[Norton Sharley]

fork: Manitou Axel Elite

These babies are notorious for letting in water, i.e. the seals don't work.  You will greatly improve their life by servicing them periodically which simply involves stripping them down, letting the water out in the process, and re-greasing them.  Just don't put too much grease in or you'll get hydraulic lock.  And be careful undoing the nut on the bottom of the fork leg, the nuts are made out of paper mache and you'll struggle to get a replacement these days. 

[squeek]

fork: Manitou Axel Elite

These babies are notorious for letting in water, i.e. the seals don't work.  You will greatly improve their life by servicing them periodically which simply involves stripping them down, letting the water out in the process, and re-greasing them.  Just don't put too much grease in or you'll get hydraulic lock.  And be careful undoing the nut on the bottom of the fork leg, the nuts are made out of paper mache and you'll struggle to get a replacement these days. 

Nice one, thanks for the info.  Probably should do that as soon as.

[fatdoc]

top advice from Norton.


use a good socket set, not an adjustable spanner... less grease is usally *more* if you get my drift

[fatdoc]

BTW

look what I've found

www.vio-pov.com/



hmmmm...... sorely tempted!!!!
 


even works with a mac once you add some freeware into quicktime.... bizarrely i now seem to be able to rip video off youtube.... cool!!

[Bubba]

hmmmm...... sorely tempted!!!!
 

Oh great, hours of footage containing close up shots of other leg shavers lycra butt cheeks.

[fatkid2000]

hmmmm...... sorely tempted!!!!
 

Oh great, hours of footage containing close up shots of other leg shavers lycra butt cheeks.

Yet another new toy for fatdoc the gear freak. How you going to sneak that in the house??

[fatdoc]

hmmmm...... sorely tempted!!!!
 

Oh great, hours of footage containing close up shots of other leg shavers lycra butt cheeks.

well... i was thinking of something a little more *off road*... though i hadnt considered the roadie angle... hmm.....

[Falling Down]

OK here's the requirement. I want a bike like the 'tracker' I built as a youth but a bit more beefy to go banging around some local trails & go to the shops.

Thanks to eBay I picked up a 2007 Specialized P All Mountain with Hopes & Mavics for 400 Quid yesterday from a lady who lives directly below Earl Crag.  Good value I reckon given they retail at about 800 squid.

Now thinking about a powder coat for the frame and white rims, bars etc. 

[Bubba]

You building up that and the Trailstar? Hardtail heaven

[Oli]

Has anyone ridden a Sidekick? I'm tempted to get a frame and swap all my hardtail stuff onto it. I would have looked at a trailstar but I've only got some 100mm Z1s which I reckon would leave the front end a bit low...

[Falling Down]

You building up that and the Trailstar? Hardtail heaven

I didn't get a Trailstar... I was looking at building up one from new but then this turned up on eBay so I elected to start with this rather than splashing out on all new components.  It's going to be fun learning to ride a different style of bike.

[Bubba]

Ah I thought I'd read that you'd got it already - aye, should be a sweet bike

[sharkey]

Bubba whats your opinion on Hardtails V full suss for XC style trails, say some 7stanes type stuff, fairly technical but no DH big air! just the occasional jump, i was weaned on a hardtail and no sweet FA about mtb's these days.

Yours confused of turnbridgewells.

[Bubba]

Well I'm quite a fan of hardtails - cheap, pure design, very light, low maintenance, and challenge to ride fast on gnarly stuff - i've just got in after two hours on my Chameleon and it's just a pure joy to ride....but...probably your ultimate tool of choice would be a short travel full susser like some of the ones discussed above, e.g. Santa Cruz Blur LT, Marin Attack Trail, etc.

But it probably all comes down to how much you want to spend...

[Bubba]

BTW

look what I've found

www.vio-pov.com/



hmmmm...... sorely tempted!!!!
 

That does look like a very cool toy - it's just a shame you still need a wired link to the cam, wireless would be so much better.

[fatdoc]

yah.


maintainance is an issue with full suss.... if you learn (really not that hard) it's fine. if you just *take to the shop* it's a mare... and costly.

as you've probs gathered, i'm a full suss fan, but I can service the beast... all self taught mind. all the info is on bikemagic etc...

i wouldnt call a blur or attack trail short travel, more like more than you'll ever need on the Stanes etc... you only need more for full DH stuff...




yeah bubs i hear what you say there, but it's got solid weather proof connections and it's digital all the way... I'm ringing them re: wideangle vs. normal tomorrow. I want one!

[sharkey]

The thing is i have just forked out 700 squids on a Garry Fisher Hoo Koo (picking up this week), feels amazing to ride, well compared to my ratty old Rockhopper, but sort of feel possibly full suss was the way forward, but lacking available cash...well i guess at least i will be able to hone my skills untill the next bike.

[Bubba]

i wouldnt call a blur or attack trail short travel, more like more than you'll ever need on the Stanes etc... you only need more for full DH stuff...

I'm probably over-estimating the difficulty of 7 Stanes, I'm not really that familiar with them tbh. That said, even the harder XC at Inners looks quite burly.

[Bubba]

The thing is i have just forked out 700 squids on a Garry Fisher Hoo Koo (picking up this week), feels amazing to ride, well compared to my ratty old Rockhopper, but sort of feel possibly full suss was the way forward, but lacking available cash...well i guess at least i will be able to hone my skills untill the next bike.

It'll be fine mate - like you say if you learn to ride a hardtail fast on those trails then your skills will be honed and they will seem really easy when you get a full susser some time down the line.

[Bubba]

Total bargain DH/FR bike for sale here: linky

[SA Chris]

For the reds and blues at the 7 Stanes you will be fine on a harrdtail. The only time I have felt mine lacking is on some of the rockier black descents, but that's just because it chatters the teeth somewhat (and ripped one of my innertubes to shreds). Most of my mates who are there regularly have gone for the XC full suss option.

[fatdoc]

keep the new hardtail, you'll love it!

[fatkid2000]

Fatdoc, I'm off to South Wales and my mate down there is a bit of a MTB freak. He's got one of these so I'm going to give it a go and he's also got some kind of Pace (think its hard-tail) so I'll then be able to make my mind up.

http://www.orangebikes.co.uk/2008bikes/five-se.php

[fatdoc]

i'd imagine the pace is the 305.

that orange is veery nice indeed, the componemts also good.

£2,900 quid mind!

if it feels good.... it feels good!!

[Bubba]

The only time I have felt mine lacking is on some of the rockier black descents, but that's just because it chatters the teeth somewhat (and ripped one of my innertubes to shreds).

I'm sure you know this Chris but just as advice for others choosing hardtails - A longish fork on the front seems to help a lot with this - you sort of try to "ride the fork" and let the back end float. I've got Pike u-turns on mine so you can wind the travel out to 5.5 inches for downhill, and wind it back in for the more xc stuff.

I also run a downhill tube on the rear to stop rim punctures - ok, it adds a bit of rolling weight but it works for me and as you know I'm not exactly a small lad.