[Bubba]

cough cough........SCOOBY...........cough cough

Yeah, I bought it and drove it - I didn't spend half my waking hours agonising over which oil to use nor did I spend endless cash changing parts in search of that elusive geekgasm.

I'm amazed Fatdoc's Scooby ever left his drive tbh, probably a good thing he never got into car tuning

[tlr]

cough cough........SCOOBY...........cough cough

Yeah, I bought it and drove it - I didn't spend half my waking hours agonising over which oil to use nor did I spend endless cash changing parts in search of that elusive geekgasm.

I'm amazed Fatdoc's Scooby ever left his drive tbh, probably a good thing he never got into car tuning

It definitely left his drive, just not necessarily with him driving it! 

[fatdoc]

dont start bouncing your scooby fetish onto me Bubba, twas you that embarked on a car tuning spree that makes a bling bike habit insignificant by comparision... you did eventually see the light and join the van owners club I admitt.... but only after deafening yourself and most of western sheffield with an exhaust sooooo damn load I swear I could here you start it up from where I live ( 4 miles away)...... would of fitted in more round manor top than your plesant and sleepy neightbourhood!!



As for the Pace (aka DT swiss?) forks




Good luck mate, coz they will not doubt break...... frequently. They are the LOTUS of forks


Lots Of Trouble, Usually Serious

damping is harsh, notchy and they flex... apart from that... good choice   

[tlr]

Latest update is that I nearly bought a pair of 2007 32 Talas, that is until the seller decided that my offer of 10% less than asking price was so derisory he wouldn't even give me a price that he would find acceptable. Very eccentric behaviour.

A pair of Norton's 32 Van Rs from James are looking like a good bet, but I'm not in a rush - not even picked up the frame yet. I'd love a pair of your 150 Talas, but dropping £700 for forks seems a bit much. Still, there's a WLI coming up....

I was lent an Elise for 6 months, it behaved faultlessly (unlike me in it  )

[Norton Sharley]

tlr - fox forks from james' were a one off, they don't stock fox.  The forks came off a new bike apparently.  Someone wanted them replaced with something else for some reason  .  They probably put on some 40mm monsters for xc'ing round the Peak.  Or didn't like the fact that they are black which is so last year.  Ask Fatdoc, he's had about ten colours changes on his bike since buying it  .  I reckon you could get all those parts off FD anyway, nearly new, hardly used. 

I wouldn't go Pace forks either although they may have better quality control in manufacture now they are made in Swizzerland (DT Swiss).

Mr Cofe - You bastard exposing my true identity 

[cofe]

pop quiz hotshots:

my front end (wheel?) has developed a regular knocking sound when the brakes are applied (may do it when not but not as obvious). i'm not really sure of the source but i think it might be the front hub. it's a hope XC which supposedly has sealed cartridge bearings.

don't think it's the headset, don't think it's the fork, hence the hub idea. does this sound like a fair diagnosis? would appreciate any suggestions cos i have no idea.

thanks gents.

[Norton Sharley]

Check all three as follows and report back please Mr Cofe.

Front hub check:
turn bike upside down and stand on the bar end to stop them moving.  Grab the wheel and turn it side to side.  After you have got over the shock of how flexible your forks are try and feel for anything loose and watch the internal hub spacer and external seal at the hub for relative movement.

Headset check:
Turn wheel 90 degrees to bike, apply front brake and rock the bike back and forward (in line with top tube).  Watch the headset to check for relative movement between internal and external bits (thought that was sufficiently technical). 

Fork check:
As above with headset but watch / feel for clunk between the fork stanchion and lowers.

Brake check:
Is your rotor loose or one or more of the bolts loose?  Do your brake pads need replacing?

Alternatively bring your bike down to our work tomorrow / Wednesday and I'll have a look.

[fatdoc]

warped disc rotor get my vote

[Norton Sharley]

good point, but 'knocking'? 

bring the bike out Wednesday night Cofe, we'll sort it for you ..... 

[cofe]

will have a look tonight and report back.

bring the bike out Wednesday night Cofe, we'll sort it for you ..... 

yeah yeah. me and my petzl zipka will see you on weds...   

[cofe]

so, had a close look. think it's the brakes - uneven pad wear rubbing on the outer bit of the rotor where there's cutaways like on this:



looks like due new pads anyway so will do that, clean it up and see how it's doing. hubs and headset etc seem fine.

[Gee24]

what front fork do you run?

it could be the damper in the fork leg? hold the front end up and slant it to say 30 degrees to the ground and force it to the floor. manitous have this problem throughout the last few years, its just the cumulative effect of manufacturing intolerances. if its developed recently then it could be this....and uneven pad wear sounds like poor brake setup or a dragging rotar....disc brakes should have even wear, unless its a cheap one with a slave piston?

[cofe]

float rlc's. brakes are hayes nines.

there's every chance they're set up whack but they took a punishing in the mud on sunday too. will test the fork thing.

[Norton Sharley]

shim your brake calipers central when you fit new pads

[fatboySlimfast]

Hayes 9's are a tad industrial in there build, Ive had two completely sieze on me. Be careful when prizing the pots  back if there stuck, i mamaged to destory one set.

[fatdoc]

shim your brake calipers central when you fit new pads

how do you do this?

about to fit non sintered apds to hope M4s for spain's dusty trails... need all the brake I can get!

[Norton Sharley]

several ways but basic choice is with or without pads in.  Latter is more difficult but gets a better result and is recommended by Hope but I can't find their tech spiel bit on their website so here goes (but read post mount bit below too):

wheel in, pads out, push pistons back in (use and old pad to push on not straight onto the piston).  pump brake lever watching piston movement - don't run the pistons into the rotor!  If the pistons are moving evenly pretty much then set the rotor so that it is central to the caliper, not the pistons (see below for caliper setting).  If you have one sticky piston then set the caliper offset to the rotor so that the rotor would be in the middle of the pads, not in the middle of the caliper BUT make sure the rotor is not too close to the caliper.  This should ensure that you have even pressure and therefore even pad wear and that you are not flexing the rotor from side to side when you brake.  If set properly Hope rotors make a nice whirring noise as the brake is gently applied.

All of this is easier than it sounds, it's a case of getting the pistons as central as possible to the rotor.

to set calipers:  this is different for ISO and post mount.  Post mounts with spherical washers are easier and you can cheat by slackening off the retaining bolts (caliper/adaptor to fork - the bolt with the head facing backwards on the bike).  Apply the brake (pads in), tighten the bolts. He, presto pretty damn central. 

ISO - get a load of shims (thin washers), your brake should have come with some.  Once you've been through part one above shim the caliper so that the pistons are central to the rotor.  Top and bottom of the caliper may require different shim stacks to get this right.  This is a pain in the arse and not to be undertaken if you don't have much time to spare, or on the trail!

Alternatively whack em in, plead stupidity in Spain and get them to set them up.  You are paying for this "holiday" I believe?  Or I'll pop round tomorrow pm before / during riding to help if you want?   

[fatkid2000]

My 'inherited' work stand has finally fallen to bits, its been in my garage for at least 8 years and I remember my Dad having it when I was a kid - so it must be at least 20 years old. So I've had a look at Mr Wiggle and am a bit shocked at the prices - anything from £100 - 300 (£300 was the park one) which seem a bit steep to me. Anyone got any recommendations for a replacement? 

[Iesu]

I use a fold-back bike storage hanger to work on mine:
http://www.edinburghbicycle.com/ebwPNLqrymode.a4p?f%5FProductID=8836&f%5FSupersetQRY=C288&f%5FSortOrderID=1&f%5Fbct=c003154c003136c003545


only pitfall is that you fix it to a wall, so you've got to do your work wherever it is put, obviously

[SA Chris]

You could always build a small wall, mount it on wheels, then bolt it to that? Hey presto, problem solved.

[Norton Sharley]

bit of string tied to the roof of your garage? 

[Yossarian]

Fatdoc...

What do I need to service my RP3?

I have a vice with rubber grip cover thing, so I should be able to unscrew the shock body without damaging anything.

Seals and oil and stuff - where do I get that from?  And is there anything that might go horribly wrong?

Thanks in advance....

[fatkid2000]

As of last Saturday FDs RP23 was at Mojo being serviced - apparently it wasn't working properly!! Surprise Surprise

[fatdoc]

Aprt from the most basic of taking the air can off and back on don't go there.

Wise pennies spent on mojo servicing are in my opinion

What's wrong with it? Got mine serviced cox was about to go out of warrenty.. Making a bit of a knocking noise.. But still worked fine. Saved me some cash, not much changed but seals

[Yossarian]

a ha...

i thought it might be an easy job. mojo it is then.

no, i've finally got around to swapping the forks on my whyte (replacing the mavericks with fox 36 talas rlc) and thought it might be time to give the rear shock a bit of tlc.

i was thinking new oil and seals and stuff.

been a bloody nightmare though. broke the bolt off in a new hed doctor last weekend, which i had to drill out. this weekend i managed to finally fit the forks, but then broke the olive after shortening the brake hose.

hopefully will be able to fit a new one in the next few days, and then get some midweek evening action going on...