Ask the experts

[Boissal]

So I’ve upgraded my Santa Cruz Nomad V4 with a Fox 38 up front. What would the experts recommend for a rear shock? I think it requires a 230x60 shock length.

I recently exploded my EXT Storia and swapped it for a Mara Pro on my big bike. I had always had a coil on it, the air shock was a backup I bought when it was on stupid sale. Gotta say, it is damn near perfect of the Gnarvana, and it was incredible on the Occam. Considering the price difference the EXT is really hard to justify, and performance wise it's not substantially inferior (keeping in mind that you can't really compare air and coil as they ride so differently). Comparing it to one of the newer SDUs (albeit on a different bike) it's much supportive in general and I don't have to trade small bump sensitivity for mid-stroke support (my biggest pet peeve). The caveat is that the piggyback is gigantic and doesn't fit on all frames. If you can find one on sale (they are often heavily discounted on the German websites) and it fits your frame I'd definitely put it on the list.

[Gerome]

Manitiou Mara Pro looks great for around $315. Now if only Hayesbicycle.com just had the right size for my bike


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[east or bust]

Manitiou Mara Pro looks great for around $315. Now if only Hayesbicycle.com just had the right size for my bike


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I have one I’d sell. What size you looking for?

[east or bust]

I recently exploded my EXT Storia and swapped it for a Mara Pro on my big bike. I had always had a coil on it, the air shock was a backup I bought when it was on stupid sale. Gotta say, it is damn near perfect of the Gnarvana, and it was incredible on the Occam. Considering the price difference the EXT is really hard to justify, and performance wise it's not substantially inferior (keeping in mind that you can't really compare air and coil as they ride so differently). Comparing it to one of the newer SDUs (albeit on a different bike) it's much supportive in general and I don't have to trade small bump sensitivity for mid-stroke support (my biggest pet peeve). The caveat is that the piggyback is gigantic and doesn't fit on all frames. If you can find one on sale (they are often heavily discounted on the German websites) and it fits your frame I'd definitely put it on the list.

Don’t they sell a smaller reservoir? I was going to try that route then my warrantied X2 arrived with a 2024 model and I forgot about it.

[joetron]

Ok, cool. Rock is hard. Do your best not to fall on it. Pads and helmets help. Glad we’ve cleared that up.


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[carlh]

I have a warranty replacement x2 230x65 bnib if you’re interested.
I went kitsuma coil on the Black Friday sale as my old x2 was failing and like the coil for how I ride my big bike.

So I’ve upgraded my Santa Cruz Nomad V4 with a Fox 38 up front. What would the experts recommend for a rear shock? I think it requires a 230x60 shock length. Attachment 496283


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[XXX-er]

Ok, cool. Rock is hard. Do your best not to fall on it. Pads and helmets help. Glad we’ve cleared that up.


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actualy I've heard people on TGR say they don't wear padz when its hot, I asked so you just don't crash when its hot ? but i don't think I got an answer, I don't get it

[Ottime]

Just bought an Ibis Mojo3 for my kids next bike. Taking it apart and detailing it currently.

The seller had new tires put on the bike. Likely spares he had lying around (I'm guessing his e-bike is 29er). Anyway, a 2.6 Ardent Race up front and a 2.8 Rekon + in the rear.

First, I've never been on either of their tires. Not our usual (kid currently has 26" 2.3 DHF and 2.3 High Roller II) but thinking could be fine for a 105# rider who is not typically on the edge of control. But should I switch these tires around?

I've read some people like the fat rear tire, but can only see doing that with a hardtail or mullet. OTOH, the Ardent Race might be a grippier tread? Does not seem like it, and with the "race" art I would assume firmer rubber as well.

So, should I flip these tires or remove them and find something more to our typical liking. I already have a 2.35 Nobby Nic in great shape. Maybe see these two new tires and buy one replacement and pair it with the Schwalbe. Maybe a 2.5WT DHF?


And one more question. Can I mullet this thing in a few years when I choose to upgrade my 29er fork an put my current one on this bike? I figured that might be a good way to change the geometry a bit, but I have not even begun research to see how that drops the bb and rear.

[Meconium]

I lost the preload bolt on my linkage. When I conservatively preload with something else and tighten up the pinch bolt to the spline, it last about 2hr of riding before loosening up. I'm guessing the preload bolt is imperative?

[Meconium]

The hard part is finding a M12x1.0mm bolt. Anyone know of a common component that uses a M12 with a 1mm thread pitch?

[Robik]

Manitiou Mara Pro looks great for around $315. Now if only Hayesbicycle.com just had the right size for my bike


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They are dumping old stocks since Mara Pro V2 got released a few days ago.

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[jono]

Nobody has said anything that's wrong per se, but I want to expound on the concept.

Solid jinx. Chapeau.

or "brittleness"

Doh!

The hard part is finding a M12x1.0mm bolt. Anyone know of a common component that uses a M12 with a 1mm thread pitch?

Seems like that should be easy but McMaster search shows 4 options, all threaded rod. Last resort?

[Robik]

I have one I’d sell. What size you looking for?

What do you have? I'd be into 210x50

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[toast2266]

The hard part is finding a M12x1.0mm bolt. Anyone know of a common component that uses a M12 with a 1mm thread pitch?

Unicycle hub bolts, of course.

https://www.unicycle.com/isis-hub-bolts-m12-x-1-0mm/

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[zion zig zag]

Update, not that anyone cares, but if someone else goes searching: I found out I was running two tokens in the 160, comes from the factory with one, so it was definitely too progressive for me. Removed one token, upped the pressure to 74 (still 8psi below rec) and it definitely feels better. Going from 67psi to 74psi didn’t really seem to change the sag much, because I think it’s just that inaccurate. Changing your position slightly seems to change sag measurement more than the 7psi did, so it’s a little hard to be consistent.

And…..a huge mea culpa and apologies to the Fox engineers that I disparaged and the experts here that I doubted. After several rides at 74 psi I was still struggling with slower, steep janky sections of trail, like my hands were killing me. High speed anything felt pretty good, but I was still twisting knobs to find the sweet spot. Today at the top of a local test piece I said fuck it and pumped up all the way to the 82 psi suggested by Fox. And it was great, better at everything. I even got a PR on that section.

Strange thing is that I still used about the same amount of travel as I had a few days before on the same trail with the lower pressure. I figure it’s because I was riding faster and the rebound settings I had were probably better adjusted with more pressure? Anyway, the whole ordeal makes me question the Shockwiz at the suggestions it spits out.

[Spencer123]

I have a rear wheel that was just rebuilt with new spokes and nipples at the beginning of the season. One of the spokes keeps detensioning (to the point the nipple is almost into the rim). I have retightened to what seems to be approximately matching the other spokes by feel and sound, but I don’t have much wheel experience.

Is this an indication for loctite, a sign I am not tightening it enough when I try to fix it, or some other shenanigans likely? The wheel is out of true some but it doesn’t have an outrageous wobble. Carbon rim. Thanks!

[Shredhead]

Anyone riding a Transition Spire?

I love my Spire for a daily driver in Snowmass!






Snowmass is mostly fast and flowy.
I'm slow in the climb anyway and only climb about 1500ft/day. The rest of the time I'm on lifts or shuttles.
It hasn't broken in 300 days, except the Float X, which didn't last 60.

[rideit]

I have a rear wheel that was just rebuilt with new spokes and nipples at the beginning of the season. One of the spokes keeps detensioning (to the point the nipple is almost into the rim). I have retightened to what seems to be approximately matching the other spokes by feel and sound, but I don’t have much wheel experience.

Is this an indication for loctite, a sign I am not tightening it enough when I try to fix it, or some other shenanigans likely? The wheel is out of true some but it doesn’t have an outrageous wobble. Carbon rim. Thanks!

Obviously this is indicative of some issue, but personally, I would just put in a shorter spoke with spoke prep, and see what happens. This is not necessarily a pro-(complete) method, but will likely work just fine.
Cheaper than a rebuild!

[Spencer123]

Thanks for the tip!

[rideit]

What were the most common symptoms of a malfunctioning FloatX2 from that period? I have one, just curious if I should pre-emptively send it in.

[Spencer123]

The slurping and gurgling sound was the dead give away.

[stuckathuntermtn]

Unicycle hub bolts, of course.

https://www.unicycle.com/isis-hub-bolts-m12-x-1-0mm/

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Daaaammn

The slurping and gurgling sound was the dead give away.

Did it also do a hawk ptuah like the chick in from the video? lol

[jm2e]

I have a rear wheel that was just rebuilt with new spokes and nipples at the beginning of the season. One of the spokes keeps detensioning (to the point the nipple is almost into the rim). I have retightened to what seems to be approximately matching the other spokes by feel and sound, but I don’t have much wheel experience.

Is this an indication for loctite, a sign I am not tightening it enough when I try to fix it, or some other shenanigans likely? The wheel is out of true some but it doesn’t have an outrageous wobble. Carbon rim. Thanks!

Smells like wind up to me.


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[rideit]

There is always the possibility that a few spokes got mixed up on the bench. Rare, but it certainly happens. One reason I always preferred Wheelsmith spoke prep, as I was often interrupted while trying to lace a wheel, and it’s hard to dive right back in accurately.
I stopped building wheels during business hours, basically.
Doing it right can achieve a flow state, as corny as that sounds.
Almost like nailing a song/solo on the guitar.

[Whiteroom_Guardian]

Tubeless tires on "non tubeless ready" wheels issue. Ever notice how some brands of tires are tighter than others? Like same wheels and one brand of tire you fight to get on the rim and another brand you can easily pop on by hand with little to no effort?

I've been running Maxxis Rambler 40 or 42mm tires on these older carbon XC rims for several years now. They only stay on the rims if at 50 pounds or more at least for the first while until the sealant like "glues" the beads in. I had a spoke break recently so had to pull everything apart and start the process over again. I didn't have time to immediately go ride 20 miles so the tire deflates quickly and then the beads unseat and you start all over again. Need a real compressor to get them to seat, throw valve core in as fast as possible, hand inflate to 60psi, frantically start on a ride, still lose PSI but at least the beads stay.

https://www.feedthehabit.com/easton-...eelset-review/

Should I stop fucking around and just get actual tubeless gravel wheels?