The Mountain Bike Thread

[Dougal]

Thank you for the information. I would like to find something under $500.

Manitou Mattoc Comp or Fox Rythym 34/36.
The Rythym forks are wallowy for hard use but work well for recreational riding.

tighter tolerances since things move
a ton when welding and you can skip post heat treat machining.

plus when printing lugs you can change geo easily

My experience with frame misalignment is it's all in the same direction which means their jigs were out. Scott Strike are the current #1 offender. You still need heat treatments for all your cast/printed lugs and they're really expensive.

Cheaper to mfg- carbon molds are expensive. Paying people to weld things is expensive. With bonded you can also quickly change geo my modifying the lugs and if it's drastic you can the cut yourself a different length of tube.

It's not like 3D printed and CNC machined lugs are a cost saver. Atherton were using straight tubes which avoids moulds, but Pivot are curving tubes so that's moulded too.

In other news I took a look at Marin's bikes because a buddy of mine is the product manager for all the fun bikes there and has been working to make some changes. In the past all their stuff seemed meh, but he's an ex pro ripper and huge bike nerd, so I was curious to see if he had an impact on their stuff.

The XR(Xtra Rad) versions of their bikes look like fun. Their alpine trail might have to be the next thing I replace my spire with, price is good too.

Alpine Trail XR AXS

The frame design looks good, but they're apparently 17kg!

 

[Sandy Johnson]

It's not like 3D printed and CNC machined lugs are a cost saver. Atherton were using straight tubes which avoids moulds, but Pivot are curving tubes so that's moulded too.



The frame design looks good, but they're apparently 17kg!

Yeah, I don't get using curved tubing. Seems like a big part of the benefits are keeping mfg more simple and cost down and that negates it.

17kg seems like the going rate for a long travel Enduro bike these days. I think my carbon spire is only slightly lighter.

 

[RusM]

What's with all the bonded together frames now? It's not like they're lighter or even stronger than welded/moulded. Are they doing it just to be cool and jack the price?

I thought I read one article where Atherton said it was cheaper for them to do the bonded and carbon tubes from NZ than set up a factory to run 100k frames a year. I think mostly to avoid Chinese/Taiwan/etc production. Also the semi custom geo wouldn't be possible with a regular frame design.

After riding RusM's e bike and really digging the ridser bars I finally ordered some Should be here Tuesday. Next step is an E bike lol

Went to the Evergreen Mountain Bike Association Festival today, it was pretty rad and not nearly as crowded as id thought it would be. Rode a Pivot Shuttle AM (160/150 Bosch eeb) today and it was pretty sweet.

Then my bike shit the bed on a group ride. Fucking eeebs!

 

[Rockcrawlintoy]

I thought I read one article where Atherton said it was cheaper for them to do the bonded and carbon tubes from NZ than set up a factory to run 100k frames a year. I think mostly to avoid Chinese/Taiwan/etc production. Also the semi custom geo wouldn't be possible with a regular frame design.

Went to the Evergreen Mountain Bike Association Festival today, it was pretty rad and not nearly as crowded as id thought it would be. Rode a Pivot Shuttle AM (160/150 Bosch eeb) today and it was pretty sweet.

Then my bike shit the bed on a group ride. Fucking eeebs!

what happened to yours?

 

[RusM]

what happened to yours?

Slowly lost assist uphill, then nothing, and when I got back to town it was actively fighting me to pedal.

 

[Sandy Johnson]

Slowly lost assist uphill, then nothing, and when I got back to town it was actively fighting me to pedal.

Gnarly. What motor is in yours again?

730 am ride for me, back at home now getting a poop and a change in before taking the kids to bmx

 

[RusM]

Gnarly. What motor is in yours again?

730 am ride for me, back at home now getting a poop and a change in before taking the kids to bmx

It's a Rocky Mountain, they've got their own Dyname motor.

 

[denis]

Slowly lost assist uphill, then nothing, and when I got back to town it was actively fighting me to pedal.

Nothing wrong with that, this sounds like my usual rides on the stumpjumper

 

[Crease Grease]

Does your bike have a tapered head tube?

Yes it has a tapered head tube.

Manitou Mattoc Comp or Fox Rythym 34/36.
The Rythym forks are wallowy for hard use but work well for recreational riding.




My experience with frame misalignment is it's all in the same direction which means their jigs were out. Scott Strike are the current #1 offender. You still need heat treatments for all your cast/printed lugs and they're really expensive.



It's not like 3D printed and CNC machined lugs are a cost saver. Atherton were using straight tubes which avoids moulds, but Pivot are curving tubes so that's moulded too.



The frame design looks good, but they're apparently 17kg!

Thank you for the suggestions. I will look at those two shocks. This bike is my kid hauler (mac ride) and trail bike.

 

[granitestatedestroyer]

I've got fork choices to make too.

I ordered a frame for the wife. Ibis DV9. I've got most of the stuff around to build it, but I need to buy a fork.

Ibis says that its okay to run a travel between 100-140. Geo chart is written with a 120 fork, and the BB is already low.

I want to get her a 32, but they are a max of 100mm travel. 34 SC is up to a 120, but will probably be overkill (which is the best kind of kill.) Shes a small person, at about 115 pounds, so she sure doesn't need a 34.

34 is more travel, slacker HT angle. 32 is steeper, and lower, but over a pound lighter.

bike is going to be for greens and mild blues, plus fire roads and shit like that.

thoughts?

 

[94toytruck]

I was a bit worried going from the 140m Marz to the 160m 36. I unboxed the 36 and found the A2C was actually over a inch different and the interwebs lied. Oh well, it rides awesome so far and I haven't found a negative yet. I'm a bit disappointed in the Kashima, it looks like my old Fox forks did pre kashima. It works fine so I don't care but it's definitely not the same as my older Kashima.

 

[FlexyTJ]

Anyone ever done a flat bar gravel bike?

Ive got an old Crux that I use as a gravel bike/commuter, with an occasional Cyclocross race thrown in every few years.

It currently has a 1x11 setup on it with a 46 tooth ring and a 11-28 tooth cassette. It was good in Virginia, but it sucks in WA.

I am switching it to a 2x11 setup. I have a small ring coming so it will be a 46/31 up front and I will be using a 11-40 cassette out back.

Anyways, I cannot use the shifters currently on it, because I cut the ratchet out of the left one to run a dropper. I have a set of mechanical ultegra shifter I could use on the existing bar. OR I have a pair of road-derailleur flat-bar shifters I could use, as well as a spare set of XT brake levers, and a few handlebars around to choose from. I will have to buy a dropper lever either way.

I was thinking about a flat bar because MTB is way cooler than gravel or road, and I almost never use the drops anyway. always on the hoods or tops.

I flatbar'd/fubar'd my Kona Jake. When the Rival brakes plastic pistons seized 1 month out of warranty and SRAM said FU, I converted it to cheap MTB stuff. I got a little too crazy and cut the bar down a bit short. The only wild card was mixing the Apex (MTB pull shifter) with the Rival (road pull) mech/derailleur. Turns out it works perfectly. I only path ride/neighborhood ride it so no feedback on how it handles in the dirt. Like you and having a strictly MTB background for the most part, I didn't ride much on the drops anyway. Everything except the brakes, Apex shifter, and cheap Ebay bar is stock. It is plenty rideable and don't regret it.

 

[granitestatedestroyer]

I flatbar'd/fubar'd my Kona Jake. When the Rival brakes plastic pistons seized 1 month out of warranty and SRAM said FU, I converted it to cheap MTB stuff. I got a little too crazy and cut the bar down a bit short. The only wild card was mixing the Apex (MTB pull shifter) with the Rival (road pull) mech/derailleur. Turns out it works perfectly. I only path ride/neighborhood ride it so no feedback on how it handles in the dirt. Like you and having a strictly MTB background for the most part, I didn't ride much on the drops anyway. Everything except the brakes, Apex shifter, and cheap Ebay bar is stock. It is plenty rideable and don't regret it.

Hey thanks! I appreciate the input.

I think I am going just do the flat bar. I will temporarily set up the drop bar shifters just to make sure I can trim the brake hoses to a good length in case I don't like it.

 

[RusM]

Hey thanks! I appreciate the input.

I think I am going just do the flat bar. I will temporarily set up the drop bar shifters just to make sure I can trim the brake hoses to a good length in case I don't like it.

Apparently no one makes a brifter adapter for flat bars, I thought for sure there would be one.

 

[granitestatedestroyer]

Apparently no one makes a brifter adapter for flat bars, I thought for sure there would be one.

they made MTB dual control levers for a while

 

[Sandy Johnson]

they made MTB dual control levers for a while

Ugh, I hated those. I've got a set of XTR dual control levers you can have for free.

They're rapid rise tho...

 

[rockmup]

Ran into a picture of my last bike and I'm over here all happy and shit

 

[midwestzj]

I flatbar'd/fubar'd my Kona Jake. When the Rival brakes plastic pistons seized 1 month out of warranty and SRAM said FU, I converted it to cheap MTB stuff. I got a little too crazy and cut the bar down a bit short. The only wild card was mixing the Apex (MTB pull shifter) with the Rival (road pull) mech/derailleur. Turns out it works perfectly. I only path ride/neighborhood ride it so no feedback on how it handles in the dirt. Like you and having a strictly MTB background for the most part, I didn't ride much on the drops anyway. Everything except the brakes, Apex shifter, and cheap Ebay bar is stock. It is plenty rideable and don't regret it.

Apex is a flat bar road shifter, that's why it worked with your rear derailleur. SRAM road and MTB shifters/derailleurs have different pull ratios and don't mix.

 

[midwestzj]

they made MTB dual control levers for a while

those were fucking terrible

 

[FlexyTJ]

Apex is a flat bar road shifter, that's why it worked with your rear derailleur. SRAM road and MTB shifters/derailleurs have different pull ratios and don't mix.

Interesting! Well, I really lucked out then

I'm not that familiar with the SRAM lineups at all and understood it to be the low-end MTB shifter. I knew enough to be dangerous and got lucky. Too bad that doesn't apply to my stock picks

 

[granitestatedestroyer]

I plan on it. have these waiting for the bike I am building. Going to be fun!

My new bike is taking longer to build than I would have liked, mostly because I'm doing shit that isn't supposed to work. Designing in fusion, and 3d printing shit.

Anyways, instead of waiting another month or two I mounted these tires up to some wheels and brought them with me to CA. I've got a few rides on them now.

They are super nice. 19 front and 21 rear PSI with some cushcore XC inserts is fantastic. Fast, supple, good corner grip, and only a couple sketchy braking situations.

I will probably run these on the trail bike I am building, and might try some Aspen STs on the XC bike.

time will tell how long the "race only" tires will last.

 

[Sandy Johnson]

mostly because I'm doing shit that isn't supposed to work. Designing in fusion, and 3d printing shit

Well don't leave us hanging! Pics!

 

[granitestatedestroyer]

Well don't leave us hanging! Pics!

I am just trying to install Live Valve in a frame that doesn't support it. I got the entire live valve set up cheap as shit (300 for everything, including factory shock, factory 34 new takeoff stuff). and a really good deal on the frame, so I am going to try it. worst case scenario is that it doesn't work or just sucks. then I just swap the fork to a regular damper, and use the original shock for the framset.

only photos I have right now because I am in CA, and the bike in in WA.

I was hoping to fit the controller inside the frame storage, but it doesn't fit. so I removed the hatch opening and am making this pocket for it to mount in to. It still needs a lot of refining, radiuses aren't quite right and its a little flimsy.

I think there is going to be room to mount a bottle cage over the top of the controller. We will see. Ive got to cut open the "tube-in-tube" cable guide inside the frame to pass wires through. as well as attempt to cut-and solder the ends to those wires, as the plugs wont fit through the ports. That's the part I am most nervous about. there are 4 wires; front sensor, rear sensor, front damper, and rear damper. I have no idea how many conductors are in each wire and I am not sure how I want to terminate them. The wires are going to go through the shift cable port, so I will have to use AXS stuff to shift, but I like my HG+ so I am trying to use GX AXS rebo-derailleur on a shimano chain and cassete. Or I might try scabbing an XT cage on to a new GRX Di2 derailleur and see if it works on the MTB cassette. I already have the AXS stuff though, and I wouldnt like taking apart an expensive new derailleur on a maybe, but I really don't like Sram for some reason.


Oh, and I need to design and print a mount for the rear sensor. I think I will drill and tap the rear brake adapter for that.

 

[The Freeak]

Pic from two nights ago - Stephens State Park, NJ (Sunset Trail)

 

[engineerjoe]

Great deal on an aggressive Geo Titanium hardtail frame:

On-One Wrekker Titanium Mountain Bike Frame

The On-One Wrekker is the older sibling of our most aggressive mountain bike the Hello Dave. It keeps the same radical principles as the Dave but goes more premium by utilising Aerospace Grade 9 3AL-2.5V Titanium. Making for a lighter more throwable machine. 29er Hardcore Hardtail Aerospace...

www.planetx.co.uk

$640 shipped to CO

This is very similar geo to my homebuilt steel hardtail, and I love the way it handles. Check the geo numbers before ordering - reach runs large.

 

[RusM]

Great deal on an aggressive Geo Titanium hardtail frame:

On-One Wrekker Titanium Mountain Bike Frame

The On-One Wrekker is the older sibling of our most aggressive mountain bike the Hello Dave. It keeps the same radical principles as the Dave but goes more premium by utilising Aerospace Grade 9 3AL-2.5V Titanium. Making for a lighter more throwable machine. 29er Hardcore Hardtail Aerospace...

www.planetx.co.uk

$640 shipped to CO

This is very similar geo to my homebuilt steel hardtail, and I love the way it handles. Check the geo numbers before ordering - reach runs large.

I'm really glad this deal wasn't available when I was looking for a HT. I would've wanted to "save money" with a "budget build".

 

[DirtRoads]

Great deal on an aggressive Geo Titanium hardtail frame:

On-One Wrekker Titanium Mountain Bike Frame

The On-One Wrekker is the older sibling of our most aggressive mountain bike the Hello Dave. It keeps the same radical principles as the Dave but goes more premium by utilising Aerospace Grade 9 3AL-2.5V Titanium. Making for a lighter more throwable machine. 29er Hardcore Hardtail Aerospace...

www.planetx.co.uk

$640 shipped to CO

This is very similar geo to my homebuilt steel hardtail, and I love the way it handles. Check the geo numbers before ordering - reach runs large.

That’s cool. I want that.

 

[Sandy Johnson]

Groms doing grom things

 

[2big bronco]

What jumps?

 

[RPS1030]

Afternoon wandering.