Viewing 40 posts - 1 through 40 (of 90 total)
  • Building a bike and then not liking it
  • ken_shields
    Free Member

    I've not long built a new (to me) bike

    I've been out on it a couple of times and just don't like it. I'm not sure whether it's because it's the first hardtail I've ridden off road for ages or just the way it rides in comparison to my 5 Spot.

    The trouble is the frame is one of those I've always wanted and am feeling a bit flat now having ridden it.

    I feel like I'm going to convince myself that I'm not going to get on with it so will sell the frame and keep all the bits to put on something else.

    Anybody else had this doubt over a new bike and what did you do?

    Cheers

    Ken

    Baldysquirt
    Full Member

    I had a similar experience getting my first full suss at the end of last year and seriously considered getting rid. It took me until a couple of months ago, to really "get" the bike, and now it's amazing. A couple of rides isn't enough when it's such a different bike to what you're used to IMHO.

    jedi
    Full Member

    i built my bottlerocket and rode it yesterday. feels like a wet rag at teh back.
    i hate air shocks 🙁

    nickegg
    Free Member

    Just because you always wanted it doesn't mean you have to like it. I find it takes along time to be certain if a bike is right for me or not.

    The first few rides on my new(to me) Handjob were a shock compared to the last 4 years spent on a full-sus but i'm slowly getting used to switching between the two and now love the hardtail for whenever the mood takes me.

    mangoridebike
    Full Member

    Ken, new bikes take time to bed in, sometimes its tinkering with setup, sometimes you need to adjust the way you ride. going from a 5spot to a HT is a big difference, you will need to change your riding style a bit going from one to the other.

    like a new pair of jeans or shoes they never quite feel right at first, you need to get used to them and they need to stretch a wee bit to fit you perfectly. Bikes is much the same, but you'll need to fit new stuff rather than have them stretch 😉

    samuri
    Free Member

    In a way. I built myself up a pimpino, I've posted pictures up on here many times.

    And it looks fantastic. It took me a long time and cost me a lot of money. I had so much fun on my old 200 quid pompino that I reckoned pumping a lot into this one would make the experience even better.

    Not so, it's just been a total pain in the arse. I've never really got the brakes working properly. The front disk has always rubbed and has never been that powerful, the rear brake squeals like mad and locks up a lot. The gearing was insanely ambitious and while I can turn the cranks going up steep hills, it's not fun.

    Dunno, I just got sick of it in the end and put it in storage. I feel very bad about it and should really get it back down and get it sorted but it just annoys me everytime I think about it.

    alexpalacefan
    Full Member

    Ken,

    the best thing you can do is sell the parts on to me at bargain prices 😉

    E-mail in profile.

    APF

    nbt
    Full Member

    Ask Ton 😉

    stayhigh
    Full Member

    AT the start of the year I fancied something lighter to ride to work on so built up a Scandal which was such a change from my usual ride, a RM Slayer. It took a while to get used to the light floaty feel of the frame and the very unforging HT back end was something of a shock too lol.

    That said I really enjoy riding it and feel it has improved my riding to have one of each. Stick with it dude, it will come right 8)

    meehaja
    Free Member

    fettle some more? Change of shock/stem/gearing if SS. My 456 feels perfect now, except on the road but thats neither here nore there. took 6 years of constant changes from bikes to components to get that feeling. I will doubtless keep on fettling and changing stuff for ever more (probably a P7)

    lcj
    Full Member

    Isn't this the joy of secondhand bikes? If you don't like it you can sell it on and the chances are you'll not lose too much money?

    t-p26
    Free Member

    Pin point what it is that feels wrong(apart from rear end having no suspension)and figure if it can be sorted by changing componentry. If it can`t, flog it and put it down to experience.

    And next time have a go on one before you build 😉

    binners
    Full Member

    Where's Hora? He changes frames like he changes underwear. I don't think he's ever had one he likes. I don't think one exists

    Last full suss I built I wasn't convinced by to start with. But I stuck with it. Suss out why it doesn't feel right. In my case it was the front end. Over time I changed to longer forks, shorter stem, higher rise bars and loved it!!

    Given the variables, its unlikely you're going to get it right first time

    cynic-al
    Free Member

    I had lusted after an ibis mojo for years then got a dodgy deal on one as ibis went into bankruptcy.

    I hated it and sold it on quite quickly. Love my current steel hardtail though.

    GW
    Free Member

    I've only done this once (not bad considering the amount of bikes I've had).
    I always fancied a 24Bicycles Pornking so bought a S/H frame S/H, started building it but didn't even need to ride it to realise it had a ropey slack head angle for what I wanted it for (SS dirtjump bike).. stripped it down again straight away and punted most of the parts straight onto another frame. I've actually still got that frame, just couldn't be arsed selling it.
    I've bought well over 100 complete bikes over the years, some I've only kept for one or two rides then sold on. Generally I'll stick with a frame/bike I like until I snap/bend it. Luckily I know exactly what works and doesn't for me now.

    BigDummy
    Free Member

    You need to get rid of the red gear cables. It'll be OK then. 🙂

    epicyclo
    Full Member

    samuri – Member
    …I've never really got the brakes working properly…

    It's the horrible cable routing from those aero levers. If you can find a set of NOS Shimano top loading levers, even cantis work fine 🙂

    You know it's not the Pompino…

    GW
    Free Member

    jedi – Member
    i built my bottlerocket and rode it yesterday. feels like a wet rag at teh back.
    i hate air shocks

    Same! I was really keen to have a go on a mates Spesh Pitch, with Totems and DH(ish build) it felt like a mini DH plow bike as I sat on it but after only a few pedal strokes I wanted to give it back (infact I only got half way down a local DH run and did).
    felt the same way about MCs shock at Hamsterly and that's a coil rocco (but I think his settings are ropey).

    You getting a coil shock for it? Duanes BR felt really nice with a DHX coil (But I am heavier than him so it was super sagged out and a little slacker than it's meant to be)

    freeform5spot
    Free Member

    just gone from my Turner 5 spot DW linik to a Cotic BFe.
    I was nervous at first but cant believe how good it is.
    stick with it fella!

    foxyrider
    Free Member

    Make sure teh riding position is spot on – changes the ride dramatically IMHO – prob not the frame – prob the setup no?

    soma_rich
    Free Member

    Most expensive build I ever did I hated. Airborne Lancaster Ti nice bits lovely and light just hated the geometry.

    rOcKeTdOg
    Full Member

    i hate 29" wheels everytime i switch from 26" and then vice verser for about half an hour, then i get used to it, is that the same?

    i've had a roadrat, a giant atx 990,a marin east peak, a GT zaskar, and a kona NuNu and sold them all on after a short time as they didn't feel right

    ken_shields
    Free Member

    BigDummy – Member
    You need to get rid of the red gear cables. It'll be OK then

    Easy as then….off to the BMX shop for some pink ones then

    BigDummy……you know you'll have coloured cables on your bike next year 😉

    davidtaylforth
    Free Member

    I reckon the geometry on those Curtis frames looks pretty funny.

    The stays are dead long and the head angle looks really steep.

    What exactly do you not like about it?

    mildred
    Full Member

    Ken, I have a theory. Like you, I've always wanted a Curtis. However, when you sent the measurements the other day it struck me that the bottom bracket is way higher than Curtis quote for this frame – you measured at 13.5" and they quote 11.9". Now, I know this can be an effect of which forks and tyres etc. you fit but not usually by this much.

    This is not just Curtis that have BB height discrepencies. I've had both a Mk1 and Mk2 DB Alpine. The Mk1 felt great, stable, fun as if sat in the bike. Whereas the Mk2 felt tall, wobbly, clumsy and perched. I measured the BB heights and there was almost 2 inch difference – I sold the Mk2 because of this.

    In terms of the way a bike feels this difference is huge and would probably make you feel very perched.

    I have in the past spoken to Gary Woodhouse about the geometry of his bikes and he is fairly convinced his numbers are right. I know what I like and the Freeride model numbers just don't add up. For example, the website quotes 71 degrees head angle as being just right. Not for me it ain't. I think this may come from their BMX background.

    As a comparison, my Orange crush has a 12" BB height with 67 degree head angle.The Curtis' 71 degree head angle coupled with 13.5" BB just doesn't seem right to me.

    GW
    Free Member

    13.5" BB and 71deg HA? that's well ropey.
    never understood why you'd call a gate like frame "freeride"? especially as the SX had decent geometry and could easily handle a bit of freebro action.

    mildred – what fork did you have on your 2nd alpine? a mate has one in the short 15" frame size and I quite liked it with a 100mm fork.

    mildred
    Full Member

    Initially Pikes at 140mm then 55's wound down to 120mm.

    The Mk1 felt spot on with the Pikes.

    jedi
    Full Member

    gw, eventually i'll get a ti coil shock

    ken_shields
    Free Member

    What exactly do you not like about it?

    I think Mildred is correct in as much as I feel very perched on top of it. The top tube measures similar to my Turner but it feels very short and twitchy but this is with a longer fork than the 5Spot has.

    Some of this will be due to the shorter stem (20mm) but there is something I'm really not sure about.

    Now the problem is do I take it up to Woburn on Sunday and ride it round trails I know and risk having a poo ride coz I don't like it or just take the 5Spot as I know that'll be fine

    _tom_
    Free Member

    I've had the same problem but with my bmx. Wanted to get back into it for ages as I used to really enjoy it, but so far I've fell off loads and it just feels really unstable all the time. Tried selling it to replace with a 24/26" "big bmx" but no ones bought it, so I'm going to have to get used to it :\

    mboy
    Free Member

    Airborne Lancaster Ti nice bits lovely and light just hated the geometry.

    I had one of those too, and likewise! Hated the geometry on it…

    Over the years I've predominantly run full sus bikes, but have decided to get a hardtail as well to boost my skills etc. And just about every hardtail I've built I hated pretty quickly!

    Until I got my current Genesis Altitude and my On One Inbred 29er that is… Geometry is all important, and these 2 bikes do it for me where plenty of others have failed.

    jedi
    Full Member

    tom.
    what tt length is the bmx?

    _tom_
    Free Member

    It's a 20.5" TT as far as I'm aware, with 74.5 degree head angle. Sunday OG frame from 2006. I used to ride 21", not sure how much difference that .5" makes.

    Went from a 140mm '06 Enduro that would destroy any downhill but was a pig to drag uphill, to a 150mm carbon '08 Enduro that was a pleasure to ride uphill but didn't feel so confident downhill.

    Just recently been to Fort William and the bike excelled in all areas – I'm now happy with it all round (changed the setup slightly).

    MarkBrewer
    Free Member

    AT the start of the year I fancied something lighter to ride to work on so built up a Scandal which was such a change from my usual ride, a RM Slayer. It took a while to get used to the light floaty feel of the frame and the very unforging HT back end was something of a shock too lol.

    I did the same thing a few months ago. I mainly ride the Quantocks and swapped my heavyish full susser for a scandal, its the first proper hardtail i've had since getting back into mountain biking and its by far the best bike i've ever owned but has taken some getting used to. I've come off it a few times now, unfortunatly the last time resulted in cracking my helmet in 3 places and a fractured elbow 😥

    Still cant wait to get back on it though 8)

    hugorune
    Full Member

    I always reated my inbred and thought I'd try out something a bit more knarrly so I built up a summer season with coil pikes. It was shit – dodgy slack steering and it weighed a flipping ton. I rode it twice then stipped it down and sold the frame. I bought a nice 853 PA off the classifieds on here and that, on the other hand, is quite awesome.

    Frankers
    Free Member

    You ever tried a Cotic Soul Ken? I'm a long time 5 Spot and Flux rider and found the geometry of Cotics bikes very similar.

    I also dreemed off a Curtis once but after looking at the various pictures on their web site and owners pics on here got put off as the geometry always looks awkward.

    epicsteve
    Free Member

    That Curtis does look very awkward – like it was designed for radically shorter forks than are actually fitted to it.

    jimthesaint
    Full Member

    soma_rich & mboy –

    Most expensive build I ever did I hated. Airborne Lancaster Ti nice bits lovely and light just hated the geometry.

    Did you ever ride an original geared Inbred? If you did you would have hated them as well, The geometry of Lancaster's/Lucky Strike's is identical (every degree, every mm) to the original Inbred.

    I had both an Inbred and a Lancaster and preferred the Inbred. It wasn't the geometry though, it was that the Lancaster frame had too much lateral flex and struggled to keep a line in the rough stuff.

    Mister-P
    Free Member

    I built a road bike and although the parts were all good I just couldn't get on with it. It stayed in the shed for ages then got sold. I think it was probably something as simple as the wrong stem length but I couldn't be bothered messing about with it. My current road bike is spot on and the stem is quite a bit shorter.

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