Chinertown
Chinese Carbon MTB => 29er => Topic started by: Sitar_Ned on April 14, 2014, 11:37:29 PM
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Okay guys.. This is a work in progress so there won't be too much exciting going on here for a couple of weeks, but I thought I'd go ahead and get started anyways, just so I can list out all of my components and keep track of them a bit better than I have been in my scribbled notebook.
My main objective with this build was to be patient and shop around for great online deals, and get the absolute most bike that I could for 2k. I didn't go for the absolute lightest bike that I could build, and instead tried to find a sweet spot for strength, durability, weight, and price. I could have shaved grams in quite a few places but with a riding weight of 220 lbs I tried to choose wisely. The Haven carbon bars and post, for example, aren't the lightest parts and I actually could have saved some bucks AND had a lighter bike. But as I've never owned Carbon and being in the upper range of rider weights, it was more important to me to have as much confidence in the safety of the bike as possible. That said, I realize I may have over built it a bit. But if so.. not by much. Guess I'll find out when I throw it on the scale for the first time, but I'm hoping for 22 lbs.
Bike will be built up as a 1x10 and will be mostly black with a white fork and a few red accents (like most other bikes it seems)
Frame: FM-057
Fork: Manitou Tower Pro QR15 80mm (wanted the 100mm but it sold out and Manitou actually has a slightly higher than normal axle to crown measurement so it should be all good)
Headset: Cane Creek 40 series
Stem: Easton Haven 75mm
Handlebars: Carbon Easton Haven 711mm
Rear Shifter: XT SL-M780
Rear Derailleur: SLX shadow plus
Brakes: Shimano Deore M615 (Should have waited for the PricePoint deal on an XT set for $99. Meh, can't win em all, the M615s are supposed to be equally good and I dig the all black finish)
Rotors: SLX 160mm
Crankset and Bottom Bracket: Shimano M670 triple converted to single chain ring
Narrow Wide Chainring: Raceface 32t
Chain: KMC X10.93
Cassette: XT 11-36
Pedals: VP Vice (flats)
Wheels: Sun Ringle Charger Experts 15mm front, 142 x 12mm rear
Tires: Maxxis Ikon 2.35 tubeless ready, non-exo front - Ikon 2.35 tubeless ready, exo rear (decided to shave about 50 grams off of the front wheel by skipping the EXO)
Seatpost: Carbon Easton Haven
Seat: Fizik Gobi XM
Grips: ESL Extra chunky
Post clamp: Salsa Lip lock
Cables: Jagwire mountain Pro
Okay.. I think that's everything. I'll update with ride impressions, any build issues encountered, and pics and vids of the build in progress, and of course of the final product, soon.
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Looks like a good solid build. Can't wait to see it! When is your frame scheduled for delivery from Peter? I bet you're getting anxious.
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On the EMS site it shows dispatched 2 days ago.. But when I try to track it on UPS it doesn't show at all so I assume that means it hasn't made it to the States yet. I'm hoping by Friday.
Yes.. anxious would accurately describe my emotional state :o :)
Still have a few parts to order though so even when it arrives there will be some waiting left to do. But at least I'll finally have the frame to start putting some of these fancy components on, rather than having a pile of boxes in my closet. Not that I don't get some odd sense of satisfaction out of the pile of boxes in my closet.. bc I do.
So far, my favorite component is the Easton carbon bar. That thing is just sexy and it's going to look sweet with my UD black matte frame, and black Shimano levers.
Yes, I will be pretending to be batman as I fly through the woods. Don't judge me.
EDIT: Doh! ChainReaction sent me the brake levers with the silver covers. They look pretty nice.. so whatever.
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The package will be handed off to USPS, you can track it there once it gets to the US.
I know what you mean about the Easton Carbon, they make nice looking stuff.
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it will be a great bicycle ,man. :)
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it will be a great bicycle ,man. :)
Thanks, Bertzhong.. Welcome to the thread and the forum!
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Okay guys, full disclosure: I am in no way shape form or fashion a bike mechanic. I'm not even mechanical.
So.. I'll be asking lots of dumb questions along the way, but hopefully this will only help to serve as a better resource for those that are just like me and decided to do their first chiner builds regardless of their lack of mechanical skill.
Okay.. first dumb question:
The white things sticking out of the frame, are those the internal cable guides and I need to cut them to fit, or do those come out entirely?
(http://i.imgur.com/YpvVSKz.jpg)
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Also, I've read that the first thing I should do is check to make sure the drop out screws weren't loose, and that I may even want to put some loctite on the screws.
So that's my first step.
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Pretty sure you pull those out but wait til someone confirms that.
I really like you build list and seeing as how I plan on building my own fairly soon... I'll def be following the thread and look forward to seeing the final product!
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I've gotta say that my overall impressions of the frame are very positive. The head tube intersect is beefier than I thought would be. I also think the frame looks much better in person, mainly because the shape of the top tube is much more angular than it looked like in pics. In pics it jest seemed a bit more rounded than it actually is. Was relived to like the aesthetics of the frame in person because I was honestly unsure if I liked it or not having seen it only in pics. Was kinda digging the more straight lined carbon bikes if that makes sense.
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Not sure about that tubing but as for the drop out screws, what I do is put a tiny amount of grease around the base of the bolt to prevent any potential creaking, and use 242 blue loctite on the threads. Doesn't take much.
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Definitely don't need the tubing, I don't even remember if mine had any. The cables feed right through and out the other end. One thing you can do is feed your cable from back to front, for example, for the brake line you would not disconnect the caliper. You would disconnect the lever, and feed the brake line from the chain stay up to the head tube.
While you are at it, you might as well shorten the cable so you can use the no bleed method of shortening the brake line which is basically these steps:
1) Remove pads
2) Squeeze the lever a few times to push the pistons inward about 5mm
3) Disconnect the lever
4) Route your rear brake line through the frame
5) Mount your caliper
6) Determine how much cable to cut
7) Install new olive and insert
8) Reconnect the brake line to the lever
9) Push the caliper pistons back using a tire lever
10) Reinstall brake pads & Yellow block.
You should be good to go with no air in the brake line.
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Definitely don't need the tubing, I don't even remember if mine had any. The cables feed right through and out the other end. One thing you can do is feed your cable from back to front, for example, for the brake line you would not disconnect the caliper. You would disconnect the lever, and feed the brake line from the chain stay up to the head tube.
While you are at it, you might as well shorten the cable so you can use the no bleed method of shortening the brake line which is basically these steps:
1) Remove pads
2) Squeeze the lever a few times to push the pistons inward about 5mm
3) Disconnect the lever
4) Route your rear brake line through the frame
5) Mount your caliper
6) Determine how much cable to cut
7) Install new olive and insert
8) Reconnect the brake line to the lever
9) Push the caliper pistons back using a tire lever
10) Reinstall brake pads & Yellow block.
You should be good to go with no air in the brake line.
Thx CD..
I was up late last night messing with the rear brake actually.. From a bit of research, I'd found that some guys followed the steps you outlined above but skipped the removing the pads and pushing the pistons out. I was afraid of pushing them out too far, so I did it without even removing the pads.. was pretty easy but I haven't tried using them yet to know if I messed anything up, or got air in the line..
Here were my steps for Shimano rear brake installation:
Remember to keep the caliper lower than the open end of the hose throughout the entire process. Seems obvious but when you're doing it alone and are pushing the hose through the frame, it's easy to forget that part.
1) Unscrew the hose from the lever
2) Pull out the hose
3) Using wire cutters, cut just enough hose to remove old barb and olive
4) Apply small piece of tape over end of hose (too much and it makes it difficult to push through the frame)
5) Push hose through frame the rear (remember to remove the rubber cover and screw before doing this)
6) Attach caliper to frame and attach lever to handlebars
7) Measure and cut hose with a sharp box cutter to get a precise, clean cut. Use more of a sawing motion with a new, sharp blade for best results
8.) Install new insert and olive
9) Reconnect and hope all is well
We'll see.
Tubing removed. It obviously didn't need to be used for the brake internal routing but thought it might be used for the rear derailleur cable, guess not.
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Those steps sound about right, I didn't bother with covering the hose end, not much fluid was lost but either way is fine. One of the tools that I bought was a hydraulic line cutter, it slices the brake line leaving a clean edge, I also used a pointy tool to make sure the line was nice and round after the cut.
I also bought a Park cable cutter to get clean cuts on the cables and cable housings.
One more thing I bought was cable lubricant to reduce friction and help prevent corrosion of the cable in the housing.
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Yeah.. You make a VERY good point. When you're figuring out your chiner budget, don't forget tools! They can initially seem like a bit of an afterthought at first. For example, I was just planning on borrowing some tools to complete the build but really... this isn't just about having a bike or I don't think most of us would go through all this trouble. If you're really going to get into mtb, it's just far more satisfying and fun when you're really in tune with the machine that your riding and putting a lot of faith into. Not to mention, that some of this tools are bike specific, so your normal go to tool friend my not have you covered.
Give thought to your component and frame selection.. and then build and learn about the bike. It will be far more rewarding, imo.
But you'll need some tools, and lube, and bike stand (cheap and easy to make one at home that works well enough)
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Okay, first potential problem.
I've noticed that the connector insert that came as extras with my ChainReactionCycles order isn't the same as the one that Shimano uses. The Shimano one is silver and has a larger diameter opening than the extra one provided by CRC. I've got to assume that this matters, and I've unfortunately already installed the smaller gold one.
The positive is that the front brake came with the extra insert that is exactly like the Shimano one, so if I need to, I can use it.. Problem is, if I have to shorten the front hose then I will have to order another insert. Does anyone know if this is something to be concerned about or should I make the effort to swap out the smaller one for the Shimano one?
The one on the left is the one already installed.. and the one on the right is the silver larger one that came with my front brake and looks identical to the Shimano one.
(http://i.imgur.com/2S8snh2.png)
Fairly annoyed with ChainReactionCycles at this point. First, they send the wrong color... now the send the rear brake with the wrong extra insert.
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Most likely they are different, use the Shimano insert and wait until you have a spare to shorten the front brake line.
You should have gotten one extra with each Shimano brake. If not then you will need to order spares or see if the LBS has one, they are like $5 each.
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I'll echo what Carbon Dude said.. DO NOT use those inserts. Use the ones that look exactly like the Shimano ones. Made that exact mistake once before and took me forever to figure out why my front brake felt so much better than my rear.
And in case you haven't already figured it out yet.. Those things can be quite the pain to get all the way in the hose.
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If you use the pair of yellow blocks that hold the brake line (they would have come with the Shimano brakes), it's not too difficult to install. Just clamp the cut end of the brake line between the yellow blocks, pinch the blocks in a vise or vise-grips, and tap the insert down with a hammer making sure it bottoms out. Also make sure you have all the other parts on the brake line prior to installing the insert.
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Well.. the Shimano isn't hard to install using the yellow block tool BUT the other one - the wrong one - was EXTREMELY difficult to install lol. I was up til one in the morning messing with that thing until I finally said to heck with it and brute force hammered that thing in, with no regards to preserving the condition of the insert.
Today, came home on my lunch brake (mineral fluid on my tie!) and had the correct insert installed in under 20 minutes. I was wondering why that was so difficult last night.. wrong insert! Thx for the help, guys. Glad it's done... seems to be working fine. Hope it stays that way.
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Also be careful with how much torque you apply to the hex nut, if you over-tighten the nut you will crush the olive. I've done this twice. I guess that's why they include the crowfoot wrench so you can use a torque wrench to properly tighten the nut.
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Also be careful with how much torque you apply to the hex nut, if you over-tighten the nut you will crush the olive. I've done this twice. I guess that's why they include the crowfoot wrench so you can use a torque wrench to properly tighten the nut.
I suppose I'd know if this happened? I assume by mineral fluid leaking as soon as I over tightened it? Think I may have actually avoided this problem (and I'm a chronic over tightener) simply by counting the amount of threads that was showing where the hose is connected to the caliper, and then just trying to duplicate that when screwing in the hose to the lever.
Either way.. rear brake is installed.. build on hold until my carbon paste and grease arrives from Jenson. Hopefully tomorrow. Today, I'll be researching where exactly you want to apply grease, carbon paste, and loctite throughout the build. I'll post my findings in this thread for anyone else that may not know.
After a bit of research, here is the grease and carbon paste and loctite I ordered. Great reviews for all:
http://www.jensonusa.com/Park-PPL-1-Polylube-1000-44-OZ
http://www.jensonusa.com/Park-Tool-SAC-2-Supergrip-Compound
http://www.amazon.com/LOCTITE-37418-Medium-Strength-Threadlocker/dp/B000FIXQXK
UPDATE: As to where exactly you would want to use loctite, grease, and carbon paste.. it seems the answer to that varies depending on who you ask. I was able to come to what seemed like was close to a consensus, so I'll attempt to summarize below. If I'm mistaken, plz feel free to call me out.
Loctite: Okay, seems this will used rather sparingly and used mostly as the need arises. I personally used loctite on the screws that attach the metal rear drop outs to the bike, the bolts that attach the brake caliper to the bike, and on the screws that attach the brake rotors to the wheels, and on the screws that hold your derailleurs to the frame. That's it. Apply just a small amount to the screw or bolt and then you can use it immediately - no need to wait until it dries. Also, on the dropout screws, I took the advice posted earlier in this thread and applied loctite to the threads, and a small amount of grease to the head/base of the bolt to avoid any potential future creaking issues. That probably isn't necessary, but it seemed logical so i went with it.
Carbon paste: Also used sparingly. To the point that Carbon_Dude hasn't used any at all on either of his chiner builds, so it may be entirely unnecessary. Although, I will say that after using it, I could see how it could definitely allow you to use less torque on the handlebars and seat post clamp if you're worried about your carbon bits. From the research I've done, seems like it's a good idea to use it, but I wouldn't stress it if you don't have any. Maybe buy some if you start to have slippage issues. I've only applied it to the handlebar and seatpost, and that's it.
Grease: This is probably obvious to many but I didn't realize that you were supposed to grease almost every screw or bolt (use your finger, just a very light coat) on the bike except for the places I've already mentioned above. You'll also use grease on your headset bearings, and on the steerer tube before you seat the crown race. (more on that on the next page of this thread)
Take note that many components come with bolts that already have grease or loctite applied. Obviously, if it has one.. don't apply the other. That's a pretty basic summary, and I'm certain I'm leaving something out, but that should help any fellow newbs get a better understanding of where to apply the various compounds. Feel free to add your input.
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If you over tighten the brake line, it will leak and the brake line might even pull right out of the lever, it sucks when this happens because now you need a new insert and olive and then you need to start over again re-connecting the brake line. If you squeeze the lever and have no leaks, and the lever is firm, you are god to go.
That's the same grease, Park Tools Polylube, that I used throughout my two bikes.
For either of the two Chiner builds I've done, I've not used any carbon paste. There is some debate that if you don't need it to solve slippage problems, you don't need to use it. Given there would only be two places I would even think it could be applied on my bikes, seat post and bars, I found that if I tighten the clamp and stem to the proper torque (5 N-m), I have zero slippage issues.
I suppose if you add carbon past you can reduce the torque down to maybe 3-4 N-m but for me it's just one less thing to worry about.
I purchased a Ritchey Torqkey to help with setting the torque more easily on carbon parts:
http://www.amazon.com/Ritchey-TorqKey-5Nm-bits-T-15/dp/B009F93S9C (http://www.amazon.com/Ritchey-TorqKey-5Nm-bits-T-15/dp/B009F93S9C)
I have a torque wrench but this is something I can take with me on the trail and make adjustments and not worry about over tightening the bolts. I suppose I could also just make note of how much I turned the bolt when I loosened it and re-tighten it the same amount but I thought the TorqKey was pretty cool, quick and easy.
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I was up til one in the morning messing with that thing
Today, came home on my lunch brake (mineral fluid on my tie!)
Haha. Just like me, man - Mind can't rest until the job is done?
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I was up til one in the morning messing with that thing
Today, came home on my lunch brake (mineral fluid on my tie!)
Haha. Just like me, man - Mind can't rest until the job is done?
Ha! Yes, I suppose I do have that issue.
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I purchased a Ritchey Torqkey to help with setting the torque more easily on carbon parts:
http://www.amazon.com/Ritchey-TorqKey-5Nm-bits-T-15/dp/B009F93S9C (http://www.amazon.com/Ritchey-TorqKey-5Nm-bits-T-15/dp/B009F93S9C)
Yeah, I didn't do enough research on whether I needed the carbon paste or not. I just figured it could only help, but maybe not.
So.. If I buy that Ritchey TorqKey linked above, will that be sufficient enough to complete my build? Or will I still need a torque wrench for rotors and other parts?
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The Ritchey TorqKey is preset for 5N-m, or 45 in-lbs. It would not be the only torque wrench you need, you should check out Harbor Freight, they have an inexpensive torque wrench in the range you will need. The Ritchey TorqKey is just a tool of convenience :).
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Productivity levels.. Not so good today.
(http://i.imgur.com/unVEbx4.png)
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On the bright side, I did score this very old, slightly rusty, but seemingly operational beam-style torque wrench as a loaner from a friend:
(http://i.imgur.com/XaaM85R.png)
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Any torque wrench is good enough. Do you have hex key * torn bits for it? I find that, for the bike, it's not much good without bits.
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LOL at that meme! I know that feeling all too well!
And you shouldn't have to worry at all about that torque wrench. That's one of the good things about the beam style wrenches.. As long as the indicator sits perfectly on the zero, it's calibrated. But yeah, bits will help for sure.
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Jeez... I'm honestly embarrassed to admit I did this..
I really am going to make every possible rookie, idiot mistake in the book. Last night, I attempted to seat my crown race but I put my bearing on first, then the crown race on upside down, and then proceeded to use my home depot pvc pipe special crown race setting tool to wedge my bearing in between the crown race and and fork base. Doh!
I didn't realize my idiocy until the bearings wouldn't spin (no crap, how could they!?) and then had to spend the next hour using a screw driver and hammer to get them off. I ended up having to use the screwdriver and hammer to wedge space between the bearing and crown race. At first I tried to wedge space between the fork and bearing but not only was it not working.. but I also was scratching up the white paint on my fork. Hahaha.. I was so pissed by this point. I finally got the bearing and crown race off with most of the damage going to the blue rubber seal on the crown race.
It's all installed correctly now and seems to functioning smooth as can be. After a small bit of white touch up paint on the fork.. there is no visible damage either. But it does bother me knowing that the blue seal is damaged and I'm inclined to just order another lower bearing and crown race set since they're fairly cheap. Then again, it's functioning just fine and I may just ride it and see if it causes any issues. I suspect that it won't as I assume the seal is mainly to keep out dirt and grime. I probably shortened the life span of the lower headset, but maybe I'll just leave it for now and see.
Don't worry.. I bet I do something even dumber..
UPDATE:
To stop anyone from making the same mistake I did (surely somebody will, right??)..
Your Cane Creek 40 series lower will arrive looking just like the pic below, and that is exactly how you will want to install it. DO NOT attempt to make the words "Cane Creek" read right side up (that's what threw me off).. the words will be upside down when you install it.. just like the pic below. Separate the two pieces, apply grease on the two sides that will be touching each other, and then install just the lower part first (the piece that doesn't say Cane Creek on it, that's the crown race). Hammer it down until flush, then the bearing (the piece that will say Cane Creek upside down on it) will simply drop down and sit on the crown race.
(http://i.imgur.com/JxhVwoB.png)
To seat the crown race you will need to spend about $4 on a 3 foot piece of 1.5 inch, schedule 40 pvc pipe, and a 1.5" pvc pipe cap. The cap is so the hammer will have a contact point. The open end will be resting on your crown race.
(http://i.imgur.com/Npcv0Bg.jpg)
This vid was one of the only ones I could find that actually showed the orientation of the crown race when installed.. Wish I would've seen it before my mishap.
http://youtu.be/nJq-3xHBAM8
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Yep, on your first build you will do dumb things. When I was working with the brake lines I remember forgetting to put on the nut and the olive prior to putting on the insert more than once. Not as bad as what you did but when it's your first time, you don't realize things that just a few moments later become very obvious.
I wouldn't worry about the headset, if it all feels smooth then just ride it until it doesn't feel smooth anymore. It's not like you will be stranded out on the trail because your headset is not turning smoothly.
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Don't sweat it. I mean.. that was pretty dumb lol.. but I've done equally dumb things that ended up costing me a hell of a lot more than the $25 that a new cane creek lower headset would run you.
Besides, the lower headset doesn't usually give you problems, it's the upper that usually acts up. I bet you end up not having to change anything out at all.
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Well, you guys made me feel a little better about it. Thx. It's good to hear the upper is normally more prone to issues since I didn't completely hammer it to crap like I did the lower, lol.
Did a quick mock up just to get a feel for the geometry and ergonomics of the bike.
Picture Me Rollin:
(http://i.imgur.com/MIM5c1K.jpg)
You guys dig the Raceface sticker, or no? Came with my narrow wide chain ring, and the gold matched the fork stantions, and the "Easton" on the seat tube. Life or death decision here fellas.. I need your help ;D
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Thumbs up on the RaceFace sticker, I like it. Do you have one for the other side or is that where the ChinerTown sticker will be :).
Looks like you have a good start, once I got started on mine I couldn't stop, I am usually done in a weekend if I have all the parts, how much longer do you think until yours is done?
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Thumbs up on the RaceFace sticker, I like it. Do you have one for the other side or is that where the ChinerTown sticker will be :).
Looks like you have a good start, once I got started on mine I couldn't stop, I am usually done in a weekend if I have all the parts, how much longer do you think until yours is done?
No.. only came with one RF sticker.. Now that you mention it, the other side seems like a perfect place for the Chinertown sticker!
Yeah, trust me.. I hate that I'm having to start and then stop, but alas, not all parts are in my possession. I ordered the very last of what I need this past Friday (including tools) so I'm hoping it will all be here and I will have it on the trails by next weekend. But the weekend after that is probably more likely. I still have a few items I'm waiting for from Ribble which is a UK shop and can sometimes take 2 weeks for delivery to the U.S. but their prices on slx/xt stuff over the past month has been ridiculous.
Speaking of tools:
As I said earlier in this thread.. You'll need some bike specific tools. Just pony up, and get them.. They're cheap and you'll save that money ten times over by not having to pay the lbs for everything you need done.
From my research.. All you really need to get started is the following:
http://www.performancebike.com/bikes//Product_10052_10551_1030354_-1___
http://www.summitracing.com/parts/wmr-w3001c?seid=srese1&gclid=CISU6Z2z_70CFZRr7AodBUAAgQ
You can go without the work stand if you really have to but they're pretty affordable, as well:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Pro-Bike-Adjustable-41-To-75-Repair-Stand-w-Telescopic-Arm-Cycle-Bicycle-Rack/310911335508?_trksid=p2045573.c100034.m2102&_trkparms=aid%3D555012%26algo%3DPW.MBE%26ao%3D1%26asc%3D21023%26meid%3D5934668832356411554%26pid%3D100034%26prg%3D9336%26rk%3D1%26rkt%3D8%26sd%3D360744720389
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in that pic.. is that were you're planning to try them stem at, or you just threw it on there real quick without much thought? looks kinda high to me is all. messin up your crown race is no biggie, i'll encourage you to be more thorough when prepping to cut the steer tube, though.
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in that pic.. is that were you're planning to try them stem at, or you just threw it on there real quick without much thought? looks kinda high to me is all. messin up your crown race is no biggie, i'll encourage you to be more thorough when prepping to cut the steer tube, though.
No measurements done, or adjustments made whatsoever.. Haven't even leveled out the seat position yet in this pic, but I've since done some crude tweaks.
And yes, measuring and cutting the steerer tube is next and I agree - would suck to screw that up. My plan is to start with 2 x 10mm spacers on the bottom of the stem, and 1x10mm spacer on the top of the stem, and cut based on that measurement. I figure that's about the max amount of spacers I'd want below my stem anyways, so I'll start there and can remove a spacer, lower the stem, and cut more if I need to. From my crude tweaks.. 20mm spacers should put the bars around about where I estimate the seat will be. So, all in all.. seems like a solid plan to me, but let me know if there's a better way.
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To cut the stem I just used a standard $10 pipe cutter from Home Depot. One adjustment to the spacers is that I cut the steer tube a few millimeters shorter to allow the cap of the expansion nut to sit flush on the spacer that's above the stem.
Besides the Park Tools toolkit that SN posted, some other tools that I used for my build:
Park Tools Cable Cutter (reduces fraying of the cable)
Brake Hose Cutter (slices the line cleanly w/o compressing it)
Plastic Tire Levers
I also purchased a Park Tools Rear Derailleur Hanger Alignment tool, this helps to make sure your R/D is aligned correctly prior to setting up and adjusting the R/D, even out of the box my R/D was not perfectly aligned with the frame and rear wheel.
You may also want to have a brake bleed kit for Shimano or Avid depending on which brakes you buy.
Really not many tools at all, and once you have them you can do all your maintenance yourself.
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I would put a 'chinertown' sticker on my bike. I would defer to Sitar for an official before just making one. Let us know if you have a preference, and if so, what they are so we can have one made to your specs.
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So.. with my SLX cranks and bottom bracket, there's three o rings included.. How do I know if I need these or not?
Thx in advance.
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Nice. If that is going on a bike, the small print will be really small and unreadable....esp. from a distance.
If it is a general sticker...understandable.
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Don't know about the o-rings, but the sticker could be just the text, "ChinerTown.com" and it would be easily read from a short distance.
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Good points about the small text fellas.. Will modify and have a few different versions printed up, and see which turns out better when they get here.
There are apparently only two possible configurations with the spacers. You will use at least one of them, and they mount between the bearing cup and the bottom bracket shell.. If you have a 68mm wide bottom bracket shell, then you need 2 spacers on drive side and one on non-drive side. If you have 73mm shell then you only need one on the drive side. That is if you are using a triple crankset. If you're using the Shimano double crankset with a 73mm BB you would still only use one spacer, but on the non drive side - This will apparently give you the optimal chain line.
A quick measurement of the 057 BB puts it at 73mm, and I'm using the triple crankest.. so one drive side bottom bracket spacer/o-ring it is.
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There are apparently only two possible configurations with the spacers. You will use at least one of them, and they mount between the bearing cup and the bottom bracket shell.. If you have a 68mm wide bottom bracket shell, then you need 2 spacers on drive side and one on non-drive side. If you have 73mm shell then you only need one on the drive side. That is if you are using a triple crankset. If you're using the Shimano double crankset with a 73mm BB you would still only use one spacer, but on the non drive side - This will apparently give you the optimal chain line.
A quick measurement of the 057 BB puts it at 73mm, and I'm using the triple crankest.. so one drive side bottom bracket spacer/o-ring it is.
That's good info to know. Will def need to know this in a few weeks (hopefully!)
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A little different than for a SRAM GXP bottom bracket on my XX1 setup. Per SRAM's installation instructions:
Use calipers to measure the bottom bracket shell width of your frame.
- 68 mm bottom bracket shells require one 2.5 mm spacer on each side of the bottom bracket shell.
- 73 mm bottom bracket shells do not require spacers.
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So today is bottom bracket / crank install day.
Started off a bit rocky because when I attempted to thread in the non-drive side bearing cup by hand.. I couldn't get it to thread into the bottom bracket at all. After having the drive side one thread in with ease until seated against the frame, and then reading that both sides should easily be able to be threaded in by hand with ease.. I was a bit nervous.
Luckily, my tool kit just so happened to arrive today, and when I took the bottom bracket tool to the bearing cup, it went right in. Pretty nice tool kit from what i can tell. Nothing seems overly cheap, but I'm sure if I had a Park set sitting right next to it, the difference would be obvious. Nice starter set, depending on how much i find myself using them, I may want to upgrade.
(http://i.imgur.com/pD2C8Hp.png)
Not sure what the resistance was from as I cleaned and lubed the bottom bracket threads, but it's in there now, so I'm not going to worry about it. Maybe just some tight tolerances, who knows. But I was super careful to properly thread them in, as messing up the bottom bracket threading was the last thing I wanted to happen. Glad I had the right tool for the job. In hindsight, seems silly that tools were the absolute last thing that I purchased for this build. Should have been one of the first.
Either way.. for now, all is well:
(http://i.imgur.com/Iq2680D.png)
I found this video pretty helpful in understanding the basics of the install process:
http://www.pinkbike.com/video/150764/
This is where I'm at currently:
(http://i.imgur.com/1ruwUGR.png)
Turns out that the drive shaft may need some coaxing with a rubber mallet, in order to fully insert. I'm highly uncomfortable with the thought of doing this but according to this MTBR thread that I found, it's a fairly common thing when installing the latest Shimano cranks:
http://forums.mtbr.com/drivetrain-shifters-derailleurs-cranks/how-do-you-install-xt-m770-10-hollow-tech-ii-cranks-740777.html
A bit of a pain, but at least it'll be pretty when it's done.. I think the Raceface wide narrow chainring matches the SLX crank arms perfectly. Almost like the crank arm graphics fade into the chainring.
(http://i.imgur.com/qLhpJvR.png)
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For my IP-057 both external BB cups threaded in by hand, however, on the IP-036 only one side threaded in by hand. The other side required the BB tool and a little effort. When carefully cleaning the grease off, inspecting the threads I did not see anything that would cause a problem. When I ran the point is a pick tool around the groove of the thread I could feel some roughness. I think what I felt was some clear resin that got on the threads and cured. I scraped a bit in the groove and it improved a bit but that side is still not like the other.
My Shimano cranks, when I had them, would require a few whacks with a rubber mallet, not required for SRAM cranks though.
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Okay, that's good to hear then. Yeah, I also thought I felt a bit of roughness on the threads of the SLX bottom bracket which I'm sure contributed to the tight fit. I couldn't imagine a brand new set of mid/high end Shimano cranks could come out of the box like that, but maybe they did.. or possibly dried resin, like you said.
The good news is no mallet was needed (good thing bc I didn't have one and was in the process of making my own "padded" hammer lol), all I had to do was go to the non-drive side of the bike, and grip the outside of the bikes bottom bracket and the Raceface chainring with my best hamburger grip, and squeeze as hard as I could.. popped right into place. Sweet.
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If I didn't like XX1 so much I would have done what you are doing with the Shimano 1x10 Type 2 R/D, and a narrow/wide chain ring. I would also have looked into a Wolftooth or Oneup 42T rear cog. The only other thing you gain with XX1 is the 10T rear cog and the convenience of being able to swap out the chain ring w/o the need to remove the crank. I've also grown to like the SNAP-SNAP positive click you get with the SRAM shifter. Both are good though and I guess you save about $500 hundred bucks going SLX 1x10.
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Yeah, mainly it was the price difference that made my decision easy.. and then when I started seeing the Wolftooth and Oneup 42T rear cogs come out it was an even easier decision. Even though many of those using the 42T cogs have reported issues, I figure it's just a matter of time before everything is sorted out and riders and manufacturers have figured how to make this work flawlessly.
I think I may actually look into the Hope T-Rex 40T cog. From what I can gather, perhaps the smaller jump to the 40T rather than to a 42T will be a smoother transition.
42T on the left, 40T on the right:
(http://i.imgur.com/UN57qoN.png)
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So all in all.. Bottom bracket / crank install day went rather smoothly.
(http://i.imgur.com/5rs1L2t.png)
Starting to look like an actual bike at this point:
(http://i.imgur.com/fFb0Tww.png)
So, I hadn't taken all of the bubble wrap off of the fork until today and I was unaware that the Manitou Tower Pro had such an odd shaped crown, and it's on the opposite side. Very industrial. Not sure if I like it yet. Doesn't matter as i would've bought it anyways simply bc of the $250 price tag.
(http://i.imgur.com/h2fk1PW.png)
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Really starting to look good. Good job SN!
Is that a 30 or a 32 tooth RF chainring. Also may I ask, where did you pick up the fork for $250? Thanks,
Andy. :)
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Really starting to look good. Good job SN!
Is that a 30 or a 32 tooth RF chainring. Also may I ask, where did you pick up the fork for $250? Thanks,
Andy. :)
Thanks a lot Andy!
That would be a 32T RF chainring.. Still unsire if i may should have gotten the 30T. I guess I'll find out soon enough.
The fork was on sale at PricePoint for $250 just about a month and a half ago.. Sales over now, but I'm sure they'll have another. Just not sure when. By far the most fork you can get for that price imo, unless you buy used, of course. Even then it didn't seem like i was able to find a better deal than the Tower Pro. Looking forward to getting it on the trails as all of the reviews seem to highlight it's small bump compliance, which is what was most important to me. I really wanted 100mm rather than 80mm, but other than that it seemed like the perfect fork at the perfect price.
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For others putting their crank together, I put the axle in the freezer and tried using a hair dryer on the bb area. Not sure the hair dryer helped (didn't use it very long).
I have the bb30 bb. If you messed with bmx bikes cranks, then it is nearly the same.
I used a diy bolt set up. I tried doing both bearings at same time. They went in cockeyed.
I ended up banging onthem with a hammer to get them in. I figured there would be a problem and I would be doing it again....but no so fa4 so good. I suspect they will quicker but Enduro has the 6806 bearings (hybrid ceramic) for less than 20 each.
Ultimately, don't be afraid to be physical with it.
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Freeze them, huh? I assume you read this somewhere or just had a moment of clarity? I guess it would help though.
I almost ordered the 057 frame with bb30 as it seems from a purely theoretical perspective, that it would be the superior system, but I've just read too many people say to just stick with the standard bsa Shimano threaded bottom bracket. Perhaps, when I start my 036 build (or a different Chiner full suss if they produce a different design soon enough) then I'll try out the bb30 system. Like I said.. my brain wants to think it's superior. Still undecided, ultimately.
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Got three of four deliveries that I've been waiting on today. The last one is scheduled to arrive tomorrow, so now I can hopefully have the build complete by this weekend. Still haven't even cut the fork yet though, and also have to mount these Geax Saguaro TNT tires that are supposedly ridiculously difficult to get mounted on a Stan's style rim.
So, who knows.. but this weekend is definitely the goal!
(http://i.imgur.com/5sVClCV.png)
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Thanks for the update SN. Looking forward to seeing the completed build and ride report.
Ever thought about doing a little paint work to the frame or you just gonna leave it all black? Either way it's gonna be sweet!
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Yeah I did consider some paint work, but I would've had it done at the factory just like Carbon_Dude did if I was going to go that route. I'm actually a pretty big fan of the color black so I'll probably leave it as is. My last bike was a 26er matte black Cannondale Rush and I always loved the stealthy look of that bike. It was a bonus to me that the 057 frame came in UD carbon matte black. I think it looks awesome.. but some bright and striking paint job would be sweet too. I reallt like the black and white color scheme of CD's 036.
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So I was originally planning to go with Maxxis Ikon 2.35 front and rear until a fellow Chinertown resident turned me on to a sweet deal at ArtsCyclery.com on some Geax Saguaros.. Thread is here for those that want to read some additional thoughts on the tyres: http://chinertown.com/index.php/topic,27.0.html
I will say that the tyres look sweet, were just the tread pattern and volume I was looking for and were a great price so I'm pumped about getting them.. but these things were pretty ridiculous to get on the rim. I had read some online warnings about the Saguaros before I got them so I had some idea of what I was getting myself into, but considering this is the very first time I've mounted a tire on a rim of any kind.. I actually had no idea.
Once I got my method down, learned to liberal with the soapy water, things did get a little more hopeful. But I ended up having to out the tyres in the oven for about 3-5 minutes on a temp of about 100 degrees before I finally won that battle.
Was worth it.. Really like these tyres. Haven't ridden them yet so I guess I should say that I really like the characteristics of this tire thus far. Oh yeah, plus they're cheap.
results of the battle:
(http://i.imgur.com/AEu85lw.jpg)
Build is progressing a bit slower than I'd like but I mostly expected that. I will absolutely, if it's the last thing I do.. Have this bike built and ridden by this weekend. Going to cut the forks tonight. Then it's drive train set up time, already ran the cables and mounted shifter and deralleur Then... well.. I think that may actually be it.
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Tires look really good, glad you like them!
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Fork is now cut and headset, grips, levers, and cables all installed! A few more days and she'll be all done.
It's actually an easy job to do. If you're entirely new at this, then I'd advise you to simply go long on the first cut. Put two 10mm spacers under them stem and cut using that as your starting point. I'm glad I did it this way because it allowed me to become familiar with actually doing the process, and as a result, my second and permanent (for now) cut was much better than my first sort of test run.
One thing to pay attention to is making sure the star nut is centered as perfectly as you can get it. I apparently didn't do that the first time and it was causing my headset and stem to load (compress together) unevenly. At least, I assume that was the cause. After hammering in the star nut, go ahead and screw in the bolt and use it as a reference as to how centered the star nut is. Makes it far easier to gauge. I also found that it helped to hold the bike from underneath where the fork and headtube meet while tightening down the headset cap.
(http://i.imgur.com/zlYyGfz.jpg)
Couple of vids that I referenced. There are lots of polished vids out there but they're usually using some kind of tool I don't have, so these more home made videos have been more useful for me.
I used this guys method of using two spacers to determine where to cut:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MBusI6Wjb8w
I actually don't recommend doing it like this guy but I mean it works just fine. He never even removes the fork. How he uses and old headset screw to hammer down the star nut seems like it would work pretty well.. but I didn't have one so a small screw driver worked just fine. And if you don't have a bike stand, this may work for you.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pg1BIh0FfH0
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I gotta admit.. I feel a bit like a corn ball for doing this but I just ordered a helmet that perfectly matches my bike. Fox flux:
(http://i.imgur.com/tJw3fIN.jpg)
I don't know.. brightly colored, patterned helmets just aren't my thing but I think this one is just understated enough to avoid the corn ball feeling I have learned to associate with bike helmets. Maybe not.
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When I cut my stem, I noticed the headset cap needed the steer tub to be slightly recessed below the stem for the cap to fit flush to the stem. That was the main thing that I needed to make sure I had right, if I had cut the stem flush with the stem, there would have been a gap between the cap and the stem.
Like you, I have a bit of extra steer tube above the stem. I'm fine with that, I don't need to have the steer tube as short as possible. If you change stems or move the fork to another bike, it's nice to have extra steer tube length.
SN, I noticed you like a pretty short stem, my two are 90mm and 100mm, yours looks like 50-70mm, that will make the steering pretty fast I would think. Good for tight single track maybe.
The helmet looks good BTW.
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SN, I noticed you like a pretty short stem, my two are 90mm and 100mm, yours looks like 50-70mm, that will make the steering pretty fast I would think. Good for tight single track maybe.
I'm really just playing it by ear and will adjust if I need to. The stem is 75mm and yes that is supposed to quicken steering, but the wider handlebars apparently offsets that. Also, the shorter stem is supposed to make going over the bars a less likely thing to occur. We'll see. I noticed your longer stems and was thinking I may have gone too short. If so.. that's okay.. I don't mind playing around with the set up and even buying a longer stem in order to find the proper fit, but I think I'd be more likely to get wider bars than a longer stem.
Right now though, I'm a bit annoyed with my Shimano rear brake lever. They seem to be working just find but I've noticed that the lever has an odd "catching" action at the very end of it's travel/pull. It's nothing major and like I said the brakes work just fine but seeing as how the left side doesn't do it.. I noticed it and now it's bugging me. Not sure if I lost some fluid when cutting the lines.. or got a tiny bit of air in there, or what, but to me it seems like the issue may be with the actual lever itself.
In the pic below the arrow points to the part that's causing it. Looks like it.s some sort of bearing that the lever actuates when pulled. At the very end of the lever squeeze, this little bearing/whatever it is kinda "pops" into place causing it to have a different feel than the left/front lever. Doesn't seem like that would be an issue with air or fluid, as it always happens in the exact same spot in the lever pull.. the very end where that bearing fully recesses into it's destination - it kinda "pops" in there and the other one doesn't. Small issue but def want to get it sorted. I lubed it.. didn't help. Any ideas or input is appreciated.
(http://i.imgur.com/Ntqg9zc.jpg)
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That's very odd about your brake lever. I just did a brake bleed on my IP-056 rear brake. The more I learn about the Shimano's, the easier they seem to be to service. No fault of the brake system that it needed bleeding, I just didn't get it right last year when I installed the brakes and the rear lever never felt as solid as my front lever. Even though I've been sick these past few days, I decided to work on my bike a bit and 20 min later, I had the rear lever feeling just as solid as the front.
I think I didn't have the bike on the right angle for all the air to easily bleed out of the line before. This time, I put the bike in the stand at about a 45 deg angle and pushed fluid from the rear caliper up to the lever, after that the lever felt perfect.
As for your rear lever, I don't have any advice other than if it bothers you (as it would me), see if you can exchange it. Seems like it could be defective, none of my levers have any kind of popping, just smooth actuation throughout the travel.
UPDATE: I did check my levers after I posted and found that on the release there can be a very small click or pop. Smooth when squeezing in, but a slight click or pop on the release. Most noticeable on the rear brake, slightly noticeable on one of my front brakes.
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Returned that helmet.. Just couldn't do it. Too flashy and bulky for my tastes. Going to try an all matte black Bell Super next. As for my small brake lever issue.. it's just one of things that slightly annoy me but will certainly not affect performance. In fact, since I actually got to ride my bike today (!) I now know that by the time I squeezed that right lever enough to feel the "pop" at the end of the lever travel, I would have flown over the front of my bars by then. Seriously, total non issue thankfully.
And man, these brakes are freaking sweet! The last brakes I had experience with were the Avid bb7s (which I bet a lot of you have used extensively) and while the Avids are nice brakes.. hydros are way better. I love the feel/modulation and power i get with just one finger because of these brakes.. and I only have the Deore M615 with XT rotors.. I can't really imagine the full XT set up could be all that much better, but as I've already pointed out.. this is my first foray into the realm of hydraulic brakes, so what do I know. Either way, these brakes are plenty awesome enough for me.
So is the bike. Seriously, I freaking love this thing. Fit is close to perfect. Might have to make some minor tweaks when I learn more what I prefer as far as cock pit set-up, but for now the fit seemed surprisingly perfect. Really happy about that as I definitely got a bit lucky. That said.. In 2 months I might feel the need to go for a longer stem, or set back post, or wider bars. We'll see.
As for the ride.. It is exactly what I was wanting. Which is a relief because in the 2-3 month process of deal shopping and slowly buying components and doing ridiculous amounts of research, you tend to change your mind about what it is you do want. Mainly, I was starting to wonder if I made a mistake going hardtail over a full suspension.
I have owned a full suspension 26er and really liked it, but the pedal bob really did annoy me. I had read so much about how 29 inch wheels smooth things out, and considering my local trails are mostly smooth dirt, and the fat tires, and the carbon.. I didn't really need the full suspension.. did I? After hitting the trail today, I'll say that I love the 29er hardtail platform really does roll over things better than my 26 full squish with smaller tubed tires, and the direct power transfer to the wheel from the pedals is exactly what I was wanting. I really like the stiffness of the whole bike, and I'm sure the carbon is coming into play there.
I never really understood when people talked about carbon's smoothness or dampening characteristics, but it really does just "vibrate" you less.. and combined with the stiffness, lightness, and now affordability.. I won't be going with allot frames anytime in the foreseeable future. I was a little worried that I was going to be disappointed with carbon fiber frames.. Like a movie that had been hyped up so much that when you finally saw it you were just kinda like "meh", but carbon fiber is obviously superior in every way to aluminum, and you can absolutely feel the difference.
Now that the bike is done and I've hit the trails... I couldn't be happier. Like I said.. this thing is awesome and tons of fun. A fully custom, high end carbon bike is significantly better than any bike I've owned or ridden, and it makes a huge difference out on the trails. Not only is the bike bad ass, but I learned an absolute TON and now I can actually work on and tweak my bike myself, which is a huge perk. In retrospect, MTB mechanics are dead simple and fun. I encourage anyone looking to but a bike to consider building your own from the ground up, even if it's not a Chiner.. it's just a more rewarding experience in my opinion.
I'll continue to update this thread with any issues I encounter or changes I try out, and plan on adding some more in depth how to guides though out the thread as well.
I'm in the process of making up some Chinertown stickers now and will post some more pics when I get one on my bike, but for now:
(http://i.imgur.com/JQAXr74.jpg)
(http://i.imgur.com/1wZtGhu.jpg)
(http://i.imgur.com/87s0Zd8.jpg)
;D ;D ;D
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Oh.. and final spend ended up being within a hundred dollars of my target of 2k.. came in about $2,090.. Pretty darn cheap for the bike I got, imo.
As for the weight.. using a very rudimentary bathroom scale method that I'm sure many of you have used.. just above 22 pounds, which I'm very pleased with. I know that's far from an accurate weight but I at least know it's in the ball park of what I was aiming for. Will get an exact reading on the weight soon.
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Looks really good SN! Glad you finally completed your build and got it out for a ride this past weekend. I'm not sure the XT brakes would feel much different from your SLX brakes, both are said to be excellent brakes. I also love the minimal one finger effort you get with them.
I agree with you on how smooth the carbon rides, no aluminum frame can compare. Not sure about chromoly steel or titanium, I've not ridden frames made from those materials but those materials will not be nearly as light as a carbon frame. With carbon I felt less fatigue when riding, the small bumps and vibration are just damped out by the carbon. Like you said, I will never go back to an AL framed bike, the carbon is just so good.
22 lbs is very good for a $2,100 build, mine came in at 19.5 lbs bit cost $3,400 so I'd say you did very well. Not to mention a set of Geax Saguaro tires are a pound heavier than say a set of Racing Ralphs.
Congrats again!
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Great job SN and congratulations on your new bike! It looks beautiful and sounds like it rides great. It was ALOT of fun reading your build thread and Watching all come together. Please keep us updated on any new changes are thoughts. Again, thanks for sharing!
Andy. :)
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Thanks guys!
Went out for another ride this morning and what I really notice and like about this bike/frame is the light weight and the stiffness that provide that direct power transfer. Pulling up the front wheel is ridiculously easy.. almost effortless.
Can't lie.. as much as I love this bike.. I definitely caught the upgrade/bike build bug and still have a few upgrades in mind for this bike and also plans for a not so budget full suspension build.
As for my plans for this bike.. I'm definitely going for a 30mm hookless carbon rim wheelset with some DT Swiss 240 hubs and will most likely try out the lighter weight Ikon tyres on that set, as well.
I'm also dead set on getting a MTB version of the below seatpost:
(http://i.imgur.com/t3uU8Kd.png)
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You know you have the upgrade bug bad when you are wanting a $250+ seat post :). Those Geax tires provide quite a bit of bump absorption on your hard tail :). Maybe just run a few less psi in the rear and you won't need to the seat post.
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Ha! Coming from the guy that built a high end carbon hardtail then upgraded.... To a whole new carbon full suss bike! ;D
Seriously tho.. I could never pay that for a seat post but, for whatever reason, I really like the idea of that post.. Just one inch of travel that doesn't take away any pedaling efficiency. Seems perfect for a carbon hardtail 29er.
I haven't gotten to play with PSI too much. This is also my first tubeless set up, so i'm pretty unfamiliar with how much of an effect a few psi can actually have.. But I would play around with it before dropping more money into the bike as $300 is an amount that would most definitely be put in the 036 build fund. Pretty excited that the SRAM X1 is going to be available by then. Puts it within my reach.
Here's an update of the sticker design for the bike.. Great to get feedback on this as I'm in no way a graphic designer any more than I am a bike mechanic.. but I can manage to hack a few things together:
(http://i.imgur.com/JejvUPF.png)
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Sticker design looks good, my first thought is should there be a ".com" as part of the "Chinertown?"
As for the seat post, yes, a little more compliance is always nice. Particularly for someone like me who has back issues. After about 6 miles I always need to stretch out my back, there is less fatigue now that I have a carbon frame though. The seat itself can also make a big difference with making a ride more enjoyable. I noticed when I first built my IP-057 that it took a couple rides to get the seat height, seat location on the post, and seat angle just right. Make sure you bring a hex wrench with you and do the adjustments on the trail during your ride.
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Yeah.. I know I'll need to fine tune the fit a bit.. There's no way I was lucky enough to just set it up perfectly first try. Good tip to bring a hex wrench with me.. Prob wouldn't have thought to do that so thanks.
As for the ".com" being in the logo.. I tried getting it in there but I just couldn't do it without it throwing the whole balance of the logo off. I'll see if I can get creative and make it work. I agree that it'd be better to have it there.. But, generally, it's really only critical to have the domain extension in the logo if the site is built in a ".net" or ".org" because people tend to type in ".com" instinctually.. Maybe I'll start a new thread in "After the Ride" specifically to get some feedback on the logo.
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(http://i.imgur.com/JejvUPF.png)
Looking better! The bottom text is much larger and more in proportion with the top text. I really like the new logo at the top of the site too. The one that just says "Chinertown" in front of the world. Think it's definitely an improvement. More simple and bold. Maybe use the one I quoted for stickers or t shirts or whatever, to let me people know what the site is about, and on the site just use the more plain one since it already says "Chinese Carbon MTB Forums" in the top right corner of the site anyways.
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Okay, CD.. Got the ".com" in there..
Sticker final design (I think):
(http://i.imgur.com/q2cf95K.png)
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Looks final to me :).
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That final one is a pretty sick graphic for not being a graphic designer. Nice job.
I'll take one if you're giving them out.
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That final one is a pretty sick graphic for not being a graphic designer. Nice job.
I'll take one if you're giving them out.
Ha!.. I absolutely will send you one. I'm just humbled that somebody even wants one - Thanks!
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What size are you planning on for those stickers?
Chainstay size?
Or back bumper of car?
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(http://i.imgur.com/JQAXr74.jpg)
Very nice build, SN! The polished stem looks really sharp. How are you finding the steering? I've stumbled across probably the same articles you did about the benefits of a shorter stem, but also like Carbon Dude alluded to, it could get twitchy. Let us know what you think, after you get a feel for the bike.
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@ brmeyer: The stickers will be chainstay size and high quality clear vinyl. Can't bring myself to put some cheap white background sticker on my chiner. Just can't do it. :)
@ Rigid: Thanks! As for the stem, it's funny you should bring that up. I won't say that the steering is twitchy at all. So far, I really like the way the bike handles, but something is going to have to change about the cock pit set up, I'm just not sure what yet.
While I'm riding I find myself scooting my rear further back on the seat than it's set up for. Problem is my seat is already pushed all the way back to past the last measurement guideline on the seat rail. I could take it back a bit further but I'd then be past the guideline. You guys think it'd be alright to push the seat as far back in the rails as it will go, or should I keep it in the lines?
So I'm thinking I may need to consider either a set back post or a longer stem, but I'm leaning towards the setback post. Welcome any and all input, of course.
Another thing that makes me think that a setback post will be the way to go is that when I sit on the seat and have me feet on the pedals, with the crank arms parallel to the ground - my knee doesn't line up with pedal axle, and if I remember correctly, that is one thing that is looked at when determining optimal fit. Somebody correct me if I'm wrong, but if that is the case, then scooting my seat back just a bit would bring my kne cap more in line with where the pedal axle lines up.
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I think I'm going to just slam the seat all the way back in the rails, and drop them stem all the way down to the frame.
EDIT: Seat is all the way back and fit is much better. Knee cap lines up perfectly with pedal axle when crank arm is parallel to the ground now. I think a setback post would be too much, but it would allow me to have my seat rails clamped within the recommended middle range of the rail, though I highly doubt it will be an issue.
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A little different than for a SRAM GXP bottom bracket on my XX1 setup. Per SRAM's installation instructions:
Use calipers to measure the bottom bracket shell width of your frame.
- 68 mm bottom bracket shells require one 2.5 mm spacer on each side of the bottom bracket shell.
- 73 mm bottom bracket shells do not require spacers.
Carbon what did the IP-057 have ? 68mm with spacer or 73mm with none?
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^^ I can't speak about the SRAM GXP bottom bracket but I can tell you that the 057 has a 73mm measurement for the BB shell.
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Yep.
IP-057 = 73mm
IP-036 = 68mm
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Great stuff in here.
As far as bloopers go..
It took me almost a week to figure out the headset issues I had. I had to wait an extra week for the slim spacers so rode around with a thin carbon headset spacer till they arrived.
When swapping the shimano to Jagwire Hyflows I first under torqued the rear caliper leading to a huge leak that contaminated my pads. Then OVER torqued them and broke a piece off. SMH.
Tubeless setup took a week before it finally sealed because I forgot to put the lockring on the valve.
Oh and the awful part of saying "Im not spending $$ on that tool when I can use this or just lifehack my way around it"...then realizing you cant do it any other way and ordering the darn tool anyway.
Lastly.... the scary pop when I first installed some weight weenie 26" tubes but didnt bother stretching them out first. My first pedal felt like Id run over bubble wrap.
Anywho...I like the last logo , and the bike looks great. Have you had any issues with chain drop ?
Also I never realized you could increase the size of the last cog. Is it just a simple swap ?
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Yep, issues I had when building my IP-057:
1) Over-torquing the brake line and crushing the olive.
2) Under-torquing the brake line and having in weep fluid.
3) Having never installed SRAM cranks before, fighting with the external hex nut, only to find I need to use a smaller hex wrench and turn the hex nut below the outer one.
4) Spending a little more time than anticipated getting the XX1 derailleur to shift perfectly (needed to adjust the b-screw).
Spent far more time building the FS IP-036.
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The B screw lol...
It took me eons to figure out wth it was for , when I had shifting issues this year I had to go back and readup as I a had forgotten.
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Anywho...I like the last logo , and the bike looks great. Have you had any issues with chain drop ?
Also I never realized you could increase the size of the last cog. Is it just a simple swap ?
Thanks. Zero issues with chain drop and I'm confident that I won't. With narrow wide chain rings and clutch rear derailleurs I think we can collectively say that is a problem of the past. Took far too long imo but that's another topic.
As for swapping to a bigger cog int the rear.. I haven't done it personally but from what I can tell it should be a simple install. Although, it may require some adjustment to drive train after install. I'll probably be holding off on upgrading to a 40T in the rear simply bc I really don't need it for the trails I'm currently riding. Also, with sram just coming out with the X! set-up I'm really interested to see what kind of price those pop up at within the next 3-6 months.
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Hey guys, just ran into this site. It's pretty coo. I'm in the middle of my IP057 build. I've never posted on any boards so I don't know how to post pics. Sorryl
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Easiest way to post a pic is to add a .jpg photo as an attachment below the reply box you will see. However, you may need to have at least 5 posts before you can add attachments.
Another option is to create an account on a picture website like Photobucket.com and post a link from the image to this board.
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Just use http://imgur.com/
no sign up needed. super simple.
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Hope this works!
http://imgur.com/a/46nS1
(http://imgur.com/a/46nS1)
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Didn't work but I fixed it for you Tony.
Looks good. I like the Lefty fork with the remote lock out. Next time post a few pictures of the other side of the bike :).
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Thanks! I'm waiting on carbon wheels from Yoeleo, install chain, and some minor adjustments and my build will be complete. This is an awesome board. Few of my buddies were skeptical regarding these frames but they have since become believers. No more overpriced brand bikes for me!
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Thanks! I'm waiting on carbon wheels from Yoeleo, install chain, and some minor adjustments and my build will be complete. This is an awesome board. Few of my buddies were skeptical regarding these frames but they have since become believers. No more overpriced brand bikes for me!
Yep, that's most people on MTBR, they think there is no way I can buy a good quality carbon hard tail frame for less than $2,000, and yet the Chinese Carbon Frame thread is the longest, most active thread on that board.
Please post more pictures when you get your build completed Tony.
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Hey fellas.. made a quick vid:
http://youtu.be/2CSGmC-HaPw
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Great video Ned. Noticed the Hot Springs tower in the distance
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Thanks for posting the video review. It helped boost my confidence with my purchase which hadn't arrived yet.
How do you like the Manitou suspension fork?
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Great video Ned. Noticed the Hot Springs tower in the distance
Hah! Panned back to the left just for you, Ray. Was wondering if you'd recognize it, lol.
How do you like the Manitou suspension fork?
Like it a lot. The only other nice suspension fork that I've owned was a lefty and while I really like the weight and the looks of the lefty, the suspension action on the Manitou seems comparable to it, and just as good or better than a Fox that I test rode fairly extensively on a Trek I rented from my lbs a few months ago. To be honest.. it's usually pretty hard for me to detect subtle differences in suspension forks, but this Manitou actually has a coil spring that controls the first half of it's travel and I can definitely tell it's there - and I like it. Seems to be really responsive on small bumps, which is the reason I went with it in the first place. I also like the hexagon shaped ends on the the thru-axle (they call it hex-lock, of course), that is supposed to help with increased torsional rigidity.. not sure if it actually helps but it seems like a design improvement . Oh, and the price. The fork was actually the first thing I bought for the whole build.. saw it for $275 and though I'd snag it up. Glad I did. Really like it so far.
(http://i.imgur.com/2iO1MHJ.jpg)
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Really liked the video SN! The view from the mountain top was very nice and a good setting. Your bike is so CLEAN!
I've been riding mine about every other day and we've had daily showers here so the trails are a bit damp in places so my bikes are not clean.
Sell the Sun Ringles and get some hookles carbons!
While I love the look of the rigid carbon fork, it would beat me up so bad on the trails we have here, just too many roots, rocks, and small drops on my favorite nearby single track.
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Really liked the video SN! The view from the mountain top was very nice and a good setting. Your bike is so CLEAN!
I've been riding mine about every other day and we've had daily showers here so the trails are a bit damp in places so my bikes are not clean.
Sell the Sun Ringles and get some hookles carbons!
While I love the look of the rigid carbon fork, it would beat me up so bad on the trails we have here, just too many roots, rocks, and small drops on my favorite nearby single track.
Thinking I'll keep the Sun Ringle hubs and just send them to be laced to the 30mm hookless carbon. Wish I could win the frkn contest! ;D Didn't think I could go that route initially bc the Sun hubs are 28 hole and I had assumed that the carbon ones were 32 hole, but I'm pretty sure they ahave a 28 hole option. Do you happen to know for certain about that, CD?
The carbon rigid forks do look sweet! And to be clear.. I do think that a suspension fork is preferred, but if my budget was more limited I wouldn't hesitate to get the rigid fork - spend that money on carbon rims or something. Just saying that when I started the build my mindset was "I absolutely must have a good suspension fork", now I think I'd be happy with a fully rigid, fully carbon (spend money saved on fork on carbon rims instead) light weight build. Basically, with budget in mind, I might would prioritize carbon hoops over suspension fork. That is, of course, with the intentions of building a full suspension chiner at some point. If I didn't plan on the full squish - I may not be so willing to go without the front suspension fork on the hardtail. I think I may transfer the Manitou over to a full suspension chiner, and put the carbon rigid on the hardtail. Will take a few hundred dollars off my full squish build.
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The carbon wheels I have are 28 hole but I'm sure 32 holes is also common. For me a suspension fork is a must have, more so than the carbon wheels, if your budget allows get both of course but if your budget is tight and the trails you ride are not terribly bad, I guess a rigid fork would work for a while, until you can justify or get a good deal on a suspension fork.
As for the FS Chiner, still liking mine and I use every bit of the suspension travel I have, my only issue right now is creaking in the pivots, I need to figure out the best way to quiet down the squeaks and creaks.
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I guess I like the finesse required with rigid.. different kind of riding style. That's why I need both ;D
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Nice vid !
Great scenery too. Im sure many will find it helpful and encouraging. I know there were only a a few vids when I was going to purchase. Seeing we have the similar drive train and brakes I definitely give it a thumbs up ;D
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Nice vid !
Great scenery too. Im sure many will find it helpful and encouraging. I know there were only a a few vids when I was going to purchase. Seeing we have the similar drive train and brakes I definitely give it a thumbs up ;D
Yep. When I was looking there was just one vid basically like mine.. I think I prob watched that vid like 5 times. Not really sure why. I guess it's just all that much closer to seeing the bike/frame in person.
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it will be a great bicycle ,man. :)
Thanks, Bertzhong.. Welcome to the thread and the forum!
Thanks , man, I think I can study more knowledge of the bicycle form the forum, thanks again!!
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I took my newly built IP-057 out on the trail this morning and was blown away by how awesome the geometry is on this frame and how agile it was on the trail. It handled everything I threw at it. Mind blowing. I am a true chiner believer and so are my friends!
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That seems to be the general consensus of those that build an IP-057, great all around hard tail bike.
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Do you think they will keep the 057 available in the future or will the 256 completely replace it?
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Do you think they will keep the 057 available in the future or will the 256 completely replace it?
Hmmm.. good question.
I think the 057 may get phased out but I could be wrong. Personally, I still prefer the 057 over the 256, but that's probably bc I own it and like was posted above, the geometry just feels right to me. Love the length of the top tube and the slack but not too slack head tube angle.
Hope the 057 sticks around.
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We will still have IP-057 frame available all the time in future
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We will still have IP-057 frame available all the time in future
Well, there you have it folks. The 057 will be around for quite a while it sounds like.
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Quick video of my IP-057 build.
IP-057 Video: http://youtu.be/4ugbCETW09Y
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You trying to come up in my thread and show-up my chiner with that lefty fork and fancy red hubs? ;D
Looks awesome, man. Thanks for sharing. I wish more people made videos of their bikes instead of just pics.
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Smokin' Tony. Beautiful bike. for you guys using the XX1 cranks, is the GXP bottom bracket compatible with the BB30/PF30 frames or BSA frames?
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Nice bike Tony, thanks for sharing the video!
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Thanks guys! I would never try to show you up Sitar_Ned! Lol
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Thanks guys! I would never try to show you up Sitar_Ned! Lol
It's pretty much the perfect hardtail build imo. Curious how much the 057 frame weighs built up with the lefty, carbon hoops, and the XX1 set-up??
And is that seat just a generic Chinese carbon one or something else? You like it, is it comfortable enough?
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It came in at 22lbs on my bathroom scale and who knows how accurate that is. It is a Fisik tundra2 saddle which is really comfortable. It came with my cannondale scalpel3 so I decided to get one for my IP-057. Here is a breakdown of my build:
Medium 12X142 IP-057, 90mm stem, 680mm flat bar, seat post from Bert at Iplay.
Carbon wheelset from Yoeleo.com which included Circus Monkey lefty hub and rear Novatec hub.
Sram XO trail brakes
XX1 32t BB30 cranks
Sram pg1070 chain, 11-36 cassette.
Sram XO type 2 rear derailleur and XO shifters
Ergon Grips
Tubless Schwalbe racing ralphs EVO snakeskin (heavier but better sidewalls) with stan's sealer