As soon at the spring can’t rattle between the stop and the preload adjuster with the bike having no weight on it (lift iut an inch od the floor to ensure the rear has dropped to full extension). Beyond that and you are adding preload.

So the big question – If I use my existing spring, and assume I add as much preload as I dare (bearing in mind the spring will be too light really) but just for test purposes, will it break?

Has a set of 719’s on Hope 2 for four years now – never had to touch them at all…..

Careful though – I had an RP23 200 x 57 Boost Valve and experienced all the issues youo described with the DHX.

Now running a Pushed Van R. Sweet it is…..

Better performance, less shock pumping and the weight isnt as noticable as some people would have you think – in fact not noticeable at all.

Not sure I’m convinced;

a) If I ride hard on road it will improve my aerobic ability
b) More road than MTB will decrease my anerobic ability & technical skills
c) Going out in the winter is a psychology regardless of what type of bike/terrain you ride on
d) I’m not convinced that doing 1 of my 3 rides per week on a roadie is enough to achieve a) above anyway
e) I have to buy/maintain yet another bike/kit
f) Why not just lock out my fork and ride (on the road) to my trails 3 x per week and achieve both?

Just cutting through some of the murk here and kinda stating the obvious, surely the fitness benefits only come if you push yourself. IE poncing about for 50 miles won’t really do anything unless you are prepared to push your fitness – right?

And, to answer my second question, how much MORE comfortable amI likely to be in the winter on a roadie? Or Not? If its going to stay in the shed as much as my MTB then maybe its not worth it (I’m talking “muddy trails” and damp days btw not snow and ice).

Bike Radar just reviewed the Intense Tracer 2 and it got massive praise & high marks, You’d be able to build a pretty smart one within your budget, its “boutique” and there’s not as many around as reigns/treks….

Hmmm. Not clear cut is it.

Also, Joe Friel says its important to rest over the “winter” period by doing something different (he recommends weights / swimming / aerobics)otherwise by May you’re mentally and possibly physically exhausted by continual cycling.

Last year I used weights in the week and 1 MTB ride through the gloop at the weekend – more accidentally akin to Joe’s recommndation than continual road riding…

Makes sense, and I guess he knows what he’s talking about…..

@ Swedishchef – I want to gain fitness, primarily for MTB, but I like “riding” generally and am also wondering if a roadie is a route to sustaining more riding in the winter also (ie a realistic alternative to crap trails).

To add a bit more perspective; My time is limited by work/family etc so I can only get 3-4 rides in per week, a typical week being 3 rides. I do 4-5 events per year.

So swapping 2 rides per week out of a total of 3 – still enough to justify a road bike?

I’ve discovered riding solo this year (decided to enter some events) and its a bit of a revelation, to the point that the social rides can become a bit of a chore if:

a) You are training to a fitness goal
b) You aren’t mentally in a social mood

Its easy to get pi**ed of at all the stop / start / chatting if you arent in the mood or aren’t er, “au fait” with the group.

The best advice (and I’m trying to re-learn this myself) is to relax and chill out and treat the social riding to what it is – a social event. Either that or shoot off first / last from the group so you can ride sections of trail at your own pace. But be careful of making yourself looking “aloof”.

Nothing wrong with what you are doing though, each to thier own…

Not sure what the stack height is but my Cane Creek double XC 2 flush is well, flush. Its for a 1.5 headtube though?

Its currently FS at £35 posted – been in the classifieds this week…. let me know if you want it….

+1 for the Tracer. Mine doesnt flex and the bottom (well actually both) links are a solid piece of machined alu.

Plus there’s one in the forst page of classifieds right now for £750 in CRC blue……

+1 for dorkings latter comments almost exactly – except I’m Vpp so I don’t have any percievable bob ob climbing.

I’m aslmost exclusively singletrack and have had TfT Push the shock to accomodate, so his “Freeride” para onwards applies to singletrack and trailcentre riding in the way he describes.

FWIW without jumping I never notice the wheel NOT track the ground.

I’ve a tuned Van R and its brilliant. Well worth the cash. As loco says get it tuned to remove the generic setup though.

Ok. I’ve done 2 events (2 to go) this year all on the HT but my next will be on the FS as I know the trails are fairly technical.

Think I’ll see what I get for my b’day then. If I get a Ti HT, I may decide to build it race light and keep the Steel one for the winter. either way, three bikes.

8O

cookeaa & mcboo; Funny you should say that, I’ve given the Mrs a list of one Ti HT frame to replace my current steel one that would be a nice 40th. In some scenarios though, I’d want full suss – ie I got beaten to crap in the recent v dry Gorrick on the HT.

Perhaps a 100mm FS then – but other conversations like this suggest that familiarity with the bike is V important also….?

wwaswas the former – taking part/motivation to ride more/fitness/something different than a standard sunday morning.

Evans have an ‘Dale RZ120 2 for £1799. Thats a great XC bike, so much so I’m considering selling my Tracer for one.

There you go – you have the choice of a ‘dale or a Tracer as well :lol:

Call Extra UK. They are very helpful and have been known to give you the name of an LBS that can help or just send you a courtesy part – within reason.

Number’s on thier website.

Apologies but I need all of mine ;)

[/url]
Tracer[/url] by kryton1957[/url], on Flickr

Apologies for the mudguard… its gone now.

[/url]
Tracer[/url] by kryton1957[/url], on Flickr

Mine…

Its not setup, I’m happy with both bikes in that regard.

Just shiny thing syndrome. There was an orange Summer Season on here a while ago – orange rims & Pikes – looked fantastic. And I’m rather taken with the adverts for the new sky blue Pace (104?)…. sigh….!

The HT is a good XC bike, the Fs a good bike but I can’t help looking at Summer Seasons, Alpines, Evil Soveriegns all of which crossover both bikes, and wanting one.

It’d give me too many “which bike” decisions to ponder over on ride day :(

BETD will give them a nice once over:

Here:

Sure is portly…. :lol:

A bit tricky Jamie as this is a 1.5 headset and my other bike is a 1 1/8th. I’d need a spare reducing crown race specific to a Cane creek double xc 2 – which i dont have…

Well, had the entire front end apart (and trimmed the fork to remove the spacers above the Stem). No difference. Tried all the advice above, including riding with the front brakes slightly applied to reduce any rattling pads.

At the same time by BB cups need replacing which gave me an opportunity to look for cracks and clean/tighten the pivot bolts. No issues.

aaaarggh….

Can you describe the ride characteristcs?

I’ve always has an issue with it feeling firm in the initial part of the stroke (although it handles well) and perhaps not as small bump soaking as other bikes, but the could be my fox van R compression tune? Or just the vpp?

Or is it the same for you guys?

I have ridden it for a few weeks bigjim, (I had a go at locating it before) just thinking “sod it, when whatever it is falls off I’ll know”.

The I take my £800 Steel HT out and it feels better straight away than the boutique bike which is VERY annoying!

Just me then?

Jenson USA have tracer frames for about £899….

I’ve got a “maintenance wndow” tomorrow so I’ll check the rotor (although I can feel the looseness without the brakes on) and fork lowers.

Cheers all.

No worries Trevor. I had a 5.5 before and this bike is new (’10) ridden since Jan onwards – I can’t detect any play in the rear end, and all the bolts are tight.

TheBrick – the headset never loosens and given the age of the Bike, this shouldnt be an issue.

I’m pretty much down to Fork bushings (despite it being a new fork), or stiction in the rear bushes.

One other thing – I’m running a coil shock and although I’ve checked the preload for slack could this be it?

rs – its a star nut.

Pete, its a crane creek XX2. The Lower 1.5 bearing sits on a crown race for a 1 1/8th and the races “inner” is the inside diaemeter of the 1/5 cartridge. The headset cup is angled and sized for 1.5. Up top, the compression ring is bigger reducing the inner diameter of the 1.5 bearing in the same way.

I checked the ODI’s – no movement. The “rattle” I would describe as a “dull thud”. It could be fork top out but the static test doesnt reveal that, and I have the -ve higher than the +ve (110 vs 100psi, 12st rider) whch should prevent it.

As mentioned I cant feel play at the crown when performing the usual test.

Now, Trevor its funny you should mention that. I’ve had issues over the last few months with s small amount stiction in the lower rear shock bush after installing a TfT enduro set (the non top hat one). When I rode the bike `I could indeed feel a “rattle” through the frame

I fixed it and the bikes had 20 or so rides since then, and “leaning” on the saddle doesn’t result in stiction. It could of course till be present…. It just feels very front biased – is it usual to feel that with even a small amount of sticton?

Before anyone mention it, yes all the pivots etc have been checked.

No to pads
All headset pieces present and correct
QR is Maxle light, done up tight
Stem/bars (and even ODI grips) checked and tight.

Could be the fork bushings, but it new since Jan, about 2000k on it. Tomorrow I’ll pump it up hard to make sure it’s not top out….. (its Dual air).