Big Bike Thread

Phil W · 7 Jun 2011 at 11:15

After looking for a pair of tyres to make my MTB more road friendly, i decided on these...

Schwalbe Road Cruiser

They cost me £19.99 (pair) inc. delivery. Fitting was a bit of a pain and i ended up pinching an inner tube whilst fitting, it already had a couple of repairs so i just replaced it.

On the road... Wow! They are pretty much totally silent in comparision to the previous tyres, speed doesn't seem to drop off as quickly once i'm not pedalling either.

I could have gone for something a little more "slick" but i still wanted the ability to go off road for light use!

Happy chap

DanTheMan · 7 Jun 2011 at 11:27

Nix said:
Yeaaah, welcome to the club.

Hopefully you won't have such back-wheel troubles as I have.

Nice to see you've got some Recons instead of Toras too. The bike certainly 'feels' bigger than it looks with the extended stem and heavy handles doesn't it? I think that's what was making me think I initially had the wrong frame size! I've since actually put my saddle up higher, so just goes to show.

I'll get some pictures of mine up again soonish. I've since put some black Wellgo v12 copies on and got some decent lights. The new tyres I need to go and pickup as they tried to deliver whilst I was out.

What do you make of the tyres yourself?

I think that it just takes time to get used to being on a bike again after so long. At the moment, I can't tell if the tyres are rubbish or if it's just me; probably the latter.

I made sure to get the bike with the recons on by buyng it in store and driving it home. I'm trying to make it a little bit more trail ready, I've put some DMR V8s on there and I'm going to get a wide bar on it asap.

In terms of punctures, I've only rode it for a mile or so as my helmet is still being shipped. I'm probably going to get some nobby nics on there soon too.

Supercow · 7 Jun 2011 at 11:45

Street said:
Turns out the bike shop near me has a Pitch in medium, it just needs putting together. He said he'll put it together today so if I can get off work in the afternoon I'll go have a look if not I'll go round tomorrow.

What are the Elixer 5s like on it? I wasn't that impressed with my last Juicys, are the Elixers much better or is it worth me swapping them for Hopes?

Those will stop you plenty!

Street · 7 Jun 2011 at 12:09

I guess I'll give them a go before I start changing things.. I did like my M4s on my old bike though!

Supercow · 7 Jun 2011 at 13:04

They are better than M4s

ichabod crane · 7 Jun 2011 at 13:49

Supercow said:
They are better than M4s

lol elixir 5's better than tech M4's, stop sniffing glue

Street · 7 Jun 2011 at 13:55

ichabod crane said:
lol elixir 5's better than tech M4's, stop sniffing glue

Just seen its the levers that are Elixer 5, the brakes themselves are Elixer 3s. Looks like these are pretty much the same as the Juicys I had before. Guess I'm going to be swapping them out pretty quick!

Cuchulain · 7 Jun 2011 at 14:00

Street said:
Just seen its the levers that are Elixer 5, the brakes themselves are Elixer 3s. Looks like these are pretty much the same as the Juicys I had before. Guess I'm going to be swapping them out pretty quick!

Elixir 5 levers and Elixir 3 calipers? Ask your LBS wtf they're playing at!

Supercow · 7 Jun 2011 at 14:07

ichabod crane said:
lol elixir 5's better than tech M4's, stop sniffing glue

Hope brakes are utter *****, the only reason they stop you, is because you weigh the same as a ballhair

matt_fsr · 7 Jun 2011 at 14:11

ichabod crane said:
Unfortunately not, we road solidly for the three days so I never got the camera out. Might be some phone camera shots knocking around.

Best I can provide - top of Minch Moor. Was too sodding cold for photos!

Street · 7 Jun 2011 at 14:15

Cuchulain said:
Elixir 5 levers and Elixir 3 calipers? Ask your LBS wtf they're playing at!

Ah I was wrong anyway, got the spec off the Evans website after a quick Google, on the Specialized website it lists them as Elixer 5 brakes and levers! Stupid Evans!

Cuchulain · 7 Jun 2011 at 14:16

Street said:
Ah I was wrong anyway, got the spec off the Evans website after a quick Google, on the Specialized website it lists them as Elixer 5 brakes and levers! Stupid Evans!

Elixir 5's are good brakes, no they're not as good as Hopes but they're better than pretty much all of the Juicy range.

ichabod crane · 7 Jun 2011 at 14:17

Supercow said:
Hope brakes are utter *****, the only reason they stop you, is because you weigh the same as a ballhair

If that is true and elixirs are worse they must be really bad :eek:

Supercow · 7 Jun 2011 at 14:18

They stop my obese arse plenty going down a french mountainside!

weescott · 7 Jun 2011 at 15:12

My Hope V2's are waaaay more powerful than my Elixirs. A lot less likely to fall apart too.

Cuchulain · 7 Jun 2011 at 15:17

At least Avids let everyone know you're coming with their top quality rotors ringadinging all the way down the trail.

ishamy · 7 Jun 2011 at 15:34

Hi all, I'm just taking a wee moment to say hello. I've never made my way to here before mainly because I'm not a bike person since I was in my early teens (I'm now 26). I bought a MTB about 5 years ago and its only been out a few times maybe 20miles tops, out once this year and it wasn't even me that took it out!

Now I'm looking to get more active and dig it out. I don't think its anything special, at the time I bought it I new nothing, and thought it 'looked cool' so whats the thoughts on it?

Its a Raleigh Mtrax fsv 2.0 from 2006. I know I probably payed over the odds for it, but was from a local shop and wasn't thinking about anything really haha.

iamtheoneneo · 7 Jun 2011 at 15:45

top end full sus raleigh right? you could do much worse...

Supercow · 7 Jun 2011 at 15:50

ishamy, is it this one? http://www.evanscycles.com/products/raleigh/mtrax-fsv-20-mountain-bike-ec004548?style=5774

... if it is - I'm just going to be **** on again for saying it's a BSO (bike shaped object), but it is.
BSOs have their place in the market I guess and are good for pootling about your local woods and so forth, but it's not really a decent bike.

ishamy · 7 Jun 2011 at 16:13

Yea thats the one

I take it by BSO you make something that not good at all lol, well you live and learn, I bought it before the time I used to research everything I bought nearly.

As far as I'm aware its OK for what I do/need it to do, and over the next while once I get into the riding more, I may sell and up-grade abit. I've already discovered that Hardtail is the way to go for less £1000 yea?

Still I'm a noob to this and will hopefully be fun getting in to it