Mtb recommendations please...

[Numnut]

Cool, cheers for the link - I spent far too long on that cycle-ergo.com site for motorbikes, I can spend ages on this one too!

[Numnut]

Cheers for everyone's help, I bought a Whyte 603 at the weekend... It's been well looked after, and seems to have had an easy life.

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So after getting it home, putting the saddle somewhere near right and putting my ancient mudguard on, I went out to try my new off road way to work.
I wasn't quite ready for how much boggy mud there'd be, but it was loads of fun. I ended up going the wrong way a few times but it's definitely going to be doable.

It needed a bit of a wash when I got home... The bike was less muddy than I was though.

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After it spent most of yesterday tipping it down, I wasn't going to try getting to work across fields this morning, but gave it a go. It's normally around a half hour ride on the road, it took 40 minutes, but felt like an hour. I cycle a lot, but riding off road is all kinds of tiring.

I picked up some better mudguards yesterday as well. They're not ideal - the rear one is hideous, but did a decent job at protecting me. I need something to stop the front mech getting covered in mud though.

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Not a bad start though - brakes will need a bleed and perhaps some new pads. But so far so good!

[weeksy]

Fab stuff.. that looks excellent.

[Numnut]

Cheers - Yeah, I'm really happy with it. I was a bit unsure about the frame size, but as soon as I sat on it and had a quick test it all just felt right.

There's 3 tiny chips out the frame but aside from that it's all good - chances are I've bashed it a bit already as I've found a few stiles to climb over as I'm trying to find some decent routes to work.

I've never had a bike with suspension, so I'm still getting my head round that, and trying to find all the places I need to keep the mud out of, but it's all fun. I think I'll try and get the local shop to give it the once over and then I'll know how it should feel. Not sure the SPD pedals from my other bike are going on this one at the moment though!

[weeksy]

Whyte sell touch up paint on their site.

[Numnut]

So, Maxxis tyres for mountain bikes are all good - but for motorbikes we (mostly) run a mile!

Set about bleeding the brakes last night. Still a bit of air in there and was getting late so took the hybrid to work today. Got a puncture. Then thought I'd cleared the crap out the tyre, but got another 100 meters down the road and got another one!

[weeksy]

And that's why we all run Tubeless.

[Numnut]

I don't think the hybrid can go tubeless. The 603 will be getting done over the next couple of weeks, or when I change the tyres.

I think the hybrid knows it's getting sold, so it's being a knob.

[Numnut]

Managed to have a little off on the road on the way to work on Friday - avoiding a huge puddle going downhill I managed to find the only bit of ice for miles!
I'm all kinds of purples down one side, but importantly, the bike mostly survived fine.

The front brake reservoir didn't fare that well, and I had fluid leaking out of the hose when I applied pressure to the brake. So I took a chance on a halfords special - a Clarks front brake kit, including lever, caliper, pads and disc, all for £25. It's a bit wooden feeling, but it's better than what was already on there!
A guy at work has a Deore brake set which will be coming my way, which will be another improvement.

All good fun.

[lostboy]

The purple will fade, the bike will repair and all will be well in your world again!

[weeksy]

The purple will fade, the bike will repair and all will be well in your world again!

He wouldn't have crashed if he were on an Sworks

[Numnut]

The purple will fade, the bike will repair and all will be well in your world again!

Indeed, the bike is fine now - I was expecting a lot worse. I don't care about the bruising beyond all the crazy colours!

He wouldn't have crashed if he were on an Sworks

I see what you're doing I've had a look, and it looks awesome. I think it'll be a bit small though, and way overkill for getting to work (I may be selling the 790 and will need a replacement bike, but it'll need an engine...)

[Ditchfinder]

I run Clarks brakes (Clout and M2's) on 3 of my bikes and they are pretty reliable - they do respond to good quality pads as the standard ones don't have a lot of bite.

A big rotor up front is the easiest way to get more braking power though.

They bleed much more easily than the Shimano ones I have on the e-bike.

Those tyres are very much a hardpack/summer tyre - maybe get something with a little more depth to the tread up front if you're hitting mud lots.

[Numnut]

Yeah, I'm happy enough with it so far, though it's only done about 7 miles! I stuck with standard size disc (160), but the kit does come with an adapter (if that's the right word - spacer perhaps) that'll let me put a 180 on. That's as big as I can go.

Yep, I've been looking at tyres as these slip around a lot. They're good enough, but if it gets really slimy I'm fishtailing all over the place! I think I'll be grabbing some schwalbe 'hans dampf' or 'nobby nic' over the next couple of weeks though.

[Ditchfinder]

Is 180 the limit on the fork? If not then go straight to a 200 they cost the same as a 180 usually.

I'll see if I have a spare 180 disc in my box of bits you can have though.

[Numnut]

Is 180 the limit on the fork? If not then go straight to a 200 they cost the same as a 180 usually.

I'll see if I have a spare 180 disc in my box of bits you can have though.

That’s really kind thank you! I’d be happy to pay.. Yeah It’s a limit on the fork.

[Ditchfinder]

Sorry, just been thru the box of bits and I only have 160's left @Numnut

[Numnut]

@Ditchfinder no worries, thanks for checking!

Popped some new tyres on today, Schwalbe Hans Dampf. These look like they’re going to be much better for the mud - they’re 2.35 wide which fits, but my front derailer now rubs on the tyre in the lowest ring which isn’t great.

Still deciding whether to sell them/send them back and get a 2.25 or just keep them and use the 2nd & 3rd rings at the front. The 2nd ring is a 32 and the largest is a 42 I think so I’ve still got plenty of gears
options.

[weeksy]

Your front derailleur rubs on tyre?

You can use the limit screws to move it out a bit

[Numnut]

Good thinking - thats got to be worth a try.