The Shiny New All-Purpose MTB Thread
Posted by: matthewr on 10 May 2004
Becuase having one called "Paging Matthew" is starting to annoy me.
My question is: does anyone have any experience of using petrol station jet washers to clean one's bike? I've never done it as I've always heeded the dire warnings about getting water in your bearings, forks, pedals, etc. and everything rusting up a few weeks later. In practice, and presuming I don't blast my bottom bracket directly, how likely is this to cause any actual harm?
The reason I ask is that living in a 4th floor flat with no garage and no secure storage I have a real problem when my bike gets dirty and it would be a million times easier if I could come home via a petrol station and get most of the mud off.
My previous bike I used to, I kid you not, clean it in the bath with the shower. However, with disk breaks meaning wheel removal is not very practical, this is not an option anymore: So unless I can use a jet washer I am faced with endless hassle and lectures about mud in the hallway from the woman in my building who thinks she owns the place.
So any ideas for getting my bike clean very quickly gratefully received.
Matthew
Posted on: 18 May 2004 by Steve G
quote:
Originally posted by Matthew Robinson:
Anyway I quite like it and it matches the stickers.
Sad, very sad.
Although when I was building the Soul yesterday I did catch myself thinking about sticking the Fox Floats on it instead of the zocchi's because they were a better colour match with the frame...
Posted on: 18 May 2004 by Tom F
I Know You Got Soul
Steve - how's the build coming along? In spite of having ridden a very pimpy 'Dale F900 at the weekend, I'm still keen on the idea of the Cotic. What sort of build are you treating it to? Still looking forward to that first ride review....
Shoes Schmooze
So far, there seems to be a pattern emerging: baggy shorts = flats, lycra shorts = SPDs.
Since I wear baggies over lycra (in spite of my proportions, I need the padding as protection from my old-school Flite-esque saddle), where does that put me? Clips and straps?
While I'm grappling with geting up-to-date, what's the view on using dedicated shoes with flat pedals (if not nec V8s/12s)?
Mrs Tom was complaining on Sunday's ride that her trainers weren't comfy enough for riding and didn't offer enough grip. She's not keen on being clipped to the bike but would like more grip/a stiffer shoe. If it is worth going with decent shoes on flats, any recommendations?
Cheers
Tom
Posted on: 18 May 2004 by Mekon
If I was in the market for a new pair, I would take a hint from the Trail Boss:
Them, and a pair of DX clones with long pins will give you massive control. I don't think you need stiff soles with a decent platform, as their is ample space to stamp down. A soft sole with a waffle tread that lets the pins really bite is perfect. My missus runs S&M's clones in olive and a pair of DCs.
Posted on: 18 May 2004 by Dan M
I cringe at the thought of soft soled shoes for long climbs -- it would kill my arches. However for tricks, I can see where they'd be better. FWIW, I've crashed many times and my feet have never failed to release -- thus avoiding turtling.
cheers
Dan
p.s. nice knee!
Posted on: 18 May 2004 by matthewr
"what's the view on using dedicated shoes with flat pedals"
You need flat soft soles for flat pedals so that they grip the pins. You can use skate or bmx shoes as they tend to be quite tough and offer good protection for your feet but really any reasonably robust flat soled trainer will do. There are also non-SPD MTB specific shoes as well usually in the sort of half-trainer/half-hiking boot style.
What you cannot do (really) is wear MTB shoes with the really gnarly soles. This means flats in winter and/or lots of mud are not the best idea.
Matthew
Posted on: 18 May 2004 by matthewr
Mekon -- The "XLT" in Rowley XLTs stands for eXtra LighTs and they really are *very* light. Such an uncompromising solution gives incomporable board feel for unrivalled control[0] but if you used them for riding a bike (or even skating) I reckon they'd last about a week. They are the sort of shoe that could only be designed by someone who gets his shoes for free.
Matthew
[0] Some facts in this post may have been inferred from marketing material rather than actual experience.
Posted on: 18 May 2004 by Mekon
Matthew - they are Estilos. I can't swear to their performance, but Robbie Morales wears them which is good enough endorsement for me.
Gratuitous shoe shot for Imelda Gerrard.
Posted on: 18 May 2004 by Bruce Woodhouse
Is it me or do they look like the sort of shoes we provide on the NHS for ageing polio victims?
I may be getting old-but at least my feet are not shaped like an equilateral triangle. How on earth do they support your feet, or even stay on?
Bruce (Lycra, eggbeater pedals and bizarre MTB shoe wearer)
Posted on: 18 May 2004 by matthewr
Alex -- There is a Vans store on Carnaby St.
Mekon -- Ah yes I can see now. Best have some XLTs then:
I have a pair of these as well for those Old Skool moments:
Matthew
Posted on: 18 May 2004 by Dan M
Sorry to interupt all this shoe-porn, but here's a pic. of me in my us. roadie/mtb get up fording a stream two years ago. It may have been July but is was bloody freezing.
Damnit -- can't seem to attach in Safari again. I'll try with IE
Posted on: 18 May 2004 by Dan M
...
Hey, look bar-ends and no curvey bar!
Posted on: 18 May 2004 by matthewr
And watch more TV
Posted on: 18 May 2004 by Steve G
And buy a set of bars more than 12" wide.
Posted on: 18 May 2004 by ErikL
Dan,
You're a privateer?
Posted on: 18 May 2004 by Steve G
quote:
Originally posted by Tom F:
_I Know You Got Soul_
Steve - how's the build coming along? In spite of having ridden a very pimpy 'Dale F900 at the weekend,
Surely it has to be an F3000 to be pimpy?
quote:
I'm still keen on the idea of the Cotic. What sort of build are you treating it to?
Initially it's getting exactly the same bits as came off the Inbred, as that'll make comparisons easier - 105mm MX Comp ETA, XT STi shifters and front mech, XTR rear mech, octalink Specialized chainset, Easton EA70 bars and stem, Easton EA50 post, SDG saddle (now on its 4th bike!), Rocky Mountain Mavic X223 disc/Deore wheels (signed by Jason, whoever he is), Avid cable disks, Specialized Durango grips, Shimano M545 pedals, 2.3" Continental Vertical tyres. The only spec changes are a Hope headset and a Salsa setpost clamp.
After I've run it for a while I've got a few other bits to throw at it - Fox Float 100RLC forks (although I'm considering a set of Vanilla 125R's instead), an XT chainset (or an LX one if I decide to stick the XT on my Epic), Hope XC/Mavic 317 wheels, carbon bars and an USE carbon Alien seatpost.
quote:
Still looking forward to that first ride review....
It'll be a couple of weeks unfortunately.
Posted on: 18 May 2004 by Dan M
Fear not, that was 2 years ago (pre-house, dog and higher work load), and I'm feeling much fatter and slower these days.
Steve -- Duh, if I had a wider bar, my bar-ends would get caught on branches.
Matthew, re. Islington -- I was astonished at N1 house prices!!! I thought the Bay Area was expensive.
Dan
Posted on: 18 May 2004 by Dan M
Ludders, eh?
Posted on: 18 May 2004 by ErikL
Dan,
Privateer: A racer competing without benefit of a factory contract or major sponsor support.
Posted on: 18 May 2004 by matthewr
Dan,
N1 is over-priced. N5 is where it's at.
Are you thinking of moving?
Matthew
Posted on: 18 May 2004 by Dan M
Ludwig,
Hell yeah -- I'm far too slow to get paid, plus as you can see I am in the Sport category along with all the other weekend warriors. The jersey I'm wearing was from a road team I was on during the summer of 1998 in Michigan -- we pimped ourselves to a few local shops for free jerseys and powerbars.
Matthew,
I was told the difference between N1 and E8 is UKP200K. I can't see the sense in spending US$900K on a N1 flat. I'm not thinking of moving now, but eventually I'd like to come back to the UK. I hope the housing boom doesn't price me out of the market.
Dan
Posted on: 19 May 2004 by Tom F
Steve
quote:
Surely it has to be an F3000 to be pimpy?
When you're as brassic as me, it all becomes relative!
Cotic build sounds v good. Sadly, I have no suitable components to canibalise from the Kona, so if I did go this route it would be a case of starting from scratch. I'll be interested to see what your opinions are on how it performs with the current build and whether some compnents are better suited than others.
Matthew/Alex
Cheers for the shoe suggestions. However, I can't see the G/F, with her size 3 feet, being too keen on the XLTs or similar (cool though I admit they are). I shall investigate a more 'conventional' (read: 'makes one look like a touring cyclist') pair of shoes.
Amusingly, since she had her first proper stack on some singletrack at the weekend, she's now after a full face helmet. On that basis, perhaps the XLTs might not be such a bad option. However, I will have to insist we only cycle in the dark for fear of seeing someone I know....
Posted on: 19 May 2004 by Steve G
quote:
Originally posted by Tom F:
Steve
quote:
Surely it has to be an F3000 to be pimpy?
When you're as brassic as me, it all becomes relative!
On of my friends has a F3000SL which is pretty pimped - XT/XTR drivetrain, Thompson bits, Titanium/Carbon Left ELO forks, UST wheels - but he got it 2nd hand (but virtually unused) for £1K which isn't bad because it's about a £3.5K spec! It's very light - something like 22 or 23 lbs.
His 2nd bike is a Santa Cruz Superlight and, unsurprisingly, he recently won the vote as our groups pimpmeister...
quote:
Cotic build sounds v good. Sadly, I have no suitable components to canibalise from the Kona, so if I did go this route it would be a case of starting from scratch. I'll be interested to see what your opinions are on how it performs with the current build and whether some compnents are better suited than others.
If I was building from scratch I'd probably just spec LX mechs and shifters and a Deore crank. The Deore mechs and shifters are ok butI've found LX (and above) to be noticably better in use.
quote:
Amusingly, since she had her first proper stack on some singletrack at the weekend, she's now after a full face helmet.
You might want to take a look at the Met Parachute - which is basically a normal XC helmet with a chinguard. They're not cheap but I'm planning to get one at some point as I've seen too many faceplants recently.
Posted on: 19 May 2004 by Tom F
quote:
You might want to take a look at the Met Parachute
Just had a look.
How safe is the helmet? Surely if your chin hits the ground first it's going to push the whole helmet backwards (which can't be good for one's neck).
Am less bothered myself as I don't have any good looks to lose!
Posted on: 19 May 2004 by matthewr
You're saying it's better to use your chin as a crumple zone?
The chin guard is removeable and I think you'd only where it if you where doing something particularly dangerous or fast. It would certainly look slightly odd to wear one while just riding a along a trail.
I have one of these and they offer more protection than traditional helmets particularly at the back.
Matthew
Posted on: 19 May 2004 by Steve G
quote:
Originally posted by Tom F:
quote:
You might want to take a look at the Met Parachute
Just had a look.
How safe is the helmet?
I've heard good reports. I've also seen someone stack face first wearing the Giro equivalant (Switchblade) and he cracked the helmet, but not his face.
quote:
Surely if your chin hits the ground first it's going to push the whole helmet backwards (which can't be good for one's neck).
Most motorbike helmets are full face.
