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I did a social mtb event this last weekend with one of our local clubs. It wasn't anything special but I had a blast raging in lycra and on xc tires. They had some photographers staffed for the event, so I got some good photos out of it.
It is indeed sold. That last photo was the day that my car got picked up and shipped to NC. Bitter sweet day for sure.
In contrast, my megatower came in yesterday, that was not bitter sweet. Going to build it up over the next handful of days. Good times and bad life choices pending.
So, let's talk about adjusting my Fox 32 Fit4 with the three-position damper. I have it set-up at 95psi with 7-clicks out of full-stiff on rebound force. I usually run it on the middle setting and never adjust it but hate the lack of low-speed compression force. How should I adjust this thing or is it a lost cause? I thought about running less air pressure and running it on the ""stiff" setting, is that a waste of time? Should I just deal with it?
So, let's talk about adjusting my Fox 32 Fit4 with the three-position damper. I have it set-up at 95psi with 7-clicks out of full-stiff on rebound force. I usually run it on the middle setting and never adjust it but hate the lack of low-speed compression force. How should I adjust this thing or is it a lost cause? I thought about running less air pressure and running it on the ""stiff" setting, is that a waste of time? Should I just deal with it?
What's your weight and I assume this is going on the trek fuel you posted pictures of earlier in this thread? How many positive air chamber volume spacers?
Generally, I run my forks in open. There really isn't much of a reason to lock it out as on a climb all it's doing by sagging into it's travel is steepening your seat tube angle and head tube angle. Both good things for climbing as you're weighting the front more and making the bike steer better with a steeper head tube angle. First start with the air spring. Use sag to set your fork air pressure and dial it in to use 15% sag when you're in attack position (I use 20% on trail-enduro bikes, 15% on thoroughbred xc race rigs). To me, it sounds like you're running about 12-15 psi higher then you should be. If you are still bottoming out the fork or not bottoming it out when getting super sketchy with weight on the front wheel, use volume spacers at that point to tune your bottom out resistance.
From there the rest is tune to taste... generally, I like to run rebound as fast as I can without compromising front end traction. You also want the front end to feel balanced with the settings on the rear, so use that as a barometer. Generally, your suspension should return fast but controlled and should not cause you to unload the given end of the bike. Use the open mode only (until you get a feel for it) and dial in LSC to get the platform damping you need under breaking.
You're going to struggle to find the exact perfect crossover with the fit 4 damper where you have the right amount of small bump compliance, low speed damping to resist rider body weight movements (braking) and plush confidence bump eating smoothness on high speed bigger hits. That's what the very expensive enduro forks are capable of doing, but at a severe weight penalty. You should however, be able to get 85-90% of the way there on that damper. Keep in mind that what's going on in back tends to translate to the front as well.. .so if you are running the rear end too firm with not enough sag, that can make the front feel choppy as it's sea-sawing the movements to the front and over loading the fork.
Lastly... you should be doing a lower leg service every 50-70 hours or 6 months... whatever comes first. Most of the time, when people tell me their fork feels harsh... I find that they are way past due for a lower leg service.
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I've done some more farting around with bikes. Finished my megatower build. Did another XC marathon event (50 miles, 5k') on my trance 29. Changed the fork on my trance 29 to a fox 34 factory. Also did some shrink wrap on the rear brake line and derailleur cable. I've got some more upgrades coming for the trance soon as well: Fox DPX 2 Factory, Truvativ Carbon Cranks, etc etc.
What's your weight and I assume this is going on the trek fuel you posted pictures of earlier in this thread? How many positive air chamber volume spacers?
Ugh, I don't want to talk about it as I suffer from bicycle racing body dismorphia...173lb. Yes,I never changed it, just running it in OEM form.
Originally Posted by EErockMiata
Generally, I run my forks in open. There really isn't much of a reason to lock it out as on a climb all it's doing by sagging into it's travel is steepening your seat tube angle and head tube angle. Both good things for climbing as you're weighting the front more and making the bike steer better with a steeper head tube angle. First start with the air spring. Use sag to set your fork air pressure and dial it in to use 15% sag when you're in attack position (I use 20% on trail-enduro bikes, 15% on thoroughbred xc race rigs). To me, it sounds like you're running about 12-15 psi higher then you should be. If you are still bottoming out the fork or not bottoming it out when getting super sketchy with weight on the front wheel, use volume spacers at that point to tune your bottom out resistance.
I don't think I'd want to run this fork open, the bike would bob a lot but I guess I can try it. I was under the impression that if I'm compressing the suspension when pedaling, I am losing some force to the dampers that should be going through the crank. Am I wrong? I concur, think I am running too much pressure though I am running the recommended numbers. Sag is set at 10mm front and rear, I'm going to go down to from 95/185 to 85/175psi and see how that goes and then look at adding volume spacers.
Originally Posted by EErockMiata
From there the rest is tune to taste... generally, I like to run rebound as fast as I can without compromising front end traction. You also want the front end to feel balanced with the settings on the rear, so use that as a barometer. Generally, your suspension should return fast but controlled and should not cause you to unload the given end of the bike. Use the open mode only (until you get a feel for it) and dial in LSC to get the platform damping you need under braking.
I've been setting rebound for max comfort over bumbs, so that the return doesn't feel like it's hammering my arms. Do I have LSC? What does my single, three position **** adjust? I assumed high-speed compression.
Originally Posted by EErockMiata
You're going to struggle to find the exact perfect crossover with the fit 4 damper where you have the right amount of small bump compliance, low speed damping to resist rider body weight movements (braking) and plush confidence bump eating smoothness on high speed bigger hits. That's what the very expensive enduro forks are capable of doing, but at a severe weight penalty. You should however, be able to get 85-90% of the way there on that damper. Keep in mind that what's going on in back tends to translate to the front as well.. .so if you are running the rear end too firm with not enough sag, that can make the front feel choppy as it's sea-sawing the movements to the front and over loading the fork.
Okay, alarm is going off, thanks. I also wonder how much of a difference 5psi makes in the rear because it never feels the same. I use a RockShox pump with a 350psi range, hard to get an accurate reading with that.
Originally Posted by EErockMiata
Lastly... you should be doing a lower leg service every 50-70 hours or 6 months... whatever comes first. Most of the time, when people tell me their fork feels harsh... I find that they are way past due for a lower leg service.
If it would stop raining here, I'd beat up the bike. I think I've ridden in three-times since August. Right now there is 5' of water over "trail flood stage" and it's supposed to rain the next 11-days. Previously, I did the front and rear service once per year. I've ridden the bike ~3 times since the last service, so maybe four hours.
Originally Posted by EErockMiata
I've done some more farting around with bikes. Finished my megatower build. Did another XC marathon event (50 miles, 5k') on my trance 29. Changed the fork on my trance 29 to a fox 34 factory. Also did some shrink wrap on the rear brake line and derailleur cable. I've got some more upgrades coming for the trance soon as well: Fox DPX 2 Factory, Truvativ Carbon Cranks, etc etc.
Megatower is erotic, would like to get to know, start a family with.
Thanks for all the help on this. I wanted to do a 6-hour race this weekend but it's rained out, again. Thought I'd enjoy racing XC a bit more since I'm now too afraid to race crits. Would love a short-track XC series around here. I guess it's more of a quality reason to ride the trainer.
My trail bike now days. With the 120mm mastodon fork she really rips, eating up rocky terrain much better than my 8 year old 5" travel full susser. Ended up selling my other mountain bikes and just ride this. It's way more nimble than most people think. The bike is sub 30lbs with dropper post and fork, as it sits here. It's tubless and never gets flats, with much less rotating mass than other "fat" bikes. Might go 29+ on it eventually, but for now it eats everything i can throw at it and I have no issues hanging with anyone, even on all day epic rides.
Just got back from Kansas. Epic event as always. 2700 riders in total, 1300 of which did the 200. There are also 100,50 and 25 mile versions but the 200 is the big dog. Premier gravel race on the planet.
Fitness was great going in but I didn't drink enough. Barely made it to 2nd checkpoint at mile 150. Was there for 1hr, 48min rehydrating, drank around 90 oz. When I got going I actually felt pretty good again like I did for the first hundred miles.
Finished really strong. Set top 10 fastest Strava time for final 50 mile segment, of course many of the fastest riders don't share on Strava. Still, I didn't give up and learned that I can still be fast at mile 200 if I just get my hydration habits dialed.
I was going fast, when I was moving. Some rough math shows me finishing +/- 10 minutes of my class winner had I not stopped to rehydrate. Dang it.
2018 Boone, Di2 on aerobars. 36c IRC Boken rear. 35c Hutchinson Overide front, which I slashed about an hour in and had to tube.
A very long day. 14hrs with my long stop at second checkpoint
Staging at 5:30am to avoid being stuck behind 1200 slower riders
Epic ride! I should look into big event like that, seems fun.
Just got back from a 125km Gran Fondo in Bromont in preparation for the 600km in 3 days I'll do next week (1000km team challenge). Had fun! Finished under rain so intense I couldn't see anything!
6 widths available in half size increments. Since Specialized and Sidi stopped making narrow shoes, and not wanting to spend $1K - $1.5K on full customs (Bont, Rocket7), these guys are tempting to try.
Would like to know if anyone has seen or owned these.
To give any gravel curious and idea what DK 200 is like.
Stumbled across this on YT. From another rider but I am seen from 27:30 through 1:07:30, when I'm seen off the right pulling off with my first of 5 flats.
I started about 400-500 riders back. Surfed the peloton and made my way to the very front about 40 minutes in.
I'm in blue jersey, white helmet, camelbak, hi-vis yellow socks and rear blinky light on black bike.
Note the average speed. We're hauling ***. I still hold the KOM for the first 20 miles of that course courtesy of my midfield start and progress through the field
Holy crap. So I shouldn't be so concerned about riding across the grass/gravel parking lot of my local pool club? it's about 130 feet.
What do you carry on you for spares again? Did you really have enough supplies for 5+ flats or do you resupply at rest stops? I know you start off tubeless.
That's seriously. I don't know. Nuts I guess.
The big 'oof" at 1:07:55 finally quieted down the rattle. haha. Ouch.
Holy crap. So I shouldn't be so concerned about riding across the grass/gravel parking lot of my local pool club? it's about 130 feet.
What do you carry on you for spares again? Did you really have enough supplies for 5+ flats or do you resupply at rest stops? I know you start off tubeless.
That's seriously. I don't know. Nuts I guess.
The big 'oof" at 1:07:55 finally quieted down the rattle. haha. Ouch.
Bike is set up tubeless but that flat at
Nutrition:
Mostly in top tube bag
-3-4 500ml soft flask with liquid food, about 675 cal each. Hammer Perpetuem.
-electrolyte tabs, one in each bottle. Hammer "Fizz"
-mustard packets. Ascetic acid (vinegar) calms cramps
I'll go through 9 or 10 of the 675 calorie soft flasks plus some donuts, clif bloks
Equipment:
saddle bag
-2x 25oz CO2
-inflator, tested
-core removal tool
- tube
-fresh glueless patch kit
- steel core tire lever
- mini pump, tested to required pressure
-multi tool with chain tool
-quick link
-small microfiber to clean hands or prep tube for patch
-biodegradeable wet lube packets
Drop bags that are waiting at aid stations:
-clif bloks with caffeine
-3-4 soft flasks with Perpetuem
-donuts
-banana
-biodegradeable wet lube packets
-towel to wipe dirt off. This I learned in '18 when it was muddy at start which caked legs. Later got hot but no evaporative cooling due to concrete covering all exposed body parts.
-extra tube
-extra 250z CO2
-Amp PR Lotion packets
-small chamois butter packet
In 2017, I had to patch two separate snake bites that required but that flat at 1:07:30 in the video slashed my sidewall so I finished with a tube.
All those patches used up my glue and only tube. Got another tube in 3rd aid station from a guy that had like 4 tubes in his top tube bag. Thus why I put tubes in my drop bags
and use Slime glueless patches now.
Some cool pics from California State Team Time Trial championships:
Only entrant in our class so we won by default. My teammate Greg wasn't on his best day so I started taking much longer pulls about halfway through. He hung on and we did a very good TTT.
Never seen myself on the TT bike with current setup like this so I'm stoked to get these pics.
Light wind shifting about, ~26mph on headwind sections, 31mph on tailwind section.
Ha. Kept hydrated on that ride I see! I wonder how much more aero the camelback hump makes you. You look very efficient, clean, especially for how tall you are.
04-08-2019, 06:42 PM
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