NMTBD. SEND IT.... the new big bouncer

[weeksy]

After riding the boys Session at BPW a few weeks ago my thoughts deffo moved onto "i want a DH bike for myself".

I've got 95% of the parts here, i'm basically just missing a stem, which i'll collect from a mate tomorrow and i can then get it built up in a matter of hours.

So the spec will be 2024 Canyon Sender CFR (Large)
Rockshox Boxxer Ultimate forks.
Rockshox Super Deluxe DH shock 250x75
SRAM X01 crankset
SRAM X01 7 speed DH mech
SRAM 7 speed DH cassette
SRAM X01 7 speed DH shifter
SRAM Code RSC brakes front and rear
Hope Pro5 Fortus 30 wheels
Continental Kryptotal 29x2.40 Supersoft DH
DMR O'Dub bars 35dia
Burgtec 35dia stem
DMR Deathgrip2s
DMR saddle
DMR Vault pedals.

It'll be getting tested at FoD next weekend while he's out coaching i suspect. (Unless Crust is riding and it'll only get a run or 2)

p6pb27383826 by Steve Weeks, on Flickr

p6pb27383827 by Steve Weeks, on Flickr

p6pb27383830 by Steve Weeks, on Flickr

p6pb27498629 by Steve Weeks, on Flickr

The Sender comes with a tonne of adjustability like a + - 8mm headset reach adjust, a 10mm adjust for chainstay length and a progression chip for coil/air shock choices. But i pretty much have it in my mind which settings i'll be running on there. It will also have a secondary function for the boy as a spare bike at meetings if he needs it. But also a chance for him to test non-high-pivot bikes. Chatting with suspension guru, the nonHP bikes allow more 'pumping' but do give some pedal-kickback. So would be curious as to whether he can notice either when he rides it.

For me, it's just a bit of a plaything for a while and a bike for bigger days out.

[Mr Moofo]

Nobody over 35 "needs" a downhill bike
Nice to have in Morzine - but a Enduro bike was more pleasant.

However when you have you sites of the Rampage

[weeksy]

Nobody over 35 "needs" a downhill bike

I can't really argue much, but i think it'll be fun for a while and i'll even give it a run out at a few races i think

[weeksy]

Just been picking and sorting everything for the weekend as it'll need a few little things

Brake mount for 20mm so it can run a 220 front
bolts for above mount
stem cap
front brake off the Fuel (the spare RSC is getting serviced and waiting on a service kit)
bars (35mm dia, either Raceface 20mm rise or DMR 25mm Rise)

barring any issues routing the brake (i may just cable tie it externally for this weekend) it should be a fairly simple job.

[Numnut]

Awesome stuff! Time to start sending road gaps and 20' drops...maybe.

[weeksy]

Awesome stuff! Time to start sending road gaps and 20' drops...maybe.

LOL i'd love that to be the case, it's honestly more about the Tech than the jumps for me. At Dyfi i'd rather ride ElHippo than i would 50 hits, at FoD i'd rather Sheepskull than GBU etc etc... I'm not expecting to transform my riding in a lot of ways. I just thought now was about time to give it a whirl. It'll be good for the boy to experiment also over the next few months and try different things. If i've still got this by August when we come back from Morzine i'll be fairly surprised... but if we end up there again this year, it deffo may go with us for a few rides there.

[Flux]

Looks mint, look forward to hearing about the experience of dh bike compared to enduro..

[weeksy]

First stage of the build done, just a simple bolt together to see what we have, what we need and how everything fits and works.

Jobs to do
1. New Stealth-a-mijig for the SRAM RSC rear.
2. Bleed rear.
3. Align calipers front and rear
4. Check stack height
5. Check bar angle
6. Headset is horrid, that needs mostly replacing.
7. New shock spring fitting, depends who's riding it first.
Gears are done and indexed, cranks are new and lovely, pedals are fitted (but i won't be using those)

IMG_20241207_132721 by Steve Weeks, on Flickr

IMG_20241207_132730 by Steve Weeks, on Flickr

IMG_20241207_132737 by Steve Weeks, on Flickr

IMG_20241207_132753 by Steve Weeks, on Flickr

IMG_20241207_132745 by Steve Weeks, on Flickr

IMG_20241207_132759 by Steve Weeks, on Flickr

[weeksy]

First stage of the build done, just a simple bolt together to see what we have, what we need and how everything fits and works.

Jobs to do
1. New Stealth-a-mijig for the SRAM RSC rear.
2. Bleed rear.
3. Align calipers front and rear
4. Check stack height
5. Check bar angle
6. Headset is horrid, that needs mostly replacing.
7. New shock spring fitting, depends who's riding it first.

1. Done
2. Dobe
3. Done
4. Not yet
5. Done
6. New headset fitted
7. Still debating who's riding and when.

Stack height I can't play with much anyway due to steerer length, I could maybe go 3mm higher
Headset I have a tonne of spares so that's all done, I used a 1 1/8 lower crown race and a spare compression ring at the top.

With the 450 spring the boy is getting 20% sag, so we'll probably run the 400 for him and 550 for me. I'll likely stick with the coil for my riding anyway, so once we get the spare shock from a mate who's borrowed it I'll set that to his weight and swap to coul for me.

Just a question of getting this storm to bugger off and get it tested a bit.

[mboy]

Non drive side photos?!?!

And what moofo says about DH bikes in the UK... 16yrs since I sold the last one I had... It did 2 trips to France, and got ridden once in the UK... I didn't miss it!

[weeksy]

Lol that's maybe where you see them, I find it an absolute blast at BPW with @Beancounter a few weeks ago. Sure you can ride it on other things but why not.

[weeksy]

500 spring installed for me. Along with a small chaingude just to protect a bit. Seat post trimmed and lowered. Kryptotal on the front Quick test in the close and feels sweet. It's quiet, smooth, nice.

IMG_20241208_094105 by Steve Weeks, on Flickr

IMG_20241208_094114 by Steve Weeks, on Flickr

[weeksy]

Went to see LBS last night to ensure i was correct with headset, my suspicions were correct and the crown race on the lower was a 45 angle, the bearing was a 36, so whilst it would have worked it wasn't perfect. So we slotted in a 45deg bearing MR040 (i've got loads) and away we went. I'm just waiting for a new top-cap from DMR which will complete the bike.
Plan is to test it on Sat at FoD and iron out any niggles while the boy is out coaching, then hand it over to him for some testing in the afternoon.

With that in mind i borrowed a shock of mate at the LBS, it's a 2023 Vivid which is their best air-shock. He prefers air over coil for some reason and our spare shock is away on loan to a mate. The Canyon takes a 250x75 (Trek is a 250x72.5) so this one will go straight in. We had to change the top spacer to 30mm (was 25mm) but that's a 5 minute job and is done. So he can throw the shock straight in there in minutes. It'll then be a quick pedal swap as well and off he goes.

IMG_20241210_183225 by Steve Weeks, on Flickr

[weeksy]

Well sadly the Vivid won't fit due to frame design and clearances. In one orientation it's REALLY close to touching, which in truth due to the fact it can only move in one direction, should arguably be OK, but i wouldn't risk it anyway.

However plans have changed (Don't ask, i can't get into it) and the Canyon won't even be ridden now. It's up for sale on Pinkbike and Ebay. I'm still debating whether it'll sell as a bike or a frame and in truth i don't much mind. If i get full-bike money for it i'll have to replace multiple items from spares, but we can then replace with our favourite parts like Saint cranks instead of SRAM X01 and Bontrager wheels instead of the Hopes.. But we'll take what we can get in terms of a deal as long as it's the right money. I certainly don't think i'll lose on the deal compared to what i paid and i'm in no real hurry.
It's a shame in some ways, but wasn't meant to be.

[weeksy]

Weirdly my first 2 potential buyers are from Peru and Mexico... I'm not against the idea of shipping it internationally... but it brings some complexities.

[Numnut]

Shame, that looked like it'd be lots of fun.

I've only had 1 enquiry from pinkbike and I'm half convinced that was a scammer, so 2 quite quickly is doing pretty good!

[weeksy]

Shame, that looked like it'd be lots of fun.

I've only had 1 enquiry from pinkbike and I'm half convinced that was a scammer, so 2 quite quickly is doing pretty good!

Yeah i was looking forward to it, although i could never do it justice of course and i expect after a couple of days i'd be done with it. I was offered a SC Nomad
https://www.pinkbike.com/buysell/3962487/

and a Yeti SB130LR
https://www.pinkbike.com/buysell/3957614/

To be honest i'd have taken the Yeti, but that would have made finances a bit more complicated as we'd then have given most of our spares for the season away in the Sender, mostly only wheels, forks and cranks that are expensive, but that's a good £1000+ we could do with for the season.

[Numnut]

Either of those look decent swaps, but it sounds like having the spares is more beneficial for you guys.

That Yeti is very nice though...

[weeksy]

Either of those look decent swaps, but it sounds like having the spares is more beneficial for you guys.

That Yeti is very nice though...

Yeah it's lovely but in many ways it'd be wasted on him, silly as that sounds. He doesn't want/need a boutique bike in truth he barely rides anything other than his DH and when he does, it's just messing with mates. It'd arguably suit me having that then him LOL. But that then means finding all the spares and buying them (without budget) lol.