Ok you asked for it so here goes:

It’s quite a conservative build in some ways as it’s got a lot of Syntace kit on it

Liteville 301 Mk10 L 140mm rocker plates
Pike RCT3 150mm
Syntace w35 27.5 wheels
Hans Dampf 2.35 front
Mavic CrossRoc rear
Syntace Vector Carbon bars
Syntace Megaforce 2 30mm stem (highly recommended)
XT 1×10 with Hope 32t retainer ring and 40t-rex expander sprocket
Xt brakes w ice tech 180 rotors front and rear
Reverb
WTB rocket saddle
DMR Vault pedals

I took it to a Bike Park last week and had amazing fun doing 6 foot drops, jumps etc. Never felt overwhelmed on it.

I’m eyeing up a CCDB inline though….

Do other manufacturers have this problem? What do they do?

Check out the tame deer in Nara (near Kyoto).

Me and Mr’s Platz spent a lovely couple of days in Takayama situated in the ‘Japanese Alps’. No MTB action but there probably is if you look for it.

All I can say is that If you can then go as it was the best holiday I’ve ever had.

I think it looks pretty smart as both full face and half lid. I’ve just bought a (discounted) Bell super and have an Archi Enduro but if I was in the market I’d go for the Bell for the ease of chin-guard detachment.

By the time it’s worn out we’ll all be buying dedicated shimano 11spd cassettes.

The chin guard on the new parachute can also be removed with a tool.

I see your Black 301 and raise it with a completely black one. Bit of a shame considering this is a show your bike off thread but this muddy picture is the best one I’ve got.

If you are building from new then you could consider Race Face cinch system. This would allow you to mount a single with perfect chain line and no possibility of the chain fowling the tabs of the cranks. You could also install a spider and go double or triple as needs be at a later date. It’s available on the Next sl cranks which are incredibly spendy and the Turbines which are not cheap either.

If you would rather spend less then I would go for a SLX triple.

Don’t suppose anyone has seen one of these on a liteville 301?

Found the problem BTW. Under torqed rear axel. DOH!

Sell it. They’re rubbish.

I also own a liteville 301 that has begun clicking/creaking under pedal load. I have however just installed new pedals, a 40t-rex expander and a hope 32t retention ring. It was silent previously.

My plan is to go for crankbolts first (i don’t think i lubed the threads enough, bb re-grease, check pedal torque and re-grease interface between cassette and free hub body.

Check this park tool page out for help. http://www.parktool.com/blog/repair-help/trouble-shooting-a-creaky-or-noisy-drive-train

I’m obviously biased having dropped phat wedge on it but the bearings and general construction are meant to be bomb proof, which holds up IME, Ive never heard a peep coming from the linkage.

Check out the liteville faq page http://www.liteville.de/t/25_106.html and manual http://syntace.my1.cc/liteville/pdf/Bedienungsanleitung_Liteville_301_Mk10_englisch_ver-02.pdf and if all fails head to a local shop. Paying for professional experience isn’t a rip off as long as they fix the problem, keep a receipt for the work done and keep taking it back till silent.

Hope you get the bike. I think it’s a ripper.

Off topic post:

Dear STW moderators, I don’t live in the West Yorks area but I do like riding bikes. Can I please form part of your clique?

What time does Cedric Garcia start?

Thanks for all the information singletrack massive.

I think I’m going to try moving the spacer to the non drive side and see how it goes from there.

robgclarkson

i’m using an XT double crank with a General Lee 42T sprocket setup and it works perfectly now, though it was quite a faff to get setup initially.

What were the difficulties? I have set the B limit screw as per Hope’s instructions and the upshift is fine but the sound on the t rex is not good.

The H/L limit screws are fine.

I’m expecting 1st babba and am trying to convince wife we need a Passat estate. She want’s one of these things though as she says an estate is too boat like in dimensions.

Opinions?

MTBing hijacked by the big money brigade ?

It may not be relevant to many of STWers but I meet up with a group of guys (and an increasing number of gals) some sundays here in the sunny Sierra de Madrid and although not many people have 5k bikes the collective spend on kit is eye wateringly high.

The group however is definitely not what I would call the Big Money Brigade. The organiser of the group turns up in a 2005 Citroen Saxo and is an unemployed (unfortunately all to common here in Spain) lift technician. Carlos is a fireman and a couple of guys work in bike shops.

The sport is expensive. It can be more or less expensive depending on whether you have to have the latest and the greatest or can accept that your bike will not get the most comments as you are preparing to set off.

We ride 100% natural trails as trailcenters haven’t taken off here but I did ride Davagh forest in Norhtern Ireland and while immensely fun it was not nearly as challenging as stuff I’ve ridden here. Perhaps UK trail centers have made the sport more accesible to people and less has attracted the Johnny Stockbrokers along with Joey plumber and Pauly chartered accountant too?

My soul started life with a thomson layback post and spds seriously light whippet but has evolved into a flat pedal reverb equipped fun machine. I still ride the same trails on it but now I pretend I’m Sam Hill on a training run. The point is… it’s a very versatile package.

I’m sure other frames of its ilk are similarly adaptable but I can only vouch for the soul as it’s the only one I’ve got.

Went along this evening. Was amazing fun. I’m probably doing it all wrong but it was pretty easy to get loads of speed off the rollers. I didn’t do any jumps as I’m going on a MTB holiday in 10 days and don’t want to mess it up but with some practice I think I might build up to it.

I could not believe how tiring it was though! I was done after an hour when I can pedal for so much longer.

Jairaj – the track was built during one of the many failed Madrid candidacies to host the olympic games so it’s probably going to be pretty daunting.

Tymbian – If i buy another bike my wife will kill me!

I’ll just rock up and see how it goes. I’m pretty sure I won’t be clearing any jumps, i just want to have a go on the rhythm sections.

Any reason not to? Well the paintwork on mine is poor. Chips very easily and had half a dozen areas where the paint came off when it was washed. Rides nice but I wouldn’t buy another cotic. I’m pretty sure I’m just unlucky as I’ve not heard of this happening to anyone else.

The paint on my Soul chips all the time.

Ta very much!

I recently upgraded to I Spec on two bikes. The first were I Spec B and the second weren’t. The difference was in the mating of the shifters if I remember correctly.

Anyway, I’m no master at these things but after taking the shifters apart mounting the new I Spec cover, it was pretty obvious how each one went on by looking.

I now have my reverb remotes placed under the bars on the left about 10mm closer to my thumbs though sticking almost vertically up.

Someone should produce an aftermarket reverb / shimano solution.

I’ve got painful elbows after practicing bunny hops for the last three evenings. I’ll have to give it a rest i think!

I’m the only one saying this here so you probably won’t follow my advice but for the kind of riding you are doing I would recommend you get G Form. They are not as heavy duty as the others mentioned but sooo much lighter and your really don’t realise you are wearing them. I have the elbow pads and some Endura MT500 and although the Enduras get the job done they are so uncomfortable compared to the G Form.

I have sensitive skin (aww) and I nearly always get itchy skin around knees after a ride with the Endura. I like to have something that you wear all the time instead of winch up, put on pads fly down, take off pads for climb, repeat… and G Form really are the best for this IMO.

They have some new products coming out that includes a knee shin combo that I’m waiting for to become available in on CRC.

http://g-form.com/our-products/bike/

alpin – Member
yup, wheelies and manuals….

four years ago i couldn’t wheelie. spent six months on Gran Canaria and used to practise on the way to work each morning. had it sorted after 2 months… manuals followed a month or so later, i think.

Ok, I’ve been trying for a week and haven’t managed it yet. I thought I must be balance impaired but this gives me hope. I’m making it my Holy Grails of skills as people say it’s easy and yet it forever eludes me.

Good eyes. It is, last years trip and it was Awesome.

I live there (here), the dryness is easy to spot!

Carlos that looks like Spain, are you Spanish?

Wheelies are pointless but relatively easy to learn

That’s fighting talk where i come from.

I see lots of people disliking flats because they struggle to stay on them, someone even said you need shin pads to ride with them? I think this sums up the problem really, if you really can’t keep your feet on flats then you are lacking in your bike skills. I am no bad ass on a bike but to me this is technique that really should be learnt but I see a lot of people go atraight to spds to mask there lack of technique rather than persevere in order to get better. It always amazes me how many people jump to spds before they can even bunny hop. There is nothing wrong at all with using spds if you prefer them or use them on race days but using them because you can’t ride properly with flats is a bit of a cheat that wont do you any favours in the long run.

Bottom line riding properly on flats then deciding you prefer spds = cool.
Not being able to ride flats and then using spds to mask this rather than getting better = not cool.

Just my opinion but I think any negative comments about spds stem from the above.

I’m going on a 5 day skills course in July where I would like to learn how to bunny hop properly without pulling bike up via spds so am currently awaiting delivery of flats and Teva links.

I’m 100% comfortable on spuds but I know that they are masking some serious skill deficiencies.

Ta very much!

Don’t get a wipperman one they undo when you back pedal. As I found out when I was readying my old DH bike in the start hut at ft bill. The cranks and cassette span round and dumped the chain on the floor followed by me scrambling around trying to find the link and a cue of people behind me trying to push past.

That must have been embarrassing! I have wipperman connex links on both my bikes and have never found this to be an issue although I saw another poster saying that they are prone to falling off if you run a chain guide. Perhaps this was your case on a DH bike?

I was out trying to do some Manuals last night. I managed about 2 seconds of getting the front wheel up and rolling along in a controlled way. I think part of the learning process is learning to actually loop the bike out and then backing off from there. If I was riding clipping in as I normally. Do I would have a very sore arse today!

I took a pair of v lightweight thin soled trainers with me in my camelback and was able to use them.

Once I get it down (if ever) I’ll go back to spd.

If manuals are your objective then you need to be able to jump off the bike at a moment s notice.

Get a wipperman one instead of Sram! Much easier to fit and remove!

Group if im riding tech. Worried about falling off and being in the middle of bumfuck all night with a broken arm.

Solo if it’s an XC type blast.

My ideal ride is with a couple of friends. Large groups lead to interminable waits at every crossing on the trail while some know it all tells the one who’s broken down they should go tubeless (I don’t care if tehy are right it’s not worth going on about it now!)

If the guy has no tools or space then although there is a possibility that he would be able to fix his bike for less money it’s obviously not going to happen. On a side note I would recommend that anyone who likes cycling would greatly benefit from owning the means and knowledge for competent bike fettling!

If I were your mate, I would save the 1000 and hire in the alps. He could even hire different bikes on different days to try them out.

He could then spend maybe two grand next year on a year – 18mnth old version of his fave from the alps.

This is a moot point if he is unwilling to spend over a grand on a bike which is not unreasonable at all. I only wish I hadn’t lost all perspective with spending money on a hobby!

I actually live in Spain so conditions are much drier than in the mother land. lets hope the conti MK arrives in time for weekend!

Pretty happy with my Conti MK protections. Easiest tyre I’ve ever set up tubeless as well.

Nice one, just bought one!

On closer inspection i have an inch long gash in side wall. Ugh. Tried a genuine innovations bacon strip to no avail. If i air it up to 40 psi it starts leaking sealant everywhere.

I like the look of the purgatory but I have very little clearance at the back and all I can fit is a 2.25 tyre. Specialized only do 2.3.

What are people’s thoughts on the Ardent? I’ve heard the sizing with Maxxis can be hit and miss.