Let's offroad / mountain bike / mtb / ride dirt

Save them for winter.

ugh, winter :(

Isn’t winter the time for riding a hardtail? It’s why I bought the Yeti Arc.

Thinking of driving out to ride at Coed y Brenin today, camping nearby for a few nights if anyone's around/fancies joining.

What madness is this?

Le Pleney lift now open until 7pm on Thursday evenings.

How do you guys feel about frame protection stickers? I bought a new frame and not sure to buy them or not...

Yes worth it if you want to keep your frame looking good especially for resale.

No if you aren't worried about scrapes and scratches, it's an Mtb after all

I think seat stay bridge and chainstays are the most important to protect from the heels of your shoes and mud from the tyres.

Good shot but clearly not been ridden enough 😉😂

1 Attachment

Hmm interesting, I was just looking at these Bomber shocks and Valt (progressive) springs, do you like yours??

Bike's developed a very solid "click" noise from the front end at around 50% fork compression. Headset is compressed enough, there are enough spacers above the stem so it's not the top cap bottoming out, but there feels like movement when you lift the front wheel slightly, albeit through the bars, I can't feel it holding onto stem or crown. I've even had the fork apart to check the spring preload (it's fine). Both footnuts are done to correct torque. Cable guides are right and flushed with lube in case it was a hose/cable clicking.

The only thing I've noticed is the top bearing inner race has quite a bit of vertical movement, which I've been told is normal for Hope headset bearings (not sure about that, new bearing on its way)

If it's not that, any suggestions? Burn the thing to the ground?

My Hope headsets have never moved or clicked...

Sorry I can't help further than that!

Mine neither, but this is the first ZS one I've had. It's gotta be the bearing, I really hope it's the bearing, I could really do with it not being the CSU or similar

Question for the suspension experts here...
I ordered a Marino full suspension frame and I want to buy a rear shock for it now. It's single pivot so I want to go for a progressive coil shock.
I've decided to go for a Marchocci Bomber CR and I'm now looking which spring to get.
Cane Creek make progressive springs, the shock needs to be 210x55 and the travel of the rear is 150mm, according to the formula on their website I need a 600lbs spring. Cane creek's heaviest one starts at 550lbs, would this be a problem?
Do you guys know any other brands that I can look at for springs?

Why don’t you borrow my two progressive springs and see which suits?

Thanks for the generous offer! I'm not in the UK though... which springs do you have?

according to the formula on their website I need a 600lbs spring. Cane creek's heaviest one starts at 550lbs, would this be a problem?

It ramps up to 670lbs though so it may well be ok.
I’d source a cheap standard 600lbs coil first and see how it feels. Settling on the right spring rate tends to need a bit of trial and error, which can get costly buying lots of different spring rates.
The spring rate formulas don’t always give the ideal number for a given frame/shock/rider combination.

Try pick up a second hand 600lbs coil for sub £25 just to be sure you’re in the right ball park, if it feels right then the 550-670 progressive coil should be about right.

Off to Landudec in Brittany at the end of the month. Does anyone have experience of mtb trails there - blue or mild red (I’ll be riding on my own so don’t want to be taking excessive risks)

Or could go to a trail centre where there are more people about.

I think I detailed on here a while back that I had a Rockshox air shock which came with the bike in 2015.
I sent it off to TF Tuned for a service in January 2021 and they told me it was fooked and there were no replacements and they suggested the Bomber CR as an upgrade.
I prefer the feel of coil shocks anyway and having it supplied and set up by TF Tuned for my weight and style of riding gave a noticeably pusher feel.

It's gotta be the bearing

It's not the bearing. Or the lower bearing or crown race. It's also not the pedal axles. Or the shock bolts. Or the crank arm caps. Or the stem bolts or faceplate.

It clicks under compression, and also occasionally turning the bars with no weight on it, but it's not a cable or hose.

I've soaked the stanchion-crown junction and steerer crown with lube too, that did nothing but I guess rules out those being creaky.

Wtf.

Have you changed the stem recently?
I once had a creak that I was so sure was it was either coming from the headset or I had csu creak.
I eventually realised that the stem wasn’t perfectly faced on the underside where it contacts the stem spacers/upper bearing cover. It disappeared when I switched back to the old stem.

Actually yes. But it was used for one ride on my old bike with no noises, and one ride on the new bike - I didn't notice any noise then, but it is a different headset and was only for 30mins. I've got another stem to try, so that might rule that out.

500-610 and 550-670. Happy to post them if you’re happy to risk customs.

Did the creak go away? Same question for @TooTallTim

after 1-2 years of riding without gears and suspersion fork...
starting with steep and loose(?) technical stuff seemed like a good idea.

2 Attachments