Ah, excellent. I'll look into that, for now the Hopes will stay on my boys bike so he'll be more than happy.
T130 has now been dropped off with the new owner, so we're all in on this G160.
Looking forward to Swinley tomorrow, there will be videos, they're likely to be rubbish lol. But we're doing our best
Protective tape installed along with the Shockwiz for tomorrow
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Enjoy the jumps tomorrow!!
Looks great!! Enjoy!!
If you put an XD driver on your Hope hub, make sure you remove the end cap before installing/ removing the cassette. That way the cassette tool is able to engage properly with the splines of the cassette. Otherwise it can sit a bit shallow and you risk breaking the splines. It also helps to have an extra deep cassette tool. Hard to describe but obvious enough when you come to do it. They are also quite easy to cross thread so just take your time with it.
Thanks Timbo 🙂
Anyway.. off to Zwift thread for race 😉
Here's the fun from today at Swinley.
The new G-160 was excellent. Rides beatifully, although as expected i was bottoming out the back end, but we knew that as the volume spacers never arrived until an hour ago.
But the handling, jumping, turning, all fantastic !!!
I impressed myself by doing them 3 drops, including the 3rd which was right outside my comfort zone and i had a massive rush of adrenaline after the first time over it... proper scared and elated moment.
It may not look that high to some of you, but DAMN it was to me !
[url= https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/49367104607_8f33527f50_5k.jp g" target="_blank">https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/49367104607_8f33527f50_5k.jp g"/> [/img][/url][url= https://flic.kr/p/2idpjgZ ]2020-01-11_12-38-14[/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/photos/152318156@N08/ ]Steve Weeks[/url], on Flickr
I take it you won't be asking for the t130 back anytime soon😉
It does roll slower and feel way more laid back, but a 2.75 on the front will do that.
In simple terms, I wouldn't have done everything I rode today on the t130.
Can't sleep so just installed the volume spacers as per info earlier. Went with 4 of them to start with, we'll see how that does and go from there. I may even test it later but will be in a far more tame location than Sat morning was.
Was impressed by the brakes actually not really been a fan of avid/SRAM over the years but they're really nice I must say.
This thread has convinced me to get a G160:)
2020. The year of big mountain riding...
The SRAM brakes will probably be nice just now given how unridden the bike looks. They get worse over time ime
One minor thing, due to LLS stuff I sized down. I was on a large 2016 t130. The g160 is a M
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Adjusted after that but firstly wanted to put it on my lads bike, so I'll check mine again next week, but should be close now
SO just to confirm then guys, i've installed 4 volume spacers.
They're now located as per this pic.... Just want to make sure that's the correct location for them, i didn't know if the lines/stops are signficant ?
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That's it.. Should ramp up just nicely for you now
Thanks mate.... I'll find out at the weekend.
I guess my next question to myself is what rubber to run.
I've currently got the stock rubber which is a 2.5 Convict on the front and a 2.4 Riddler on the rear... But my thoughts are that bulky rubber is going to slow it down a bit ? I rarely run bigger than a 2.25, possibly a 2.35 at times and my preference is for a WTB Trail Boss. I think i've got a few of them in stock in spares pile, i've also got some of the Vittoria Goma in a 2.25 i picked up from On-One this week. Just waiting for my tubeless valves to arrive in the post either today/tomorrow and it will be decision time and getting some of them installed. But for now i may actually just leave it as standard, i certainly had no issues at the weekend, but the Riddler doesn't exactly look suited for UK winters, a little lacking in tread i think.
Bike sounds awesome weeksy.
Rubber? Dhf 2.5wt/2.3 are what I'm on right now. A Dhr 2.4 rear might give me better braking I believe but not used one yet. The 2.3 on the rear is lively and fast feeling though so quite like it.
Anyway, bulky rubber won't slow it down. You'll be going quicker so you will want bigger tyres. 2.5/2.4 sounds right.
I've got that many tyres in the spares, many of them brand new... I can't see me buying new ones at the moment. I do need to look and see what is there other than what's listed above, i think i've got another pair of Trail Boss, but think they may be the High Grip version rather than the Fast Rolling. So think i'll save them for Morzine.
Also need to make some decisions about which bikes get which wheels. I'm not sure i am happy giving an 11 year old my Pro4's LOL, he's currently got the front fitted as i stuck the Boost Forks in his last week. Whether i'll stick the rear on his and also run that there while i get a XD hub/whatever ordered i don't really know yet.
Just for reference... I settled on a dhf front and a minion ss on the rear (because I'm fat, unfit and need all the extra rolling help I can get) but it depends on your local conditions. There are places I've ridden where I decided to put a dhr2 on the rear as well and I could really tell the difference when climbing up fire roads (sooo much draggier)
No experience much of wtb tyres so cannot comment but for muddier tracks the top end magic Mary on the front was also a very good tyre for me paired up with newer hands dampf
I’d run a trail boss fine on the back,
but for a bike like that I wouldn’t run one on the front - you want something as grippy as possible on the front to make the most of it.
I tend to run a 2.5dhf in the nicer weather on my Bird Aeris and either a magic Mary addix soft 2.35” or currently trying a Specialized Hillbilly 2.6” for the winter.
If the brakes are Guide R’s they’re fine really. Run multiple pairs of them over the last 3 years or so with 200/180mm discs on both my FS and the HT. they didn’t deteriorate and rarely needed any bleeding (and the caliper seals didn’t have any issues unlike the shimano brakes I’ve had).
I thought I’d try some Sram Code Rs when some came up cheap and they are a step up - so both bikes are now running a code r on the front and then one has a code r on the back whilst the other has a guide RE on the back. They’re not mind blowingly noticeable on normal trails but they do make a big difference on steep / rocky / fast stuff.
Vittoria Goma in a 2.25 i picked up from On-One this week.
Following the kids around this week on a rear Goma I was reminded they are 'allround' tyres, not sloppy and mid-winter muck tyres. Cue hilarious surfing around and slipping uphill traction moments while they on Magic Mary, Hans Dampf or Der Baron just pull away.
On rocks, the Goma's are ok though and keep up happily.
Compromise time.
I'll wait on the Goma fitting them and keep them for more a summery tyre 🙂 Good info, thanks for that.
If the brakes are Guide R’s they’re fine really
They are indeed fine... the only minor downside is i prefer mineral oil brakes than dot 5.1. But that's just being fussy there. I'm also not sure i have an appropriate bleed kit, but again, no biggy, i'll get one. But other than that, they feel/felt absolutely lovely i have to say.
Is the bike not fitted with the wide WTB rims? I.D. 29mm? If so I think a 2.25 would come up a little narrow. Better suited to some of the newer 2.4/2.5 tyres to give a better profile? I personally wouldn’t run particularly narrow (by today’s standard) tyres on what is, in essence an enduro bike. But then I guess it depends where and what you are riding.
No idea on rims Russ.
As to where etc, that's going to be complex as it's the sort of bike that's going to end up being a bit of an all rounder for me, so may end up being multi wheeled.
A Saturday could be a BPW trip, with an extneded Ridgeway ride of 90 miles on the Sunday... i won't want to be swapping tyres that often, so it will either be a 1 tyre to rule them all, or a multiple set of wheels scenario. With the prices of wheels and what i already have spare, that's not completely ridiculous these days in the world.
stock rims are indeed i29s. Grippy front with a relatively fast rear is going to be your best compromise. Staying away from WTB might be a good idea too as they tend to be on the hefty side
In that case they are probably the same as came on my Whyte hardtail. Nice looking and wide rims but bloody heavy. Maybe a good shout having a nice set of trail wheels with suitable tyres and the standard set with hefty grippy tyres for uplift/alps trips. That said I don’t personally bother with that, but I don’t ride trail centres really. So my ‘nduro’ spec tyres stay on for uplift, off piste in fact everything nowadays. You soon get used to the weight/drag.
Reading the usual horror stories on the SRAM GXP BB made me have a few thoughts, along with the lower BB on the bike compared to some, so thought i'd make a few small changes.
Bottom Bracket swapped to a Hope Shimano BB
[url= https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/49384574767_df426b0762_5k.jp g" target="_blank">https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/49384574767_df426b0762_5k.jp g"/> [/img][/url][url= https://flic.kr/p/2ieWRxD ]2020-01-14_12-43-46[/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/photos/152318156@N08/ ]Steve Weeks[/url], on Flickr
Crankset swapped to a 170mm Raceface Ride setup with a 32T
[url= https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/49383911138_a848e23df8_5k.jp g" target="_blank">https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/49383911138_a848e23df8_5k.jp g"/> [/img][/url][url= https://flic.kr/p/2ieTsgL ]2020-01-14_12-43-37[/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/photos/152318156@N08/ ]Steve Weeks[/url], on Flickr
Might have a competition on our hands here. Similarly at the start of the year I got mine and was just going to "change parts as they needed it" so far i've changed....
- Cranks to 165mm GX
- BB to Uberbike
- Brakes to TRP Quadiem
- Rotors to 200/180mm
- Damper to Charger 2
- Fork spring changed to coil
- Tyres changed to DHF and DHR II
- New chain
- Seatpost swapped to Fox Transfer
- Grips swapped to Fabric
- Chainguide added
I expect you to have a similar list by the end of the week 😉
– Cranks to Racface Ride 170
– BB to Hope stainless
– Tyres changed to not decided yet
– Seatpost swapped to Magura Vyron
– Grips swapped to Fabric (me too)
– Pedals swapped to Nukeproof Neuron
Weeksy - chainguide too? You have ISCG (05?) tabs so could go full top guide and lower skid.
TBH mate with a N/W i've never really needed one. I can't recall the last time i dropped a chain (apart from the Parkwood but that was in the garage and we know why). So must admit, i'm not massively feeling a need to do so.
Fair enough. Mine drop in races.. because it's a race and chains love to drop then. And recently my bb area has become more of a magnet for flying rocks and also hooking up on things if I muck up. I haven't got a skid, but I think I will.
Used to race DH, my brain cant handle bikes without some kind of chainguide!
The Oneup bash guide is good and iscg05. Got one on both bikes - no matter what I’ve done I haven’t lost a chain in 3 years - and its saved the chain / chainring from rocks a few times. Other than that you don’t notice it’s there and it doesn’t add any drag / much weight
Was looking at the above picture and thinking "is that enough clearance on the cranks/swingarm?"
So did checking and reading and went back in to check. I do think it's enough, fine. But then on checking closer on the drive side I noticed that the protrusion for the granny ring actually rubs the pivot bearing cover. So that's that, the gxp is back on again.
Grind off the granny ring tabs?
It's an option yes. I'll see how long the gxp BB lasts but I would like the 170 cranks on for sure.
This is the non-drive side with the Raceface setup on it... It's close.. but i guess as long as it's not touching anything then close is OK ?
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This is the SRAM that's standard.
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The drive side is further away on both setups (ignoring the granny tabs that is)
Both tyres setup Tubeless now. Didn't like the tread on the WTB Riddler for winter slop, so put a brand new WTB Trail Boss in there which is my usual tyre. Happily both wheels were taped with Stans tape, although one of the valve holes was a little rubbish so i taped a bit of that area just in case. We'll see how they stay up etc. 🙂
Took the bike to Swinley today for some old school xc/trail stuff, also to set up the Shockwiz which based upon its settings I wanted way more air in thank expected even with the volume spacers installed.
But as you can see, it seems happy now.
The bike was just fantastic, I was expecting a downside on xc rides but I just didn't see any at all, we did a few runs on Corkscrew which is a fun little trail and bury the dog which is tight and twisty, but it was fantastic. My mate who owns a t130 tried it a few times and loved the bike too and may have a dilemma now ha ha.
Where it came into its own though was the later blues that it just flies down and launches itself off the jumpy bits with such ease it's ridiculous. You carry more doors, more air, more distance but it feels like a stroll in the park.
It could be argued when people say these big bikes just smooth out the trail and take away the technicality of it, I kinda get what they're saying. But that doesn't have to be a bad thing, it just means you can attack things more and harder.
But things I'd look at previously and give 2 thoughts to, now become irrelevant.
One downside I guess, noisy brakes, god they're horrific. It's stops you pulling them as they squeal too much,!!!
I had a couple of pedal strikes, but I'm sure the 170 cranks that arrived earlier today will help there too
All in all, I love it!!!!
You’re going faster coz you’re not using the brakes lol... told you they were good. Sold mine to replace it with a carbon G170 last year but honestly I still miss it!
I'm honestly blown away by it. The confidence it inspires is just remarkable. Even though it's only 12 months newer than the t,130 it replaced it's like a next generation thing going on, a complete step up in class. Of course, in s component context nothing is mind blowingly better than the t130, but the overall package just gives me so much more of what I want from it.
Massive thanks to you guys for telling me to get one, I almost pulled out at one stage of it
