I wouldnt know where the raw test results are, if anywhere, but this is the article translated into english through google:

https://translate.google.co.uk/translate?hl=en&sl=de&u=https://www.bike-magazin.de/komponenten/bremsen/test-mountainbike-bremsbelaege-2017/a37195-page5.html&prev=search

The descriptions of the tests are at the start of the article and for each pad they list their findings.

Do bear in mind though they are not testing all brake systems with all pads so theres no evidence that trickstuff power pads tested on sram guides will perform with identical results to trickstuff power pads in say shimano XT’s

@eddiebaby
Well when you put it like that, the answer seems so obvious and logical, even a baby could have told me that :-D

You’ve clearly got a good grasp of all the different stuff that goes on in a bike, hope you’ll be floating around here for a bit I’ve got some more oddball questions about this bike I need to post up!

@joshvegas

Do you mean in the “Cheap Charge Plug 5 frames on Ebay” thread in here? or megathread as in somewhere on reddit, cheers

This german mags test seems to put the trickstuff power pads in quite a favourable light with regards to differences in power/fade/durability, significantly better than both organic and sintered sram pads.

https://www.bike-magazin.de/komponenten/bremsen/test-mountainbike-bremsbelaege-2017/a37195-page5.html

Tempting me to give them a go on my MT7’s, except on MT7’s the opinion seems top be that the 4 piece pads perform a little better than the (MT5 version) 2 piece linked pads, possibly because it allows all 4 pistons independant movement.

(sorry minor thread hijack if anyone is familiar with magura 8.p v 9.p pad shapes wants to weigh in on the following stupid idea…wonder if its worth me just hacksawing the trickstuff magura pads in half seeing as they have the bolt holes for the pad retention pins just like the 4 piece pads as the overall shape seems identical so i get independant 4 piston movement)

Cheers guys appreciate the feedback, always worth getting other opinions when you have no way of physically testing all the options out for yourself.

Will put my X2’s out to pasture in the classifieds and just be rid!

and @ratherbeintobago didn’t mean to divert the thread topic was trying to provide some info that might help with the decision on what to do with your X2’s.

@teethgrinder I’ve been looking at this spreadsheet that ridemonkey put together

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1sjPSmOYbhjDBFxcvXVw1ufKfowEBu1AKh8sB6T8e24Y/edit#gid=2127770172

showing the differences in mechanical and hydraulic leverages for multiple different braking systems.

Comparing Techevo and Tech3 Master Cylinders the numbers seem to suggest a significant difference between overall total leverage between the two MC’s.

Would that not result in ‘noticeably’ more braking force applied on the rotor by using the Tech3?

I’m interested in your opinion and experience as I am in same position. Need better braking over my TechEvo X2 on the front, was thinking about just swapping to a Tech3 MC only and if that wasn’t enough then swap out caliper for E4/V4

@marksnook
Thanks buddy, I’m afraid I’m going to have to give the OneUp a miss now. Somehow in the 21hrs since I posted that message with the intention of buying your dropper I ended up buying another bike randomly, spur of the moment kind of thing, for dedicated turbo-trainer purposes.

So the wallet has been welded shut and locked out of sight.

@marksnook
What drop is your oneup 30.9? I really cant afford to spend anymore unnecessarily but dang it I’m interested. That ridiculous stack height on the 125mm drop reverb is so doing my head in.

Im a 5ft 7 on a medium 2016 canyon spectral. Depending on what shoes I wear (thickness of sole) even the 125mm dropper is a smidge too tall fully extended, inside a 440mm seat tube and it kinda feels like it doesn’t get out of the way enough when slammed down (reverbs 65mm stack height).

If I wear the thicker soled shoes its almost Ok but I don’t like the shoes grip that gives me that better height.

Reverb 125 drop plus stack height is 190mm. The oneup 150 drop plus stack height is 183mm I believe so perfect 7mm lower height at full and perfect lower stack (33mm?) at slammed.
can anyone verify or correct those numbers? because if correct the oneup would work no matter what shoes I wore.

But back to topic, I had a Brand X and it never failed me once and never gave any trouble. just so simple and reliable all the time I had it

So many good people here have said so much and given such great advice and shared experiences I just want to add something and forgive me if it doenst add any value to the ongoing convo.

Coming out of something like that a person can feel so broken and damaged and a shadow of their former self. It can be hard to reconnect with the world and care abut things and be engaged again in a meaningful way with other people. For those who find themselves in that position and are often questioning the point of making any effort with anything please understand that you wont always feel this way.

I often felt like I had given up on everything. It took me time to accept that it was only because of the c@)#p I had to deal with for so long that left me like this. Once I was able to examine it in the light of day with decent trustworthy good people around me and finally getting back to finding things for myself. Focussing on what gives me joy in this life and this world that I could start to lose some of that bitterness and negativity that was inflicted on me. Believe it or not biking is one of those simple joys I reconnected with and that’s oddly what brought me here to this forum,(but for other reasons, not so positive hahahaha)

long story short, chin up, I promise you will be happy again and things will be joyful and good, you really just have to be prepared to believe it can be and want it to be and seek the people who bring you positivity and you will make it happen.

I found myself in the exact same position before.
I went ahead and ordered the Hope X2 piston HBSP235.

https://www.sjscycles.co.uk/brakes/hope-x2race-caliper-phenolic-pistons-22mm-hbsp235/

It is fractionally taller but identical diameter to the SLX M675 piston it replaced and there was enough space between the pistons to fit new pads without rubbing. You just wont be able to get two Hope X2 replacement pistons in, one on each side without sanding some pad material off maybe.

Just obviously don’t try and use the Hope piston seals!!! Because Hope are dot fluid they use a different rubber for their seals and it will expand like crazy in the mineral oil shimano brakes use.

Sizes for the seals are identical though but no industrial supplier anywhere that I came across sold the correct size square seal made in NBR rubber that you need for shimano back when I was searching.

Just an update for anyone who has posted previously,

The shop have, as a goodwill gesture, offered me £120 as Dave@RSF has said he will do a stanchion replacement on the damper side at a cost of £120

Just waiting to hear back from Dave at RSF that he has the stanchion in and can do the work. It was supposed to be done the other week but he didn’t have the right stanchion when I went down.

Good point. I’ll wear the number around my neck for all to find.
The day nothing ever goes wrong in the world is the day we all stop apportioning blame.
Till then…

If you are rubbish at lighting fires like me you had better be prepared with firestarters and stuff. One time at Llyn Gwynant I struggled as it was a damp couple of days and the wood was a bit damp too.

@cynic-al saying its symmetrical.

Between hub endcap to hub endcap the tyre is in the centre if dished right. In that respect it is symmetrical

The distance a brake rotor sits from the centre of the hub/tyre, at that same distance on other side of the hub/tyre a cassete has a lot smaller height than a brake rotor. So if you put it cassette facing in more of the cassette slides under the downtube allowing the tyre to rest snug against the frame. thereby allowing frame and wheel to fit inside the box width.

If rotor facing in it will press up against the frame first by its braking track thereby the tyre can no longer sit snug up against the frame unless you bend the rotor to shove it in more, so the wheel and frame now occupy a larger width than previously

FML bloomin ‘eck you guys are good!!! I am learning so much from all of you in such a short space of time.

Thankfully the line has cleaned off and under high magnification the weld surface area and black finish are smooth and unbroken and undisturbed, unlike my heat rate after reading that. But I have contacted the shop to get their opinion

Sometimes I’m really excited to see what this thread will throw up when I check back in and now sometimes I’m genuinely terrified.

Update regarding the fork: Both shops I’ve approached and Dave at RSF have all said, the same as you guys here, its not horrendous, it will perform fine and as expected.

Their response also includes that it will damage the seal over time, drawing more dirt in so will require more frequent servicing and monitoring than normal if the stanchion is left as is.

So I am officially relieved to know in my heart that I don’t have a lemon fork (us noobs need time to learn these things unlike you experts who know everything already)

If however any of you find me with a downtube sticking through my gut with my head tube and fork gallavanting off into the bushes. Take pity and please call an ambulance

Nice, thanks @blokeuptheroad
I’ve recently discovered GMBN and the guys on it are awesome. Been well over ten years I haven’t properly been on a bike and been out of the country, just soaking up as much material as I can and trying to get back to having fun and getting fitter faster and more skilful. How tragic what happened to Martyn Ashton. I remember seeing Martyn when I was of that age and just being in awe of his ability. Love his outlook and positivity (and yes I know what you all are going to say) How he can take the bad in his stride and move forward and be happy and still find the joy around bikes. Positive lessons for us all

And those who shrewdly suggested before, how do we know he didn’t switch the wheel around that way himself.

The box physically cannot situate the rear wheel next to the rear triangle as rear triangle and wheel with cassette overlapped are too wide to physically fit. The box is too short to have rear wheel in situ in rear triangle. Had the wheel been placed with cassette facing outwards next to the head tube and fork, I don’t think that would fit either as cassette would protrude too far out towards box edge and break that side AND there would be imprints of the cassette left on the interior of the box, these imprints are not there as can be evidence by photos of the box.

I can understand why it was badly packaged, £15 to wrap a bike that has nothing to do with the shop,

A lot of people share the view about yeah well not even their bike, only 15 quid, what should I expect. I can see why people would feel that way.

But lets say someone in this thread had a restaurant. If some of us brought our own food in to eat there with our kids, parents or partners and asked for plates and cutlery while the rest of you were enjoying a meal from this highly regarded establishment. If the restaurant chose to provide it and charge for it, they have a duty of care to make sure the utensils and crockery are not covered in horse poop and E.coli with a pinch of Salmonella for good measure, and glasses and plates with cracks and shards of glass flying off, yes you might give it to them on a plate that has a picture of horse poop, to try and put us off our food as much as possible for having the cheek to ask in the first place. So if one of our kids or partners got cut by a cracked glass, oh well what did we expect bringing our own food in like cheeky beggars. But no sorry mate you cant technically prove that cut on your kids lip wasn’t there before.

If we’ve asked is it ok to consume our own food and drink and will you supply the means to do that, then you do that with supply of provisions and in manner that are fit for purpose.

OR you can say ‘NO we don’t offer that PAID SERVICE in the first place and not take our money.

I’m not trying to change peoples minds or say their viewpoint is wrong.

I am replying to what was said by whatyadoinsucka and others (This bit isn’t about who did the scratches on stanchion and who can prove it or cannot prove it, you’ve all made valid points on that subject)
I am maintaining my right to expect that when a bike is packed it is not packed with the rear wheel cassette on top of an exposed stanchion. (the earlier pictures posted showing the rear wheel in the box next to stanchion, the deep imprints on the downtube foam protection of the cassette with grease stains right next to the UNCOVERED stanchions.)

Under section 49(1) of the Consumer Rights Act, every contract to supply a service is to be treated as including a term that the trader must perform the service with reasonable care and skill. The level of care and skill expected is that of a reasonably competent business in the same profession as the trader.

You’ve all made great points, so forgetting the issue about shop, and who did what, Im definitely wanting to just get on and ride.

So am I correct in understanding the general consensus seems to be not to even worry about replacing the stanchion either and just doing the wet and dry with automotive lacquer filling on scratches?

If that’s really all that the damage amounts to and that repair done well will see the fork good for a long time to come then I’m OK with that.

and yes mate @poopscoop this is bl**dy entertaining reading from everyone. Ive been banned from buying anything pre-owned from russyh ever but other than that its all good, lol

So as someone requested the bike details, to better facilitate your identification of me to continue the mockery of my Stanchion Saga in real life on the trails, its a 2016 Spectral, with Eagle 12spd Drivetrain, hope X2’s and 2016 Fox 34 Performance and DPS. for the princely sum of £800 + packing fee + courier.

Which with my limited knowledge and experience I thought was a cracking deal hence I was prepared to concoct such a hair brained scheme to get it down to my part of the country from where it was as a local pick up only.

I haven’t ever had a full sus bike like this before. And I don’t know the consequences of this damage. All I know is that everyone always makes a big song and dance about making sure stanchions are damage free. So when it came with those scratches having been told it was unmarked, I freaked.

Sorry for the confusion.
When I say agent I do mean someone known to me to conduct the transaction on my behalf according to my instructions. And then under my instruction drop it off to the bike shop.

And to clear the other matter, I’m not turning on him. He is supporting me in this matter saying he had clear instruction to check the sliding suspension parts for scratches and if all ok to pay the seller. The bit about him being chased was just a proverbial. If shop are saying this not them, then that’s implying the blame lies with him.

And judging from most people’s reactions it does seem like it’s going to be a pretty non event. As I’ve said I am getting a bike shop to look at it. And if they like most here say that it’s ok. I’m ok with that.

But it’s helped to hear everyone’s opinion to make me see things from a perspective I may not have considered before. The scratches were definitely twenty times bigger when I first opened the box. They seem to have shrunk now! Hahaha
Thank you

As soon as I sent that I realised that it would comeback to bite me in the derriere.
Yes it sounds crazy on one hand complaining about can’t afford, then next paragraph mentioning barrister.
Without going into detail I am saying I’m very fortunate and grateful to be receiving the assistance the way I am from all the people who are involved. Which includes all you beautiful people too.

Massive thank you and props to each and everyone of you who is contributing to this thread I am so grateful for all the input and advice. It is helping me come to terms with it, lol and become clearer in my head what is fair course of action and expectation.

Things have gotten a little out of hand already, my barrister has weighed in this morning and the shop are aware. Problem that is presented to the shop now is that if they claim no culpability then the liability falls on my agent who procured and delivered the bike to the shop, who of course will then proceed to seek damages from the shop for loss against him if I come after him now because he absolutely categorically maintains the fork was undamaged. phew.

I just believe people should take responsibility for their actions. its not about me getting anything, or cost to them.

In line with what some of you have said, just ride it and suck it up. I have been off the bike and not touched it at the advice of the shop manager who called up to originally apologise and accept their mistake and offer a solution, he said don’t use it until we get this sorted. But now I have arranged a local bike shop to give the fork an inspection and tell me how little or how significantly this will affect the fork.

IF they say the saem just suck it up and use it man no issues there, then I uess ill just chalk it up to experience and join the camp on here that says, scratch? just suck it up and use it dude!

Thanks guys, will keep this post updated especially with the barrister and the agent now getting involved actively, keep your thoughts coming

You sound like you have sound and wise advice in this matter, much appreciated. I am not here to sh*ft someone over or get more than what is my due. When they offered to replace the damaged fork I even suggested at the time they just pick up a pre-owned one from these forums, I wasn’t fussy about the brand as long as it was equivalent performance and market position. I only asked for this as they brought up the offer of a replacement fork.

So what you said about finding someone higher up, is it malicious or unethical of me to mention who the shop is or who the individuals are that I am dealing with in the hope that someone can point me to someone who might be able to do something?

So far I am attempting to maintain their anonymity as I believe it is the correct thing to do but then I wonder why? I am not making spurious accusations, I am simply stating irrefutable facts and postulating the hypothetical consequences of those facts.

Thanks Poopscoops I get you man,

I cant waste a lot of time stressing about this, you are right. I just cant afford to waste money at the moment, It was a long and deliberate process selecting this bike.

What gets my goat and really riles me up so badly is just that the managers in the shop first were so caring considerate and helpful and wanted to fix what they admitted was their mistake, but the next day area manager/head office or whatever flipped that around on its head. Told me no one said that.

Yeah sure one of the best voted bike shops in the UK my a*rse.

Its the outright deception from someone that I thought could be trusted that stabs me deep bro, lol.

Days before I bought the bike I was in regular contact with multiple people in the shop in anticipation of my purchase and just making sure everything they needed me to do would be done to make it easy on their end.

I was so grateful to them at the time. I remember the workshop chap before I had even bought the bike once mentioning to me about artisanal coffee, so I found a coffee shop in their neighbourhood and have emailed it and was arranging to have some artisanal beans to be delivered to them as a thank you for their efforts.

Arent I a f**king tw*t

Pictures for those who are intrigued

The damage to the stanchion:
https://ibb.co/nQkDsqWhttps://ibb.co/nQkDsqWhttps://ibb.co/nQkDsqW

This is how it came packed in the box with the rear wheel next to the bare stanchion with cassette resting against the stanchion
https://ibb.co/nkSmv2d
https://ibb.co/nkSmv2dhttps://ibb.co/nkSmv2d

This shows the indentation of the bare cassette on the foam of the down tube, and if we follow that imprinted curve of the cassette where do the rest of the teeth lie, that’s right, on top of the exposed stanchion
https://ibb.co/1T7NpMchttps://ibb.co/1T7NpMchttps://ibb.co/1T7NpMc

Thanks all for taking the time to read that and give your opinions, all are welcome. I have open ears to all perspectives.

The collector (my agent) paid £15 to the shop to box it up.

The undamaged state is the collectors and sellers say so, the seller has his photos from the listing.

too right its complicated, it was a great deal and I knew I could secure a trustworthy agent in that part of the country and I believed in the hype of the shop who has a great reputation and had faith in them.

I accept everyone can make mistakes, which is what they actually told me yesterday, they were sorry and apologised and said they will make it right, it was a silly mistake. but then the higer ups got involved and they have completely backtracked and deny claiming liability as it was all over the phone with the shop manager and workshop manager so I have no proof now.

I actually made this account the other day cos I was looking for a new bike and I wanted to post a wanted ad, lol. so this is my only account I’m afraid on here.