Sanny – YGM

Depends what and how your planning to ride with an old bike.

I got into the whole retro thing a few years ago and built a fantastic period piece just as I wanted back in the day. Sourcing it all and building it was brilliant fun, but actually riding it was not as much fun as modern bikes, and then there was the fear of breaking parts and body. I broke a few wheels and forks before calling it a day and selling it on to fund my modern bikes… a much better use of the funds for me. But the retro thing ws fun and I’m glad I did it as I met some cracking folks through retrobike *waves* :D

PS – I’ve still got the broken and welded 1995 Kona Exlosif as an SS which got me onto retrobike in the first place… me and this bike will never be parted (except by death of either… and since the bike can always be welded again I guess that will be my death then :roll: ).

There is no perfect bike – which is part of the fun.

If I’m getting out and riding I don’t care what the bike is as long as it works, problem comes when for reasons out of my control I’m not biking and my bored thoughts turn to what I could improve on the bike(s). I rarely I give into this urge and spend cash, most times I simply get out on my bike and the urge goes away… thoughts should be about the biking and not the bike. I dread to think of the cash I would spend if I followed through on all my daft thoughts and internet research of the next great thing… but research tends to be as far as I let it go (my wife would kill me otherwise). I tend to keep my bikes for many years, if I’m not getting on with a bike there are usually a few subtle changes like saddle/bar/stem/grip positioning etc that bring it back – far cheaper than a complete change and very rewarding. Mastering a bike your not getting on with is a good buzz; I find bending a completely unsuitible bike into service especially rewarding… rigid fixie offroad etc – falling off and being out of my comfort zone reminds of being a beginner again, it’s not frustrating… it’s a giggle.

One more thing… if your not getting out often don’t push it too hard when you do. The first ride after a break needs to be well thought out so as to get the mojo working without destroying the ego. Go easy on the climbs and enjoy the descents at a leasurely clip rather than trying to go mental – smooth and fun is my key to enjoyment.

March and April can be the best of the year… as soon as the schools and university exams finish the weather goes to poop.

The problem with March and April can be the snow at high level… which leads to it’s own challanges though… :wink:

A few thoughts.

I believe the Easton rim will be strong – it’s the hub I expect to be the problem – and being 24 spoke getting another hub will be a biatch (Goldtec or custom Hope???). Maybe the rim will be available on it’s own some time so it can laced to any hub?

Reynolds will be releasing some AM carbon wheels later this year. 20mm front a 420x12mm rear – with 28 spokes I believe. Again I would expect the hub to be the problem. Reynolds are also talking of making the rim available on it’s own.

ENVE rims or the DT carbon rims can be laced to any hub… and if On-one or any of the other little companies jump on the bandwagon then the market will open right up.

In my experience the hub is as important as the rim – having problems with either is a disaster.

What is your history of requiring warranties like? Mine is a nightmare so buying something like this would almost certainly leave me with a pair of useless wheels and a nasty taste in the mouth :| Or as with past history a pair of wheels that spends half it’s life in the shop or on it’s way to and from France :wink:

Easton have only been making MTB wheels for a couple of years… and the comments on MTBR about the poor hub quality and shocking customer service would have me making sure that I could get a warranty sorted. Perhaps they have sorted the issues and this is why they offer the warranty???

I’m really tempted by Carbon rims because of the weight loss where it counts the most… but with my history with CF components I’m going to sit on the fence a little longer.

I’ll be jealous for sure…

Ben Avon

Coming down from a Big Mac

River Avon crossing

Earn your descents boys

From the Nicolai UK website

Helius AM – blah blah

These frames are 2010 head angle (67.5deg) and shock spec (200x57mm). All are 1/8th headtube, QR rear and without ISCG.

No problem on the head angle which is fine, and the 200×57 shock size will mean a much larger pool of available second hand shocks :D

QR rear is possibly preferable to a bolt through if you are not a bike breaker, ISCG would be nice but not really necessary if your not planning to do rad doonhallness with it – you can still fit bottom bracket mounted chainguides if required.

Pure V is comfy but a bit “squishy”, it feels like it gets fatter and squishes into my thighs. Not uncomfortable and I liked it, but odd when compared to the Bel Air which I also have… and which I much prefer (even in I-beam form).

Gobi etc mentioned above are a much firmer saddle and not as comfy… or as strong… all the Fizzik saddles I have owned have snapped or broken in some way.

If cash is tight use the Vanilla and keep an eye on ebay and the classifieds. I picked up the Float R and the DHX 4.0 for very little :mrgreen: I was going to use an older shock I had but the new shock size in 2010 meant I needed a new… well… new to me anyway.

Also worth checking on MTBR where the Nicolai owners hang out. Bargains and part swops frequently available.

My AM has the levers for the 215 shock :-) I have a Float R and a DHX 4.0 which I run on it. The Float R worked okay at first as long as I didn’t do anything enjoyable with the bike, as soon as I took it in the gnar with this shock it complains noisily and feels uncontrolled. I have fiddled quite a lot with the Float R and the best compromise is to run it on one of the reduced travel settings with the volume of the air can reduced (filled with plastic – easy modification). Problem with the large air can is that the shock blows through the middle travel causing pedal strike and wallow – which is a common complaint about DHX air shocks, so I would be very warry of running one of them… but some people love them… and we all have different tastes so who knows who is right? This is my first air shock so I persevered, but in reality I find it a bit pish… very light pish but pish none the less. In the reduced travel settings I can lower the pressure and by working the shock less hard it does perform better… but where is the fun in having 7″ inches available and only using 6″???

The DHX 4.0 is a revelation compared to the Float – loads of control and a really smooth operator. It’s not brilliant though and tends to pack down on the fun stuff and I get the odd pedal strike as it’s slow to recover – typical Fox Pro-pedal-pish behaviour. A better shock such as a BOS, CCDB, or a custom tune will improve these traits and this is what I plan to do.

I’ve spoken to TFT and Loco about some improvements and what I see as the failings with the two shocks, and once Loco gets his stock of shims sorted I’ll be going down the custom route with one or both these shocks.

It’s been great fun switching between the two as they both have traits I quite like. For all the air shock being a bit poor it can be great fun because a bit of weight shift blows the shock through it’s travel and squats the back of the bike for epic manuals through the rough stuff – don’t expect the bike to recover before the next corner as it will still be squated, or it will have kicked back as you weight shifted forward – fun but not fast or clever. The DHX is business like but has a lazy almost stiffled feeling. I’m looking forwards to feeling what Loco can do – I’ve always had my shocks custom tuned and hence can very strongly recommend doing this – try a simple shock, and then figure out what you like and dislike and take that info to the tuner. I was going to do it months ago but other events have got in the way.

I’ve spoken to Loco about the Dueler shock and am very tempted… but I wanted to try a lighter spring on the DHX first… so I’ve not quite finished playing with what I have yet. I do like a good fiddle.

All very good points… but I’m not most people… and where I ride I need good brakes… hence the question.

I suppose I should whip the 180/160 Elixir 5’s off my Whyte hardtail and bung them on my Nicolai Helius AM to replace the 205 Hope V2’s and see if they can take some of my favourite descents… that would answer the question… but since those descents are under snow right now I’ll ask on STW :roll:

Good fun replies so far :lol: Keep’m coming 8)

Maxxis Aspen – seriously… I have no idea how such an un-knobbly looking tyre can actually be so grippy, and come the dry trails of summer they are mental fast.

Loses out in the total filth but what tyre doesn’t?

Brilliant answer Toys19 – I guess for M4 and Code you could work out the equivalent piston diameter for the two pistons? WOuld the size of the pad have much effect since 4 pot callipers tend to run larger pads???

Pedalhead – care to ellaborate on “terrifying”?

Mine was an easy choice as it was a 1.5″. Give Jamie at Balfa a call and discuss. I wouldn’t bother with ceramic but stainless is a must.

Lifer – I have no idea why cheap headsets do not last a year in my bikes. The FSA XL2 did not last a year and the Orbit extreme I had lasted almost exactly the five years of it’s guarantee… the Hope I ran last year was disapointingly grouchy and full of gunk after six months, and yet many people swear by them. I don’t powerwash and tend to strip and grease once a year… I’d rather fit a good headset and hence not have the trouble of squeezing cups in and out regularly – which risks damaging the frame – as does a poorly adjusted or slightly loose/tight headset. I see a good headset as an investment if your planning to keep the frame for a few years. I’d happily run cheaper gears etc which are disposables and run a good headset (although I am not a King fan, been there and scored the steerer tube).

By better I was thinking; outright stopping power, modulation and feel for techy manouvers, heat resistance on big descents and repeated braking efforts.

I know big rotors can help – but where I ride they are frequently smacked by large rocks (when riding and/or when the rider is bucked from the bike and it’s gets thrown down rather carelessly). Hence the question… would a smaller rotor and a more powerfull brake work as well?

It’s probably going to be a personnal preference thing as it’s going to be about feel and perception.

Interesting to hear of anyones thoughts and experiences.

25g or so per extra 20mm for the disk, and roughly the same for the mounting kit – so 50g per wheel per extra 20mm.

If your brakes are not feeling short of power and your not cooking them all the time on scary alpine descents I doubt you need bigger rotors.

205’s are very prone to rock strikes so if you can get away with smaller I would.

Question I’ve been wondering recently is wether to go for a lightweight brake package with a big disk, or go for a more powerful brake with a smaller disk -the brake systems would work out at similar weights and it would be interesting to find out if there are issues with either option.

EG

Hope X2 with 203 vs Hope M4 with 160

Or

Avid Elixir with 203 vs Avid Code (2011) with 160.

Interesting experiment for a mag to do I think – I think I’ll make this question a thread of it’s own…

Adjustable travel is the work of the devil :twisted:

Acros from Balfa.co.uk or from gravity-sports.co.uk

I’m impressed with my Acros, only a year in but clean inside when I checked it.

Hi Gordy *waves*

Total left field choice but I went for an I-beam post and saddle last year – the Bel-Air saddle is super comfy, is lighter, and has outlasted the normal Gobi which snapped on my other bike. I’m very impressed, and they can be picked up daft cheap 8)

Take the wheel off and the cassette falls on the floor.

Noticeable flex from the Funn Full-on I have on one bike (25.4 stem clamp). The Sunline V1 I have on the other bike feel much better (same width but lower rise and bigger clamp dia).

If there is any chance of you wanting to run a 12mm rear axle (135 or 142) wait until the Hope Pro2 EVO is released (March currently) – the Pro2 is prone to much snappage in this configuration (I’m on number three in a year).

Flow rims = light and strong enough. The advantage they have over all mavic rims is girth, which allows the tyre to act bigger than it is which protects the rim from damage… IMHO

Float 36 can be adjusted down in travel internally by 10mm increments if required – although it sounds like you are looking forward to getting maximum stroke.

I’m running what seems like a very pressure (45psi) to get 30% sag from my 2009/10 FIT RC2’s… but they feel brilliant. I use a few turns of LSC to prevent them diving overly and bobs your uncle… happy as a happy thing. Too much LSC and rebound and I find they clam up and don’t respond… and it seems to be a fairly fine line but now I’ve got it where I want it they make me very happy. Maintenance wise they have been fine – although this reminds me they could do with a stantion off strip which is the easiest way to re-lube. Turn them upside down before you use them was advice I was also given.

Performace wise they blow my old Pushed Pike coil teams out of the water, and they are lighter.

I’d like to try Deville’s and Lyrics but I’m happy to stick with what I have; but if I was buying now I would probably try the Deville’s just because I could.

Sunline V1 – but thats because it’s what my “pusher” was getting good deals on at the time. I’ve always liked Answer bars.

Bos Deville :wink:

This was my hardcare hardtail… and that’s what I openly called it.

DH kit transplant and mostly Messiah proof, weighed about 34lbs though.

Also Hardcore punk music reference since it’s a Minuteman 8)

Shame you edited that Northwind, I liked it

:wink:

Minor threat?

Early adopters of technology will always have to pay a high price – and I’m glad such people exist for without them there would be no technology trickling down to the lower price points.

I bought my first carbon frame over fifteen years ago and I paid a very pretty penny for it; without those of us buying them back then you would not be getting your £400 “bargain” carbon frames now.

I see the same happening with carbon rims – at £4-500 per rim they are daft expensive, but they are promising great things. I like my FLOW rims but they are not that strong (yes… I’ve bent them). So a lighter and stronger rim is appealing, if it was just lighter I would probably not be interested – but lighter and stronger is something I will pay for.

Note – my foray into carbon frames and carbon components has not always ended well… in fact only one of my three bikes has any carbon on it.

Rim to spoke is important – I’ve not given it much thought other than the obvious drilling/molding big holes in a carbon rim for a normal nipple does not sound clever.

Some of the carbon rim options currently mean you have to remove the tyre etc to true the wheel… not a big problems as long as the rim is strong and you don’t have to tweak the wheel often (how often do we tweak our wheels these days with disc brakes anyway???). Or you could have the nipple at the hub end, or on the spoke somewhere?

Be interesting to see what you come up with. To get me to part with £1600 it will need to tick a lot of boxes.

Strong
Light
Back-up and customer support – for big and little things
Availability of spares – it took me two months to sort out my crossmax’s everytime they died – back before they were as common as now. I put me off buying fancy wheels. When my Hope wheels go wrong I know I can fix them myself or get spares easy – this is very important for me (unfortunately I know they will go wrong… but what kit never has problems???).

On the subject of back-up and customer support check out some of the reviews of Easton’s first wheels and bearing problems… no wonder they dhttp://www.singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/carbon-wheelset-for-amfr-and-possibly-dhecided to give a two year garrantee on a £2000 wheelset. I’m also wary of the new Reynold AM wheels as they have fitted hubs that have no history – which strikes me as a recipe for first year disasters. Hubs are as important as the rims – do I9 hubs have a great reputation or are they well known for eating their way through expensive custom bearing sets…

The only wheel I’ve had without normal spokes was an early crossmax – I snapped some of the little spoke holding turrets off. A normal hub is a very clever design… why go re-inventing the wheel? (sorry :P )

I’ve run Hope/Flow for two years. Buckled the front early on doing something stupid but they have been fine since (other than the 135 x 12mm axle breaking thing).
Light, Strong and good value… unless you spend serious cash more you will not get much better.

As Skyline-GTR suggests, a custom build with CX-RAY or DT Revolution spokes and Alloy Nipples would save a few grams and be better than a Hoop – but super light spokes and alloy nipples might reduce the lifespan (I built a DH wheel with revolutions many a year ago – I had to relace it after three years… which when I think about it actually isn’t that bad considering the abue it got).

Well… you’ve bought into I9’s marketing BS then :wink:

Tighter spokes do not necessarily make for a stronger wheel – it simply passes on the forces causing problems at the rim or hub. I9 also have a reputation for bearing “issues”… have a search.

Limiting yourselves to one hub/wheel design might not be clever especially if that company have a reputation for poor customer service :evil: (not aimed at anyone… but some companies are better than others).

Your going to have some stiff[/u] competition…ENVE, DT EXR1550, Easton Haven Carbon, and Reynolds have an AM wheelset (with a list price of £999… ). On one are also touting carbon rims later this year.

Having said all that… a carbon rimmed AM wheel set is currently on my shopping list for this year. The benifits of a strong and light wheel package might well be worth the cost of the divorce :mrgreen:

Machanism is the same so I suspect it sounds the same – bearing size/type and axle configuration is the only difference.

Stantion wear is a non issue for me in the year I’ve had my Floats – stripped them a couple of times but all clean and happy inside.

I’d get the right fork for the bike… I nearly bought some more Float 36 to replace the noodly rebas’s on my hardtail; but decided to keep the Reba’s and use the Helius if I’m taking it somewere that is going to overstress the hardtail… right tool for the job and all that :oops:

Good point Toombsy – I know the AM is for 160mm forks but the 180mm Fox 36’s can be internally adjusted to 160 or 170mm.

Doesn’t help Chainline’s bargain hunting options though :mrgreen:

If you already have 36 Floats on the Helius leave them there and get something else for the other bike (or maybe some more) – thats what I would do.

Marz 55 RC3 Ti only works out as good if your in the correct weight band. If you need to use air pressure because your over the “ideal” weight it stiffles the performance.

A good friend has 36 Floats and Van’s – he prefers the Floats (both R’s but the Van are older).

I have 160mm 2010 Float RC2’s on my Helius AM. I was going to get the R but got a deal on the RC2… and I’m very glad I did. The LSC allows me to run a nice low pressure and yet stops the fork diving through the travel in the low speed techy stuff I love. Brilliant fork. Not as plush as another friends 55 RC3 Ti in the car park, but when he was out for a spin on mine he reckoned he could hardly feel any difference other than mine dived less. He would rather have the Floats.

Looking forward to trying someones Bos Deville – but in no hurry to change my Float 36 RC2’s.

Air seems to work up front just fine – on the rear it’s a different story.