Big Bike Thread

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Does anyone have experience with Kenda Excavator tyres? I'm currently running Kenda Kinetics (stick-e 2.35) front and rear, the rear is wearing out fast and I'm probably going to replace the front and rear. I like the Kinetics but thought I would try something different. I ride a Specialized Enduro and tend to do a bit of everything.

I see a lot of people having a larger tyre on the front, would a 2.5 on front and 2.35 on the back work out ok? Also is it worth it going for the wire bead, 2 ply version over the single play DTC types? I'm not really a weight weenie and would rather avoid flats than save a few grams.
 
Lead_Head said:
Is large the 21 or 23"??

I don't know why they all use different measurements. Large, cm or inches does my head in.
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Normally on XC bikes its roughly 17.5 Small, 18.5 Medium, 19.5 Large. Or there abouts, i think for a hybrid things are slightly different so i assume the 21 should be about a "large"
 
Supercow said:
I wanna go ride now :(

http://www.vitalmtb.com/videos/features/Five-Ten-Promotional-Video,678/Lucent,16
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I was in some of the Maxxis promotional material at Interbike, can't find it online though :p

Draeger said:
Right folks, I'm off to Evans tomorrow to grab a new perch. Undecided between a Specialized Toupe Gel and a Fizik Arione.

I know saddles are a subjective/personal thingy but what do you reckon?.
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I have no problems with my non gel Toupe.

Andelusion said:
I see a lot of people having a larger tyre on the front, would a 2.5 on front and 2.35 on the back work out ok? Also is it worth it going for the wire bead, 2 ply version over the single play DTC types? I'm not really a weight weenie and would rather avoid flats than save a few grams.
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I only use DH, wire bead 2-ply on my big bike. They're very heavy and I would never use them on anything but a dedicated DH bike.
 
Andelusion said:
I see a lot of people having a larger tyre on the front, would a 2.5 on front and 2.35 on the back work out ok? Also is it worth it going for the wire bead, 2 ply version over the single play DTC types? I'm not really a weight weenie and would rather avoid flats than save a few grams.
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It depends where you are riding but a 2.5" tyre is probably overkill for an Enduro. I loved my Bonty Big Earl 2.5" for bigger stuff.

I ran 2.3 Kenda Nevegal Stick-e rear and 2.3 Kenda Blue groove front. The soft compound will wear out fast if you do a lot of road riding.

I would look at 2.3" front max. Perhaps even 2.1" or 1.9" now the wet weather is setting in. My riding buddy has Panaracer Cinder 2.1's on his Enduro SL Expert and loves them.
 
My steed.

SDC10283.jpg
 
Oddw1re said:
I see your from Sunderland
Is there any xc/off road tracks in the area?
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Hi mate, yes there's a good few tracks, loads of NCN (national cycle network) routes for easy rides - west along the C2C route (beamish, consett etc), south down to Hartlepool, North to Whitley Bay. Tracks around Penshaw woods/ Herrington park/ Cleadon hills/ Carley Hill quarry (not a real quarry but its been known as that since forever), along the riverside (keep to left hand side if going west - right hand side if going east) official c2c route on the other side of river is 'manicured' to suit all types and can be a bit boring. Hamsterly forest is about 30 mins drive away with a few different routes inc downhiill/ 4x track, Blue/Red/Black grade routes. Whereabouts you based when in Sunderland?
 
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stu8975 said:
Hi mate, yes there's a good few tracks, loads of NCN (national cycle network) routes for easy rides - west along the C2C route (beamish, consett etc), south down to Hartlepool, North to Whitley Bay. Tracks around Penshaw woods/ Herrington park/ Cleadon hills/ Carley Hill quarry (not a real quarry but its been known as that since forever), along the riverside (keep to left hand side if going west - right hand side if going west) official c2c route on the other side of river is 'manicured' to suit all types and can be a bit boring. Hamsterly forest is about 30 mins drive away with a few different routes inc downhiill/ 4x track, Blue/Red/Black grade routes. Whereabouts you based when in Sunderland?
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Thanks for that.
Im in the city next to Sunderland Royal Hospital.
 
I didn't quite make the 40 miles, I got 37 though! Although 4 of those were walking with my bike on my shoulders....It wasn't the most ideal trip to say the least!!

I got my first puncture miles away from anywhere. I managed to fix the puncture but half way through pumping the tyre up my pump broke, so ended up walking for 3 miles until I hit a road and i borrowed another riders pump. By this time I was pretty tired and then had to cycle all the way home against the wind which had whipped up nastily, then a mile away from home I got another puncture so had to walk it home the last mile!!

Still, when I was riding it was good fun!! I shall stock up on supplies and hope the weather and my tyres hold out next week!!
 
Guys, could you spec me some reasonably priced road tyres? As it's coming into the winter now and we tend to have nothing but rain over here I'm going to wimp out and keep myself fit up and around all the back roads. (this is for a mountain bike btw).
 
Ordered in a Specialized Globe San Francisco 1 '09 S/S bike yesterday, they reckoned I'd need a 19" frame as looking in the Specialized brochure for that bike 6ft 2" was the top end of 19" and the bottom of 21". Technically I'm 6ft 1.5" so I'll see if 19" fits when it's built, if not I'll order in a 21".

I'm not an experienced rider so I took the shops advice and see how it goes. They said I could test ride it, but I'm not sure how I can do that. Would they let me go out in the road on a bike I'm unfamiliar with and say bring it back in one piece? With it being my first s/s it'll be an unusual experience.
 
I've got marathons on my hack bike at the moment (35s) and I've got a pair of 25s to put on when I've finised rebuilding it as a single speed. Although they are bulletproof I can't say that I find them particularly grippy as a winter tyre, in fact, quite the opposite.

I've got ultra gatorskins on the roadie and I find them much better.
 
Single speed will be easy to get used to,would be different if it was a fixie. I'd rather have a slighlty too small big that a bike that's too big, I hate when a bike feels too long!

To be fair the roadies that come to the shop tend to want gators or stelvios.....and most people wanting cheap slick tyres just take the generic tat we can sell cheap. Having had my front wheel lock going downhil at 25 odd mph(damp but not raining) I want something that wont try to kill me.
 
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