Big Bike Thread

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Guys, so confused, what is the order of the avid Elixir brakes, have got the R's at the moment, but looking to potentially upgrade, but have no idea which are the better models.
 
Jonny ///M said:
Not very good service at all! I can take those vouchers but it has to be on the RRP and we don't have much in the way of a FS bike at or under the grand mark :(
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Got this in the end so am quite chuffed.

bikehj.jpg


My first ever full sus.

kieranv said:
That's not ideal, I'll pass on your experiences to the Bikehut managers of both stores. Should have come and spoke to me in Lanark though - bit of a trek but I'm lovely :P
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Heh. You shouldn't have told me where you are. I'll be up pestering you for discounts all the time. :D
 
Did you try Pro am cycle in Larkhall for a bike too? I know they are mainly a roadie shop though.

I wouldn't buy that bike based on the angle of the seat and the direction of the front QR skewer :P
 
The frame head tube suits ZS44 headsets. ZS is zero stack/semi integrated where the cups press into the frame but sit quite flush.

If you fit a standard ZS44 headset you can run your straight 1 1/8th forks. Due to the width of the ZS44 headset it wouldn't take a 1 1/8th > 1.5" tapered fork so to do that you need a bottom external cup to have the bearing outside the frame and thus bigger.

To fit a full 1.5" fork you would need two external cups.

You basically need 2 and B from this http://www.hopetech.com/page.aspx?itemID=SPG240 as far as I can make out.

The one they recommend for standard forks has an external cup though so I don't know how fitting a fully ZS cup would mess with the head angle of the bike.
 
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booyaka said:
Shimano XT from Rose bikes - job done
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Jonny ///M said:
What he said. Even Deore is better than the crap Avid sell :cool:
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Rose bikes and bike-discount.de are awesome places. Prices aren't ALWAYS cheaper than the UK for eveything, but they tend to be cheaper for a lot of components. The prices are often a lot cheaper in Euros than they are in GBP before you even convert.

I just picked up some Shimano SLX brakes from Rose bikes. I used 2 x €10 voucher codes for further discounts. Even with shipping I saved about £50 on UK prices on my whole order. You can get voucher codes by liking them on facebook and subscribing to their news letter. You can also get a loyalty/points card for free.

I have owned Avid Juicy Brakes as have some mates of mine. My advice would be that if they are working, leave them alone. If they are working ok ish, leave them alone. If they start to annoy you or the performance becomes unacceptable, then swap them out. My friends and I have had problems once we start tinkering with Avids. They do seem to be more high maintenance to actually setup and keep working well. Problems with rotors rubbing is common. The bleed procedure is not the most simple, but easy when you know how. However, in my experience, I completely serviced my Juicy 5's with new piston foot and seal kit, bled them all from scratch and I still had problems.

Everyone seems to rave about Shimano current generation (and last) brakes in that they have great bang per buck and "just work". They don't weigh the earth, and not over engineered and seem more simple. They also use non corrosive mineral oil which is nice.

Lowest level is Deore, then SLX, then XT, then XTR highest. I'd recommend SLX. The weight difference between it and XT is reported to be minimal at best. There are even pictures on the net of people that have weighed them and they are identical weights. The XT you gain a pad adjust knob and instead of a split pin to retain the pads like on SLX, it's a threaded bolt. The XT also has chromed reservoir covers on the levers. Some like this. Others feel they look cheap and tacky as the finish looks a bit "chrome spray in a rattle can". ;)
SLX with the non finned pads can be had for around £113 a set (without discs). I personally wouldn't bother with finned pads once you see the cost of genuine replacements. You don't need them to brake well. Yes they do "work" though and get hot, although any pad (and hence heatsink attached to it) will get hot I don't think this proves much other than it takes away some of the heat disapation from the disc to the heatsink. Other manufacturers get by without heatsinks so I'm not convinced and think it's a gimmick, but then I am a grumpy old man. ;)

Deore are still excellent though. Any of the above would be an upgrade over Avids, if your Advids are playing up. When Avids work they are fine.

Hope this helps.
 
Jonny ///M said:
The frame head tube suits ZS44 headsets. ZS is zero stack/semi integrated where the cups press into the frame but sit quite flush.

If you fit a standard ZS44 headset you can run your straight 1 1/8th forks. Due to the width of the ZS44 headset it wouldn't take a 1 1/8th > 1.5" tapered fork so to do that you need a bottom external cup to have the bearing outside the frame and thus bigger.

To fit a full 1.5" fork you would need two external cups.

You basically need 2 and B from this http://www.hopetech.com/page.aspx?itemID=SPG240 as far as I can make out.

The one they recommend for standard forks has an external cup though so I don't know how fitting a fully ZS cup would mess with the head angle of the bike.
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Thanks for the explanation :) I was just wondering if a crown race reducer would be any use? One like http://www.wiggle.co.uk/hope-15-headset-reducer-crown-converter/
 
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Jonny ///M said:
Did you try Pro am cycle in Larkhall for a bike too? I know they are mainly a roadie shop though.

I wouldn't buy that bike based on the angle of the seat and the direction of the front QR skewer :P
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Yeah, I tried Pro Am as I stay just around the corner from it but it was too expensive for me. Last time I was in he had a Giant carbon mtb going for £1400 because there was a chip in the paintwork but even stuff like that is way out of my price range.

The only way I could afford a grand on a bike was through the Cycle to Work scheme and the guy in Pro Am doesn't even offer finance atm.

I'll turn the seat and QR clamp any way you want on the Kona if you come and get it but it'll put the price up by £15. ;)
 
Fair enough, as long as people see if the shop can do any better then shopping around is fine.

The closest thing I could do would be a Kona Tanuki which is £1299 and lesser spec compared to the Boardman. I can't even reduce it due to them humping the margin, could do 0% on the RRP but still works out expensive.

Happy riding on the Boardman :)
 
CasKirensys said:
Thanks for the explanation :) I was just wondering if a crown race reducer would be any use? One like http://www.wiggle.co.uk/hope-15-headset-reducer-crown-converter/
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If you got the external bottom cup for 1.5" forks and that then yeah it will be easier int he future.

Never fitted the reducer crown but if it does what it says then it's fine.

Looks like it sits on top of your existing crown and between the bearing surfaces to me.

assuming you have a compatible crown race just now. A race from a loose ball bearing headset as you'll beed one designed for the cartridge bearings.
 
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Meths said:
Got this in the end so am quite chuffed.

bikehj.jpg


My first ever full sus.



Heh. You shouldn't have told me where you are. I'll be up pestering you for discounts all the time. :D
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Same bike as my mates, he's just swapped the Mountain Kings out as he found them dreadful and put some tyres he found (schwable sams I think) and says the difference is night and day and shows just how awful they were.

Great bike for the price.
 
Meths said:
Got this in the end so am quite chuffed.

bikehj.jpg


My first ever full sus.
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I've had the FS Pro for 18 months and love it, put wider bars and a shorter stem on and swapped the tyres for some Maxxis, and will be ditching the rather rubbish Avid brakes for some Shimano's when funds allow, great bike for the price! :)
 
Jonny ///M said:
If you got the external bottom cup for 1.5" forks and that then yeah it will be easier int he future.

Never fitted the reducer crown but if it does what it says then it's fine.

Looks like it sits on top of your existing crown and between the bearing surfaces to me.

assuming you have a compatible crown race just now. A race from a loose ball bearing headset as you'll beed one designed for the cartridge bearings.
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I've finally found somewhere that has a Nukeproof 44IESS in stock, so I think I'll just get that for now, and go hope when it comes to upgrading the fork. It seems a lot less hassle than trying to find the bottom cup somewhere else.
 
My Canyon Nerve AL+ arrived yesterday so got it built up last night. Really impressed with the bike overall but still can't decide whether it's too small. I'll take it for a quick spin round the block tonight and decide. I'm worried that if I swap it for the next size up it'll be to big. The only problem with ordering online!

IMG_20130528_215623.jpg
 
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