The journey from small guy to teenager...

[Numnut]

I'm really impressed with the Formula Cura 4 on the Bird. They're a fair few steps up in power and feel from the Guide Rs I'm used to.

Admittedly, my use case is going to be a fair bit tamer than what you need them for though.

[weeksy]

I'm really impressed with the Formula Cura 4 on the Bird. They're a fair few steps up in power and feel from the Guide Rs I'm used to.

Admittedly, my use case is going to be a fair bit tamer than what you need them for though.

Cura get a very good reputation in terms of stoppers, they wouldn't necessarily be a non-starter for us.

[Numnut]

Mine don't have the fancy 'FCS' lever with more adjustment on but they're good enough for me as they are.

Always welcome to have a try if you guys are over my way.

[weeksy]

Mine don't have the fancy 'FCS' lever with more adjustment on but they're good enough for me as they are.

Always welcome to have a try if you guys are over my way.

Thanks man, but we simply don't get over there at all. At the moment plan A is Code RSC and plan B is SRAM Maven. A little bit depends upon a few finances etc... but that's where we're heading.

[weeksy]

Today escalated!
Spoke to Rotec and ordered
1 pair SRAM Maven silver
1 SRAM GX 7 speed DH derailleur
1 SRAM GX 7 speed shifter
1 SRAM GX 7 speed cassette
1 Hope pro 5 front wheel, black.

1 Shimano Saint crankset

[weeksy]

I was nerding about yesterday chatting with the suspension techs about his new Vivid air.

We fitted it because of a few reasons really but partly because it comes on the 24 models and is arguably 'better' ... I'm all for 'better' so one got picked up from a mate.
The discussion started with sag/pressures... What Rockshox Trailhead recommend and what the boy 'felt' last weekend were quite different. He was sitting at 67kg fully kitted and that according to Trailhead should give him approx 165psi in the shock. But on testing he was sitting at closer to 190psi. He felt the lower pressures were too soft.
So we started with some sag tests
162psi - 30.3%

176psi - 27.2%

163psi - 21.6%

So looking at it, really we are about the 176 more than the other 2 as a goal for him..

So a little bit more searching and it got a little complicated. Trek run what's now known as a C37 tune, C37 seems to equate to their M compression tune. The Vivid we have is running a C34 which is what's arguably closer to ML (Medium Light).
shimstack by Steve Weeks, on Flickr

But as the boy is quite light in a riding context it's certainly possible that he'll end up preferring the C34 over the C37. But it'll need some testing and playing to find out the answer. It's entirely possible that he's more like most people and wouldn't even notice the difference between the 2.

His rebound testing last weekend ended having him at -13 clicks, with Trailhead and Trek recommending -14, so he was very much in the same ballpark as they were. But they don't give any figures for compression either HSC or LSC, so we're winging it there a bit.

But i enjoyed being a bit of a nerd for the day and had some brilliant chats about it and learned quite a bit... Whether that'll help either of us i don't know, but i feel at the minimum better informed now.
We do have the option to get the shock reshimmed to the C37 tune of course which is perfectly viable, but there's a chunk of testing to do before that.

[weeksy]

IMG-20250109-WA0003 by Steve Weeks, on Flickr

IMG-20250109-WA0004 by Steve Weeks, on Flickr

[MingtheMerciless]

ohhhhhh nice

[Skub]

It's no Brembo,but hey.

[weeksy]

IMG-20250109-WA0008 by Steve Weeks, on Flickr

IMG-20250109-WA0007 by Steve Weeks, on Flickr

[weeksy]

IMG_20250109_175724 by Steve Weeks, on Flickr

IMG_20250109_180153 by Steve Weeks, on Flickr

[weeksy]

He was out at FoD yesterday as a mate took him. Seems to be loving the Fuel at the moment, hitting the Rubber Duck road gap along with a new road gap which has an on-off feature pioneered by Bernard Kerr.
Of course that made it my job to get it clean and lubed etc again
IMG_20250113_083802 by Steve Weeks, on Flickr

IMG_20250113_083324 by Steve Weeks, on Flickr

IMG_20250113_084243 by Steve Weeks, on Flickr

[MingtheMerciless]

IMG_20250109_175724 by Steve Weeks, on Flickr

IMG_20250109_180153 by Steve Weeks, on Flickr

How did the fitting go? Any quirks? What about bleeding (are they mineral oil?)

[weeksy]

Fitting was simple enough, the rear line is 2000mm so WAY long and i took off 25-30cm of hose. The bleeding is basically the same as Codes with a slight change using a spacer. It's like a piston spacer but can only fit in in a very precise way. You then use that to do what they call a 'piston massage', i'd call it centralising the pistons/caliper. But either way, it's fairly simple, push it between pads and pull brake lever.. then fit caliper.



After that it's just a normal SRAM bleed with a bleeding edge too. Push/pull and then lock it off once all the air is out... hopefully anyway. I've tested in the road and i've got what seems to be a lovely lever feel, which will suit him perfectly. So as long as they perform, it's all good. We're likely at Dyfi this weekend to see anyway.

Yes to Mineral oil which did mean a new bleed kit..

[weeksy]

I know TFTuned sponsor Katy and of course by definition of that, the team riders and my boy, but hopefully that won't detract from this post and don't think i'm only writing it because they're his sponsors 

We've used them a LOT in the past 2 years, but today they really showed how awesome they are. I recently found out that the Rockshox Vivid shock was the incorrect compression tune as you'll have seen above, but also the incorrect stroke.  So i was chatting to my mate at RSR Bikeworks about some settings for the weekend at Dyfi and he said he wouldn't run it with the incorrect tune and the incorrect stroke. I've been busy lately due to family stuff and not had a chance to sort it last week etc. So I spoke to TFTuned and Ruth said "get it in the post today and you'll have it back for the weekend". Just brilliant service and really highlights how much they'll go out of their way for people. Awesome stuff. 

As i say, please don't take this as a sponsor plug, it's just a genuine post for a superb bunch

[weeksy]

He's going a bit nuts with the training lately after some discussions with Katy and a plan for pre season.

So after the gym he decides on a trail ride.  I put him off a road ride but he still wanted to go riding.

He won't make the mistake of hitting the Ridgeway in winter again.

IMG_20250114_184055 by Steve Weeks, on Flickr

IMG_20250114_184048 by Steve Weeks, on Flickr

He had to walk 3 miles home as the bike wouldn't move 

[Count Steer]

Get that cleaned up dad.

Cheers.

[weeksy]

7kg! We put it all in a bag and weighed it. Daft sod.

[weeksy]

I do love getting nerdy with suspension tech stuff. Sadly i know very little in reality, but it's massively interesting to me discussing it. Had a long chat with Adam at TFTuned about what the boy wants, his riding style and we settled on a few changes to the tunes, both rebound and compression, as well as a bit of a change on volume spacers and obviously stroke length. 

It's something i've often thought would be fantastic to get into when i get to retirement using something like the BYB kit or Motion Instruments. Obviously we've got a mate who does that and i wouldn't want to step on his toes, so would be more for me and the boy rather than as a business, i just find it quite fascinating. 

The good news is, the shock is getting done now and will be back with us tomorrow for the weekend rides.

[weeksy]

Well that's been an interesting if slightly irritating day at times.

Shock arrived, with all the settings etc from TFTuned so that's perfect and ready to go.

I decided i'll run his Gen6 for myself tomorrow at Dyfi, because, well, it's better for that than my Gen5 lol. Plus it'll be interesting to ride it as when we head to Morzine in summer that'll likely be my play bike for the week.

We picked up the spare RSC from Rotec after a service kit install, that's all good. 

He did some testing in the close of the Mavens, the front is devastatingly powerful, the rear though is awful. However once we took the wheel out it became apparent that's potentially my fault as there was a load of mineral all there after bleeding, was all over the pads.. We've cleaned up the rotor, sanded down the pads and given it some long runs down the hill and back up, i rekon it's 70% at the moment, probably about as strong as the RSC actually lol. We'll see if run 1 can get it back to 100% because sadly i can't do anything with the pads today as our spare pads are not here yet and they're different to the Codes/anything. I've ordered some, but not arrived.

I'm sure they'll be ace..