Education We Like to Ride Bicycles

Wow, thats beautiful...

Is it yours?!?!

 

oh god no! not mine! I wish

Kona have just released a fat bike though, saw it in the LBS a couple of doors down from my office, 1500 quid, except it has nasty things like cable disk brakes.

 

All packed, Glentress tomorrow.

 

Every fatbike I've seen has cable disks as standard?

 

Really? why is this?

 

No Idea, because a set of BB7s cost around the same as a set of Shimano m596 hydros, so cost can't be the reason.

On-One, Surly, Salsa, Kona etc.... all spec them, It may be because of the operating temps the original fatbikes were used in? but seems daft now that they are less 'niche'

 

I think it's probably because they fit in with the no nonsense approach of fatbikes. Avid's BB7's are extremely good from what I understand, powerful but with more 'feel' than hydraulic discs. Their ease of setting-up and adjustment is also a big positive.

I was very tempted to go for a BB7 on the front of my bike, as it might have allowed me to retain matching brake levers. Got a Hope Mono Mini for £30 though.

 

Just got myself a lovely tern p9 folding bike. Rather looking forward to cycling to work! However, kinda wanting to change the protech v brakes over to better ones. What's avids v's like?

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Avid V's have been amongst the best for years. I've got a set of SD-2.0's on my singlespeed and they work flawlessly despite being over 10 years old more than likely.

 

Low weight? Got avid single digit levels on it and love them. Such great feeling from them, just wish the brakes themselves were better. May have to have a look into changing them!

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2 x WTB Bronson AM TCS tyres for my MTB. £80.

Have gone through two rear tyres in a week. 5 week old Conti X-King split the sidewall and Geax Lobo Loco blew clean off the rim from a 1ft drop.

On the plus side my skills day at UK Bike Skills was superb. http://ukbikeskills.blogspot.co.uk/2013/10/meddling-with-grahams-mental-skills.html

 

Yeah, they're lightweight.

Sounds good.

I could probably really do with something like that. I've always lacked a little confidence when it comes to jumps and tend to play things safe and avoid them on trails. A number of crashes over the years hasn't helped, and I wouldn't be surprised if some of them were due to my lack of confidence to begin with.

First comes the fitness side so I can get to the top of the mountains to enjoy the down hills. Started playing squash to help with that.

 

Is there a big difference between the avid 5 and 7's?

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Anyone fancy recommending some road bike tyres? My current ones don't seem to be very effective against the harsher Liverpuddlian roads. Something available in 23 or 25C.

 

http://www.wiggle.co.uk/continental-ultra-gatorskin-road-tyre/

Gatorskins, I had a set on my hybrid now for over a year with no punctures, they are a little bit heavier then your normal tyre as they have the added kevlar layer in but do the job well and with some good grip too.

£20.99ea at wiggle damn cheap also.

 

For me the lack of confidence came from (unrealised) poor technique. Once the correct technique was explained and then I tried it the confidence followed.

 

I pinged them an email this morning after seeing your post I think I'll be getting some tuition in the new year my single track technique is rubbish & I lack a lot of confidence so might help (hence the road bikes now not MTB)

 

I'm definitely going back for another session next year. You'll be mentally exhausted before physical exhaustion kicks in.

 

If I do get around to doing some tuition, I wonder what they'd make of my 18 y/o frame, 15 y/o suspension forks, and mostly 12-15 y/o components! Not sure they'd be too keen on me doing some of the bigger jumps etc.

 

Several reasons, and it does vary by manufacturer, but here are the basics (I'm bored and waiting for things to open up so I can take something... interesting out for a rip - pictures to come).

First and foremost there is this pervasive idea within the industry that Avid can do no wrong. Ever. BB5 Road takes several hours to get working without constant drag issues, but still has horrible lever feel? Doesn't matter, ship it anyway. Certain models of dérailleur have such poor quality control that the springs between two examples of the same model perform so differently that one could be forgiven in thinking they're from two different manufacturers? Shove it out the door! Customers (bike shops, not the public at large) screaming for builders to spec different parts due to constant warranty issues client feedback? Nobody knows better than the large incumbents!

I'm not exaggerating when I say that the number of engineers, sales reps, CSR's, and other officials of the larger manufacturers whom have told me that they use Avid parts (the cheap ones, mind) because of how the market was five to ten years ago, is sickening. These people aren't spec'ing because of market demands or realities now, they're going for brands that were "the thing" several years ago, the ones that they think have the most brand recognition in the hopes that the customers at retail will look at a bike and remark "Oh hey, this model must be good, look at all those bits that say Avid on". This same trick is used at big box stores with $150 bikes (or BSO's as we call them - Bicycle Shaped Objects), where they'll put a sticker somewhere on the bike claiming that it is equipped with a Shimano drivetrain or somesuch.

Psychology, essentially.

Beyond that though, cable-actuated disks are not only cheaper than comparable hydraulic systems (most times), but they're also cheaper to fit during manufacture and final assembly, require less mechanical aptitude, are more end-user friendly (no messy hydraulic fluid to leak everywhere when curious Mr/s. Customer decides to "adjust" something on their own), but more than anything else they're super reliable for a cheap bike that is going to probably not be taken care of.

If I were to give a more concise answer, it'd be this: cheaper (initial cost and installation), favourable marketing, end-user considerations.



@Tangster: those conti's are well nice, but I'm a massive fan of Specialized Nimbus tyres. Great in the wet, outstanding puncture protection, and cheap as hell. Downside is that they're very quite heavy for what they are, so that may put you off.



@monkeydud: there is so little between the 5 and 7 that I would only advise going with a 7 if you're proper flush with cash or can get a good deal on them. Essentially the 7 has a very slightly different cable mounting system (for reasons unknown to anybody) and has a different brake pad. Big whoop. Get whichever you like is what I'm saying.