New DH bike.......advise needed (Read 5168 times)

account_inactive · January 16, 2013, 06:25:28 pm

I bought a DH bike just after Christmas from eBay and have been getting out a fair bit despite the weather. I've been to Lee Quarry and a small track near by house in Billinge Woods. I've bought a full face helmet and then pads (after a couple of falls!). I've been keen on bikes for years but after breaking my legs never really thought I could handle too much XC stuff and then I worked next to coed y brenin realised that my BMX skills might come in useful 30 years down the line! So far I'm psyched out of my mind.....despite not being very good

So if possible I'm looking for advise from people in the know about the bike I've got and what/how I should upgrade things.......this is the monster (BTW that's not my kitchen!)

and this is the spec he listed on the advert

Quote

Giant Glory Team Down Hill Mountain Bike (2002)
Fully Rebuilt
Rock Shox Boxer Team 2010 Forks New £450
RaceFace Diabolus X Crank,F.S.A Chain Guard.
Shimano Deore lx Gears 9 speed shimano cog.
Truativ hussefelt bars and stem,F.S.A pig dh pro head set.
skeletal red and white hydrolic disc breaks
red and white grips with locks
manitou 6 way rear shock tf tuned (may need a service)

As soon as I picked it up I realised that it wasn't a Glory (seeing as they didn't even make them in 2002) and it said Giant Team DH on the side

I'm guessing it's probably a 2004/5 frame from what I've managed to find on the web.

The good:
Front and rear shocks are great (no service needed)
Bars, headset, crank and groupset in good nick

The bad:
Pedals have lost some of the pins and look pretty shabby
The skeletal brakes are a pain to bleed (I've done this twice already) and I think the rotors are a bit bend
Heavy

So the first question is do you think I've found a decent bike? (see you can guess what I paid). Should I replace the brakes (just the front at the moment?) and if so with what. What flat pedals are good and light? Also I'm not sure how heavy the bike is but what areas could I lose some weight?

Cheers in advance for any advice

underground · January 16, 2013, 06:46:18 pm

Assume you don't want to spend a fortune on it?

Pedals: Shimano Saint are good and cheap, look at Rosé bikes for a set. Alternatively the Superstar Nano tech (thru pin) ones are ace for the money too.

Bad brakes are going to be your biggest headache, maybe try CRC for a set of Avid Elxir 3- amazing for what they cost and came on the Numeproof Scalp Comp.

Tyre choice is everything especially now. What's on at present?

Also how long is the stem / wide are the bars.

Tbh if the rest works, just ride it. DH bikes are pretty heavy in general anyway and you don't want to be throwing loads of cash at an old bike if you can help it. You'll almost certainly want to upgrade it at some point.

£500?

account_inactive · January 16, 2013, 08:10:19 pm

Thanks

I'll give those a gander. You're right I don't want to spend a fortune.

The bars are pretty wide, so no need to change those. The tires are Continental something or other....I'll check when it's light

fatdoc · January 17, 2013, 11:16:39 am

This is a classic Giant DH. Much loved back in the day and totally for for purpose.

Get some sticky rubber tyres, if u don't want separate mud tyres consider muddy Mary's or conti barons. 2.35 will be fine. This will dramatically lighten the roll of the bike.

I agree elixir 3s are awesome value.

Saint pedals don't grip well, well... As well as others.

Get some good shoes, 5.10 or Sombrio ( better if u have thin feet)

I always ride with Troy Lee Designs shock dr torso armour vest, elbows and at least knees / full leg armour. Neck braces not needed.

Welcome to the clan... Any questions just ask.

Oh.. Lower that seat... A lot... Cut the seat post down if need to.

Bars on that bike don't need to have a lot of rise... But 760mm would be the minimum width.

account_inactive · January 17, 2013, 11:49:37 am

Thanks buddy

The seat is WAY lower now. Not keen on losing my nuts just yet

What flats would you go for?

I'm keen to get away for some uplifts when the weather (and my skills get better)

account_inactive · January 17, 2013, 11:53:41 am

Are these the ones you were thinking?

http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Models.aspx?ModelID=62971

fatdoc · January 17, 2013, 12:22:45 pm

Yeah, bang a set of those on and they will last 18months... Yet still sticky. Highly recommended.

Flats, the BEST grip u can get is hive / E13. But they need setting up right, as the friction on the pedal is adjustable.I love mine.

I'd go for straitlines.

U get what u pay for with pedals... £80 is cheap.

ianv · January 17, 2013, 12:47:56 pm

Quote

U get what u pay for with pedals... £80 is cheap.

Or you can save money and get some superstar nanos @ £37 and really good.

http://superstar.tibolts.co.uk/product_info.php?cPath=42&products_id=194

cofe · January 17, 2013, 01:01:05 pm

Superstar were out of all but weird colours when I got some flats, so I got the Nukeproof ones instead which are identical. As are a couple of other brands I think. The Saint ones look real nice.

Incidentally, been running 2.3 conti black chili (not 'Der') Barons since before Christmas (as mentioned by FatDoc etc on another thread) and they're off the scale amazing in winter and on local slither. I imagine the downhill version is ace too.

fatdoc · January 17, 2013, 01:20:30 pm

Barons are ace! I run em on my XC bike too...

Those cheap pedals are fine, but don't have good grip... I had em all.. As they say.

Shoes are just as important.

nik at work · January 17, 2013, 01:23:36 pm

Dylan I too am shit, and my bike probably isn't even very DH-ey. But I'm only fifteen minutes from Lee Quarry so if you fancy a blast round there to mess around I'd be keen. I am shit though.

underground · January 17, 2013, 02:07:17 pm

There's fuck all wrong with superstar pedals, or the Saint ones (grip in the latter is much improved if you take all the washers off the pins..
I agree there are better pedals available but for the money they're ace.

cofe · January 17, 2013, 02:42:19 pm

My nukeproof ones are fine. As FD says shoes make a big difference too. Wasn't going to spend more than that on flats, which I only use 20% of the time.

fatdoc · January 17, 2013, 03:51:57 pm

Quote from: underground on January 17, 2013, 02:07:17 pm

There's fuck all wrong with superstar pedals, or the Saint ones (grip in the latter is much improved if you take all the washers off the pins..
I agree there are better pedals available but for the money they're ace.

Nerver said there something "fucking wrong with them"

When u are new to DH getting yr feet bucked off is a real issue, that's why u got a pair of vaults. Contact points are worth the extra dough.

Best balance of cost to grip is straitlines, and they are piss to service. The nukeproof / superstars are a fine pedal... But they do not hold yr foot as well. I'd prioritise the pedals and shoes over wider bars etc...

fatdoc · January 17, 2013, 03:55:19 pm

Dylan, join pinkbike

http://www.pinkbike.com/buysell/1237279/

account_inactive · January 17, 2013, 04:34:45 pm

I'm a member of pinkbike already Jon.........0nsight. Shame my bike is black white and red or I would have snapped those up!

My feet are not leaving the pedals at the moment and the pins on the ones I have are dog shit. I'm wearing and old knackered pair of 5.10 guides and they seem to do the trick......looking to upgrade to some 5.10 Freeride when funds allow it. Is this a good choice?

fatdoc · January 17, 2013, 05:06:37 pm

Those guides were the shoe I used before five ten made Mtb shoes. With your old BMX skills I hear u on yr feet keeping on the pedals. Five ten free rides are a good shoe.

I buy a lot of my Mtb stuff off pinkbike.. Tons of good gear on there... People sell stuff just coz its out of fashion... ESP pedals, bars etc... I love browsing on there!

account_inactive · January 17, 2013, 06:02:31 pm

Quote from: nik at work on January 17, 2013, 01:23:36 pm

Dylan I too am shit, and my bike probably isn't even very DH-ey. But I'm only fifteen minutes from Lee Quarry so if you fancy a blast round there to mess around I'd be keen. I am shit though.

Sounds good. We can crash together!

account_inactive · January 18, 2013, 05:26:26 pm

What do you guys think about running tubeless tires?

fatboySlimfast · January 18, 2013, 06:44:01 pm

Either do it properly or don't....the kits are hard work and tempremental. Weight penalty minimal and not really a real issue unless your racing. I've had two puncture n 3 years on my DH bike running tubes

fatdoc · January 18, 2013, 08:01:28 pm

Tube less tyres have no place in DH.. Look at th pits at regional, national and the worlds races... It's near zero.

Personally there is no place for tubeless in Mtb.. It ain't lighter... It's a faff..

It's ok on the downs.. They don't have rocks...

Stupid thing to do... In the peak AM ... Or anywhere for gravity riding..

Forget singletrack mag.. This is the real world.

fatdoc · January 19, 2013, 02:24:49 pm

BARGAIN

http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Models.aspx?ModelID=71081

ianv · January 19, 2013, 03:47:35 pm

Quote from: fatdoc on January 19, 2013, 02:24:49 pm

BARGAIN

http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Models.aspx?ModelID=71081

http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Models.aspx?ModelID=63970

Even better as they are not totally gopping, other colours available for small feet.

Anyway, looking at the spec of the bike, I reckon number one priority should be the "hydrolic" brakes. The Clarke's are cheap and the rotors look tiny (I had some of these on my sons bike for a bit but he is only about 5 st and we still had to replace them). Some cheapish shimano ones on CRC and get some adaptors so you can use them with 180-200mm rotors. \the rest can wait, I reckon.