[Norton Sharley]

A thread to ask ukb's own bike tester how to fix the fiddly bits of metal and plastic on your mtb.

[Norton Sharley]

Dear Fatdoc,

I don't know how long the chainrings on my bike should last.  I go out in all weathers but always clean my bike when I get home from the pub.  but they seem to be lasting forever.  When should I change them and how do I do it?

Thanks,

Norton S

[Bubba]

Dear Fatdoc,

Why do you "need" a full XT kit, as me and lots of other people manage to actually change gear using only lowly Deore kit?

Thanks,

Blubbs

[fatdoc]

well,

here we are!

for the first time in my MTB career I have worn out the jockey wheels on my XT shadow mech.. the reason for this being my first time is by now i would usually have totalled at least a couple of mechs over a summer.. so I'm chuffed!

Obviously my riding hasnt got any better, as evidenced by the repeated bills for other components recently... so I'm voting the Shadow mech system as product of the year. having said that when i do bust it i've been told they are a twat to index..

norton.... when you feel they become soo rough and razor like that they'd be better used as a weapon to curtail satire than try to propell a bicycle... oh.. get some that arnt made of cheese in the first place - that helps

bubbs,

it's shiny, nuff said

[fatkid2000]

In this the thread to enquire about fatdoc's technical skills on how to ride a bicycle or how to fix it having fallen off it??

Technical Skills: "Its the bikes fault - it threw me off, this new magura fork - its ass then for some odd reason it throws from my Marin"

Fixing Skills: "My iPhone is permantently connected to the wiggle website to purchase new shiney compoents or I'm off to 18 bikes"

[fatdoc]

God, I hate you all
 

[Norton Sharley]

 

[fatkid2000]

The latest report on fatdoc's technical skills at the Dalby Forest Trail Centre: Fatdoc managed to stay on top of his bike for 6 hours & didn't fall off!!!! or has he got the set up on his Magura correct??? 

It was a very long day felt more like a road bike session that mountain biking

[squeek]

My friend got a split tire this weekend at Kiroughtree, no spare, so fixed it by putting two holes above it and putting two cable ties through the holes round the tire rim to keep the split together.  He made it round the next 20km on it, which impressed me.

[Bubba]

The latest report on fatdoc's technical skills at the Dalby Forest Trail Centre: Fatdoc managed to stay on top of his bike for 6 hours & didn't fall off!!!! or has he got the set up on his Magura correct??? 

Lucky he didn't wash out the front end due to having a certain brand of front tyre on

Congrats Jon, Dalby any good?

[Bubba]

My friend got a split tire this weekend at Kiroughtree, no spare, so fixed it by putting two holes above it and putting two cable ties through the holes round the tire rim to keep the split together.  He made it round the next 20km on it, which impressed me.

I can't picture this - how does this work? I split a tube at Penmachno on Sat so would be good to know such a fix.

[fatdoc]

The latest report on fatdoc's technical skills at the Dalby Forest Trail Centre: Fatdoc managed to stay on top of his bike for 6 hours & didn't fall off!!!! or has he got the set up on his Magura correct??? 

Lucky he didn't wash out the front end due to having a certain brand of front tyre on

Congrats Jon, Dalby any good?

yeah, back in big love with kenda tyres have to say....

here's copy of report of day out i sent to some mates yesterday


"if you get to ride Dalby then I reckon you'll have a good time. I'm in no way a trail centre expert but it was a good day out. I can see why it's used as a demo centre, you get to cover a lot of ground with some interest without really getting into too much bother.

Random thoughts are:

- The trail climbs are fine, bit weird cos they are man made so judging how long they go for is nigh on impossible, the locals have this down to a tee.. I spent about 25% of the time with my saddle down when I wanted it up and vice versa. Being a saddle down on the downs sort of a rider I got a bit pissed off about this. If any ride makes you consider a auto adjust saddle height post this will be it. Most people were on hardtails, probably the best bike I'd say. There ar a few jumps that I'd prefer a full susser on - personal preference I'm sure.

- The red is only hard in terms of length. I'm sure this is what is intended - you cant make a trail and then see swathes of MTBers coming a cropper on it. the bike park is a waste of time, not worth the 350 tons of stone they needed to shift it. Having said that the whole red is a big, fun day out. it drains well, is out of the wind and it's very well waymarked. the best bit is the last 7 miles of so. I dont believe the distances quoted, the whole red and with the black you can also slot in felt about 45km!!


it was busy at the start and at the freeride park, the second half of the red not so, I get the impression many dont do all the red in a session.

The amount of work in making this place is astonishing, it's worth going to. Dave who is new to the world of MTB having crossed from the dark side summed it up as * damn good for fitness, a different day out, technically easy. Good for once in a while, but it's not the real deal*

next time i'm going to do the easiest way up to the start of the last third, and do reps on it...

Have  a good time!"

[squeek]

My friend got a split tire this weekend at Kiroughtree, no spare, so fixed it by putting two holes above it and putting two cable ties through the holes round the tire rim to keep the split together.  He made it round the next 20km on it, which impressed me.

I can't picture this - how does this work? I split a tube at Penmachno on Sat so would be good to know such a fix.

Split in the bead of the tire, not the inner tube.  Two holes made above the split.  So the order goes tire edge, split, two holes, tread.  Cable ties put through the holes, round the edge of the tire and tied, so they keep the split together and stop the inner tube coming through it.  One of the guys might have got a picture, if I get it I'll try to put it up.

They also stuck a puncture patch on the inside of the split to help keep it together.  Some guys back at the wigwams said a crisp packet wrapped around the inner tube works well to stop it coming through the tire split.

[fatdoc]

.. section of soft plastic toothpaste tube, tube of superglue..... never leaves my pack for this very eventuality

for internal patch type bodge

[Yossarian]

Favourite wet / winter tyres for non-DH applications...?

The old Conti Gravitys on my just dusted off Whyte are looking a little bit threadbare, and I need something for the coming months.

Something not really really heavy, but tough enough to put up with my bulk and some bad line choices.

Anyone? Anyone?

[fatdoc]

Right,

you have  3 choices in my mind, Norton will say one

- high rollers 2.35 either wire or folding bead. dual ply of course... this is Nortons fav... and indeed it is a sound tyre.

- kenda nevangels 2.35 are my fav TBH it was what came with the marin - and i've been real surprised by them, they are v similar to high rollers. dual ply wire bead, probs a tad lighter than the high roller but seem to have bit more tarmac drag

both these two are scaled down DH tyres, hence the supieror stability they have?? hell i dont know but they work really well in the peak!!

next is the conti vertical, either pro with kevlar of just wire bead... very good tyre and IMO and many others a far better gripping more stable tyre than the gravity. the vertical is the lighter of the 3.


word.

there is no other tyre to consider, trust me.

[fatkid2000]

Got to agree with fatdoc's summary above - and I am a MTB amateur. The work they have done to build it is astonishing. However it all feels a bit fake. The downhill sections are short & just when you think the trail is going to go a bit further it either bends or heads up hill to slow you down - so basically you can't go that fast. Considering the trails are flat and relatively smooth it feels a bit lame, and I struggle to keep up on the Wednesday night rides, so I don't think I am particularly quick usually compared to Fatdoc & Norton.

Some sections like you see on YouTube were too busy - it felt like a road riding group session at times with wheel sucking going on, which really pisses me off. However its a good day out and if you want to ride your bike, get some good fitness work in, not worry about cars or ending up on a footpath  then  go. Take food for the trip round if you intend to do the red loop as I was in serious need of food at the end.

[Norton Sharley]

High Rollers 2.35 wire bead if you can spare the extra weight and get them to fit on your rims.  A bit pressure sensitive but they are the dogs.  Not tried Kenda's due to latter point.  Some people find them a bit disconcerting - since they only have a central tread and huge side knobbles you have to chuck them on their side a bit to work.  But man do they stick, especially the soft compound.  It is not possible to have more road drag than you get from these although I do run low tyre pressures (30 psi).

Schwalbe Fat Albert (2.35) also very good, very progressive sliding but expensive.

Never actually ridden Kenda's in anger so can't comment.

Anything made by Conti are a death trap imho unless you like to spend all your time with both wheels going sideways.  Utter shite.  And easy to puncture due to light weight.

[Yossarian]

good stuff.

just bought a pair of intense spikes for the big bike which i am about to rescue from captivity...

these maxxis jobs sound great for the other one.

bubba - the freeborn people have got the banshee morphine frames on sale for about £420. only 16'' though.

[fatkid2000]

This is an interesting link.
http://www.bikeradar.com/news/article/paralysed-cyclist-sues-suspension-fork-maker-19025] [url]http://www.bikeradar.com/news/article/paralysed-cyclist-sues-suspension-fork-maker-19025[/url]

[kev.]

Dear Fatdoc
                 Which reasonably priced hydrolic disks for a xc / general faffing about bike? Alternatively, are all hydro levers compatable with all calipers or is it model or manufacturer specific.  Its all a bit much for me to be honest, ive got "formula" and the levers are fooooked!

[Norton Sharley]

There are two words just into your question that rule out Fatdoc being able to help - reasonably priced.

Shimano Deore or Avid Juicy 3 are great and cheap with XT or Juicy 5's next on the list, or Hope's etc etc.

You could always just buy a new lever kit if these are available for Formula.

Swapping levers (and master cylinder assembly) with different calipers is not recommended since each manufacturer will have designed their calipers to respond correctly to their lever/master cylinder assembly and each of the latter has a sligthly different volume of oil shifted to lever movement ratio.  In other words it might not work right.  But then for £15 for a Shimano lever I'd be tempted to try it and see if they work.  If we don't hear from you we will assume it's all gone horribly wrong   

[fatdoc]

avid juicy 3s.... coz though a mare to bleed are very powerful and need much less bleeding than hayes or hope stuff...

[Yossarian]

i don't suppose anyone either owns or has access to a hope spot facing tool...?

£62 is a bit much for something that won't be much use in future when everyone is using post-mount brakes....

there's a bottle of wine in it, and not tramp shit.

[fatdoc]

Soz yoss