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The Bike Shop / Re: Looping Out/Trails

« on: February 11, 2018, 02:25:58 PM »

20.5 / 13.75 is pretty short for trails.

I am about the same height as you and riding 21/14.1/74 with a big front tyre and a skinny rear to slacken things up even more.

Most folk at ours ride at least a 21.25, in fact I believe I am the only 21.

The sketchyness you describe is almost certainly too short a bike.

Look at a modern trails frame like a credence or deluxe and you'll see lots of super low bb heights, slacker head angles, long back ends and longer top tubes.

A cool thing I've noticed about a longer bike is you can get away with massive bars, which allows more rooooooast.....!!! As the whole thing needs more leverage to pull up and get near the "looping out" point, making everything bigger gives you finer control over the bike.

Anyway I have finished doing my poo now so I will sum up and say get a bigger trails frame with 9" bars and pull up more.

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The Bike Shop / Re: Wide Body Pedals

« on: May 24, 2017, 05:26:32 PM »

I have the metal grandstands. They are the widest pedals I've ever had - almost too wide. The pins are savage, and they screw in from the back so you can trash them and still get them out. To be honest if you're riding something other than trails, they might be too much for you.

The bushing system is pretty good, you have to tighten it up every now and then but it does allow for a much bigger spindle than other pedals.

In short if you want a huge pedal with more grip than anything else that's also hella strong, they are spot on. Maybe not so great if you like taking your feet off or if you like your shins. They'd be awesome for mountain biking too.

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The Bike Shop / Re: Tire pressure

« on: November 10, 2016, 04:56:15 PM »

Back in the 2.1/1.95 days, I used to prefer a softer tyre than most, around 50psi. Mostly to give the joints a bit of a break. I used to get a lot of flats.

Now I'm on 2.4/2.15, I actually run them harder, about 80. I found that big tyres flex too much otherwise. Also, I think a big tyre has more give than a narrow tyre at any given pressure - so I can now run harder pressures than before and my knees are still happy. Consequently, as well as more grip, I also have more speed on bigger tyres - not what I was expecting! I resisted big tyres for ages, but now I'm so converted that I'm really thinking about 2.4/2.4, even more speed...

Also something else I only just appreciated recently is the effect these huge new tyres have on bb height and head angle. 2.4/2.15 Rubens slacken your bike by nearly a degree, and raise the bb height by 0.4" compared to 2.1/1.95. And the wheel diameter is more like 21", getting closer to a 22" cruiser.

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The Bike Shop / Re: Pedal design devolving?

« on: February 25, 2015, 04:08:40 PM »

Thin pedals make a huge difference to the feel of a bike.

I have Shimano Saints on my mtb and Dx's on my Bmx, the Saints feel far nicer (being thinner) but develop play very easily. The Dx's have no play at all after six years of riding and not one service - but I wish they were thinner.

If you have managed to make a thinner pedal that doesn't wobble G, especially if it has the same pins that screw in from the back like trail mixes, then that is pretty much perfect.

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Riding Photos / Wild Trail setups

« on: December 20, 2011, 03:15:56 AM »

^^ yes!!!! We need more photos like that in this thread, it's digging season...

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Riding Photos / Wild Trail setups

« on: April 17, 2011, 09:45:38 AM »

Things are starting to run now

George at mine

Boyd at his

Not really sure what the weather is doing this year, it's been crazy dry so far. I have a nasty feeling the summer is going to crap out around June but I guess we will see... Make the most while the going is good I guess!

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Riding Photos / Wild Trail setups

« on: March 13, 2011, 03:47:02 PM »

Its a landing on the left, lip on the right.

I don't know how Big the gaps are, it was kind of hard to tell as they're so tall and bulky. This is almost at the end of the line, and the second jump in the same line is a 7 m long step down. Stoked on seeing it with my own eyes, hats off to the locals for sure.

Here's a video of the first test runs.
http://prettyshady.com/?p=3665

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Riding Photos / Wild Trail setups

« on: March 13, 2011, 12:50:11 PM »

Here is what peynier looks like now... This photo does not do the craziness justice.

@Tom there was a "trail building guide" thread in the lounge a few months ago, search for it. At mine we have to take 3-6" of pine needles and mulch off the top to get to rideable ground, I usually rake some clay over the top to bring it back to ground level. Long handled Tarmac rakes are really useful for both clearing and shaping, consider getting one. Yo!

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Riding Photos / Wild Trail setups

« on: January 08, 2011, 12:56:06 PM »

No pictures but went to boyd's today to help out, that place is super good and definitely qualifies as "wild." http://digfourvictory.wordpress.com/ go and be inspired.

2011 is going to be sweet. Go digging.

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Riding Photos / Wild Trail setups

« on: December 18, 2010, 05:46:59 AM »

Do it buddy!

Ground is frozen here again, no more digging until 2011 I think.

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Riding Photos / Wild Trail setups

« on: December 10, 2010, 02:37:50 AM »

^yes.

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Riding Photos / Wild Trail setups

« on: October 22, 2010, 01:55:45 AM »

Quote

a set that is more berms than jumps, and everything is a hip or off camber. The only straight jumps are going to be little speed doubles or super fast step downs just to mess with people.

Sounds like my small line:)

Now is the time to start spot hunting, break the ground before it gets too cold!

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