Mountain Bike Thread

[Turdacious]

"tuning" a bike in this era of sealed bearings is really pretty bone simple. There are a few tricks and special tools here and there but it's pretty dang simple if you follow the utubez.

I'd agree until I have to true a wheel. I can't do it for shit.

[Blaidd Drwg]

"tuning" a bike in this era of sealed bearings is really pretty bone simple. There are a few tricks and special tools here and there but it's pretty dang simple if you follow the utubez.

I'd agree until I have to true a wheel. I can't do it for shit.

Building wheels seems to take some magic I don't have....truing just takes patience (a wheel stand helps). It's a bit of a dark art but it can be learned....for most dings you just need to make small adjustments over many spokes rather than wholesale tweaks. It's a bit like adjusting and tying knots.

[Fuzzy Dunlop]

Local shop converted my El Mariachi over to single speed this week. Took it out on my normal route today. It was fuckin awesome. I set a 2 minute PR on the first 3.5 mile climb. The bike felt so much better, I can't really explain how or why, it's just better.

I suppose I'll have to grow a beard.

[TerryB]

REmind me later to make fun of you favgs again

[Fuzzy Dunlop]

bumpity bump bump bump

I finally destroyed the entry level Fox 32 fork on the El Mariachi. I was in Palm Springs riding the goat trails. The bridge cracked at some point and it buckled on a sort of sharp turn at speed. I left a lot, A LOT, of skin on a big as rock that i slid across for 5-10 feet or whatever. Not fun. I sent the fork into Fox as everyone tells me that kind of breakage should not happen.

Been riding about twice a week since I got this bike. I've gotten really into it. I ended up putting on a gravity dropper at the end of 2015 and will never go back. It's butt fucking ugly but I don't care. It's the best design on the market, bombproof and light. NExt bike will probably be a Nine Point Eight Fall Line though; their design seems fairly good.

I'm getting ready to build up a 27.5+ bike. I have wheels built, just waiting on a frame... most likely the new Karate Monkey since Salsa decided to kill the Mariachi instead of making it 29/27.5+. I rode the bike that replaced the Mariachi today, the Salsa Timberjack. It was a great bike save for the low end manitou fork. It's just lost the cool factor of steel. I dunno. Climbed great, descended well even w/ a shitty fork, low end brakes and no dropper.

I rode a Stumpjumper 6 fattie in Vermont a few months ago which sold me on the B+ wheels. That bike was fuckin siiiiiick. If only I wanted/needed a squishy bike.

Goat Trails... one gear, one epic spill, zero fucks given:

[bennyonesix]

Bicycles?

[Fuzzy Dunlop]

Bicycles?

Hookers

[bennyonesix]

More reasonable

[Mickey O'neil]

The damper in my old Fox Evolution fork was blown so I got a deal on a new Fox Factory 34 (140mm of travel). This thing is going to ride like a dream compared to my old one! I've pretty much completely rebuilt this bike. Brand new fork, new Easton Haven carbon wheelset, new SRAM NX 1x11 drivetrain, new Specialized tires (Slaughter rear, Purgatory front), new Renthal Fat Bar Lite bar, and new stem and headset. Just in time to put it up for sale and get a newer rig! This is one fun bike though!

[nafod]

I ended up putting on a gravity dropper at the end of 2015 and will never go back.

Got the same piece of kit. It's one of those things I never knew I needed until I got it.

[Mickey O'neil]

I ended up putting on a gravity dropper at the end of 2015 and will never go back.

Got the same piece of kit. It's one of those things I never knew I needed until I got it.

I don't use mine a ton but it's nice to have when I do use it.

EDIT: I have the stock Giant dropper that came on my bike but plan on upgrading depending on what comes on my next bike. Mine is a two position dropper post but would like to have a three position.

[Fuzzy Dunlop]

I ended up putting on a gravity dropper at the end of 2015 and will never go back.

Got the same piece of kit. It's one of those things I never knew I needed until I got it.

I don't use mine a ton but it's nice to have when I do use it.

EDIT: I have the stock Giant dropper that came on my bike but plan on upgrading depending on what comes on my next bike. Mine is a two position dropper post but would like to have a three position.

Bike looks sweet, Mick. You like the Fox Factory? Big difference vs. the Evolution?

I just saw a thread on MTBR about droppers... read up on the Giant stock one before you upgrade. It's supposedly one of the better designs around. You'd be spending $400 to go to an LEV or Reverb and possibly wouldn't be any better, seriously. They were getting a lot of praise.

I'm gonna give rigid 27.5+ single speed a shot then maybe add a fork and some gears. I have been demoing and borrowing bikes from others for a few weeks and the SRAM GX 1x11 is pretty nice, that was on an Advocate Hayduke, which is a pretty sweet bike.

Rode the new Salsa Timberjack yesterday... it was fun, very nimble. It's no longer a cool steel bike, but it's definitely a blast to ride and priced well at 1000 bucks. Manitou was absolute garbage though, could literally see it vibrating when grabbing some front brake. I think the frame is $450... one could build a pretty sweet custom ride with just a fork upgrade and a dropper.

[Fuzzy Dunlop]

I ended up putting on a gravity dropper at the end of 2015 and will never go back.

Got the same piece of kit. It's one of those things I never knew I needed until I got it.

I could not fathom riding without one... Anything I'd be comfortable riding without a dropper I'd be able to ride a gravel bike on much faster.

[Mickey O'neil]

Fuzzy, the new Fox Factory is waaaaaaay better than the Evolution. I took it for a quick spin last night and it's like riding a totally different bike.

[Bram]

Fuzzy, that single speed you have looks like exactly the kind of bike I'd like. I'm thinking of even going no front suspension (I used to mountain bike on a 24" BMX cruiser, it was a bit numbing on the forearms, but fun as fuck).

About a month ago I rode the Camp Tamarancho trail in Marin. This is the flow trail section aka Endor. I was on a borrowed 29er and rode like a little bitch.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QFeoHXDyeU8[/youtube]

[Alfred_E._Neuman]

Fuzzy, that single speed you have looks like exactly the kind of bike I'd like. I'm thinking of even going no front suspension (I used to mountain bike on a 24" BMX cruiser, it was a bit numbing on the forearms, but fun as fuck).

Here's what you need!
https://vimeo.com/51119615

[Shapecharge]

For you guys/transgenders in the know, give a brother some advice on how you'd spend 1000.00 on a single speed, all purpose, ride everywhere mountain bike. And I'm being serious. Earlier this year the wife and I were in Flagstaff...really love that town. We walked into a bike shop just to look around a little bit and the shop pretty much had the complete Santa Cruz line of bikes...we ended up talking to those guys for over an hour. The whole thing appeals to me.

[Bram]

https://vimeo.com/51119615

That with some front and rear brakes would be perfect, I think I had front v-brakes welded on to my old cruiser by the bike shop. Gonna google transition bikes.

[Alfred_E._Neuman]

https://vimeo.com/51119615

That with some front and rear brakes would be perfect, I think I had front v-brakes welded on to my old cruiser by the bike shop. Gonna google transition bikes.

That bike has a coaster brake on the rear, so you can to the gnarly skiiiiiiidddddzzzzz!!!!!

[Alfred_E._Neuman]

For you guys/transgenders in the know, give a brother some advice on how you'd spend 1000.00 on a single speed, all purpose, ride everywhere mountain bike. And I'm being serious. Earlier this year the wife and I were in Flagstaff...really love that town. We walked into a bike shop just to look around a little bit and the shop pretty much had the complete Santa Cruz line of bikes...we ended up talking to those guys for over an hour. The whole thing appeals to me.

A Surly 1x1 or Karate Monkey can be built up in that range. Steel single speed do-all MTBs. The Karate Monkey would be the more practical option.

For a little less money but still a decent company, check out State Bikes:
http://www.statebicycle.com/collections ... ntain-bike

[Fuzzy Dunlop]

New karate monkey SS is gonna msrp at 1175, 29er w SRAM NX i believe, Alex rims. Frame/fork is 600. The purple is rad.


How does that State Pulsar keep chain tension?

[Alfred_E._Neuman]

It looks like an eccentric BB. Not my favorite way of doing it, but works well enough if you're good about taking it apart once a year or so and clean/lubing it so it doesn't bind up.

[bennyonesix]

You guys are kidding with this thread right?

[Fuzzy Dunlop]

It looks like an eccentric BB. Not my favorite way of doing it, but works well enough if you're good about taking it apart once a year or so and clean/lubing it so it doesn't bind up.

Definitely not an EBB, 73mm threaded. Note the horizontal rear dropout for SS chain tension adjustments. They have actually come up with a nice solution to the rear spacing issues b/w 142 and boost. Dropouts are spaced at 145mm, will squeeze/stretch 1.5mm per side to hit 142 or 148, there is some kind of adapter if you're still looking to run 135qr.

[Turdacious]

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SVWP6VaLtvw[/youtube]
MSRP: 49.99, 432 green stamps, and balls of steel.