Lifestyle Mountain Bikers of TMMAC

Welcome to our Community
Wanting to join the rest of our members? Feel free to Sign Up today.
Sign up

Grateful Dude

TMMAC Addict
May 30, 2016
8,925
14,261
I’ve been neglecting this thread...

Today we held our Sunday Church Service (we have a group that bikes almost every Sunday morning) in the cold and rain. 35F and raining lightly, and it was windy as hell. To me, a huge part of the culture of mountain biking is not being a pussy when the weather sucks :D. And despite the shitty weather today, it was actually nice to be out in it



Had fun playing in the mud a bit, worst part was hosing my bike down while it was 35F outside hah

 

Never_Rolled

First 10,000
Dec 17, 2018
5,798
6,349
I just built (rebuild) my bike. It's a 2011 Specialized Crosstrail. The only thing stock on is the frame. The rear D isn't shifting perfect but everything else is spot on. Fine tuning isn't my specialty on D's. I bought a new hanger. Hopefully it's that. If not it can only be the cable adjuster. Limits are good as well as B tension. It's mostly Deore 11x2 and Hollowtech. Cane Creek headset. I cheaped out on the front fork. I went with much better than OEM Suntour. They gave me a deal since I had an OEM fork. I'm thinking about giving it to my son and doing a road build with a Chinese CF frame.
 

Grateful Dude

TMMAC Addict
May 30, 2016
8,925
14,261
I just built (rebuild) my bike. It's a 2011 Specialized Crosstrail. The only thing stock on is the frame. The rear D isn't shifting perfect but everything else is spot on. Fine tuning isn't my specialty on D's. I bought a new hanger. Hopefully it's that. If not it can only be the cable adjuster. Limits are good as well as B tension. It's mostly Deore 11x2 and Hollowtech. Cane Creek headset. I cheaped out on the front fork. I went with much better than OEM Suntour. They gave me a deal since I had an OEM fork. I'm thinking about giving it to my son and doing a road build with a Chinese CF frame.
If you get that new hanger on and are still having some shifting issues, I may be able to walk you through dialing it in. If the limit screws are set right, it is just a matter of string tension and using the barrel adjusters. Good luck! Let me know if you want any tuning tips ;)
 

Never_Rolled

First 10,000
Dec 17, 2018
5,798
6,349
If you get that new hanger on and are still having some shifting issues, I may be able to walk you through dialing it in. If the limit screws are set right, it is just a matter of string tension and using the barrel adjusters. Good luck! Let me know if you want any tuning tips ;)
I really appreciate that! It has to be one or the other. I thought the front was going to be a lot harder but I was finally able to dial it in. I went from the stock 3x8 to 2x11. Watched a lot of RJTheBikeGuy vids and made a bunch of one use tools. Head press, crown race installer etc etc. It was a fun project. Wheels,tires, cables, etc etc. I had already put Avid BB7's as the stock Tek's made so much noise you could hear me from blocks away.
 

Grateful Dude

TMMAC Addict
May 30, 2016
8,925
14,261
I really appreciate that! It has to be one or the other. I thought the front was going to be a lot harder but I was finally able to dial it in. I went from the stock 3x8 to 2x11. Watched a lot of RJTheBikeGuy vids and made a bunch of one use tools. Head press, crown race installer etc etc. It was a fun project. Wheels,tires, cables, etc etc. I had already put Avid BB7's as the stock Tek's made so much noise you could hear me from blocks away.
I've made some homemade tools as well, good stuff!

A lot of mountain bikers are doing a 1x11 or 1x12 setup now. I love the 1x setup, you get the full range of gears and only have one derailleur to keep tuned. Plus you get to ditch the weight of the front D, cables, etc. It also allows you to run the chain a little tighter since it doesn't have to accommodate a larger front chainring. This makes the drivetrain so much quieter as the chain doesn't slap around nearly as much.
 

Never_Rolled

First 10,000
Dec 17, 2018
5,798
6,349
I've made some homemade tools as well, good stuff!

A lot of mountain bikers are doing a 1x11 or 1x12 setup now. I love the 1x setup, you get the full range of gears and only have one derailleur to keep tuned. Plus you get to ditch the weight of the front D, cables, etc. It also allows you to run the chain a little tighter since it doesn't have to accommodate a larger front chainring. This makes the drivetrain so much quieter as the chain doesn't slap around nearly as much.
I know all about the 1x's. i did a ton of research before I ordered everything. I live close to Everglades and we get a ton of wind. I wanted the added gear ratio to help mitigate the wind.
 

Never_Rolled

First 10,000
Dec 17, 2018
5,798
6,349
My kid outgrew his Specialized. He's 15 and has almost new car waiting for him. He actually asked for a dept. store kaka bike vs a better one. Mongoose here we come. I already adjusted the brakes as neither was right out the door. The front wouldn't stop squeaking. I ordered Clark pads for it after trying all the usual tricks. He likes it and I saved a few hundred so all good. I tried to talk him into one with at least discs but he liked the one he picked with V linear's squeaks and all. Going to put the Clark's on tomorrow.
 

Grateful Dude

TMMAC Addict
May 30, 2016
8,925
14,261
My kid outgrew his Specialized. He's 15 and has almost new car waiting for him. He actually asked for a dept. store kaka bike vs a better one. Mongoose here we come. I already adjusted the brakes as neither was right out the door. The front wouldn't stop squeaking. I ordered Clark pads for it after trying all the usual tricks. He likes it and I saved a few hundred so all good. I tried to talk him into one with at least discs but he liked the one he picked with V linear's squeaks and all. Going to put the Clark's on tomorrow.
Squeak free now? I don't miss those old V-brakes at all! Nowadays, hydraulic disc brakes regularly save my life lol. Back in the day though, V-brakes were the shit
 

La Paix

Fuck this place
First 100
Jan 14, 2015
38,273
64,597
Squeak free now? I don't miss those old V-brakes at all! Nowadays, hydraulic disc brakes regularly save my life lol. Back in the day though, V-brakes were the shit
In the BMX world these were some space tech brakes when I raced.

 

Grateful Dude

TMMAC Addict
May 30, 2016
8,925
14,261
In the BMX world these were some space tech brakes when I raced.

I remember those! I’ve gotten so used to all this high tech bike gear we have now, that’s it hard to imagine going back to the old stuff. Even though we rode the shit out of the old stuff and we’re kicking ass :)

I’m so used to having TONS of braking power with the discs, I’d hurt myself if I hit my trails in an old 90s setup lol
 

Grateful Dude

TMMAC Addict
May 30, 2016
8,925
14,261
Oh, and La Paix @BirdWatcher if you haven’t seen the urban downhill a few posts above, give it a watch!

It’s pretty sick, the dude is hauling ass and in a lot of areas there isn’t much room for error! ;)
 
Last edited:

La Paix

Fuck this place
First 100
Jan 14, 2015
38,273
64,597
Oh, and La Paix @BirdWatcher if you haven’t seen the urban downhill a few posts above, give it a watch!

It’s pretty sick, the dude is hauling ass and in a lot of areas there is much room for error! ;)
Ya I'll watch that video later. I just booked our bikes in the the LBS here so I'll be riding in two weeks. Perfect timing as the lifts at the MTN stop in two weeks as well. It'll be great now having our little condo on the hill as we can do DH weekends there all season.
 

Grateful Dude

TMMAC Addict
May 30, 2016
8,925
14,261
Ya I'll watch that video later. I just booked our bikes in the the LBS here so I'll be riding in two weeks. Perfect timing as the lifts at the MTN stop in two weeks as well. It'll be great now having our little condo on the hill as we can do DH weekends there all season.
Hell yeah, man. It’s prime bike season!