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Do what feels safe but I've had good luck riding off hours and not seeing any/many people, and anyone I've seen has been polite about leaving as much space as possible. One of my riding buddies and I have been getting out fairly regularly in a responsible way and it's been a big part of not going crazy during all that's going on.
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Jul 25, 2020 20:29
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| # ¿ May 10, 2024 00:00 |
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Source your quotes?
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Aug 3, 2020 16:34
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Does anyone have any sources for these claims? I work in a non-bike part of sporting goods and Asian manufacturing and uhhhh a lot of it contradicts what I've seen.
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Aug 3, 2020 19:45
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Lol
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Aug 3, 2020 19:54
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Yeah so again I don't work in the bike industry and only have a passing familiarity with Asian composites manufacturing from a project or two, but what I do know is as follows: Almost all (pretty sure all but not 100% on the claim) of bike manufacturing in Asia is contract (taiwan and xiamen china for bike/carbon). You bring a design to the factory, they make it. Trek, Spesh, SC, etc. are all made side by side on the factory floor. If its a new manufacturing technique, the brand may develop and transfer the process to the factory but generally don't own any of the production process. Often times this is why the don't show you the full process in a video as the factory owns the process and doesn't want it to get out. Most aluminum tube is from a catalog, most manufacturers are not specifying custom tube unless they absolutely have to. Some parts are cast, generally around the BB/linkage area, and some of the intersections of tubes like parts of the rear triangle or dropout area, so tooling investment in the tubes is pretty low. Cast parts are super cheap in asia, we actually cast a bunch of aluminum molds for rubber or foam compression molding off of a silicone (with intermediate plaster step) master for the majority of our simple molds. Aluminum is easier to manufacture because you can automated the vast majority of it for very cheap and easy. Tube mitering is your biggest driver in fit up and can be fully automated in a way that is very quick and repeatable. Frame jigs can positively contain parts as they are being welded, and overall seam length on a frame is pretty short. Aluminum welding is not trivial but is a old enough process that its well understood and process control is pretty easy. Aluminum frames are generally bent straight after heat treating, so you have a larger tolerance window during manufacturing. Carbon is super labor intensive. Most of the plies are laid up in the mold or on mold knock-outs, not laid up flat and dropped in as a full ply stack. Almost if not all bikes are monocoque and don't use pre-rolled tube, so your lay-up means a mold is tied up not baking, so you pay for extra molds as well. Most of the time goes into getting good corner fill, no weave deformation, sometimes doing a de-bulk cycle where you put the mold half in a vac bag and pull vacuum to press the carbon into corners so it moulds right. Its not technically hard work, but requires attention to detail some level of interpretation that isn't as common in welding/other processes. Most plies are oversized, laid into the mold, and then trimmed in place.Sometimes stuff gets laid up on the core or knock-out, then the core is dropped into the mold to bond to plies that were laid into the main tool cavity. Getting good packing between layers and getting the mould to close and your two halves to join is all detail work and detail work is loving expensive in china because it usually comes from a good enough QC process to link defects to lack of detail and fix the problem. And even after all the layup, autoclave is time consuming and process control is super important to get good parts. Temp ramps, bladder pressure ramps, etc are critical for good moulding and process control in Asia can be incredibly frustrating to work through. Poor autoclave control will scrap a very expensive part with no chance to re-work, which also drives up cost. If you only find errors at the end, even a low scrap rate sucks when you are scrapping finished components instead of sub-assemblies or in progress work. And yeah carbon + epoxy is way more expensive than aluminum as far as raw materials go.
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Aug 3, 2020 21:08
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kimbo305 posted:I'm not aware of any bike frame manufacture being substantially mechanized. I thought every weld joining tubes was done by a human. Yeah forgot to mention, due to mix of designs almost certainly not mechanized. Might be an exception for massive companies like Giant or for frames that will be the same for many seasons and do massive volume, but in my experience robot control and programming is loving dirty expensive and requires a huge amount of dial in even after offline programming. Way easier to run three shifts of human labor. Also you probably need two robots to do it right, the group OtherLab did a cool project on fully automated bike manufacturing using two robots collaborating but that seemed like more of a tech demo from some very smart people than the future of manufacturing. quote:If you need to hydroform, does that require another step in the supply chain, or does the tube supplier do it? Yeah tube supplier would do it and deliver bent/shaped tubes for the factory to miter and assembly (I assume). The tube supplier might even only do the forming and buy basic tube from another company. quote:Is that true? I thought LuescherTechnik was showing most cut frames as assembled from baked tubes. I don't know who this is, and it might be different for road bikes, but everything I've ever seen for MTB is frames get assembled from flats. Sometimes they're wrap a main tube core (like the downtube core) with carbon and drop that into the mold, but I think it all starts as flat sheet. quote:How does pricing work on these? Do you pay the cf factory? Yeah depending on the design complexity (this is all pulling from my experience in a different part of the industry) you either send a finished frame design and the factory does mould design, or you send frame and key mould designs over and they do the rest. Typically the factory will have an in-house or partnered mould shop that'll do the production and handle all the tolerances and functional requirements of the mould. Based on volume planning, max monthly production, etc they'll figure out the number of production molds you need after you finish development, and the cost of the development and production molds gets amortized across the confirmed volume of the order. So sometimes you can only confirm 2 seasons of volume but you'll use the molds for 3-4, so you see a higher cost initially until the amortization drops off your frame cost but thats more accounting poo poo than manufacturing realities. This is not asia production at all, its low volume euro but shows what goes into carbon frame layup. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kd9kiTEFzxE meowmeowmeowmeow fucked around with this message at 21:34 on Aug 3, 2020 |
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Aug 3, 2020 21:32
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Nyyen posted:
I'm running 2.6+ tires on 35mm rims, so first thought is your tires and rims seem like a mismatch. Is the tire really squared off due to the fitment? Second, I run 25-26psi rear and 22-23 front for 90% of my risong, knock on wood no real problems so far. If I go much lower I get weird tire deflection on rocky bits and squirm on hardpack. It's sort of a guess and check kind of thing, but you seem ballpark correct. Usually bottoming your rim is pretty noticable and if you aren't burping the tires or feeling them weird under you you probably have enough air in there.
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Aug 7, 2020 04:16
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Dangerllama posted:Cross posting from the maintenance thread, but does anyone know how to troubleshoot a rear shock lockout? Had my shocks serviced back in March but haven’t done any real riding since then. The other day I went to lock my rear and noticed it didn’t do anything. Full travel either way. I'd first try to get the service center to fix it. I've not been inside of a Rockshox, but the similar fox shock had the lockout system inside the damping circuit so it's way deeper than the air can and is a decent sized project to do - especially as it probably will need a proper vacuum bleed and will have 500psi of nitrogen behind the IFP. I've gotten into the damping circuit of a fox dpx2 and dhx2, but not the float dps due to that nitrogen charge being needed.
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Aug 7, 2020 17:53
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Nyyen posted:Sorry, I had remembered my rim width incorrectly. They are 30mm internal. I'll try adding another couple pounds and see how it feels. One issue is I don't really have really any loose stuff to experiment on, just dust on clay which after a crash a few months back I'm really to nervous to trust my tires on. Honestly, more drills. Gravel roads are good but imo grassy hills are better. They've not got tons of traction but the edge of grip is pretty noticable and it's a smooth falloff once it starts to push, so it's easier to feel where the edge is and how to reel it in if you start to cross the line. It's also softer to crash on than gravel which is really nice. Really working on leaning the bike over while staying above it and weight the outside bar end, not the inside. This will feel way more secure because you're pushing the tires down into the ground more, and being over the bike will help you catch it if it starts to slide. If your riding dust on hardpack and the front end feels insecure you probably need more weight on the front. It's sort of self reinforcing thing where not enough weight on the front makes it feel like it's going to push, so you lean back more, so it pushes more, etc. Get your forearms parallel to your fork stanchions and loving lean on that thing. I had to add 15 psi to my fork when I started actually weighting the thing, so you might try that as well if front end feel is not confidence inspiring. I'd also recommend choosing an easy trail or section of trail to really practice cornering and pushing faster. If it's 5-10 corners you can really learn the corner and that'll help with confidence in pushing a bit harder each time. Don't feel weird about hiking your little section either, can be way more useful than full runs. Cornering and feeling good about pushing pace is one of the hardest things to do mentally because there's both more traction than you think, but bad technique and you'll run out of grip fast.
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Aug 7, 2020 18:45
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Nyyen posted:Thanks for the advice. I have a few places that will fit what you recommended and try them out tomorrow. The grassy bits are all surrounding a flat field and on a slope, not much flat ground. Should I just try riding down them as if they were off camber I don't quite understand your description, but ride straight down the fall line for speed and set slalom cones as targets, it's practicing flat turns which will transfer to berms. Honestly watch the Paul the punter videos with Casper Wooley, they're pretty good for drills and watching what progression looks like with the drills. They helped me with opening my knee to help the bike lean in.
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Aug 8, 2020 04:34
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What's wrong with a dhf and dhr/aggressor? Always been my go to.
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Aug 14, 2020 04:08
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I don't like the stamps, the lack of pins in the middle close to the crank makes them feel weird and like my feet are rolling inwards.
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Aug 14, 2020 19:37
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Could be a something like the back tension is too low, I've had issues with NX not shifting out of the big ring in the stand as there isn't enough tension to get the chain to drop down the ramps and into a smaller gear. Honestly NX sucks.
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Aug 17, 2020 16:28
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That would certainly add a lot of slack lol
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Aug 18, 2020 00:47
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So I did my first fork (fox 34 rhythm) lower service (bath oil and airspring clean and lube, left damper alone) last week and it all went pretty well I though. Rode the bike a few times, felt great. I was loving around with it today and noticed the following: - A few mm of sag from the weight of the bike - Soft squeezing/squishing/squelching noise from the airspring side if I slowly compress/extend the fork, that is separate from the cycling an airspring noise we all know and love. Is any of this normal or point to a mistake I made? I think it's new after the rebuild but don't remember if the bike did it factory fresh. I used a pretty small amount of slickoleum, just left a film on all the o-rings and sealheads instead of the goopy mess that was in there to start. The thing rides great (maybe 5 hours on it since rebuild) and I didn't notice the problem until I had the bike upside down to replace front brake pads and realized that I could move the fork a few mm pretty easy, then I noticed the sound. Thoughts?
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Aug 18, 2020 19:56
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Yeah foam rings soaked, fork was pulled to full extension and compressed multiple times to equalize chambers, etc. I followed on of the guides on the internet and don't think I missed anything, but I need new crush washers if I want to open it back up so I probably won't do that. I didn't start at full extension but have cycled it many times (has 5 hours of riding since rebuild), seems like any cycling would pass the equalization dimple and fix any negative chamber issue. Honestly it's holding pressure and feels good enough I'll probably just ignore the issue unless something feels bad. meowmeowmeowmeow fucked around with this message at 01:39 on Aug 19, 2020 |
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Aug 19, 2020 01:37
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I've never managed to fix a bent mech, but fixing a bent hanger is possible if it's not too bad. Worth buying a spare (fit your spare to your bike ahead of time if you carry it on the trail to check alignment) before you try as sometimes they crack as you bend them back.
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Aug 26, 2020 03:07
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Nerobro posted:So... What's with meter wide handlebars? Last time I had a mountain bike, last two times.. bar width was inversely proportional to how ... good? the bike was. Now when I check out things on like GMBN they're talking 750-800mm wide bars. Don't know when it happened, but wider bars (withing reason based on your body) add way more stability to the front end, way better body position for weighting the front, less twitchy, etc. Huge improvement over micro bars. Never found a tree that I can't fit between with my new bike that I could with my old and they're common on enduro, xc, dh, etc bikes not just park only bikes.
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Sep 1, 2020 22:16
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It has been too smokey to ride/leave the house since LABOR DAY and I AM GOING TO loving LOSE IT!! The very end of easy to get in a solid ride after work season and I'm missing it! ARGH!
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Sep 17, 2020 03:48
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Sorry he's right hand cut done right is better than good machine cut even if good machine cut is better than bad hand built. Not needing to go wide enough for a digger or having the same tread durability or camber requirements opens up a lot of really neat options. Like the majority of what I ride is machine built and really good, but the couple of hand cut ones are better and wouldn't be possible with a digger.
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Sep 18, 2020 22:19
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I support building, maintaining, and rising 'illegal' trails and jumps in general, especially if there is little to no chance of user conflicts. And agreed on don't ask for permission, just clean them up and if you get caught just say that the map didn't say.
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Sep 23, 2020 00:07
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Do you get a little squeek from the top of the airspring side after the service? I followed the same video and did, as did my friend who also followed the video. Nothing feels wrong about it so I've been riding bit curious if you experienced the same? And yeah if you aren't ok with your trails going poof don't build them unsanctioned, but even on allowed trails sometimes stuff gets destroyed when land management practices change. Just had two trails I really liked and helped maintain get logged even though that zone wasn't on the list for logging operations when they were built. Also people are less likely to 'fix' trails and make them poo poo when they're unsanctioned because generally the only people who know about them also help maintain.
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Sep 23, 2020 00:59
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I have the last gen 5010 and really like it, though I have no comparisons. Fantastic all round bike, done some long days, lots of 'enduro' style days, some shuttling, and some dj with it. Always fun to jump on.
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Sep 23, 2020 23:15
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I think if you don't put the wheels back on it's not a bike because it has zero wheels sooooo
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Sep 25, 2020 03:04
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I make a bunch of bike noise as I slow down behind them, and then ask for a pass once we can both see a wide spot. Thinking of getting a trail bell because some of the stuff here is two way or poorly signed one way and sightlines get short at times.
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Oct 21, 2020 23:13
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Agreed, I had a similar experience. I'd like to get into the damper cartridge next, I did the airspring rebuild for my shock as well. Easier than the fork as there's no oil, it's just new seals and stuff.
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Oct 29, 2020 04:46
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It's the slickoleum not the oil there's too much of on the fox forks, and mine seemed to only drain a small amount when I pulled it apart...
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Oct 29, 2020 05:46
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Yep same, I think part of the reason it feels so much better after is you actually have a negative chamber!
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Oct 29, 2020 18:51
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Yeah it was pretty fantastic racing, really nice to get one mostly dry event. Gonna miss racing after this short season  The pink bike and vitalmtb coverage is great as well, shows the cool parts of the track the broadcast missed. Would highly recommend if you're looking for a little more coverage or behind the scenes a bit.
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Nov 2, 2020 03:43
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Front fender, softer setup, less tire pressure, ride rocky trails that drain well, don't ride muddy soupy trails or ones that are closed for the season. Slow down and slide it out, riding in the wet is a loving barrel of fun. Get glasses or goggles if you don't already ride with them. e fore more details: The little ground keeper fender blocks the muck your tire throws in front of you and gets on your face but it doesn't keep the bike clean. I keep one on the bike year round but might get a more substantial fender front and rear this year. Bring extra gloves for long rides, if it shuttles or easy to get to the car between laps I'll sometimes bring extra socks and goggles and swap at some point. Get good pants. I have the TLD Sprint ULTRA MEGA pants and love them for PNW winter riding. They aren't waterproof but keep mud off my legs and add a lot of warmth without being too hot for long rides or lots of climbing, lots of stretch but more substantial than tights. Traction is going to be low so embrace it and have fun with breaking loose and sliding around. If you ride like its dry and sticky you will crash, but it s great to ride on the edge of traction while going slower. Rocks and roots will be different than the dirt but not necessarily slippery depending on the type. Rough rock can have the best grip even when other rock is real greasy. meowmeowmeowmeow fucked around with this message at 20:33 on Nov 24, 2020 |
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Nov 24, 2020 18:10
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Yeah those TLD pants are spendy but if you look for a cheaper option make sure they're the softshell or stretch version, a lot of cheaper dh pants are a heavy nylon that suck to ride in. Most companies make 'modern' dh pants besides TLD. I've also done plenty of high socks, pads, shorts days in the rain and its fine, you just get everything super muddy instead of just pants. I would rather ride in shorts than rain pants tbh, something water-resistant breathable is better than a hard shell. If I'm gonna get wetter from the rain than sweat its probably too wet to ride. With tires I think going to a softer compound is part of it, but so is tire tread. I've heard some DH/enduro tires will pack up with mud when it gets wet and some are specifically more dry-dusty-hard tires. You've also got stuff like a semi-spike like the Maxxis Shorty which is more of a mud/wet and soft tire than roots and rocks. I went to a high roller 2 as I needed a new rear and its been great so far in the wet. I've got it in the MaxxTerra compound and its had enough traction so far.
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Nov 26, 2020 00:47
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Definitely get mtb shoes if your getting clipless, road shoes usually have zero traction and suck for anything that isn't pedaling on the bike where as mtb shoes will assume you are in the woods and might need to get off the bike and walk up something muddy.
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Dec 2, 2020 19:46
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I had a rekon on the back and replaced it with a high roller 2 send have been pretty happy with it. DHF on the front, good combo for traction but not super slow. The HR doesn't have infinite traction but it handles sliding out real well and is very predictable.
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Dec 28, 2020 20:09
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kimbo305 posted:IME, you don't really notice the ergonomic changes and accompanying relief at increments of less than 10deg. I want to see these 45 degree bars on a mtb
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Jan 15, 2021 01:37
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i use stans and never have any problems but ive also not tried anything else sooooo
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Jan 23, 2021 05:02
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If I was gonna buy a bike today id look hard at commencal
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Feb 1, 2021 23:48
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Get a dropper on your bike jfc it's sooooooooooooooooooooooo much better. Bar remote yeah duh, maybe some weird seat lever would work but just get a loving normal rear end dropper. It's 100$ for a cheap one and 200$ for a totally great just fine no problems one. If I could move one thing from my 2019 bike to my 2007 bike it would be a dropper.
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Feb 9, 2021 03:05
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Heard real good things about the one-up droppers, I'm thinking of getting one to max out on drop even though my current post is fine.
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Feb 9, 2021 06:28
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Really good, I'm in PDX and ride regularly. Highlights: Sandy ridge Post canyon Scapoose/rocky point road - the afterwork special/quick rip zone Cold Creek area Secret tracks in the woods New area in tillamook Pump track out by 205/84 interchange Nestor ??? Probably more
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Feb 10, 2021 21:47
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| # ¿ May 10, 2024 00:00 |
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Yeah just opened up a couple months ago. Rode scapoose tonight, beautiful weather but quite greasy, great to get out before the snow. Sandy drains well enough that if it's not snowed in I'll ride it, a lot of the other gets real slimey when it's wet and takes a while to dry but there's not as strong of a don't ride in the wet culture out here for most stuff, keep it reasonable and dig but I ride when it's sloppy and don't feel too bad.
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Feb 11, 2021 04:02
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