Forum menu
Get them out of the way now. And no, I wouldn't rather have spent the day staining the fence or cutting the grass.
I know that nobody is interested in the 26" bike now the new 650boy is in town, so I'll keep this brief (for me).
I had a 2006 version that I really enjoyed but had to sell as it was just too small. Getting back on this 2013 model I was struck not so much by the difference as by how similar it felt. I had an angle adjusting headset and offset bushings on the 2006 version, so the angles were probably pretty similar. But it's more than that. I guess all Fives basically feel like Fives.
It was funny listening to that chatter between the front and back wheels about which way to go again, but that's one of the defining characteristics of the Five and I like it. Others don't and that's fine too. It's all just bikes innit.
Rover any more pics? Would love to see a few more of the forks with frame combo as mine will look identical! Is it mandarin or neon?
Can go to email if you'd prefer
Here you go; knock yourself out ๐
[url= http://s1356.photobucket.com/user/Andy_Welch/library/2013%20Five ]2013 Five[/url]
The colour is neon orange, but the pictures don't really do it justice. On the plus side the colours are pretty much what you'd expect if you didn't look at pictures. My 2006 Five was mandarin and it was indeed pretty much the same colour as a mandarin orange skin.
For the neon just think Acid House or highlighter pen and you won't be far off. It's brighter than the sun when it's bright and seems to glow in low light. Not subtle, but I like it.
More office furniture in front of a poorly maintained fence, 2011 Plasma Blue Five:
[URL= http://i1024.photobucket.com/albums/y309/nickwatsonphotography/P1020676.jp g" target="_blank">
http://i1024.photobucket.com/albums/y309/nickwatsonphotography/P1020676.jp g"/> [/IMG][/URL]
Nick
These filing cabinets seem a little bit small. Here is what Nickwatson's bike might look like when it grows up ๐
[url= http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2881/9036785848_f5e4cbc17e_b.jp g" target="_blank">http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2881/9036785848_f5e4cbc17e_b.jp g"/> [/img][/url]
[url= http://www.flickr.com/photos/53860438@N06/9036785848/ ]IMG_1796[/url] by [url= http://www.flickr.com/people/53860438@N06/ ]Northwindlowlander[/url], on Flickr
That 224 looks properly scary. I hope your will is up to date ๐
Much as I like the neon colours plasma blue and white does look very stylish.
Looks good, I like the neon colour and next nicest colour is the blue I think too! It looks better than mine with revs up front though I maybe swapping to some kashimas soon enough and it will look pretty much the same as yours rover but mandarin
Northwind, it will get Saint groupset, and maybe a CCDB air in the new year, so on it's way to growing up ๐
Here's my effort, my first full suss only just built up...
http://www.pinkbike.com/photo/9951156/
Sorry cant get pics up on STW
Love it, colour is crazy but looks good in the flesh pretty crappy in pics but this pic shows the colour better...
http://www.pinkbike.com/photo/9946373/
Hmm, Renthal bars, very nice.
How did you get those rubber grommets back in the swing arm so neatly? That job has always defeated me. I end up trying to push it back with a screwdriver, only to rip it.
I only did the rear brake hose, it don't quite sit flush at the bottom but being the underside its hard to see, it was lots of poking with a small screwdriver, I started to damage it so left it as best I could.
Ps is that a Thomson dropper? How is it have been looking at Reverb.
I see you got it finished NW and very nice it looks aswell.
That was the (labor of love) frame job was it not.. ๐
Look at the fold on that:
[url= http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2152/2223347678_a7386650ef_b.jp g" target="_blank">http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2152/2223347678_a7386650ef_b.jp g"/> [/img][/url]
[url= [/url] by [url= http://www.flickr.com/people/matt_outandabout/ ]matt_outandabout[/url], on Flickr
[url= http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2281/2223340796_92528fb659_b.jp g" target="_blank">http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2281/2223340796_92528fb659_b.jp g"/> [/img][/url]
[url= http://www.flickr.com/photos/matt_outandabout/2223340796/ ]Orange Sub5.JPG[/url] by [url= http://www.flickr.com/people/matt_outandabout/ ]matt_outandabout[/url], on Flickr
friday afternoon weld that,
god u lot have ugly bikes
friday afternoon weld that
I have worked in an office for far too many years. However, from my early days before the real world and working/loitering around bikes, always used to give a knowing nod to a good weld (despite being in no way qualified to do so)...and that would not have got a nod!
Edit: To the OP, that bike is pretty handsome IMO.
So what do you ride mattjd?
[URL= http://i1366.photobucket.com/albums/r773/darrenleeevans/image_zpsb26c07cc.jp g" target="_blank">
http://i1366.photobucket.com/albums/r773/darrenleeevans/image_zpsb26c07cc.jp g"/> [/IMG][/URL]
@nwill
http://canfieldbrothers.com/frames/yelli-screamy
http://salsacycles.com/bikes/selma
Note, my comment was not a criticism. Whatever makes one happy is cool.
Ps is that a Thomson dropper? How is it have been looking at Reverb.
If that question is for me then, no, it's one of the early specialized command posts. I picked it up from the classifieds here last year and it's still going strong. I'm not saying that it is as good as a Reverb, but it has not let me down, so I can't justify replacing it.
I toyed with the idea of a Yelli Screamy (still might one day), but that squashed look doesn't do it for me. Each to their own.
Nice bridge by the way.
robhughes - MemberThat was the (labor of love) frame job was it not..
Hey, it only took me about 4 months to build
And naturally stayed shiny for exactly one ride.
Re welds... Mine really does look like it was welded by a drunk, some of them while he was pissed, some of them afterwards when the DTs kicked in. But they seem strong enough for all that (mine is that weirdest of statistical anomalies, an Evo with no cracks or aftermarket custom welds.)
I toyed with the idea of a Yelli Screamy (still might one day), but that squashed look doesn't do it for me. Each to their own.
It's an acquired taste, I bought it for the ride not the looks, just like you lot with your oranges. But actually, de-decalled and mostly black, I've become quite fond of it.
Welcome to a spin if you are down Surrey way sometime.
[b][u]Oscillate Wildly:[/b][/u] It looks better than mine with revs up front though I maybe swapping to some kashimas soon enough
I know what you mean. Strange as it may seem to those who find the Five ugly, this build has been as much about the aesthetics as anything else for me.
I've spent a lot of time, effort and cash trying to workout what is the best bike for me. After many test rides and a few test builds I've come to the conclusion that you are as well just going for whatever looks right to you. They are all good in some situations and not so good in others, which is why it can be good to have more than one.
I've used both Fox Float and Rockshox Rev forks in the past and, if I'm honest, the Revs (RCT3) were the better fork, but the Fox forks just look right (to me) on the Five.
Still struggling to get over Matt's Sub5. WTF's going on with that cabling?
I guess you never know when you might need a bit of spare cable ๐
was the chainring & crank logo alignment luck or judgement?
Looking at the rims/tyres, I'd say pre-calculated.
There were four options for mounting the Hope bashring and lining the logos just seemed the obvious choice. That the logos are horizontal on the picture was just luck though.
Is that its best side ๐
yeah - lots of things look best from the rear I find
roverpig...I guess you are still getting to grips with the setup, but I found the ride was transformed when I lost all the spacers under the stem. When I cut the steerer I left enough space for one spacer.
Thanks righog. Yes, I'm still playing with bar height. I like to start tall as you can always cut the steerer down but it's harder to add bits on ๐
I started a thread about bar height last week and the general consensus was that you wouldn't usually have the bars much lower than the saddle. So, I've started with the bars and saddle level, but I agree that there are a lot of spacers (more than I usually have).
With my FF29 I started with the bars level with saddle but couldn't get on with it and have now removed all the spacers and flipped the stem to get the bars as low as possible, which feels much better. But that's really set up as an XC bike rather than a trail bike.
A few things do make me think that the bar height might not be right for me as it is on the Five though.
When I started my bar height thread I was pretty sure that I knew where my saddle should be and was thinking of the height of the bars relative to that. I'm now starting to question whether my saddle should actually be lower than its current (heel just reaching at bottom of stroke) height.
I also suspect that thinking of bar height in relation to saddle height may be the wrong anyway. It makes sense to set the bars at whatever height feels best going down, when I'm stood up anyway, so saddle height is irrelevant.
All of which is a very long winded way of saying that I'm still playing with it.
I'd have to say that it did feel pretty damn good as it was though. It's taken me an awful long while to really understand the Five. I've always kind of liked them (and owned an older one), but keep talking myself out of them. I think I've got it now though ๐
cable cutters for rickt please ๐
I also suspect that thinking of bar height in relation to saddle height may be the wrong anyway. It makes sense to set the bars at whatever height feels best going down, when I'm stood up anyway, so saddle height is irrelevant.
Damn good point, a lot of the rules of thumb, or obsession even, with fit is a hangover from road biking, and isn't really applicable for a trail bike optimised for the alongs and downs. As long as you can get it uphill in safety and sensible comfort, it's the down, with the saddle out of the way, that matters.
Even on non-fireroad XC this is true I think, roadies spend hours in a single position, on any mountain bike ride, we're all over the bike.
some thoughts on this here: http://www.bikemag.com/gear/bike-exclusive-konas-2014-process-line/
I know that you can get any bike re-painted with a bit of effort, but the fact that you can send a frame that you've used and abused for years off to Orange and have it returned looking and riding like new for a few hundred quid certainly adds to the appeal.













