Won’t make me any faster.
Won’t make my life any better.
Still want it though…

Discuss with Wheelsmith[/url]

Awesome stuff.

This has been my tour of the Great Divide.

Very good beer :wink:

Gotama

Hopefully they make a 29er variant for those that like big wheels.

Delivery expected shortly by those brave souls who went custom for just such a thing…

Not sure they’ll do carbon unless they can figure out a way to make it with massive welds in raw silver

With straight tubes and out of aluminium :mrgreen:

Far from top end but could be a cheap way to test the roady waters for somebody (possibly too small for the OP).

Peugeot Virenque

15 years ago (when I was a lad etc) I went out with the local roadies/triathletes on an ancient borrowed race bike. It was a 1970’s thing with light wheels and kit but it looked like a POS with a red Hammerited frame and downtube shifter etc. I managed to stay with the fast group for all the long climbs but on the flats I was woefully undergeared and had to wait for the next climb to catch up. At the end of the ride it was commented that I needed a “decent bike”. I bought my 853 Lemond the following week and stayed with the group on the next ride.

Some of the older stuff available is lovely as museum pieces but as with mountain bikes there is an age beyond which bikes become a bit less usable (IMHO etc).

tinribs that Ritchey *swoon*

I love that 8)

The Ion design is stiffer, has a lower centre of gravity, and a more modern/linear linkage ratio.

One of those has jumped to the top of my shopping list should anything happen to my Helius AM.

I’m pretty sure the older 2010 forks cannot use the Kashima stanchions. Mojo only offer it as an upgrade for the 2011 onwards… I think the threads at the top are different (but I could be wrong).

New stanchions are probably required for them. They have had a hard life and there are some deep gauges that have been repaired. Depending on what I do hardtail wise I’ll probably have to replace the stanchions/CSU as they have a 1.5″ steerer… which is fine in my Mmmbop; which is a tad on the small side so I’m on the lookout for something else.

The Avalanched 55’s are forking awesome on it. It was good with the 36’s but with 55’s back on I can see that the ballance was not right with the fork not feeling as plush even when run at low enough pressures to cause other problems. With the 55 back on the front hunkers down and grips like the back… but without the brake dive and wallow these forks had before fitting the Avalanche cartridge. The fork damping is now much more controlled although it has kept the Marzocchi trademark plushness; it feels brilliant.

My bike now feels very ballanced in the way the suspension works and it is the best set up I’ve ridden for tech and speed.

I’ve reduced the travel on my 36’s to 130mm and put them on my hardtail where they feel amazing again… perhaps there is an issue with my 36 fork that having run it in 130mm for a year it didn’t like going back up to 160mm (worn stantions)???

Don’t bank on being able to get the DBAir exactly how you want it. I had a DB Coil and when I decided to go for an air shock to drop some weight I didn’t choose a DB Air as I could never quite get the DB Coil to where I was happy… it never had much spark or playfulness although it was fantasticly smooth in the gnar… even the all singing all dancing DB shocks can benefit from custom tuning IMHO etc.

It took two goes for TFT to get my Pushed Float R to perform well – I needed the rebound sped up. Its a great XC shock but not so hot in the gnar.

My Avalanche tuned DHX Air has been excellent out of the box… feels much better than the Float R and CCDB coil it replaced.

CTD stuff does not interest me at all… I don’t want to be wondering if I’ve got the shock in the right setting for the next bit of trail :roll:

Add this to your list.

I’m loving mine… better than my Pushed Float or CCDB coil.

That Coppi that DezB linked to 8) Shimano RSX100?

One thought… having recently rolled my 1997 Lemond out of storage in the first few weeks of riding it I’ve had to replace all the spokes in the rear wheel. The tyres were replaced a few years ago when a friend borrowed it so they were good but the tubes were shot. Chain and drivetrain were fine and the cables only needed a lube. There was a problem with one of the shifters but a lube and fiddle sorted it… but I know the history of this bike and its been looked after through storage… secondhand bikes may not have had such an easy life and could require more cash thrown at them.

Harry Hall

Graham Weigh

Joe Waugh

Also consider: Dave Yates, Dave Lloyd.

Personally… for real use I’d want STI type shifters rather than downtube… but for £350 something will probably have to give.

tmb467

How easy / expensive was it to get the Avalanche kit?

Easy to get but quite expensive… although since the fork and shock were cheap even with the upgrades I’ve paid less than I would have for a Fox 2013 CTD fork and CCDBAir :D .

I’ve ended up with custom tuning on all my shocks in the past so this was taking it to the next level. There is an entire thread about my suspension geekery :oops:

My road bike is a 1997 Lemond Buenos Aries (Trek era)

853 frame and full 105 etc

Fits all my needs and rides really nicely… it looked quite old-skool BITD when I bought it :| … but now I love its looks more 8)

Worth looking for Lemonds on ebay.

Must take a picture.

Nicolai Helius AM
Avalanche Downhill Racing fork and shock (Marz 55 RC3 Ti and Fox DHX Air 4.0)
XX1 drivetrain
Light-Cycle Carbon rims on Hope hubs
Reverb
Formula TH1 brakes
Easton Havoc Carbon Bar
Conti Rubber Queen 2.4 tyres

Weight is ~31 lbs

Thank you for sharing.

I’m a large in Gore, 661, Thor, Dakine, Specialized, and Answer… so it would seem I have large hands :roll: …

which are great for holding my

Same as my other gloves Simon – I’m a large in all other gloves too :mrgreen:

Nice that 8)

Chris Bell at Highpath can fix it[/url]

I love my Answer Fall Line Gloves on the road and MTB for almost all four seasons.

Cool in the summer and warm in the winter… no idea how that could be but they are. They have a slightly thicker than normal palm which has no stupid stitching and hence does not bunch and cause me blisters like so many other gloves have.

I’ve thrown out most of my other gloves and bought more of these… they are brilliant… IMHO etc.

Well spotted Kunstler… the weather was closing in so the view from the top was not great hence the disco slipper shot :wink:

Weather was better for most of the route though.

Hike a bike.

If I’m taking the bike then I’m planning to ride it as much as I can so want the best riding shoe… how they perform on the walking bit is less important to me.

I use disco slippers for the height of summer even on the high tops.

I’m loving these Spiuk’s which really fit my feet well… but waterproof they certainly are not!!! Hence the merino socks which are warm when wet.

I use MW81 for when its cooler or wetter. I find less “performance” orientated cycle footware gives me sore feet on the bike due to the flex… must be the power I can put down :twisted:

Flatties and 5/10’s I can ride for a couple of hours before my feet hurt so I keep them for skills training and BMX :wink:

Hike boots are for hiking…

I got a BMX for my 40th 8)

Still using it nearly 3 years later… and my boys are joining in now :twisted:

I’m never going to be any good at it but being willing to try sets a great example, IMHO etc etc.

Three times :oops:

Easton CT2 on my rigid singlespeed… these must be 10 years old now 8)

Kinesis Strut on my hardtail – Theses were new in package though

Easton Havoc on my Helius – these were damaged under the grip but had been repaired.

None of the above have caused me any concern. But as with anything buy clever… look at the sellers other kit and other forum posts to see what they get up to :wink:

chakaping – I’m 185-190lbs with kit; with the standard 55 Ti spring I get 30% sag so spot on and it feels right. I love the plushness of the 55 and up until trying an Avalanche tuned fork it was my favourite feeling fork.

Where I found the 55 wallowy is on hard braking and low speed tech when I’m hard on/off the brakes; the fork feels more divey and wallowy compared with the more damped/controlled feeling of my 36 (conversely the 36 never feels as good/smooth as the 55 at speed). When I tried to dial out the dive/wallow with the 55’s adjusters and/or pre-load I lost much of the high speed plushness which I love about the fork. Similar with the 36; trying to improve the high end plushness lead to losing the controlled feeling and made the fork feel worse. Too many compromises at either end to get the feeling I wanted… hence chatting to Craig and getting the Avalanche cartridge.

My ideal fork would have the low speed composure of a Fox 36 and the high speed plushness of the 55… a bit like a Bos Deville (without the service problems etc)… which is what the Avalanche Tuned 36 has (and probably the 55 now). Of the two in standard trim I would take a standard 55 plushness over the 36 control (assuming the shock has the same feeling).

When I bought the Avy kit I should have gone for the 55 Avy cartridge but the weightweenie in me wanted to try the 36 to save 250g… a saving which doesn’t exist as my fork gained 150g from going closed cartridge RC2 to open bath Avy (only 100g between them now) :roll: . I really like the Avy 36. its not quite as plush as the 55 but it does not dive and wallow and is super-smooth at speed like the 55. I prefer the Avy 36 to the standard 55… next will be to see which I prefer of the Avy 55 vs the Avy 36 :D

The Revelation Team fork in isolation is not a bad performing fork and I thought I had it set up quite well; but jumping from the Avy 36 shows it is comprehensively outclassed. Compared to the 36 it feels like the fork is over-stiff and over-damped. I feel I’m constantly fighting and correcting the fork to keep the bike on the trail… its fun, but it would be even more fun with a better fork. On my hardtail I like to ride the fork and let the back end do it’s thing, but with the Revelation up front I’m finding I’m doing the opposite and hanging off the back to limit what I throw the fork at… it’s bugging me. I used to run the 36 Float on this bike with a 30mm travel reducer and I much preferred it with that fork on… so I’m going to do that again, and I’m sure it’s going to be brilliant with Avy 36 on the front.

marz 55’s all day long

55 RC3 Ti are great feeling forks… as long as you suit the standard Ti spring. I’ve never needed the air pre-load adjust but have read that the fork does not feel as good if you have to use it.

Fork change.

There was nothing wrong with the Avalanched 36 Floats… opposite problem…. I wasn’t liking the Revelations on my other bike so the 36 Floats have had the travel reduced and will be used on there (again).

The 55’s now have an Avalanche cartridge installed. I’m hoping this will keep the plushness of the 55 but improve the damping to do away with the wallowing they were prone too before. In the garage and garden they still feel Marzocchi plush which feels better than the 36’s; proper testing to begin in the next few days :D

Looks much better with the Marzocchi fork IMHO 8)

Is that Ex Dipper or Pilot?

Looks better than Kermit the Christmas tree IMHO… but I am rather biased about black Nicolai’s :wink:

This must mean the Ion 29ers are on the way… 8)

*swoon*

*recover*

That there is probably the only frame I would trade my Helius AM for… a fine choice you have made 8)

IMHO etc.

*swoon again*

Normal commute day for me. Passed two other folk on bikes which was unusual.

Beer for lunch and train home 8)

Mountain forecast was better for yesterday so I did my big ride then.

Guess where the disco slipper is?

Bontrager Carbon would be up on my list as I liked the clamp on the last one I had (I’m all Reverb these days :roll: ).

Worked great in my last house but I could never get them to work properly in the new place. Very much a suck and see approach as to the untrained eye there looks to be little difference between how the two places are wired up.

I eventually bit the bullet and ran some Cat6 around the house and installed a router… well worth the effort.

Well… its now a month since this thread started. How are those that started riding to work getting on?

I’ve been riding my 28 mile commute one way 2 or 3 days a week. My time for the ride has tumbled from 1hr45min to 1hr30min; and I’ve learned to only time the first 1hr 15mins as the last bit is in traffic so no place to be trying to beat the clock (cooling off time). When I used to ride some of this route with a chain gang 15 years ago using the small ring on the road bike was sign of weakness. One month ago when I started I hardly used the big ring, but now I can do the whole ride in it again. I’ve lost nearly a stone in weight and am feeling better with more energy despite the extra miles… I’m loving that feeling.

My ride is 28 miles and 1685ft of climbing according to Strava… yes… running Strava on my commute has given me a whole other reason to get up at 5am and hop on the bike and give it some beans. Clmbing that leader board is addictive.

Hi trail_rat – other side of that big shed… you should walk round for a nosey when your next up there.

Strava’ing my commute is building my fitness. Its an addiction.

New tyres always makes a huge difference to my bikes… probably because I leave the old ones on until they are way past their best :oops: :wink:

Get yee to Firstdrive[/url] cars near Stonehaven. Speak to Paul and Kate about bikes for hours and look at the wall of shame in the workshop… graveyard of many a good bike killed by the local trails.

Actually… why not take your bike and ride the Fetty trails while your car is condemnedMOT’d :mrgreen:

I’ve still not ridden Golspie :oops:

I was up that way a few years ago and got shown around by Gordymac who is on here sometimes. We rode from Dingwall taking in some epic trails and local hills, Fyrish Monument, The Cats Back, Strathpuffer area, Rogie Falls, and included a wee visit to Square Wheels bike shop.

Try contacting Gordymac or any other of the Fyrish Riders through thier website or perhaps though Square Wheels. Absolutely amazing riding.