NSMB - 2021 - Hardtail Thread

Posted by: velocipedestrian

So, I'm building up a Pipedream Moxie V1... It has limited 29er tyre clearance in the back. I have a commuter / gravel wheelset which will fit fine, but I'm pondering what to use for the mountain bicycling part.

Would you rather...

Max 29x2.4 on i25 rim, or 27.5+?

I'll be aiming for 29xi30-i35 with 2.4-2.6 on the front.

Based on my experience with my Moxie V2, size long:

- shortest possible chainstay setting + 29er wheel only clears relatively low profiled tyres, and tends to be a bit more harsh (tested on i23 rim and 2.3" Maxxis Aggressor)

- longest possible chainstay setting + 29er wheel works rather nicely, the frame absorbs significantly more chatter and the geo feels more balanced to me (older e*thirteen trs+ in 2.35" on the same rim)

However, I wanted get the fun, albeit unbalanced feel of short chainstays on that frame, and that works rather well with a 650b i40 rim and 2.8" Maxxis Rekon+: trail chatter and such is manageable with the large tyre volume, and the bike is less of a handful to get onto the back wheel etc. The large air volume is a bit of a double-edged sword as others alluded to -- too high pressure means the rear pings off roots and rocks and can knock you me line rather quick, too low pressure means rim strikes. I managed to order some cheap inserts off planet x for 14£, so I'll find out how that affects things when they finally arrive here.

So in your situation I'd decide based on preference for chainstay length and rear tyre tread. If I remember correctly, the V1 has even shorter chainstays than the V2, too...

Posted by: velocipedestrian

So, I'm building up a Pipedream Moxie V1... It has limited 29er tyre clearance in the back. I have a commuter / gravel wheelset which will fit fine, but I'm pondering what to use for the mountain bicycling part.

Would you rather...

Max 29x2.4 on i25 rim, or 27.5+?

I'll be aiming for 29xi30-i35 with 2.4-2.6 on the front.

I'm not a fan of lower volume tires so if those were my choices I'd run 27+ in the back and a 29 x 2.6" tire up front while making BRRRRAAAAPPPP!!! noises and pretending I was riding an e-bike/moto. ;-)

I braved some brutally cold [for wimps that live on the coast!] weather and looked for snow yesterday. I guess I found some, but just barely. Forecast has snow tonight and Saturday so I may get a couple more shots at it this weekend.

Lots of preference for big volume over big wheel coming out. But also the potential downsides of plus tyres.

Assuming it won't tip the seat angle too far back, or mean endless pedal strikes - anyone have thoughts on same tyre and rim widths in a mullet setup? 

I'm thinking i30-35 x 2.6 could be a good compromise... 

(I'm sure I'll be second guessing myself for ages, since I have to do some saving for these wheels & fork anyway)

Posted by: Vikb

I braved some brutally cold [for wimps that live on the coast!] weather and looked for snow yesterday. I guess I found some, but just barely. Forecast has snow tonight and Saturday so I may get a couple more shots at it this weekend.

how about a bike for ice?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y_bwKW6V1lw

Posted by: syncro

Posted by: Vikb

I braved some brutally cold [for wimps that live on the coast!] weather and looked for snow yesterday. I guess I found some, but just barely. Forecast has snow tonight and Saturday so I may get a couple more shots at it this weekend.

how about a bike for ice?

That is the most dangerous thing I have seen today.  One slip and his femoral artery is severed. I am speechless.

Posted by: RAHrider

That is the most dangerous thing I have seen today. One slip and his femoral artery is severed. I am speechless.

If you watch the vid he makes it a bit safer by welding tabs on the teeth for better traction on the ice. But yeah, if the ice runs downhill at all don't lean back over the rear wheel.

Human genius knows no bounds.

Posted by: syncro

Posted by: RAHrider

That is the most dangerous thing I have seen today. One slip and his femoral artery is severed. I am speechless.

If you watch the vid he makes it a bit safer by welding tabs on the teeth for better traction on the ice. But yeah, if the ice runs downhill at all don't lean back over the rear wheel.

Human genius knows no bounds.

If the bike is going 20km/hr, those tabs are going around 50km/hr. They will make ground beef out of his crotch. 

I don't know how you spend that amount of time creating such an invention and not consider safety.

Hmm, biking on ice. ..what's the chance he slips, skids or falls? Pretty high. Two large heavy saw blades spinning at 40-50 km/hr underneath you while crashing? I will not be contributing to any kickstarters.

Posted by: RAHrider

If the bike is going 20km/hr, those tabs are going around 50km/hr. They will make ground beef out of his crotch.

I don't know how you spend that amount of time creating such an invention and not consider safety.

Hmm, biking on ice. ..what's the chance he slips, skids or falls? Pretty high. Two large heavy saw blades spinning at 40-50 km/hr underneath you while crashing? I will not be contributing to any kickstarters.

I agree that it's a recipe for carnage, but fyi the wheels are moving the same 20km/hr as the bike. they still make ground beef out of his nether regions if it goes wrong tho.

Posted by: velocipedestrian

Lots of preference for big volume over big wheel coming out. But also the potential downsides of plus tyres.

Assuming it won't tip the seat angle too far back, or mean endless pedal strikes - anyone have thoughts on same tyre and rim widths in a mullet setup? 

I'm thinking i30-35 x 2.6 could be a good compromise... 

(I'm sure I'll be second guessing myself for ages, since I have to do some saving for these wheels & fork anyway)

I should mention that my experiments with a plus and a 29er wheel all have been with a 29er in i29 and a 2.4 Michelin DH34 in the front. Mullet's rather nice in that combination.

I however learned once again why I don't like Maxxis' EXO carcass -- just a tiny hole from a tiny mishap that didn't want to seal had me walking home with frozen fingers. A buddy of mine is very happy with WTB TCS Tough tyres in 2.8" though...

Excited for some snow riding I set of for a dawn patrol to some local trails. Lights charged. All bundled up! I made it a block before I had to help the first stuck car and that was on a main road. When I got onto a side street I had trouble riding and the bikepath was 100% pushing. After a couple KMs of pushing I gave up as it's 9kms+ each way to the closest trails. Usually that's a chill bikepath spin. Not today.

I recalibrated and went to the mall and rallyed there for a while. There was enough plowing to make big sections rideable. Sliding out the backend around corners was entertaining and while it's not quite the first tracks I was looking for I was the first cyclist to smash the snow berms! ;-)

With snow falling hard and steady I'm not holding out much hope for trail riding before Mon/Tues, but I will try and head downtown later today and tomorrow for some urban assault riding. That could be fun!

Posted by: Vikb

Excited for some snow riding I set of for a dawn patrol to some local trails. Lights charged. All bundled up! I made it a block before I had to help the first stuck car and that was on a main road. When I got onto a side street I had trouble riding and the bikepath was 100% pushing. After a couple KMs of pushing I gave up as it's 9kms+ each way to the closest trails. Usually that's a chill bikepath spin. Not today.

I recalibrated and went to the mall and rallyed there for a while. There was enough plowing to make big sections rideable. Sliding out the backend around corners was entertaining and while it's not quite the first tracks I was looking for I was the first cyclist to smash the snow berms! ;-)

With snow falling hard and steady I'm not holding out much hope for trail riding before Mon/Tues, but I will try and head downtown later today and tomorrow for some urban assault riding. That could be fun!

My question is, if you are already done your ride before the sun comes up, what are you doing with the rest of your Saturday?

Also, is that a speaker on your bar beside the GPS?

At least your bike is clean now. Sorry the ride didn't really work out. A for effort though.

Posted by: RAHrider

My question is, if you are already done your ride before the sun comes up, what are you doing with the rest of your Saturday?

Also, is that a speaker on your bar beside the GPS?

At least your bike is clean now. Sorry the ride didn't really work out. A for effort though.

I get up early everyday. Today I was up at 430am. I really enjoy being out riding my bike or skateboarding or hiking while everyone else is asleep or drinking their first cup of coffee.

My work is a sporadic work from home deal so I did some work this morning before and after the attempted ride. Had breakfast. Told some people they were wrong online. ;-)

Chatting with some friends online now. I'll have lunch and my daily nap soon. Then I'm meeting a buddy for some urban assault riding. May end up being a dud mission, but we'll try! Worst case we'll grab a coffee and have a chat outside at a COVID safe distance.

After another shot at riding I'll probably just hang out with my GF and cat. Watch some YT videos and Netflix. Shovel the sidewalk as well later on. A pretty boring day, but the snow is limiting our options.

That black think next to the GPS is a bike light. You can see the battery slung under the TT under the black bag behind my stem. I don't like blasting music when I am riding. It's unlikely other people will be stoked on my tunes. The bike is looking cleaner than usual! Good point. :-)

Posted by: Vikb

Excited for some snow riding I set of for a dawn patrol to some local trails. Lights charged. All bundled up! I made it a block before I had to help the first stuck car and that was on a main road. When I got onto a side street I had trouble riding and the bikepath was 100% pushing. After a couple KMs of pushing I gave up as it's 9kms+ each way to the closest trails. Usually that's a chill bikepath spin. Not today.

It's amazing how small the window of conditions is for really good snow riding.  I had an unbelievable snow ride today. When I started out, I was blasting through 13cm of snow and I found myself mesmerized by this bow wave form in front of my front tire.  I powered up double-track grades I thought I had no business maintaining traction on.  I even managed to re-start from a spin-out on a hill several times. For the first half of the ride, I probably only hike-a-biked 10% of the time.  I've never been that successful in that deep of snow (I'm only on 2.75 tires, not full fatties).  Every once and a while, I'd hit a little zone where the ground had maybe been warmer, or there was a pocket of slightly warmer air or something, and it would all fall apart.  The front end would start porpoising followed by the rear end breaking traction.  I'd get off and push through that section then sometimes with no change in grade still be able to get back on and get moving again. 

While I was riding the snow continued to fall--another 5cm or so.  I think it also warmed up a degee or two.  That little bit change tipped the balance from best snow ride ever to death march.  On my way out, I was struggling to keep moving and upright going down some of those hills I'd just motored up two hours earlier. 

Can't post my pic here because I was on my coil-sprung 6" behemoth (least-efficient snow bike ever!)