Dammit’s adventures in mountain biking

Going by the logic of this thread I think you should buy the next spring up and see if it feels better it gives better numbers and then decide?

There is a 550-670lb spring.

That’s getting quite far away from what my bodyweight would suggest, but I suppose that’s a guideline.

I think I’ll have a chat with TF Tuned before firing the money gun.

One other thing I noticed was that during seated climbing I used a lot more travel than I had expected

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Going to have to look these up, embarrassingly.

@Dammit was the issue with the dungarees that they actually let water in? Or was it that there was cold wet stuff on the out side making you feel cold and damp on the inside (possibly exacerbated by sweat condensing inside)?A bit like wearing a waterproof layer next to the skin vs having an insulating layer like a jumper between a waterproof layer and skin?

Progressive spring

Linear spring

Ah yeah, Supernova runs alongside the road back to the car park. Iirc there’s a couple of largish jumps in the final third with a reasonably flat landing - so yes I would expect to approach full travel but not bottom out on them.

If the bike has correct sag, feels good, rides faster and isn't using full travel then it sounds fine

If you're determined to see more unused travel at the end of rides, the only solution is a longer travel bike

I agree with the first sentence, but the second is exactly what I'm questioning at the moment.

It may be that what one should expect from a short travel trail bike, ridden on those two trails, is to use all the travel. But - there's uncertainty amongst responders to this thread as to whether that's the case.

As I've said - the bike feels good, my question, really, is could it feel better? Am I leaving something on the table by not nailing the setup. I don't think there's anything wrong in investigating that.

there's uncertainty amongst responders to this thread as to whether that's the case

Unfortunately, there's no simple way of measuring if they're riding differently to you

Perhaps investigate just how hard you have to land to use 100% of the travel? It might put your mind at ease, knowing what it takes to 'run out' of suspension

*Not suggesting you crash

Right, POC Consort Dungarees:

I like the idea, indeed I actually contacted a couple of MTB clothing companies about the idea of a waterproof dungaree before POC announced these. During autumn through to spring I do a lot of riding when the ground is very wet but it’s not raining, or the rain is very light and you’d boil in a jacket so having waterproof material on your torso, front and back, makes a lot of sense.

These passed the “will you fill my shoe with water” test with flying colours, which is great- but, and I think this is because they have a single fabric rather than a different, tougher fabric on the seat, they allowed water through from (I’m guessing) the periods when I was climbing, seated.

The copy in the POC website for these states that they are for the wettest and muddiest conditions and that they are fully waterproof- two hours of riding on damp ground should not, in my view, lead to a damp bottom for the drive home.

Given the price (£450) I had high expectations for these- but sadly I don’t think the material choice/design of the seat is sufficient. I wouldn’t say that these are waterproof- spray, fair enough.

But that’s not how they are advertised and not what I paid for.

There is a distinct “seat” panel, and you can see it is that which cops the greatest spray from the rear wheel- making this out of heavier/more impermeable material would I think have been a good idea.

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That’s really disappointing. Are you sure the wetness wasn’t just sweat condensing at the obvious cold bridge where cold wet water was being sprayed up the seat by the rear wheel? Was the pad of your bib shorts filled up with water?

my question, really, is could it feel better?

Is the grass greener on the other side?

That’s really disappointing. Are you sure the wetness wasn’t just sweat condensing at the obvious cold bridge where cold wet water was being sprayed up the seat by the rear wheel? Was the pad of your bib shorts filled up with water?

I wasn't wearing bibs, just a pair of MTB shorts under the dungarees.

It wasn't a great deal of water - only enough that you think "is this wet or am I just cold?", but when I got up from the car seat I could see a saddle shaped wet patch on the leather.

Makes me think that what I really want is waterproof Mtb lederhosen. I get hot but like you don’t enjoy sitting with a wet arse on the drive home. My knees are kept warm by knee pads but the extended back coverage from the dungaree bibs makes sense. Without full legs I’d assume dungaree shorts would vent heat quite well so a fully waterproof cordura type fabric could be used in the seat area. @chopsicle ?

I would cheerfully buy some Albion dungarees, should they be available.

.....wish I could show you what I finished making at the weekend. Potential for crossover, just bear with us!

Rainlegs in the meantime?

+1 for Albion dungarees! (AlbionxGoreTexProxGucci)
Should we make a list? Ok I’m making a list….

1. TotalShanner
   

+1 for Albion dungarees! (AlbionxGoreTexProxGucci)
Should we make a list? Ok I’m making a list….

1. TotalShanner
   
2. Dammit
   

This is my concern about the DHX/Coil situation:

This is what I'm going to call dynamic sag, static sag is a bit low (24%), but it's also pretty meaningless. What you see in this photo is where the bike rides when I'm climbing, seated.

I'm going to give the 550-670lb spring a go, having now spoken with TF Tuned.

Some kind of rear fender is invaluable for riding about this time of year, or in the case of this year, every fucking day.

Sorry we didn't cross paths!

Are the jumps definitely where you used most travel? Both trails have a few chunky sections where I would expect a trail bike to use a decent amount, especially if you pedalled through them.

.....wish I could show you what I finished making at the weekend. Potential for crossover, just bear with us!

Rainlegs in the meantime?

Two main requirements (well, maybe more, lets see how this list shapes up):

1. I go through a lot of puddles from this point in the year through until probably May '22, that means that I need the shin of my trouser down to the ankle (for me on the left) to be 100% able to stop my shoe filling up with water when the front wheel attempts to throw an entire puddles worth into it. My left hand pedal is the one that eats its bearings because it's the one that gets soaked repeatedly through winter.
   
2. Spray is thrown at my chest, seat and lower back, lower back and chest can be spray proof but seat has to be 100% waterproof or the ride becomes miserable
   
3. Pockets are good! The POC Consort is borderline on pockets, they're a bit small and oddly far down the leg. Chest pocket is a nice to have, but a bit "credit card and front door key" sized.
   

Are the jumps definitely where you used most travel? Both trails have a few chunky sections where I would expect a trail bike to use a decent amount, especially if you pedalled through them.

Hard to say as I only checked at the bottom, it's a bit hard to know how much further the bottom out bumper has left to compress before you get to "no, nope, no further".