Big Bike Thread

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monkeypants said:
Don't be a woman! The pads are pretty touch and if you use a reasonable size flat-head screwdriver (ie. anything bigger than a jewellery one) then no damage will come to the pads and you won't have to fuss with removing/replacing them.
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At £15 a pop id say its not worth the risk.
 
Hi,

I started having some strange problems with my front disc brake (deore hydraulics) after a wet offroad ride last weekend.

Basically, they feel normal in the dry but they became absolutely useless in the wet. Normally, they preform pretty much the same in both wet and dry conditions but they became so bad that I can brake better with my rear v-brakes (XT ones).

I originally thought it was time for new pads because I went through a new set of v-brake blocks in the rear last weekend, but the disc pads look like they still have plenty of life left in them. I don't think it's oil on the disc because they works normally in the dry. What do you guys think I should do?
 
SgtTupac said:
Possibly need a bleed? You sure you havent contaminated the pads?
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Is there any way to find out if I have contaminated the pads? The only thing I did after the wet ride last week is changing the offroad tyres over to slicks.

Also, when you say bleeding the brakes, do you mean draining the brake fluid out and replacing it with fresh stuff?

Sorry for all these questions but I'm a bit of a noob in hydralic disc brakes.
 
barkey52 said:
Thanks



in the manual it doesn't give any kind of warning which it should for idiots like me :)
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I'd say keep the pads in. Just be gentle. ***** pads is a lot better than a ****** piston!(i know from experience after snapping a hayes piston).

Most manufacturers supply plastic things you put between the pads when the disk is out or put between the pistons then the pads arent in. I forgot this and some **** pressed the level while it had no pads or disk in! :(
 
nicholas_yiu said:
Is there any way to find out if I have contaminated the pads? The only thing I did after the wet ride last week is changing the offroad tyres over to slicks.

Also, when you say bleeding the brakes, do you mean draining the brake fluid out and replacing it with fresh stuff?

Sorry for all these questions but I'm a bit of a noob in hydralic disc brakes.
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Depending on what brakes you got you will need a bleeding kit. Find out what make brakes you got, then either goto your local bike shop and ask them to do it, or buy a bleed kit for your brakes from Chainreactioncycles.com. Pretty easy to do by yourself if your capable.. its a case of pushing any air or dirty fluid out of the system. 5 min job
 
You know this hurt:
tombo3ya5.jpg
 
Jesus sod that the worst bit is always the few seconds before where you know its gonna happen which is why I always wear a helemet then I couldnt really care less
 
When servicing your dual air fork remember to make doubley sure that there is no pressure left in the negative chamber before you hit the shaft with a mallet and spray oil over everything within 2 foot.

:D

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Had my epic ride the other week, was most dissappointing :(

Never got through more than half the travel and the brain seemed a bit iffy and like I needed to be going faster for it to work properly.

Thinking about it now, I ride quite aggressively, but I'm quite agile. I like to avoid as much as the big stuff as possible and keep my speed rather than ploughing right through it all.

Thinking on this, I'm now back to considering a Santa Cruz Heckler (which I rode at Coed y Brenin) That was fantastic, big and burly enough to take my aggro, but tight enough to whip around and be nimble.

What with my dream bike being a VPP Intense, I'm also looking at the Blur LT. Doesn't look as good, but it's a fraction of the price of the Intense. It also has a bit less travel, so if I do eventually get a 5.5, it'll be a travel upgrade as well as a quality one. What worries me about the Blur is the maintenance and strength of the links, I don't want my back end to be rattling and flapping around when I'm in the middle of a forest. Anyone ridden VPP? Is it nice and laterally stiff?

Those two are looking at costing around £1600 - £1800, which is awesome. I'll obviously demo them on my favourite trail and they're both pretty stout and should easily (Heckler especially) take my greif in Wales.

Still considering the Trek and the Stumpjumper, I've not ruled them out yet. But seeing as I can get an SC for not much more, well, which would you rather have?
 
There is going to be more maintenance with the 5.5 and Blur. One of my riding buddies wouldn't take his Intense out in Winter. Another spent £100 on bearings for his Blur. Although all new SC bikes have the pro bearing kit, which is a lot better. If you ride a lot on wet and muddy conditions then the Heckler is a better bet. But saying that it doesn't match the performance of VPP either. Nothing wrong with the Trek or Stumpy, but SC is just...better.
 
newbikebw1.jpg

my beauty when it was a bit newer and more shiny, changed rear to deemax and got i-beam saddle as well since then. Shame is has more scratches on it now thanks to uplifts etc.. :(
 
the cannondale went away, the kona has undergone a bit of old-skool tarting up

PB270016.jpg


i've added DX thumbshifters, Curve OM cranks with middleburn and pace rings, and little blue touches everywhere

old skool cool.
 
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