve (vs. the Schraeder valve like you find on cars). An adapter like these is a cheap way to use a typical compressor like at gas stations, otherwise most bicycle floor pumps sold these days are compatible with either type of valve. Another thing is that Presta valves, in addition to any plastic cap, have a little tip at the end that needs to be unscrewed to put air in (or out), then you screw it back in when you're done. ... View more