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

Rigid then. Cheap sus forks are...cheap.

Weren't you going to commute on this? Just let the fat tires absorb London's famous big hits.

^ yea exactly, although since I shared the plans of MTB build with some MTB friends they want me to join them do some trails which should be fun. My main fear isnt a suspension fork its the lack of gears ;)

I plan to get Schwalbe Big Apple in 2.15"

An Alfine 8 hub gear on that would be rad.

But in the absence of that, just keep it nice and spiny for the trails.

Deffo carbon rigid fork.

yea alfine 11 is the plan in longer future :)

^ yea exactly, although since I shared the plans of MTB build with some MTB friends they want me to join them do some trails which should be fun. My main fear isnt a suspension fork its the lack of gears ;)

I plan to get Schwalbe Big Apple in 2.15"

I rode plenty of trails on the surly, fully rigid SS and it was fine. You've just got to keep pedalling!

attached the track pump to force the piston out, I reached 175psi before it let go, cue piston flying past my head, bouncing off the wall behind me and landing at my feet.

This is why pressure tests and component separation should be done with incompressible fluids. You basically made an air gun with a random trigger. Anybody else trying to remove stuck pistons, force water or oil into the cylinder, not gas!

This is probably a repost, but here's water as a pressure test medium blowing out at 175psi
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W3zZ_nvpGp8

Essentially no change in the volume of fluid in the test chamber, whereas air at that pressure would suddenly expand to 12 times the volume contained in the tyre, which would be about half the total chamber volume.

^ yea exactly, although since I shared the plans of MTB build with some MTB friends they want me to join them do some trails which should be fun. My main fear isnt a suspension fork its the lack of gears ;)

I plan to get Schwalbe Big Apple in 2.15"

If you're using Big Apples then the trails obviously aren't too technical, in which case rigid should be fine. I've got a Recon Silver on one of my MTBs (currently on long-term loan to my father). It's adequate, but I wouldn't want to use it for anything too technical as the damping's a bit hit and miss. And it's bloody heavy.

big apples are great for commuting but i'd suggest something with a bit more traction for offroad, the moment you hit mud they will just spin out.

i haz some 29er tyres spare - which i got off here - 2ndhand but never used by me

yea defo big apples will only be for commuting and its a 26" james not 29er :(
So which rigid forks then?

On one carbon
On one Monocoque
Exotic carbon
Hylix carbon

Bah, they all have IS mounts.

Are you part of the "I hate adaptors" crew Howard?

Well what's the point of trying to make your full crabon fork as light as possible then adding a requirement for a 30g adapter?

i think exotic has a PM option and hylix and on one monocoque looks like PM ..

I love the way on-one can't even be bothered to tell you in their product description.

Well what's the point of trying to make your full crabon fork as light as possible then adding a requirement for a 30g adapter?

I'll never understand the ways of the weenie :-(

I love the way on-one can't even be bothered to tell you in their product description.

That'll be because it'll change with each shipment.

I'll never understand the ways of the weenie :-(

That's probably because you don't weigh 60kg ;)

Actually I'm more poking fun at on-one for harping on about trying to make it as light as possible.

This is why pressure tests and component separation should be done with incompressible fluids. You basically made an air gun with a random trigger. Anybody else trying to remove stuck pistons, force water or oil into the cylinder, not gas!

I see your point. How would I go about putting that much force in with fluid though without getting specialist tools?

arrange an lfgss pissing contest?

How would I go about putting that much force in with fluid though without getting specialist tools?

arrange an lfgss pissing contest?

Are you volunteering to be a specialist tool James?

you could demonstrate the failings of a multi purpose one

I see your point. How would I go about putting that much force in with fluid though without getting specialist tools?

Use the brake lever/master cylinder as the pump, surely? The piston won't retract, so you just have to keep topping up the reservoir to avoid sucking air into the system.

Depends how strong the brake lever seals are.

Hey all,

I'm back on the bike after 2 months due to injury, tentatively rode my first downhill race ever yesterday and was slow as fuck. But it was wicked, I got battered by the rock garden section and just about kept it together, more by luck than judgement. If you've got a fairly hardcore bike (hardtail or FS, I was on an 100mm 4X hardtail) then PORC @ Penshurst in Kent is well worth a trip. Good vibes, demanding but not too tough for a first timer and well run. Check it out.

http://www.porc.uk.com/