Messages

1

The Lounge / Re: Mountain bikes

« on: June 10, 2019, 10:09:56 PM »

I’ve been away from BMX for a long time. It seems like a lot of aging BMX guys like myself have gotten into mountain biking. I have been mountain biking for over a decade now and I am finding that the industry is pushing trends that don’t work well with my riding style, which is heavily influenced by my background in BMX.

I ride a steel singlespeed, often with a rigid fork, on the same rocky trails in Austin where most people “need” a full-suspension, dropper-post, 500% gear range bike. I am not that strong of a rider, I just get bored with a bike that you sit “in” instead of “on.”

Have you ridden a DJ-MTB?

I started/built this spot (with help from great bros) in Austin.  (That's me on the DJ when the Marley kicks in).  I'm now the trail steward for the rest of the park, working on the rest of the MTB trails.  I wish there were more guys with BMX background who would show up and dig with me--especially, like you say, if the BMX background was tech.

wcpt random edit - spring 2010
https://vimeo.com/10436091

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The Lounge / Re: 15 Years on the forum

« on: June 10, 2019, 10:03:28 PM »

what do I do?

using these forums on a phone sucks,that's why we all left this place

But, Facebook (and other apps) have made the world stupider.  De-evolution.  The Internet itself has become stupider.   

At least with forums, posts contributed to a searchable knowledge base.  With Facebook, Instagram, etc. everything is there for a few days, then just goes into the void.

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The Bike Shop / Re: hardtail mountain bikes

« on: April 08, 2017, 10:56:35 PM »

I ended up getting a "large" (aka medium) 17.5" Soma Juice. it's about the same size as a 18" Karate Monkey of the same vintage. I wanted to get a sized-up KM but I was working at REI at the time and something had soured between REI and Surly, so we could no longer pro-deal Surly frames or bikes. (oddly enough, REI is now a Salsa dealer, which is owned by the same company.) anyhow, I was able to get Soma stuff through BTI. I have ridden it on places you probably know: BCGB, Walnut, SATN, and recently rode the Texas Chainring Massacre on it. it's single-speed most of the time, but I have a 1x10 setup that goes on it occasionally. I have ridden it with a Reba at 120mm, 100mm, and a Salsa rigid fork. I might enjoy something different, but I had very limited choices at the time. I don't think it's holding me back.

29" tires definitely do very well for me on Austin terrain. Glad I did not get a 650b. chucky trails and smaller wheels seems like a bad idea to me, especially on a singlespeed where every little inch of momentum you can save is crucial. I only wish the chainstays on the Juice were shorter. the shortest setting on the dropouts is 17.5", which is quite long by today's standards. I think getting up ledges and maintaining rear traction while climbing would be easier if I could take a link out of my chain, but that would mean just buying a whole new frame. I don't work in a bike shop anymore, so it's harder to justify paying full price for anything. I have written a bit about it on my blog, but i need to write more about this bike's trail capabilities- http://sidewallthorn.blogspot.com/

Update- the long chainstays on the Juice have always bugged me. Shopping for a new frame now.

Are there any 29'ers with less bb drop?  It seems like part of why 29'ers feel so glued to the ground is not just the long cs, but also the bb being way below axle level....

This guy did a custom 29'er dirt jumper.  Whatever the pros and cons of that, it's interesting that the bb appears to be at or slightly above axle level.
  http://plussizebmx.squarespace.com/blog/2012/4/3/bike-check-custom-dobermann-29er-dj-bike.html

4

The Bike Shop / Re: Cruiser guys, ATF 24" vs Wave C vs Liquid, input please.

« on: April 08, 2017, 10:36:57 PM »

Sorry to bring back a dead thread, but I've been looking into a geo change for some time now and this thread has been one of the most valuable research tools I've come across. Currently on a Haro 124 frame and fork with 8" slam bars. The geo is decent for dirt, but I'm in Louisiana and a lot of the time it's hard to find dry dirt to ride on so I'm looking for something that'll be a bit poppier for street and park riding. I was looking at the liquid but I missed the boat on that one, so I'm likely going to get s&m to do a custom atf cruiser and try to mimic the liquid geo, but with a few tweaks. Really I'm looking for more input from people who have ridden the liquid, and if anybody has ridden the 124 I'd like some comparison.

If "poppy for street and park" is what you're after (more than trails), then i'm gonna say check out the Sunday Wave C.  http://www.sundaybikes.com/tag/wave-c/   I think the Liquid does have a more trails-ish geo, with a slacker head angle.

5

The Bike Shop / Re: hardtail mountain bikes

« on: February 01, 2017, 01:23:16 PM »

I don't ride BMX anymore. sorry. I have been doing everything else that's possible with a bicycle lately though.

I ride a "small" custom built Surly Karate Monkey 29er (1x9 gearing, 80mm squish fork, giant tires) even though most would say I should be on a size up for my height. maybe I prefer the smaller frame from years of riding little bikes. I find that I avoid a lot of the really "interesting" trails around here. the terrain has lots of gnarly exposed rock with some steep descents and drops and I hesitate to even go near that stuff. I have taken some of it a few times, but usually because someone led me out there and I could not find my way back home by myself.

so I want a bike that's more confidence-inspiring and I think all the marketing hype around 650B wheels is getting in my head. FS bike is not in the budget, so if I wanted a more capable HT, what have you bmx-gone-mtb guys experienced on 29"/27.5" tire-ed bikes?

How did this work out?

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The Bike Shop / Re: 36vs48h,,, here, have an anecdote

« on: September 07, 2016, 11:26:11 PM »

i bet if cult and stranger started making 48s again then suddenly thered be a market for them again

bonedeth just wasn't cool enough

huh??

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Bike Gallery / Re: Fixed gear bikes/ Post your big bikes V2

« on: July 07, 2016, 11:41:43 AM »

8

The Bike Shop / Re: Measuring Fork Symmetry

« on: July 07, 2016, 11:34:30 AM »

http://www.parktool.com/product/frame-and-fork-end-alignment-gauge-set-ffg-2?category=Frame%20&%20Fork

most bike shops should have a pair

doesn't that tool assume that the fork is made correctly, and it's just aligning it so that you tighten your stem at exactly 90 degrees to the wheel....?

i have definitely seen bmx forks where it looks like one fork leg is slightly in front of the other one, even when the front wheel axle is 90 degrees to the top tube and the front wheel is not bolted in crooked....

9

The Lounge / Re: Question about weddings

« on: June 20, 2016, 04:32:05 PM »

wear a real suit and tie.   if you don't have one, visit somewhere like Nordstrom Rack.

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The Bike Shop / Re: 22 inches

« on: June 11, 2016, 07:37:22 PM »

Waiting til the United and Fit completes come out then I might go for one. Wish we were more like the mtb market and different wheel sizes and weird setups were more available.

just do it.   the Revenge wheeslset and Mainline 22" tires are very solid. 

http://www.ebay.com/itm/S-M-BIKES-ATF-FRAME-TRANS-RED-22-INCH-TT-22-BMX-BIKE-20-LONG-MACNEIL-DEUCE-/272008296319?hash=item3f54f5377f:g:kpYAAOSwFnFWFEyD

http://www.ebay.com/itm/S-M-Pitchfork-Tapered-XLT-Black-Chrome-22-BMX-Bike-Fork-ATF-Holmes-Faction-/111940388642?hash=item1a102ac722:g:QgcAAOSwv0tU52S0

http://www.ebay.com/itm/S-M-Mainline-22-x-2-1-Dirt-Jump-Trail-Tire-BMX-BIKE-ATF-BTM-Holmes-Faction-F22-/172175604171?hash=item28167739cb:g:XaMAAOSwrmdTpc5x

http://www.ebay.com/itm/REVENGE-22-in-BMX-Bike-Wheel-Set-Black-Polished-Hubs-S-M-BMX-BIKE-/222135119436?hash=item33b848ee4c:g:BVAAAOSwHnFV5mqk

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The Lounge / Re: Alcohol.

« on: April 25, 2016, 03:41:50 PM »

. . . Maybe I should start golfing or something. Riding is too dangerous at this point, can't get hurt and miss work.  . . . .

What would your 14 year old self have told you if he heard that?

You can safely ride bmx.  You could also get a road bike or a mountain bike. 

Drinking regularly and being inactive is an easy rut to fall into.  To get out of it, the best way I have seen is to do something active.  If you're not going to ride bikes, then replace it with something else--basketball, lap swimming, aikido, cross-fit, yoga, whatever...

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The Bike Shop / Re: 22 inches

« on: April 18, 2016, 03:43:23 PM »

interesting, ive not heard as much buzz around 22s recently but then i only really heard it before in this thread on this forum so ehhh maybe theyre catching on more. havent ridden mine in ages hah

There's a lot of buzz via the 22" BMX page on Facebook.
https://www.facebook.com/22inchbmx

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The Bike Shop / Re: New chain / Noisy drivetrain

« on: March 22, 2016, 04:19:44 PM »

Chain line is good and the chain itself is installed correctly.

The build itself is over 2 years old. I usually change my chain out at the beginning of every spring. However, before doing that, I snapped my current one.

I managed to find the left over links and pieced together my old chain. It works fine (around 15-20 or so new links of 38 + half link that make up my chain). The new links don't see to be causing the same issue.

I expect some creaking/wear in when putting on a new chain. However, this was a bit over the top and even pedaling to break it in felt wrong.

Odyssey Bluebird ---> SRAM PC1 ---> KMC 510HX (Creaking)

Did you possibly mix 1/8" (4/32")  and 3/32" chain links?

The leftover links were definitely from a singlespeed chain? Not a chain for geared bikes?  They can be narrower, and therefore not as good for a bmx sprocket.

http://ridemonkey.bikemag.com/threads/question-on-bmx-and-mtb-chain-compatibility.105250/

 . . . .
http://www.amazon.com/SRAM-Snaplock-Bicycle-Single-Speed-Silver/dp/B0013FBE8I

Sheldon Brown talked about chain wear here:
http://www.sheldonbrown.com/chains.html

14

The Bike Shop / Re: New chain / Noisy drivetrain

« on: March 21, 2016, 04:40:51 PM »

New chain. If I turn the cranks by hand it is silent and smooth. Once I am on the bike, the drive train is very creaky / noisy whilst pedaling forwards (backwards is smooth/silent).

I have not pedaled more than around the block.

I am guessing this is simply from wear patterns on my cog/sprocket. Will this remedy itself after I put some time on it? Anyone have experience with this? I have never had a problem putting on new chains on my set ups in the past. I don't want to destroy something, but at the same time I cannot afford to shell out a bunch of money on my drive train atm.

Tried 2 new chains. New bearings in bb. Not to tight. Lubed.

Do you have good chain line?

15

The Lounge / Re: To those who have broken chains mid pedal...

« on: March 14, 2016, 11:09:59 AM »

...  It doesn't help that my chainline is a little funky and makes odd noises with each crank around.

Absolutely FIX YOUR CHAIN LINE.  This is a major reason why chains fail.  Unfortunately, with the switch to cassette hub drivers, a lot of BMX chainlines suck--some frames with wide-set chainstays require you space your sprocket out, but the hub has the rear cog very close in.  Since I got a road bike and mtb, I've been paying more attention to chain line.

http://www.gsportbmx.com/2005/05/chain/