Bike polo mechanics & fixing

hmmm, tricksy. I assumed for polo a shorter crank length would be best, hence looking at those 160mm eightinch - plus of course they look nice-core - but yeh, hadn't taken into account q-factor. On the flip, I've been recommended shimano Saints which i've seen on a-lot of polo bikes, the bonus of being able to fit a bash guard is great but they're expensive new... got my eye on some 2nd hand ones, will have to see how that turns out..

if you were going to spend £100, personally i would get this anyday. comes with everything you need. (may need to change the chainring)

Plenty of Deore HT2 cranks on ebay, £30ish?

i went form sugino 152.5 track cranks on the V3 proto to BMX 165 on the new bike and i feel slower if anything. They are really heavy i constantly crack my ankle on the hand crank and do not necessarily feel more stable. i am def going to try going back to track / messenger cranks and see how i feel.

get some external BB cranks b! i have 175's and got my first pedal strike this weekend after taking a ridiculous turn against Renée.

hmmm, tricksy. I assumed for polo a shorter crank length would be best, hence looking at those 160mm eightinch - plus of course they look nice-core - but yeh, hadn't taken into account q-factor. On the flip, I've been recommended shimano Saints which i've seen on a-lot of polo bikes, the bonus of being able to fit a bash guard is great but they're expensive new... got my eye on some 2nd hand ones, will have to see how that turns out..

...and if you do go for Suginos or similar, there are Spa Cycles clones of the XD2 in different lengths for £35

Good tips, thanks guys, i'll check em out.

Yeah, good advice pips. Will be sure to post up some pics when its made :)

Has anyone tried the 661 Filter SPD's? Good/Bad? Thinking about going down the clipless route.

http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Models.aspx?ModelID=72353

I've been using them for a while, not clipless though. I like them, comfy, stiff and pretty grippy, bit on the heavy side though

Do you just use them as heavy expensive trainers Rob?

yeah...

I bought them when I was mountain biking so I had the option to go clipless and because they are stiff and grippy anyway, and the black ones weren't leather. I've had them for years, only replaced them the other day and they've still got a few months left in them tbh

Cool story bro.

Has anyone tried the 661 Filter SPD's? Good/Bad? Thinking about going down the clipless route.

http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Models.aspx?ModelID=72353

i like them, but they aren't worth 60 quid. The manufacturing is crap, i go through them in about 5 months, not even wearing them all day, i wear them to and from work and at polo. They are comfortable but not as stiff as most cycling shoes

Increased stability when using BMX cranks is only experienced when standing up: landing stair sets etc.

For polo, a seated game, your main concern should be pedal strike. #IMO

Do they stay stiffer than normal skate shoes? After a couple of weeks all my skate shoes end up all floppy and curl around the pedal.

they do indeed

Anyone had any experience of Suntour cranks using the 'Hexon' type BB?

Emyr left behind some cranks after I removed them for him and wondered if they belong in the bin or not. Cranks aren't damaged but if they're shite I'm not gonna keep them

i have a set of bmx cranks + spindle that is the same design as that. heavy as.

oz, i doubt they are much better than what you currently have?

The cranks are the Suntour Dura, I think CRC had the Square taper version for £30 inc BB last Autumn.

Might be better off just ebaying them, external BB is where it's at.

I'm using Shimano Deore's atm. No complaints at all, I'm a bit of a Shimano fanboy tbh.

I just don't like having crap in my parts bin. If they're half decent I might keep them for a beater or something.

Just got hold of a pompino frame and was going to experiment with a 26'' front end - low rake fork with 2.10 tyre?
Anyone got any experience/feedback. Already have all the components for 700c setup.

This is what I'm about to do too! Except I'm going for smaller tyres.

Just got hold of a pompino frame and was going to experiment with a 26'' front end - low rake fork with 2.10 tyre?
Anyone got any experience/feedback. Already have all the components for 700c setup.

I've already explained my opinions to Hyper in the flesh, but for anyone else who gives a shit...

I run with a 2.35" Big Apple, in order to preserve the b/b height. I haven't tried anything smaller, but I reckon by going to 1" you'd maybe lose 1cm off the b/b height.

The downside of a big tyre is the massive weight, and increased trail (bigger tyres increase trail if everything else stays the same) although reducing the size of your front tyre will steepen the head angle and that *reduces *trail, so maybe it will even out. For the record, the trail with my 400mm a-c/25mm rake fork was in the 70s according to bikecad, which is pretty big.

Ultimately, tyres are probably the cheapest thing to mess geometry around with, especially if you get them 2nd hand, so if you're convinced by the 26" wheel argument, you can try anything from 1" to 2.5", providing your rim and frame clearance is okay. Couple that with min 20c and max 38c on the rear, and you can probably change seat/head angles by at least a degree, b/b height by 1-2cm, and trail by 10mm or more*

*just guesses based on my experience - stick your details into bikecad.

Hey Hyper Allah

I ran 26" wheels on a Medium pomp for just over a year. Here is how it was set up:

The forks are off an old sunn mountain bike of mine, 380a-c and 30mm rake. This gave me about about a degree less head angle and a trail of about 60 with a 2.1. Its an ok setup but not ideal ( I had a horribly low BB). If you are looking for a large lightweight 26" tyre I would go with the 2.0 schwalbe kojak or the 2.2 geax graffiti; both a pretty light for there size.

One thing i found with running large 26" tyres though is that the ball is more likely to get stuck to or go under them.