andy-eunson profile

I much prefer a fatter and more firm grip. I get all my absorption from soft tires and suspension.

My new bike came with I9 hubs which skipped on the first ride. Pulled them apart and found the mechanism full of a blue greased. Wiped the grease mostly out and I’ve only had a couple skips science. I’ve wrecked a 32 tooth DT Swiss ratchet probably from too much grease. These things really don’t need much lubricant. Just a bare minimum. It’s not like the hub bearings that are moving while under load. There isn’t much load while freewheeling and while pedaling there isn’t any movement at the pawls or there shouldn’t be. Grease can keep the pawls from engaging properly. 

I don’t know who greased the crap out of my hub. Either I9 does it that way or Santacruz who built the wheels did. It’s wrong.

I’ve wrecked a 36 tooth star ratchet probably from a bit too much grease. That may have caused the ratchets to stick a bit and not engage fully. Using a small amount of the correct grease and it never happened again. I don’t get too fussed about really rapid engagement. I can tell the difference between my Hope hub and I9 hub but it makes no real difference in my riding. I can tell the difference with the slow engagement DT ratchet and I don’t care for that but again it’s not a huge difference for me. 

A hub that requires little service and is easy to do when it needs it is what is important to me. The next instalment on these hubs will be the important one. 

Now if I can figure out how to make 30mm bsa B.B. last more than six months I’ll be happier.

Are so called rogue trails (other than ones constructed in a provincial park or something equally egregious) really a problem? Is the heavy hand of government simply a “come on strong, but actually act mild” type of thing? I can show you quite a number of off the maps trails in my home town but most get ridden very very little. The majority of riders are not interested in seeking out these secret trails that are constructed by and for the hard core. 

There are certainly some lines created that should not have been because they exit on private property for example. Or in parks and private property. Doing that is asking for trouble. But way out in the boonies, don’t ask don’t tell seems to be the way. At some point I suppose that catches up as heat maps and word of mouth makes trails known and popular. 

There seems to be a desire in this province and country to move away from a resource based economy to something else. Tourism is one of those other ways. Mountain bike tourists spend money like any other tourist and deserves as much support as any other attraction. 

My knee jerk reaction when I hear my government come out all heavy handed is like most people’s. FOAD. Leave us alone we don’t need non mountain bikers telling us how to have fun. I wonder what has caused this issue to come up.

I remember the first camelback. It was great. No more running out of water during long xc races or loosing bottles on rough courses. Then a year later came a small pack that the camelback went in with a small outside pocket. Then a bigger pack that you stuff more into. Next thing you buddies are riding packs large enough to carry jackets, food and extra lights on night rides. Like a frog in boiling water we didn’t realize how heavy this stuff was getting on us. Bigger is better, more carry is better. Since I stopped wearing large packs and actually ditched a pack altogether I am much more comfortable. All these strap on things are great. Nothing rattles, no large seat bags rubbing rear tires with the saddle dropped on full suspension.

I bought that protective strip at Coastal Culture in Whistler.

You got that right. My last new Maxxis 2.4 WT on a Nobl 27 mm inner wide rim was most uncooperative with my Bontrager charge or whatever they call it pump. It wasn’t until I fired up my noisy compressor that the Bonty pump worked.

Plus when you take fork and rear end sag into account you get the real seat tube angle which may actually change going uphill if the rear suspension tends to wallow. Or for a hardtail gets steeper yet.

Further on that point, aluminum can be no better. One thing I find truly amazing is the old Klein’s I see for sale on a certain 90’s mountain bike site. How the hell can one still be riding one of those crack fests. I had three in one season and sold that third one soon after I got it. The point is I suppose is that some used bikes are barely ridden. Those are the ones to find if the tech isn’t too out of date. By the way if you’re interested I have this sweet cross bike...

I use a spray bottle with a little dish soap. And similar brushes. About once a month I’ll fill a bucket with dish soapy water and brush the bike down after a gentle rinse. I’ll scrub the chain, cassette and ring(s) as well and might use a little citrus chain cleaner for that. I take the chain off when it’s worn and ready for replacement. In my experience if you don’t over lubricate the chain and use something like Prolink or Rock n Roll, you don’t get much build up. Avoid Phil’s Tenacious at all costs. It is awful.

If those bears in the video do need to be put down, make the people feeding the bears do it. Make them film it. Make them post it up with full sound of dying bears. Then fine the fuck out of them for feeding bears.

I really like my Terraduras. They could be a touch stiffer as I can feel my pedal when I’m grinding hard up hill. I also have a pair of ME7 Shimano shoes. The stiffness is better but the fit a bit loose. The next size down was too snug. My Giro are actually the Terradura which is the women’s version of the Terraduro. They fit more narrow than the men’s in the same size.

Posted by: FlightlessLobster

What does the BA part of a Rootdown BA mean?

Big ass aka boost axle.

Posted by: Kevin26

Posted by: RAHrider

Anyone know a good way to make a great loop of business time that incorporates some other trails?

Add highside/hi hi/highline first

Yes. Or ride higher on the Microwave Road and do Heavy Flow/Hindsight and ride back up Tunnel Vision which is a bit of a grunt and the end will see you humping up the rock and then blast down to IBT. I don’t do that often because the climb is not completely rideable. Or after the full IBT or even AMPM cut off go back up the road and do the TV, Heavy Flow, Hindsight lines. One can also incorporate the grind up lower Babylon By Bike for a flowing descent down See Colours and Puke (aka Hair Straight Back).

Wee cog make some interesting little under saddle bags. https://www.weecog.co.uk/collections/on-the-bike

Still, a rubber ski strap works a million times better than any nylon buckle and strap or Velcro. I have seen small dry bag style saddle bags with roll top closures but those roll tops are bulky. Seriously a large square of cordura or if you can find it, shelterite or whatever that fibre reinforced vinyl fabric is called, roll up your stuff in it and strap with a ski strap and you’re golden.

Rashid, all you need is a square of cordura and a rubber ski strap like Voile, G3 Blackdiamond or One Up sell. Wrap the tube, tools and whatever else in the nylon and strap it to the sadddle rails or other spot. Done. I used this for quite a while.

Posted by: tungsten

The Fix in Whistler only does repairs. No clothes, no bikes but they do sell some parts that they would need for repairs anyway. They do well.

Yeah but that's servicing a high concentration of bikes being beat down in a small geographic area. Could that work in the lower mainland?

North Van is probably more concentrated. With locals anyway. If a repair only shop had a fast turnaround, like overnight service it could work well. In tourist places like Moab, some shops like Chile Pepper work at night for overnight service. Tourists with limited time in Moab need that.

North Van has a large number of shops now. Steed, Obsession, Lynn Valley, BSP, Cove, North Shore Road Bike, John Henry, North Shore Bike Shop, Biccicletta, (does On Top count anymore?). Plus Suspensionwerx. And MEC. That’s a lot of retail for just North Van.

I’ve take a wheel to The Fix for a bearing replacement that I did not have proper tools for. Dropped the wheel off, and went to walk my dogs for a hour or so and get a call mid walk that the work is done. That’s incredible service.

I just read about Bicycle Hub on another thread here. That sounds like repairs only. I’m not familiar with the place though maybe some one can chime in on that.

Posted by: tashi

I mean there are some setups where it won’t work but I’m amazed how this seems like some major puzzle to some folks.

Seat bag for tools and tube, (Specialized makes some damn good ones) pump in a water bottle cage mount (in a sleeve made from a tube).  Same setup I’ve been using since the mid/90’s...

Lower COG is always good but my post is dropped whenever that actually matters so I’ve never noticed the weight of the seat bag myself.  A little bag that fit in the knook above the B.B. might be nice but that’s a pretty tight spot in my bike.

The one up stuff seems really slick, if pricey. If I were starting from scratch I’d take a good long look at their stuff. First time my pump fails me I’ll probably get one of theirs, that thing is smart as hell.

One potential problem with a seat bag these days is with your post dropped, longer travel suspension deep in its travel will rub the tire on that bag. It’s why I can’t use a seat storage on my Bronson. 125 travel post too.

The Fix in Whistler only does repairs. No clothes, no bikes but they do sell some parts that they would need for repairs anyway. They do well.

Posted by: Heinous

It’s weird how we can spend a small fortune on bikes lots of shop employees could never afford even at staff price, but expect them to give us the same service and expertise as $500/h professionals.

That’s a big part of why shops are having to change, and it works at the high end, and maybe the big low end stuff, but the mid range has such little margin it’s no wonder shops are falling over and manufacturers are just cutting them out altogether.

When I worked at shops in the early 80’s I couldn’t afford the top shelf stuff but I was always stoked for people getting great top of the line bikes. What did bother me were the racers boys that came in and expected to cut in line and get their bike dealt with because they raced. I specifically remember one fuck wit that didn’t have his claim tag. I’m so and so. Sorry buddy, if you ain’t Eddy fuckin Merckx I don’t care. What bike? Red one. Red one? Really? Does it have a manufacturers name on it? Colnago. OK. I can probably find that downstairs. Much later I found out that guy didn’t have many friends  neither did his sister.

There’s no excuse to treat customers badly unless they ask for it. Not many do. I don’t understand why a shop would care that a customer bought something online and was willing to pay a shop to install or fix it. What if the person bought the parts from another shop? Or it’s a bike they don’t sell. Oh, we don’t sell Trek. Take that bike away from here. We don’t want your money.