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

Total noob with disc brakes, last time I built an MTB V's were new and exciting. I have some BR-M446 cheapish shimano jobbies, the levers were the wrong way round, so I swapped them over, using this guide (didn't need to cut the hoses). The front pistons wouldn't stay in place when I pushed them back, so I opened the bleed valve and pushed a little oil out. I think I may have let too much out and now the lever doesn't engage until it's almost on the grip.

Can I just open up the resevoir and add a little oil in, or doesn this require a more comprehensive bleed as per the instruction manual method?

The brakes and pads are all new btw.

My worst nightmare, servicing hydro discs. I've had bikes with them since 2001 but mostly managed to avoid doing it myself... I was having some issues with a front hope disc recently, faffed around for 2 or 3 hours, couldn't get it sorted, took it to an lbs, and got it set up, bled, front wheel trued and new pads for £25....

Sounds like the shimano models are easier than some. I'm not likely to be bothered with taking it to a shop every time it needs doing, so I guess I may as well learn to do it myself.

Yeah, but hydro discs are pretty much fit and forget.

They're not too hard to do, especially the shimano ones, just be mega careful not to get fluid on your pads or rotor.

Or fingers

Shimano are mineral oil, drink that shit up, it's tasty.

Don't do that, it's just not quite as bad as DOT.

It is tasty though.

Nom.

Weirdly the lever seems to have sorted itself out all of a sudden, still a bit slack, but good enough to ride on. Another issue - it's a 1x9 setup, and in the smallest gears, the chain seems to be riding up on the lower jockey wheel. Fucked jockey wheels maybe, although the seller claimed to have changed them prior to selling, My chain is a 9 speed one, and the mech is LX, which should be able to deal with that alright.

Planning on going to Swinley for a night ride this evening.

Surely you go for a night ride in the night...

Wow

The Troutie Spider Eyes light is fucking awesome. It just lit up a square corridor of light in front of me. The other half gave me the light for Xmas but as she has had back problems and not been well enough to ride so it has been unused until now. Annie had an Exposure Maxxx D on her bars and a Diablo on her helmet, even when they were set on full power they came nowhere near the Spider Eyes which I used on the lowest setting. She is quite jealous.

We saw one vehicle leave the car park as we were arriving, otherwise it was totally empty.

You'd better find a better dogging spot then DJ.

That was you?

My mate has a orange c'dale CAD1 M300 rigid bike, all stock parts and been abandoned in a shed for 7 years.
Needs new headset, stem, twist shifters are deteriorated and unusable, front mech seized, lost its starfangled nut, spring broken on front brake and needs new tyres, has no seatpost or saddle.
Frame, forks and wheels are solid though and he's asking for a casually paid £50
Was thinking of turning the rear wheel ss and using it for tow path/frolicking in grassy fields/woodlands fun.
Is this another stupid project leading me to a path of regret?

You were saying?

for tow path/frolicking in grassy fields/woodlands fun.
Is this leading me to a path of regret?

Possibly, depends who else participates and who finds out about your frolics and fun.

Could be a lot of fun. But you may end up spending so much on it that you wish you'd just bought a cheap On One build.

Any sugetiojns for rims, I have been given a set of wheels with Hope pro 2 hubs, lased to Mavic ?317, think they are cross rims, with 17mm internal. I think the Mavic EN 521 could be a good option as I would like something a bit stronger and wider.

I'm about 95KG for ref.

You really need something stronger than an EN521?

just hope the hopes are 36h
ex823 are bombproof for a thinner tyre

have the ex729 ( slightly wider ) on hope evo's 36h and i don't think i could buckle them even if i tried they feel rock solid

No shit, it's a rim that DH racers have abandoned for being too overbuilt. I remember people saying that it actually cracked more often than the lighter EN721 because it was so stiff.

oh