Went crazy and bought this
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160mm on a 29er is of course crazy, but with skills like mine you can never have too much bounce.
Just need to work out which dropper for it. Debating being a cheapskate and getting an rep plummet
A lay forward seat post?
There seems to be something badly wrong with the currently seat post and saddle setup....
I did spot that, but I'm not holding it against the bike, it's not the bikes fault.
I think most people are more likely to question the quality of the owner rather than the bike
Exactly. But it will now have a loving competent owner
I'd be questioning whether the seller was the owner or just the possessor...
Elaborate?
eBay advert here, nothing jumping out at me
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/131919355473?_trksid=p2060353.m1438.l2649&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT
A agree Weeksy - nothing shouts stolen to me either - Enjoy!
For a start, he's got a proper bike stand.
Then there's the pedals not included bit.
Your garage doors have delusions of grandeur.
Anyhow, what's the bike? Can't tell, but reminds me of an Enduro. Enjoy new bike day 🙂
Specialized enduro comp 29.
It's his garage, I don't collect until Wed
I'm sure it'll be fine, but...£1300 with no description other than a one liner and a cut and paste of the bike description.
Apparently ridden (with the seatpost backwards and the saddle forwards and upwards) 10 times?
all with little>no feedback. I'd be a little wary, that's all.
Picking up from his house, so can't see it being anything other than fine.
He's sent me address and phone number etc
[url= https://checkthatbike.co.uk ]Check the frame number[/url]
It'll cost nowt to check and if it is stolen then it may pop up.
Seller has removed his reverb and slipped an old post in just to sell, I reckon.
Nice bike - enjoy!
Owner is apparently selling it because he still gets a sore a#se, even with all that suspension...strange that!
It didn't come with a dropper on this from what I can see
https://www.evanscycles.com/specialized-enduro-fsr-comp-2015-29er-mountain-bike-EV212254
That doesn't mean he didn't put one on it though.
That doesn't mean he didn't put one on it though.
True, but i can't say the seatpost has made me wary about buying it, more made me laugh.
The only minor debate i'm having with myself is whether i 'need' a bike with 150+ travel, but the answer to that is more 'probably not, but why not anyway'
True, but i can't say the seatpost has made me wary about buying it,
I just meant that's why it's at a weird angle that nobody would want to ride. It's probably never been ridden with that post in.
🙂
It will be when the OP has a test ride before leaving........ or do you tell the seller he's an idiot and sort it first?!
In a massive turn around, i bought a bike from an STWer instead. Nice to keep it in the family so to speak.
It's a Kona Process 153. Highly regarded MTBs and should be an absolute blast.
Sadly, i won't have it tomorrow for my first time at Surrey Hills but will have it at Swinley on Saturday... It will be overkill at Swinley of course... but fun
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Have you actually paid for it yet or will there be another last minute change of mind? 😀
Great bike btw, I would have that over the enduro any day.
I've paid him enough deposit that I won't be bailing on it.
Go for it, oldtalent, He has another one for sale at the same price!
Why can't you buy bikes with droppers! 🙂
Excellent saddle angle on that Kona.
Why can't you buy bikes with droppers!
Better to buy your own I reckon, 'cos there's a good chance you'll need warranty
I bought a cheap non remote hi lo dropper that should arrive for the weekend. I'll decide then if I should get a new reverb, I missed out at merlin over the weekend as I never noticed their 15% off until it was too late, would have made it £150 for a new reverb
Met up with Chakaping this morning and after a bit of faffing round checking things worked, adjusted, seat height, brake bite point etc I decided I'd take the Kona and off we went on the trails. Couple of stops after the first few sections followed by a tubeless rear not speaking fully and the debut ride wasn't exactly going to plan.
So we binned the tubeless and kicked on with the ride.
The geometry of the Kona is at first very very alien, I knew it would be as its similar in many ways to he Pivot I hired and the Bird I tried. But the steering was precise, poised and happy. I struggled with seat position and height quite a bit, even in a large it's quite a low top tube, so I've ended up with quite a chunk of seatpost showing. But its now pretty close to where I need it.
Hard part was getting out of the faster faster faster mindset and accepting its not an xc whippet and not to try and ride it like one.
Onto Stickler which is a forever and never ending turn of left right, right, right left for what seems like hours and hours, I was happy I could throw the Kona into the bends without the usual settling dab of brake I often use on the Spearfish, but maybe that was because I was going slower than on the Fish, not sure. But the Kona felt great and went exactly where I wanted.
The only thing really letting it down was the rolling ability, or lack of it. Its got a super tacky compound Magic Mary fitted, in a similar context to motorbikes this would be the same as the stickiest compound tyre you can get. Which is fine on motorbikes but on cycles its causing drag. Its also exceptionally heavy, weighing in at just under 1400gr, which is more than double the weight of a Rocket Ron. But, its soft, sticky and compliant. It grips superbly and rolls over stuff with ease.
The 160mm of travel on the Pikes soaks everything up you throw at it.
By this stage the bike was beginning to feel like 'mine' and not some alien machine. Throughout the day this didn't change, it just felt right and happy.
Hitting some of the faster red runs of shows to me its happy in the air too, it flies well, lands well and doesn't get out of shape.
The thing I noticed most was its ability to change direction, its sharp and responsive in spades. Really useful on some of the tight trails at swinley.
I then eventually got it home, time to start sorting out the aesthetics. Not mess as such but a lack of care and attention to detail. Just things left badly done, bolts not right, tape not installed and paint chips not fixed. But not everyone is like me I guess, to them its just a bike. But this guy paid nearly £4000 and in my book that means a higher level of care, not his it seems.
Mechanically though its mostly excellent, although one of the crank arm bolts was about 200nm lol.
However he's a really nice fella is chakaping and clearly a very good rider, was great at times trying and failing to hang onto his wheels.
All in all I'm very happy with it. I'll get some spare wheels and quicker rubber for most stuff and keep the burly rubber for uplifts.
Who fixes paint chips? Wow!
These things are tools, things to be used and ridden.
Perhaps Cha****ng was too busy riding it and not taping it. Hence why you struggled to keep up?
Maybe ride more and sort less paint chips?
It would appear the answer is, me.
Lol I've ridden 2000 miles give or take in the last 12 month, along with having a poorly mum I drive on a 5 hour round trip every weekend and an 8 year old child, I do what I can with riding.
However, an hour here or there in the evening to fettle bikes is quite nice.
MAybe i'm a bit weird, maybe...
So this morning while the world are sleeping i finished off the frame. Couple of more touch ups on the swingarm/rear triangle and then some electrical tape on the areas that are most likely to get marked up. Including around the BB shell to protect from chain drops. Although i've got a chain guide to fit later on just to be on the safe side anyway.
I then removed the chain and that's now in soak, then sorted out the cleaning of the rear mech, stripped it down, removed and cleaned the jockey wheels, made sure the whole of the mech arms are clean and free from any obstructive dirt. Re-fitted it all back together and away we go 🙂
Just waiting to pick up some faster rolling rubber today at 11am which will go on the rear for now, then i've won a front wheel which will mean i can swap easily between the Rocket Ron for day to day stuff and the MAgic Mary for gravity assisted stuff.
Being this ridiculous about spannering does sometimes have benefits though.
Wheel off, tyre off and whipped the brake rotor off so i can clean the hub bits behind it easier, then looking at the cassette and thinking "Hmmm, that's not the cleanest either", so went to take that off, the nut/thing holding it on wasn't even finger tight, was just resting on there... OK, so it wouldn't have caused a major disaster, but it's now stripped, cleaned and put back together correctly.
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Not sure of your circumstances, or ability etc etc but as im sure you are aware, thats more bike than is required for swinley.
Try aston hill, tidworth freeride, the enduro trails at qcep, rogate, stoughton.
All within an hour or so from me based in basingstoke and way more fun than swinley, depending on the sort of riding you enjoy of course.
Agree 100% mate, you'll get no argument there. It was bought with the aim for more techincal and trickier stuff over the course of the years, next up is BPW for it after a day at Jedi first. But Swinley due to location and riding buddies etc is the bread and butter, so making it as Swinley friendly as possible with one of the sets of wheels was a necessity for me.
I've noticed a tiny bit of play in the rear wheel when fitted, i think as it's a 142x12 i need to tweak the little grub screw a smidgen, looking at the wheels they've got spacers on the end for converting to 142x12 and are Superstar hubs, so i can't see them being the type of bearings you need to tighten up etc. So can only assume it's the little grub screw as the lever on the axle is very very soft/light at the moment. So that's next job.
Hmmm. Seems its the swingarm. When I remove the wheel I can wiggle it a bit.
Not mess as such but a lack of care and attention to detail. Just things left badly done, bolts not right, tape not installed and paint chips not fixed. But not everyone is like me I guess, to them its just a bike. But this guy paid nearly £4000 and in my book that means a higher level of care, not his it seems.
Have you been tested for Aspergers? I'n not an expert but I believe OCD-like beahviour and a lack of social skills are classic symptoms.
Lack of social skills ? WTF. I thought i was quite a sociable guy.
I don't have OCD, i don't sit switching the lights off 46 times, i just look after my kit, be it motorbikes or bicycles etc.
Rapid Rob front & rear? Says it all really.
Why have you put towpath specials on there? They must be mind blowingly crap 🙂
I think it's the main pivot/frame bearings.... spoke to the seller and he said "no problem, if you're happy to swap i'll sort...." So i thought i'd ease them out ! Sheesh... it wasn't easy ! wasn't easy at all.
Anyway I had a look and here's where we are, 6804v-2rs x 2 to begin with. Not insane money and one of them is half reasonable under the grime, the other one barely moves... So even if that doesn't sort the movement and i've got the wrong bearings, these ones really needed replacing anyhow... so it's all good.
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Rapid Rob front & rear? Says it all really.Why have you put towpath specials on there? They must be mind blowingly crap
In simple terms, my local riding is Ridgeway and nothing much more exciting that towpaths, your generic bridleway rides and dull boring trails. I want to spend time on the bike, getting used to it, getting used to the geometry differences and feel compared to the Spearfish, so it makes sense for them rides to have appropriate tyres fitted. Then when it comes to the bigger days, i'll have the DH rubber on there. Whilst the Rapid Robs may not be awesome, they're good enough for the local riding.
Not trying to add to the bashing, but what is that chairing, 30t? Surely that's too small for bridleway riding, you'd be spinning out on the flat.
Yup it's a 30T. The majority of the riding will be bigger stuff once the winter arrives, i've still got a Charge Cooker HT running a 38T front when i want to do faster stuff. The RR's only cost me £16 for the pair used lightly on ebay, so they were a no brainer. For Swinley the 30T was fine and happy, despite the bike being over-biked for there as people have already said, the gearing was the same. That said, i had a 32T 1x10 on the Spearfish and you were not spinning out until over 20mph on the road, i know for a fact i'm not doing 20mph on the majority of trails, if i am, i'm using them to coast and recover as i've just climbed to get there.
I don't mind the bashing, although i'm not really sure why. But it's an open public forum and everyone is entitled to their opinions.
Yes bashing seems a bit unnecessary, hope my post isn't included in this? it wasn't intended anyway. That's usually reserved for the tedious politics threads.
Anyway if you want to ride at any of the spots I mentioned give me a shout.
Thanks fella.
I've got chicksands Friday next week and then surrey hills the week after and Jedi on the week after that, so that's I think the 17th.
After that though I'm up for something for sure.
With my 8 year old taking up xc racing from next Sunday, my time is a little more restricted, plus I think Mrs Weeksy is going to head on holiday in a few weeks.
I'll throw you a mail
To be honest I feel slightly guilty for not taking such good care of my bike, although it wasn't quite as much as the original Kona price. Pretty sure I ought to be properly cleaning my bike a lot more than I do.
Weeksy where do you do all your spannering? Do you have a garage/shed with all the appropriate bits and pieces in the toolbox?
I have a garage yeah, if anyone from here sees it they'll definitely have me down as having Ocd. Its carpeted, all tools tidy, own hoover for the garage, basically its spotless. Its very much my happy place
Don't know why people go on about being over biked at Swinley. It's more fun in the twisty bits on a slacker bike IMO and as mentioned it has jumps and drops if you know where to look.
He is over biked for Ridgeway and surrounding areas tho on that. That's all about covering miles so definitely xc territory.
I'm only over biked if its a race? Surely if you're just out withing any timing its just fun and being outside?
I do get the point though, but it bothers me very little
No bashing from me you've done the right thing stripping it down, do all the bearings, bottom headset cups and hub pivots need doing most often.
Experienced serial bike owners sell on just before the drivetrain is completely borked and when the fork and shocks need servicing. They usually don't bother doing any maintenance other than jet washing the bike down after rides and a bit of chain lube every now and again!
I checked the pivot bearings on SH full suss bike I got. All the sealed pivot bearings were bone dry from many jet washing sessions. Cleaned re-greased and all are still going strong years later. I doubt that would have been the case had I not bothered.
Fair play for spending all that time 'sorting things out', but it seems a bit pointless some of it, as when you start riding like a 160mm bike should be ridden, and on the terrain where you need that travel, stone chips etc will just happen too often.
IMO of course. Enjoy it.
I guess for me it's a checking thing, knowing it's perfect, knowing it's right. Marks will come, crashes will happen and scuffs will appear. That doesn't mean I can't limit them with tape, doesn't mean I can't check every nut, bolt, bearing and cable.
At the end of the day I will be riding it down things outside of my skills and relying on it to be better than me, so it has to be as good as it gets!
Plus, I really really enjoy it, it gives me pleasure without doubt. Cold beer, bit of music and spanners in hand. One of life's great pleasures IMO.
I'm only over biked if its a race?
Well yes and no. Being over biked means having too "big" of a bike for the riding to be optimally enjoyable. This may not matter to you of course.
It would matter to me if I took my Patriot to the Ridgeway because I have the Salsa which I know better there 🙂
New bearing kit ordered. I decided to pay some on top of him and go for the higher spec bearings.
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I'm with you weeksy, very few things better in life then working in the garage on my bike. Especially if the garage is tidy and the tools are to hand. I love it! It's just a shame the weather is so shit here and all your hard work is undone 10 minutes into a trail.
Brilliant by the seller Chakaping, sorted out payment for bearings without any argument. Another win for STW for sure.
Be careful removing the bearings from the rocker bit.
The bit that says "this bit is carbon" or whatever is a piece of carbon basically super glued to the two bits of ally the bearings sit in.
Fine when compressed together with the frame bit if you are over zealous with removing the bearings the glue comes apart.
Thanks mate.
First job is the main pivot bearings, should arrive tomorrow and we'll see where we are then.
Main pivot bearing swapped and all good. No play any more. Had 2 loose spokes making wheel noisy so sorted them too. Bike now happy. Will replace all other bearings when wife goes away in 2 weeks time.
Due to reviews stating dropped chains and my bike obviously had a few in its past, I fitted a top guide.
Still needs final tweaks
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I'll be making a note to buy from you in the future.
Your spannering may be faultless, your colour co-ordination (that ring!) less so
FWIW I ride the Ridgeway on 30T and given the number of Scwalbe Evos I've wrecked a cheap wheel/tyre set is very sensible. Overbiked? Bet it's comfy.
Did you sell your 'Fish?
LOL the ring isn't mine, i'll be swapping it for a black one ASAP. I've just been waiting for all the other bits to arrive, front wheel, Reverb 125mm, rim tape, tubes, RRP mud jobbie, etc etc.
I sort of sold the Fish, sort of gave it away. A mate has been hankering for it for ages and ages... But he doesn't have the money, so i gave it to him at the weeked on the promise that someday he gives me some money each month, but only if he's got it spare 🙂 He's been a good mate for a long time.
But now as you've commented... i've bought a Superstar N/W 32T in black 🙂
I use my process 153 for everything. Just got back from thrashing it around morzine, les get and les Carroz.
Bit of a pig on trail center stuff, but it climbs quite well for a heavy enduro rig and when you point it downhill it's phenomenal.
I have to admit I'm a bit OCD too. I like a nice tidy workshop to work in and keep my bikes well fettled. A bit of down time once the kids are in bed and I can't ride when the wife is at work. It's my sanctuary.
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Bought a 2nd hand Giant 24" for daughter earlier this year. Just a couple of little jobs to fettle and one thing led to another and I ended up stripping the bike right down to bare frame. Everything was stripped, cleaned, lubed (hubs, fork, etc), replaced as necessary (cables, brake pads, headset).
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A couple of evenings well spent, as now she has a bike that runs almost as new, and shouldn't need any real attention for a while, allowing me to focus on my bikes 😆
Phew, busy busy.
New front wheel arrived and is now set up as my XC rim, along with the Rocket Ron fitted, currently tubed on both wheels, but may debate Tubeless as both are set up taped with Stans, so no real reason not to go Tubeless, i just need to buy 1 valve and some liquid. I'll be asking for lessons when the time comes though i can tell you that. Although it could be argued a 203 front rotor is excessive for XC 😉
Reverb installed and happy... lovely item 🙂 First time with a reverb and i have to say it's quick and smooth, most happy.
I'm glad there's a few people with my levels of cleanliness/sorting, i like everything 'right' if possible...
nice bike Weeksy!!
i had a sneaky feeling it was Chakapings...he tried to flog me the Giant Reign he had before that.
i reckon he's going for another Reign...in the correct size this time!!
Well that was eye opening and eye wateringly painful. But also I guess quite constructive as I now know better than ever where my weaknesses are.
Drops.
Not even crazy big drops, not just blind drops, just 18" vertical step downs I guess.
We were on run 3 or 4, was the dual slalom course and I was following legion748. It was only a recee run to see where it went etc so not like we were cracking on at pace. Well there was one of these vertical steps, not massive by any stretch, the sort you could roll if needed but nicer if you carry a bit of pace. I wasn't carrying enough and I noticed legion748 took a right hand line so I followed, but I went too far right and it brings you out mid been and at the wrong angle, my front slid down, then gripped and I went over the bars, landing on my back/side hard. Very very hard. Managing to miss most of my back protector as well. Instantly winded and horrific pain. Took me a good 3 mins to even get up off the trail and double that to recover enough to breathe.
After a while I'd composed myself enough to do more trails, which we did and they went OK. On the Bull run there's a log step over a crest which eventually I was getting decent air off as when you're carrying more entry speed you can't help but get air. The run does have a root step down I couldn't face though, ending up taking a semi chicken run to the right of the step. But it helped put away some fears and demons doing some runs. Nothing worse than ending on a crash.
In hindsight and now I'm home, maybe I should have. But we can't turn back time. After driving 2 hours home I'm almost paralysed! Certainly bruised ribs, maybe cracked one or two and huge bruising on it's way up.
All in all, as many new questions as answers from today's ride
From the name of the runs it sounds like you were at Chicksands? I can't think of any drops on the dual slalom though?!
That's correct... I think it was mate... it wasn't a 'drop' as i say, more a step down over a log, then into a right hander. You can see the log as you're walking back up the middle section to the start of trails. Doesn't massively matter which trail/obstacle it was.. 🙂
More importantly, the bike performed well and happily... 🙂
Did you go over the "far" side and do the progressive drops? Great way to build confidence. Although word of warning, the smallest drop (about 8") is actually the most difficult because if you go straight off it, then you land pretty much in a tree!! Make sure you look before you leap, and aim left along the run-in, NOT straight!
The two bigger drops, which aren't massive, are actually easier because the run in/out is pretty much straight!!
We did, but I didn't ride them as I was struggling with movement by then.
Been lying on the bed mostly since I got home.
P.s
Them drops are massive to mortals. The left hand drop landing point is 11' vertical height from take off point. Even the vertical face is over 5'
Aren't massive is not a term I'd use, they're seconds from an ambulance ride
lol, sorry, but there's no way i'd ride off something twice my height!
Ok, the biggest one might be a 6 foot drop, but drops are, imo, way easier than jumps, because once you can ride a 1foot drop, you have the necessary technique (if not the necessary spuds! lol) to ride a 11 foot drop 😉
PS get well soon! Get out an ride / walk a bit, i find that really helps, even if it hurts a bit at the time! Otherwise, if ijust sit at home i stiffen up totally (oooh, er, misses!) and then really can't move 😀
The theory is easier than the reality with drops.
Sadly I've had to cancel Jedi on the 20th, no possible way I'll be up to that by a week on Tues.
I'm not trying to be argumentative though and always appreciate wisdom and advice, so don't think I don't.
You right, big drops are a real head game! But for what i would call a "simple" drop, ie one with a clean flat take off, and a nice (matching steepness to fall), long, non committing landing, then once you've ridden one, you're generally like "wow, what was all the fuss about".. 😆
(assuming you don't land on your face..........)
Let me know if you're up for a Chicky sesion when your up and fixed, i'm happy to come along and show you how not to do it 😉
Will do mate. Supposed to be there before bpw on 5th Oct, well, I hope so anyway.
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Fitted the new black 32T front N/W ring. Should be fine for riding and looks a bit nicer than the weird blue one 🙂