New bike parts? Yep. I was fortunate enough to receive a very nice Mavic Crossmax XL ceramic front wheel. (Thanks!) My old wheel started leaving large amounts of aluminum in my brake pads, and the braking surface was getting a little thin. So, new wheel and some new brakes and pads to finish it off. I went with the Avid Single Digit 7 brakes and a pair of Rim Wrangler 2 ceramic pads on the front.
Why rim brakes? Well, I considered a disc brake, but I couldn’t see much performance advantage, they are heavier, more expensive, require more maintenance, and I’d have to refer to the M2 as a mullet. I’ve only ridden the new wheel once, but it was quite a bit stiffer than the old wheel, and the braking was impressive. We had our first snow here in beautiful muddy suburban DC, so it may be a while until I’m back on the trails. Until things dry out, I’ll probably spend my time tearing down the M2 and getting it cleaned up for the spring…