New Trek Stache 29+

Slow bloke…. Great choice. Shame though trek have dropped the rigid 5 for 2017. Looking at the 2017 version, looks like apart from the squishy forks, the rims have changed from mulefuts to duroc’s. Geo looks the same pretty much (2016 5 was 5mm longer in the ETT than the 7 and 9 versions).

Cborrman nope I have not but it will work fine. The deore shadow medium cage deraileur supplied on the 5 will take 37t (same slx and xt medium cages)

Rear derailleur capacity is calculated as biggest rear cog – smallest cog + biggest front chainring – smallest chainring.

42-11 + 32 – 32 = 31t

Hardest tyre/rim combo I’ve ever tried to set up tubeless: tried them dry, rubbed with Stans, soapy water, re-seated using a tube and so on. I got so frustrated I went out and bought the £80 compressor from Aldi (I wanted one anyway), and I’m not sure I’d have popped it without.

Couple of points for those that haven’t done the conversion yet:

1. My rims were already taped, thanks Trek 🙂
2. You need tubeless valves with threads right to the bottom of the valve
3. I tried Stans valves, but couldn’t get them tight enough. Bought some Specialized Royal valves which have a square base inside the rim and easy to grip while you tighten the valve nut and they are only £3 each)
4. They are on now, but four scoops of Stans in each and they are still leaking from the bead. More Stans, and a few more pedals around the doors should hopefully do it
5. The tubes are seriously heavy, I reckon I’ve lost 2lb off the bike. Maybe.
6. Those Aldi compressors, in a small garage, are **** noisy

All compressors in a small garage are noisy – especially if you workshop is metal!

Was the difficulty on the 2016 Mulefut or the 2017 Duroc? I’m considering asking the bike shop it’s being delivered to just to go straight ahead and set itup tubless if it’s the 2017 ones 😆

I’d be interested in hearing from anyone who’s ridden a Stache and a Jones Plus, and how they compare.

I’m looking for a deal on a 19,5 now, can be a 5, 7 or 9 but they seem thin on the ground at the moment.

Anyone seen a good deal at the mo?

Bream – Member
I’m looking for a deal on a 19,5 now, can be a 5, 7 or 9 but they seem thin on the ground at the moment.

Anyone seen a good deal at the mo?

2016 models very thin on the ground as far as I could see. Not many dealers seems to have the 2017 but they can all get it fairly quickly but there isn’t much (anything?) in the way of deals to be had that I could see.

Think I’ve found one now, just need to seal the deal 😉

futon river crossing – Member
I’d be interested in hearing from anyone who’s ridden a Stache and a Jones Plus, and how they compare.

That’s a tough request

However, I can let you know after (hopefully if I can the Plus built up in time) tonight

I put a 9.8 carbon together for a customer this morning, it’s a very nice bike.

@slowbloke It is the Mulefut rims.

Air/latex seemed to be holding for a day or two, but as of this morning it’s now pissing out of the holes in the rims, under the tubeless tape and rim tape. Suspect I’ll have to put more layers of tape on to set again.

Continually finding this thread annoying – still got just over a month till I’m home from Turkey and I’m riding my Superfly here, with a 650b+ Yari-forked Stache 5 sat at home in the UK, waiting for me to hop on! There’s not much I want to leave Turkey for, but that and some GOOD singletrack is enough of a reason!

Great to read about peoples choices/experiments too.

I am the resurrection (I really am). Tubeless should not be that hard dude. My mulefuts on the stache were piss easy to set up. Couple wraps of duct tape (standard bonty valves) and a track pump was all I needed to seat the chupacabrabbbbbbs. Lube up the bead….. Get decent gorilla tape (find it better than stans) run right up to the bead lip but don’t overlap.

^ I’m sure you’re right, I’ve always used tubeless specific rims before now so never had to tape. I’ve done a lot of swearing.

The rims were pre-taped by Trek and I reckon the problem in my case is the bead is just a bit too loose on the Chupacabras, an extra couple of layers of tape would probably be better. I didn’t want to though in case I wanted to put tyres on for winter which might (or might not) come with a much tighter bead…

If the next tyres I try are still very loose, then I’ll get some more tape on there (I’ve got some Sun 48mm tape already, mixed reviews).

I am going to try today to set up tubeless, hope pre-taped???

leaking at the bead is usually in my experience one of following:

1) dirty rim 🙂 you should be ashamed lol

2) dirty tyre bead – easy solution

3) molding imperfections in tyre – sand down

4) tyre not fully seated – inflate higher PSI and bounce tyre

compressors are awful – use a track pump with a tank, like the specialized Air Tool Blast Tubeless Tire Setter or if stuck a co2 canister (remember to then let all air out as co2 allegedly does not play nice with latex

FWIW Gorilla Clear Repair Tape is better than regular Gorilla Tape IME – cloth-back tapes absorb the sealant and it breaks-down the glue.

+1 vote for clear gorilla, its also waaaaaaay lighter!

I tried this last week on my farley and I’m buggered if I can get the tyres back up as they are so loose on the rims that I cannot seat them. That’s with a track pump, no chance, and an airshot.

I’ve seen adverts over there > for the new maxxis ranger 29+ tyre, but it only seems to be in the states at the moment….any uk dealers, or real world experience of them? They say they are for wet/mud/loam (whatever that is!)

Just ridden mine round Cannock and think it’s time to consider something more grippy than the Chupacabras for winter.

For those still trying to hunt down the last of the rigid Stache 5s, Swinnerton Cycles (bike chase) have two in there in 18.5 and 17.5.

I’m currently finding my Maxxis Chronicle front, and Vee Rubber Trax Fatty on the back combo pretty good in wet and slippy conditions.

Thanks AJ, hadn’t seen the Vee’s.

New toy in waiting for me, a mate picked it up yesterday and I’ll fetch it next week. Rather excited at the prospect 😀

Hey that’s my pic + dog must be copyrighted some where

Stop moaning, you rode my new bike before I did 😯

So, I rode my Stache 5 (3 days at Afan) and it’s a hoot but, if I was doing it again I’d buy a 7. The 5 comes with Alivio brakes with extremely bulky levers and the Deore 1×10 shifter has an indicator window meaning it is almost impossible to get the layout of the bars right for me. The stem is on the long side and looks cheap and nasty which doesn’t exactly inspire confidence. It also has non lockon grips that rotate on their own. As for the Manitou Machete Comp fork – it is incredibly flexy and seems to lack compression damping in any meaningful amount.

So, one KS Lev Integra (I got for a bargain), a set of lockon grips (I had hanging around), a 50mm stem (I had hanging around), a replacement cover plate for the shifter and some deore brakes later it’s getting there. But, it’s cost and extra few hundred quid.

I’m not sure what to do about the forks as yet – I might try some heavier oil before I ditch them for a pair of Pikes.

Yeah, but the 5 is a better colour and cheaper. With all the money you saved, you can spec the bejesus out of it.

Mines now sub 24lbs with a Magnum Pro fork.

I’ve got the older Stache 5 with a yari fork fitted. It’s 130mm travel and just feels a little ‘boaty’. Another thing that highlights the way it feels is that, if I go no-handed it doesn’t feel stable. Dead upright, the bike is fine, as soon as it leans a little, it won’t steer back. I’m used to a bike I could happily ride no handed for k’s!

The closest I can come is to say it feels a little like my old jump bike that’s not designed to have more than a 100mm travel fork fitted, and felt like steering a boat when I (briefly) fitted a 120mm fork.

Would swapping in a 120mm air shaft help this?

(otherwise, it’s a great bike, I just think 130mm might be too much for the frame geo)

My theory on the odd feeling riding no handed is the integral cabling. It’s pretty rigid. If you ride along with your hands hanging over the bars and touch the cables you can feel them pulsing as you pedal.

Yours does it with a 100/110mm travel fork on? Mine was put together separately, so it’s not all standard cabling. Can’t feel that ‘pulsing’.

Paper cut…. In my opinion the frame geo is optimised for around 100mm.

I have a 5 fitted originally with the carbon rigid forks with an axle to crown dimension of 495 mm.

The magnum pro that I fitted have an axle to crown dimension of 530mm so running 20mm sag, with 100mm travel, that’s still means the front end is higher by 15mm.

To compensate I flipped the stem and I am back at my preferred setup.

I tried the forks at 110mm and the front was far too high and felt like a boat. In my opinion, 130 mm travel will be crazy.

After shortening the forks to 100mm my 5 is perfect.

Running 100mm Lefty on mine. Feels good.

The tubes are really heavy. Leaning the bike over or riding no-handed was improved immeasurably once I went tubeless and lost the rotating weight. .

I’m already tubeless.

Ok, interesting stuff there guys, I’m not surprised tbh, if anyone knows where you can get air shafts for Yari’s, I’ll probably drop the travel.

I bought the bike as-is though, I’m already well aware of how easy it is to throw geo out – could be an easy fix!

Yours does it with a 100/110mm travel fork on? Mine was put together separately, so it’s not all standard cabling. Can’t feel that ‘pulsing’.

No with rigid forks. It’s not very pronounced but just a slightly odd feeling I’ve got used to.
Tubeless as well.

I run my 27.5 version with a 140mm Yari 🙂 Works for me.

I have the posh Manitou fork that came with the 9. I didn’t find it particularly flexy (although the Yari is stiffer), I just couldn’t set it up the way I wanted. A mate has bought a 7 in 29+ config and he loves it. We’re going to ride mine and his back to back on the same trails to see how different they feel.

If I really prefer 27.5+, I’ll sell the 29+ on but it’ll be an interesting/fun exercise anyway.

Oh and you can get air shafts from CRC I think. Sprung http://www.sprungsuspension.com in the FoD sorted me. Give Jake a call, he’ll help you out.

Alex, how much would you want for the Manitou?

I just got a 5 which I’ve tweaked a bit (it’s now on full XT and I’ve bunged a 40mm stem and 785mm bar with 35mm clamp on, which should be fun).

I’d like to get a suspension fork for it that works with the non boost wheel. Research suggests Fox 34s are the ticket for this but a normal Manitou Minute looks to have masses of room. Has anyone tried this set up? Don’t mind a small amount of dremelling.

Any British experience of the WTB Ranger 29×3.0?
They are out there, and look like a decent tyre……..for the gloop and clay though?

Failing that, I’ve read that you can fit a 2.3 on the mulefut rim……anyone had a dabble with that?

I have the ranger 3.0 as a front. Not tried it in the slop yet. DO have a Rekon in reserve if it’s terrible. Hopefully the Bridger/Ranger combo will see me through the winter. Really don’t want to spend any more money on chubby tyres.

I reckon a 2.3 on a 50mm rim might have a less than optimal profile…