2016 "How Do You DH?" Thread

[kidwoo]

Currently looking at DT Swiss FR570 vs EX471 or WTB Frequency i25. Might need something beefier though.

Those are fine, 570s obviously the beefier option.

If you want all out tanks that last, mavic is still my go to.


I've been using some I9 dh wheels I got last year and have been pretty surprised at how well the rims have held up. Pretty much the same width as mavic 729s but way lighter. A handful of dings after a season but still round, true, and no flats.

[jimw]

Get a real chainguide. That said, the e13 stuff is solid (but so is the mrp lineup). The only one I don't like that I've used is the gamut one with a slider instead of a pulley wheel. Pulley wheels are good. Really. Even the old backplate with a roller and a bashguard setup like gamut still makes work well.

I never get on this forum but randomly did today in an attempt to procrastinate, and I can't pass up an opportunity to disagree with kidwoo. I've been running that Gamut chainguide (P30S) and I love it. Inititally I didn't think I was going to like because of additional resistance from the slider vs. having a roller, but it really does simplify things and that thing has really worked great. It does add a little bit of resistance but if you keep your chain well lubed it's pretty minimal. I'm running this guide on my "one bike", Enduro Evo that does double duty as trail bike and park bike, so that guide has seen a lot of miles and it's going strong. The other tip I have is buy a bunch of rubber o-rings at the hardware store and regularly rotate and/or replace the o-ring on the slider as it wears. That ring does make a big difference in reducing drag vs. plain sliders, because the chain rollers end up being the only thing contacting the slider via that o-ring. But it wears out quickly, and then you get more drag. You can get additional life from the ring by rotating it partway around the slider so that the unworn part from the bottom moves into the contact area, but you can only do that a couple times before the ring is fully worn out. Once you find the right size at the hardware store though you can stock up on a bunch of the for like $1 apiece.

[kidwoo]

Here's how I know you're crazy.





You haven't discovered yet that you get far less drag by just taking the rubber band off.

[jimw]

Well I'll be damned, I actually learned something from kidwoo!! You're sorta right. I tried it and it's about the same drag w/o the o-ring (at least with a freshly lubed chain, I'm sure it's better once the chain dries out). I swear that was the first thing I tried when I bought that thing... now after testing it again, I think the main difference was that it's noisier w/o the o-ring, and I frickin' hate noise. Which I guess is maybe another argument for the roller. What's lame is you can't mount their old roller to the new slider-style boomerang.

One thing I will say, their *dual-ring* slider guide does add a ton of drag. I originally had their dual ring one with the stepped roller, which worked great. Then when they added the slider models they claimed they were so much better with "no drag" and "silent". So I ordered the slider for the dual-ring setup, which retrofits on the old guide, and it was way noisier and added a TON of drag. WTF? But the single ring slider guide must use a different material for the slider because it has way less drag than that dual one.

In any case the guide is light, and just works. I can see some advantages to the slider in certain conditions too, just less to go wrong.

[kidwoo]

Well I'll be damned, I actually learned something from kidwoo!! You're sorta right. I tried it and it's about the same drag w/o the o-ring (at least with a freshly lubed chain, I'm sure it's better once the chain dries out). I swear that was the first thing I tried when I bought that thing... now after testing it again, I think the main difference was that it's noisier w/o the o-ring, and I frickin' hate noise. Which I guess is maybe another argument for the roller. What's lame is you can't mount their old roller to the new slider-style boomerang.

If you want another one, I'm not using mine. I didn't use the rubber band very long because it was on a pedal bike and I hated the drag so I just took it off. And then yeah, got annoyed by the noise. It might get better once it wears down a bit but no way no how was that a similar amount of drag on mine with/sans rubber. Everyone I know with those things took them off........cept for you now.
I've been using chainguides for 16 years and have never had a roller 'fail'. Just a bearing lock up on one of the old silver/orange piece of crap MRPs from 2001.

But on my trail bike I'm just running a top guide with no tensioner. Now I REALLY have noise.

[jm2e]

Do you guys spend much time fussing around with your rotors? Hot brakes definitely accentuate the rub from a warped rotor, but I kind of suck at straightening them out.
I like when I can tap the brakes in mid air and make the rubbing stop for a second.

[jm2e]

Pink bike reads TGR subforums!
http://www.pinkbike.com/news/park-to...lks-video.html

[muted]

This picture is not me, but represents "How I DH".