Author Topic: 256 build by carbonazza  (Read 12168 times)

carbonazza

256 build by carbonazza
« on: July 31, 2014, 06:16:39 PM »
My 256 frame finally arrived this Tuesday(2 weeks stuck at the customs).
Unlike all others 256 here, this one came from Honsen Bikes.
Shipped on time. With a nice and professional communication with Leo there.

I started the build the same evening(well... part of the night too).
Slept a little, as I was too excited. And finished it the day after.

Our group of friends ride the Wednesday evening.
So... the question was: Go or no go with the new bike?

I did ride a Cannondale Rush for a year now( 2008 second hand - 26" - full suspension - carbon ).
This one is "New", 29er, hardtail and quite light (9.05 Kg).
Many differences at the same time. Not sure which one counts more.

As green as it was, I took it on the 35km(~21 mi) muddy, rocky & rooty ride.

It is an amazing upgrade!
It is sharp to handle, predictable, sorry for the cliché, but I feel much more in contact with the terrain.
And no one could catch me anymore in the climbs and sprints 8)

I just regret I didn't rush as usual on the very rocky or technical part of that trail.
Some silent fears in my head: What if the frame/bar/stem/seatpost break loose. What if some bolts are not tightened enough, etc.
A few rides, and this will go away.

I will add some more details of the build, pictures, parts, etc. later on.
Enough talks! Here are some pictures.







Thank you very much to the forum founders and all members, who gave me all information I needed to build my first bike!
« Last Edit: July 31, 2014, 06:18:38 PM by carbonazza »



MTB2223

Re: 256 build by carbonazza
« Reply #1 on: August 01, 2014, 12:10:26 AM »
Our group of friends ride the Wednesday evening.
So... the question was: Go or no go with the new bike?

I did ride a Cannondale Rush for a year now( 2008 second hand - 26" - full suspension - carbon ).
This one is "New", 29er, hardtail and quite light (9.05 Kg).
Many differences at the same time. Not sure which one counts more.

As green as it was, I took it on the 35km(~21 mi) muddy, rocky & rooty ride.

It is an amazing upgrade!
It is sharp to handle, predictable, sorry for the cliché, but I feel much more in contact with the terrain.
And no one could catch me anymore in the climbs and sprints 8)
Nice story :) I hope I've got the simular story when I finished my 256. Waiting on my wheelset.

What do you have underneath your saddle ? Toolbox ? Spare tube?

Jake

Re: 256 build by carbonazza
« Reply #2 on: August 01, 2014, 02:12:02 AM »
Nice bike!

I see your shifter cable goes into the frame not on the same side as the shifter.

My shifter cable goes in at the same side as the shifter:


This was the way the liner was on my Iplay 256, I guess Honsen's 256 liner routing was different or did you change it yourself?

I don't see any chainstay protection ?

« Last Edit: August 01, 2014, 05:02:54 AM by Jake »

carbonazza

Re: 256 build by carbonazza
« Reply #3 on: August 01, 2014, 10:54:07 AM »
Jake, from all the pictures you posted at http://chinertown.com/index.php/topic,221.0.html
I think we have exactly the same frame.

For the shifter I took another route.
I wanted the nice SRAM hose provided with the XX1 groupset intact from the derailleur to the shifter.

WARNING. Even if I discussed on mtbr with someone who did that on its 27.5" version of the frame.
This is not for the faint-hearted and do that at your own risks. 
At some point I thought damn! Some folks in this forum were right: that was a terrible idea.
But it all ended well with the technique below.

You need to have the BB shell empty to do this.

Here is the frame, before the "combat". On my custom stand.



1) Entering the hose from the rear
The rear hole is tiny and on a carbon part.
Because of the seat stays, there is no room to use a drill.
Start with a 3mm drill bit, or smaller if you have.
Manually and very gently. Never forcing as the carbon is very brittle and could probably break if you force it, be patient.
Then use a 3.5mm, then 4. And finally a 4.5mm, this is enough to pass the SRAM hose (without the end-cap).

May be there are tools to make this much easier, but I didn't have any and wanted to limit the risk of breaking something.

Be sure to evacuate the carbon debris regularly.
Go back with a smaller drill bit if the hole is clogged.
I was wearing a good painter mask when doing this.
Carbon dust is not friend with the lungs.




2) Pass the hose from the rear to the top of the BB shell
Entering the hose in the drilled hole was easy, but getting it to the BB didn't work.

I didn't have any idea how the chainstay was designed inside. Something was blocking it.
That was my "Bad Idea" moment. The rear hole was drilled, so there was no coming back now.

There was hope though. I could push the hose from the BB shell to the end of the chainstay, so there was a path.
I think the blocker is a small pipe that drive the shifter cable if you use the planned route.

I then tried passing the thin shifter cable instead.
Patiently trying to find my way from the rear hole to the BB shell.
To finally see it pointing near the BB shell holes.
Not sure it is needed, but I used a magnet, to make it move up-left-down-right, to find its way in the chainstay.

Once the cable is out on both ends (rear hole, and BB).
Put the hose on the cable from the rear.
The cable will guide the hose in the chainstay.
Pull smoothly the cable from the BB shell to avoid it fold inside the chainstay.
Do that until the hose pass over the top of the BB shell.



3) Through the down tube
Drilling the top hole, is easier. It is an aluminium piece. And there is room for an electric drill.
Do it in the same 3, 3.5, 4, 4.5mm sequence, just to not force anything, and keep the hole centered to the original direction.
The angle gives good clearance, but I did put a tape on the frame to protect it from the drill head.

Remove the shifter cable from the hose.
Enter it in the top hole.
And push it through the down tube, until it arrives at the BB.

Then put the cable in the hose that waits over the BB. As far as you can.
I guess if you have a longer cable than the SRAM one(whole hose length + the length of the down tube + some more), the following step could be much easier.

Then push the hose from the rear hole. The cable will again guide the hose.
Pull gently the shifter cable from the top to avoid it fold inside the down tube.
But not too much to avoid it go out of the hose, and loose the guide.



4) And finally, get the hose out!
If you do that very gently, sometimes helping the hose pass better over the BB shell with your fingers.
The hose should arrive around the top hole.
With the cable, try to engage the hose centered to the hole.
A last push, and you should get the house out.


Here is a picture of the end to end shifter hose.

« Last Edit: August 01, 2014, 01:27:15 PM by carbonazza »

carbonazza

Re: 256 build by carbonazza
« Reply #4 on: August 01, 2014, 12:13:42 PM »
MTB2223, the saddle is from koobi.com
These are elastomer bumpers, meant to provide some cushion(about 10mm travel).



I think I read about them on mtbr, and I liked the videos and the explanations on their web site.

Choosing a saddle, especially online is a gamble.
But if you are not happy with the saddle, you can return it within 30 days.
And the communication with Phil there was great.
I ordered one.

The feeling was good immediately(on my old bike).
But the first real ride was a bit painful in the end.
They warn you the leather need to be broken, and you are somehow in a new position.

The second ride was good.
And now I don't feel it anymore, and like it much more than my Cannondale one.

Sitar_Ned

Re: 256 build by carbonazza
« Reply #5 on: August 01, 2014, 02:38:35 PM »
Great build thread carbonazza - glad you found the information on the forum useful!

I'm very interested in your seat.. This is the first I've seen of it. Would be cool to hear your thoughts on it after you've ridden it for some time.

carbonazza

Re: 256 build by carbonazza
« Reply #6 on: August 01, 2014, 04:38:02 PM »
Sitar_Ned, Ok. I'll give you an update in a few weeks.

Jake, thanks for the picture of your bar.
It helped me see that I mounted the RockShox Xloc on the wrong side of the bar!

carbonazza

Re: 256 build by carbonazza
« Reply #7 on: August 04, 2014, 04:10:01 PM »
Jake, I forgot to answer one of your questions.
I didn't put any chainstay protector, as I've read they are not needed when you use an XX1 group.
A chain guide either.


I don't see any chainstay protection ?


brmeyer135

Re: 256 build by carbonazza
« Reply #8 on: August 04, 2014, 05:38:57 PM »
He is talking about protection on the frame tube from the rear axle to the bottom bracket - chainstay - some use hose....common is something from lizard skins.
Protects from chainslap.
« Last Edit: August 04, 2014, 05:40:46 PM by brmeyer135 »

Jake

Re: 256 build by carbonazza
« Reply #9 on: August 05, 2014, 03:18:26 AM »
I ordered this:
http://www.amazon.de/dp/B0017SBH10/ref=pe_386171_37038021_TE_3p_M3T1_dp_1

It is on its way, I will report back with pictures!

carbonazza

Re: 256 build by carbonazza
« Reply #10 on: August 05, 2014, 05:19:35 AM »
There is no chain slap with an XX1. Right?

The top chain segment is always in tension.
Unlike the multi-rings groups.

My explanation, is that on multi-rings groups:
When you move the chain from a bigger ring to a smaller, the top chain is not in tension for a moment.
Until the rear derailleur compensate the change, but only after some rotation.
Add some rough terrain just at that time, and you get a slap.
Especially on smaller sprockets/rings combination.

Let me know if this makes any sense, as I ride "unprotected" for now :)


He is talking about protection on the frame tube from the rear axle to the bottom bracket - chainstay - some use hose....common is something from lizard skins.
Protects from chainslap.

brmeyer135

Re: 256 build by carbonazza
« Reply #11 on: August 05, 2014, 06:48:27 AM »
I can't say about XX1 but if you are in the smallest rear cog and going through a rough area....there is the potential for chain slap.

carbonazza

Re: 256 build by carbonazza
« Reply #12 on: August 05, 2014, 10:50:16 AM »
I checked the chainstay.
There is indeed a small scratch on the hump where the shifter hose is entering.

It is the highest point the chain can hit, and apparently did it already in two rides.
The rest of the chainstay is quite lower that point, and could hardly be touched by the chain.

But this is pale comparison to a nice scratch I have now on a side of the downtube.
I had my first solid fall this weekend. Over a carpet of rocks and brambles(a pleasure).



brmeyer135

Re: 256 build by carbonazza
« Reply #13 on: August 05, 2014, 10:58:23 AM »
question regarding your fall - was part of the issue/fall from your clipless spd's?  Meaning did they contribute?

On the downtube - some have been using heavy duty tape? or vinyl protection in that area
I think carbon_dude or somebody was using a 3M product
« Last Edit: August 05, 2014, 11:00:36 AM by brmeyer135 »

carbonazza

Re: 256 build by carbonazza
« Reply #14 on: August 05, 2014, 12:31:31 PM »
The pedals unclipped.  I was clearly over-confident on my brand new machine, and going to fast for my level, in a single track.
All of a sudden I couldn't see a path between the rocks, feared falling, and went straight out of the track in other rocks and a bed of fresh brambles.

The scratch on the downtube is high on the right, probably hitting a rock in the fall.
I guess nobody put vinyl protection that high.

The scratch is quite large but superficial. Like mines :)