extraspecialandbitter's posts

Slowest Build ever... well okay, I finished it a week ago, but still slow AF. I blame work... and riding bikes... and having to build up my old bike to get it ready for sale.

It's pretty fun, but very different from my last bike.  I'm finding that being aggressive and getting really forward helps a lot.

Posted by: heathen

My stem finally arrived..... Ordered May 8 arrived June 4. Race Face warehouse is terrible!!

On a side note to this thread, Joystick now has a local distributor to help with customer service... and I really like their stems.  I just ordered a Binary stem and it got to the shop the next day.

The One Up bar looks interesting.  I'm happy for the direct comparison to the Cutlass (which is what I'm currently on).  I find it plenty stiff, so I wonder if these would still be too stiff.  I do want to try at some point though.

I've used boostinators with pretty good success.   I don't really understand the fear of re-dishing the wheel, it's pretty easy and you could do it in your boost frame.  Assuming the wheel is nicely true and has even tension, just keep all adjustments consistent.  Wolftooth has some basic instructions:  https://www.wolftoothcomponents.com/pages/boostinator-installation

If you're tightening up a spoke make sure you spin the nipple half a turn past where you want to go, then spin it back.   This means that if the spoke winds up it'll loosen as 

The boostinator kits that require re-dishing will generally make the wheel stronger.  More even spoke tension = stronger wheel.

I just don't know how to use the internet...  I'm sorry.

I know, I know, not supposed to put buy and sell postings up. But I figured this was unique enough of a bike to warrant a link to the for sale posting. I've really enjoyed riding this bike, but it does bottom out too easily for my liking. It's probably best suited for Intermediate and Advanced riders that want a confidence inspiring ride. (again, I'm sorry).

https://www.pinkbike.com/buysell/2585352/

(Admin, if you want me to remove this, just send a PM - no problemo)

Posted by: luckbox

Might have to give 2.6's a chance soon... has anybody tried the Forekaster or Rekons?

I was using the 2.6 Rekons as a rear tire. They were pretty good, rolled fast. Obviously less braking traction than a Minion, but still fine. I was a fan of the 3C Max Terra because it still had grip on wet rocks, unlike the 2C or faster compounds. Although I flatted them a bunch on my hardtail. When I took them off before the Nimby I had 4 plugs in them from 8 months of use.

Posted by: earleb

I am a convert to the 29 x 2.6 for hardtailing, I can't see ever going back to anything smaller.

I agree. The larger tires just absorb all the small trail chatter and it ends up being way faster on the trail.

I liked the 2.6 Slaughters. They aren't the lightest but they were fine. My problem on race day became my dropper. It wouldn't stay up at all on NIMBY and so I wasn't really paying attention to the tires. At the top of Nimby it started only sagging down an inch and not all the way, so that was better, but I was destroyed mentally and physically by that point so I sort of gave up. I knew it was a problem a month ago, but it's seized in my frame and seemed to be working enough that I didn't want to mess with it (idiot).

The Slaughters were pretty good in Whistler and on the shore as well. I've hit rim to rock a few times and I haven't flatted them (knock on wood). The casing seems more durable than the Maxxis, but time will tell.

I am excited... Although I have a lot to do.

I still need to build wheels up for this.

Offering

Last year I raced with 2.3 Minion DHFs front and rear... but I was on a single speed so rear wheel traction while standing was important.

This year I'm mechanical doping with everyone else and I've had a 2.6" Rekon on the back (which was pretty good at first, but I've flatted 3 times this year).  On Wednesday I realized it was bald and so I panic mounted a 2.6" Slaughter last night.  I'll let you know how it goes in the Nimby.  

The Slaughter is noticeably smaller than the Rekon.  2.41" vs. 2.54"

What tire did you end up choosing D_C_?   It would be interesting to compare our impressions with the damp weather.

Posted by: pedalhound

Interesting to hear about the Ripmo, that bike is very high on my list.

It might just have been my body not feeling happy with the medium Ripmo. Or it was the different offset fork. I don't know. It's definitely worth a demo though. It might work better for others.

So I'm looking at joining this long travel 29r band wagon.  The bike I got 2 years ago was that weird Tantrum bike and it's been super fun, but it bottoms out like a mofo.

Anyway, I'm one of those people that's stuck between sizes.  Mediums are a touch too small and Larges are a touch too big, however modern geometry mediums seem to fit like a dream.  So I'm looking at something with a longish reach.  It needs to be boost so I can use my hubs, and I don't want to support any company that uses $$$ to develop e-bikes.  I don't really care if it's carbon one way or another.

I demoed the Evil Offering and it was pretty magical.  I was instantly comfortable on it.  I could sort of feel the big wheels, but it was super fun at speed and still managed to handle some of the tighter stuff.  I was most surprised by how active the anti-squat was and it climbed really nicely.   I thought I needed to sell a kidney to buy one, but the tax man was greedy through 2018 and he owes me a lot of money now (hurray?).

I also demoed the Ibis Ripmo and it was quite the opposite.  The numbers looked right, but it felt super upright and a little twitchy.  I've come to conclude that I actually know nothing about geometry and I should ask strangers on the internet about the subject.

Anything else I should be looking at?

Hmmm.  I should try some of these nipples.   Sounds interesting.  Do you guys get the DT Pro Head or the Squorx?

Mike-E: 
- Don't cheap out on spokes.  Double butted high quality spokes will be stronger and easier to build with.

- I like the Pro Wheelbuilder calculator: https://www.prowheelbuilder.com/spokelengthcalculator 

- tension comes first, then trueness.  Ideally you have a perfectly tensioned wheel that is also perfectly round and true.

- If you have problems getting an even tension, think of spokes in pairs (the spokes that cross).  Sometimes the leading is tight and the trailing is loose and by balancing them out you maintain trueness and fix your tension.  Also think how tightening that one spoke will affect all the others.

- A good way to learn is to break it up into sections.  If you have a 100mm front or 142mm rear, then try tensioning the drive side (if rear) or brake side (if a front wheel) to about 2/3 tension first, while only worrying about vertical truing (roundness).  Then do the other side while only worrying about side to side truing.  This breaks the steps up in your head and lets you only worry about one thing at a time.  This method doesn't work as well with boost, but it depends on your hubs and how even the spoke tension is on each side (the more even it is, the less the method works).

- Over tighten 1/4 turn, then back turn 1/4 turn to minimize spoke wind up (e.g. if you want to make a 1/4 turn, turn it 1/2 way, then go back 1/4).

- Show us pictures afterwards.

Photo

Nice. I was there the day after you.  It was pretty smokey though.  Did you join the Sunday ride?

But ya. I bought my partner a Ti hardtail from Sam.  I personally would get steel, but she loves the Ti.  Steel is easier to modify later on as well.  Titanium is really hard to modify / fix later on, but it should last for a very long time.   Assuming it's not too big of a change, Sam has modified bikes he sold long ago to work with modern standards.

I would say that if you're thinking about it you should send them an e-mail and stop by the next time you're on Quadra (bring beer). 

Also, Sam was also doing "Super Boost Plus" before it was a thing, just so he could get the shortest possible chainstays.