Same as ajantom – mine is still perfect. A TINY amount of side to side movement has developed in the shaft, so the saddle moves a little, but no up/down sag, just reliable.

It is a little sluggish, but a total bargain.

Thanks!

Have you tried it with other wheels? (29ers)

I first built my current FS up with 650b+, then tried it as a 29er and the only time I went back was after I’d mullered a tyre, so had to swap the b+ wheels on to ride!

Looks like a great bike, though, I’d love to try a Pole.

Definitely fun bikes! I’m hoping to pick up an On One Deedar frame bargainously cheap soon, and build it into a 150-160mm hardcore hardtail.

Currently debating wheels (and forks, and many other bits). Trying to work out if a 26″ rear wheel with a 2.8″ tyre is a good idea, with a 27.5″ front with a 2.5″ or 2.6″ tyre.

I’ve already run one plus bike, and it just seems to sensible on a HT, having that volume on the rear tyre. Thats the biggest difference with a 2.8 vs a 2.5 IMO – the side walls are much taller, giving more volume, even if the gain in width is minimal.

Thoughts?

Not tried the Topeak one, but I’ve got the Bontrager equivalent. Absolutely love it, makes tubeless inflation so easy!

I’ve got my 3.0 Purgatory GRID for sale now, I ended up going back to being 29er – I just found it so much faster, so selling the whole 650b+ setup.

I’m pretty tempted to try it again now it’s properly fast, dry conditions, but in the wet it sucked.

Any particular reason you swapped the Grid Purgatory out for the Maxxis combo? Going from 3.0 to 2.8 too…

I don’t think you can get them here yet, it was a guy selling them on here, from his non-UK bike.

Muggomagic – I’ve seen you’re interested in wider 650b+ rims, can’t PM you for some reason. Drop me a message, I’ve got Hugo 52’s on Hope Pro 4’s I’m debating selling.

On topic – I’ve been happy with a Specialized Control casing on the front, but have gone through the sidewall on the rear version. Recently picked up a GRID casing for the rear. I’ve not tried it yet, but they’re generally MUCH better.

The Ragley is listed as being a 30mm stack height, DMR’s are 28mm or 31mm depending. I’ll be going DMR, just for that extra couple of millimeters.

Thanks guys, really didn’t expect there to be so many options, should have researched more first!

Good effort Van Halen. I think you’ve nailed it! I didn’t think anyone would make one with a stack height that low.

davidtaylforth – can you find a 40mm length stem that’s only 25mm high? I’d be impressed.

I’m keeping a very short stem due to it being a large frame, and I’m M to L on a good day.

What is really important is up and down movement space, the last pump track I played on was on my 650b+ HT, which sucked until I pulled the seatpost out, then rocked. The amount of body movement is what makes it work.

(BMX or little jump bike are better though)

I rode home this evening in my OneTen Element. Pissed it down the whole way, my torso was absolutely dry (apart from the sweat) when I got back. It’s got underarm vents too. Not exactly breathable, but not bad at all. It was a bargain when I got it too. Zip isn’t the best, but hasn’t broken (or leaked), arms are long, body a little short, but I’m 5’10” and have a Small, as I’m skinny.

Seen good Montane ones too. Really, really compact.

I’ll report back, I’ve ordered the 160mm 26″ wheel travel air shaft from CRC, same part as on bike-components.de, but cheaper.

29/27.5 Boost then. So, a 29er 140mm air shaft?

Is anyone interested in a 2016 Trek Stache 5 (the minty green colour) with a good BB and headset fitted, I’ll be selling the frame only soon. In size 17.5. It’s brilliant fun, I really love it, but it’s slightly too small for me.

Does anyone know where to get a 140mm air shaft for a Yari? It’s currently at 130mm and I’m changing to a 140mm FS bike…

I’m running 130mm versions, I’m only light and they don’t have the best small bump sensitivity at my weight, but when they’re working with bigger hits they good enough I just don’t notice them. Which is a compliment, I often get to the bottom of the run to find the rubber ring at the top of the stanchion, and not once have I felt them bottom out! (I’ve not done anything about tokens either, unlike my previous Reba’s)

If you have a bottle cage spare, pick up one of the tool bottles, e.g. (there’re better options, but this came up first)
http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/zefal-z-box-tool-holder-bottle-medium/rp-prod147331?gs=1&gclid=CjwKEAiAkajDBRCRq8Czmdj-yFgSJADikZggeH5JUUO-dxSJN0S3OwC_ZmKzYJM77gaO6tKtI0uMFxoCIXHw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds

I’ve got the Topeak 18+. Received it as a Christmas present last year, it’s been so good this last year, we bought one for my uncle for this Christmas. (apart from the tyre lever, that snapped trying to get a tight tubeless tyre on – the bottle opener/spoke key did the same job though)

Because a sus fork is fun!

How’re you getting on with a 34t front ring? Trek says 32t tops, and I’ve got a 30t oval on mine (changing to 32t soon), and clearance is TIGHT when at the top of the oval, I just can’t see the chain clearing with a 34t!

As said before, mine’s got 130mm forks on, but is also 650b+, I’ve got really used to it, I’m happy with the front end height now, although maybe I could drop the bars 1 more spacer. I just wish the top tube was longer, my 17.5″ frame just isn’t reachy enough.

It’d be interesting compared because they’ve revised the geometry slightly, right?

Has anyone got a 18.5 or 19.5 frame they’d like to swap for a 17.5?
It’s just a little small for me, but would happily do a straight swap. It’s the minty green Stache 5 frame in good condition, couple of little chips, but very good really. Prettiest colour too! I’d happily do all the work stripping and rebuilding both bikes.
Bit of a long shot, but don’t ask, don’t get!

We’ve got some Trek ones we’ve had for 10 years or so, still going strong.

Again, recommending what you have: Trek Stache.

But you could also build a Ragley Bigwig into a plus bike or a DMR Trailstar.

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’.

I’d go with something like a Cleland – if you message him, I’m sure he’ll do his best to hook you up.

Otherwise, if you still want a traditional bike, then something like the bars above, or On One Mary’s will do it. I’ve got a set in the shed I’d happily unload cheaply if you’re interested.

I’ve got a random big carcass 29″ tube in my bag, but as said, it’s for emergencies. I’m tubeless, so hopefully I won’t have a problem.

Energy bars at 40p each, a bottle cage for £1 a saddle bag for £5 and road bike bar tape for £6.

I’m happy with that.

I suggest you learn to windsurf (or kitesurf) pronto. Nothing like biking in the morning, and windsurfing every afternoon of a holiday!

Trek Superfly. I had a 2014/15 ‘6’ and through all kinds of abuse at it, even rode a couple of km’s home up a big hill with only 3 gears after smashing the rear mech. Well over 4000km’s before replacing the BB too, headset tip top condition still. Sold it for £500 the other week.

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)

New Trek X-calibers (and presumably Superfly’s etc) come with 28 hole rims/hubs, so look at Bontrager suff.

Oversized down hill specific saddles

Still got one of these, the old Tioga one!

I don’t know how you’ve been riding, but I’ve put approx 4000km onto a Bontrager XR2 team issue front tyre, without it being dead. The rears don’t last as long, of course, but that’s to be expected. If I’m not skidding round each corner like one of the cool kids, rears last at least 1500km’s, for most people that’s probably 4 months riding at least!

If you only plan to ride it on the internet having the right numbers is enough though

Forum warriors UNITE! (Fortunately I’m on 4000+km’s so far this year)

I can definitely see the benefit – 1x very short cable (the closer you mount the box, the shorter the cable), which will make for very precise shifts an probably never having to replace the cable.

Never routing internal cables again – what a ball ache!

1 remote can be used for a 1x system (hopefully upto 12speed, it would make sense, as it uses a stock mech) and at the same time, operate your dropper post.

As above, it has potential for a LOT of applications. Battery life is one of the biggest questions for me. Is it ‘set up and forget’?

The problem is that bikes feel so, so different. Every bike, every manufacturer – the reach could be only a 5mm difference, but with a HA of 0.5 degree different, and 15mm different length stem and a seat tube angle of 0.5 degree different, the whole bike feels far more different than the sum of it’s parts vs something else almost identical.

Therefore, imo – people should RIDE bikes more than agonize over numbers, that’s the only way to find out if you like a bike, otherwise you might find ‘the perfect geometry’ bike and actually, it doesn’t feel any better than the bike you were just on.