mack_turtle

That sounds like a liability in that it might make me want a new bike.

I keep coming back to this: http://www.handbuiltbicyclenews.com/c23-bicycles/328-nakeds-framebuilder-notes-on-a-prototype

Interesting experience from last night: rode the Merdian trails in far-south Austin and took one of the "ledge" lines. I have ridden that area at least a dozen times but I somehow missed the line with the biggest ledge at the end so far. I took that line and was not prepared for that last ledge, thinking it would be one of the smaller ledges that I have rolled a dozen times. I kind of panicked at the last second as my front tire hit the landing at a too-steep angle and I nose-wheelied for a second, anticipating an OTB. I somehow landed straddling the bike while my shoes slid on the grass for a second and walked away with only a pedal scrape on my leg. I think that would have ended badly if I had a shorter fork (and even on rigid!) and probably would have been smoother if my effective head tube angle was more relaxed or had a longer fork. that does not mean that I want a slacked out enduro bro bike because of ONE instance over the course of a 15-mile ride, but it illustrates the point of where the longer front end comes in handy. A better solution is not to ride lines that are new to me blindly and take ledge drops with more speed!

https://patch.com/texas/downtownaustin/la-crosse-avenue-mopac-close-long-term-starting-march-29 LaCrosse @ MOPAC will be closed for a while. Good luck getting to the Veloway. It always annoys me that a public course made specifically for bicycles is nearly impossible to get to by bicycle.

Yikes. I think that bolt is supposed to be cranked to 45 foot-pounds, aka a ton of torque.

I just shipped a frame to Georgia for under $30 using Bike Flights a few weeks ago. I dropped it off at a FedEx store. When did that change?

I have to wonder if the thickness of the chainring you are using is slightly out of spec. You can also get the threads CLEAN and dab some Loctite 242 in there. It's really hard to break 242 loose once it's installed correctly.

My drivetrain was creaking the other day. I pulled my crank arm off and found that the lockring that holds the chainring in place (Raceface Cinch) was only finger-tight! I had tightened the bejeesus out of that when I put it on, too. Cleaned it up really well and reinstalled with a few drops of Loctite 242 for good measure.

Chasing down creaks is hard work. You'd be surprised at the places they can be found though. It's worth sleuthing out the truth though because a creak could be an indication of something wrong that will get worse with time. Any place where metal touches metal usually should be treated in some way with grease, oil, threadlocker, or antisieze. Spokes, bottom bracket cups, pedal threads, seatposts, chainrings, and every single little bolt on your bike should be checked. Time and use will do it to your bike, but if your bike has seen any sort of moisture, creaks start to show up.

Just skip to about 7:50 to see him ride the thing.

This guy's video illustrates the point well: That is basically what I wanted to film. Next I want to see a RS 32mm fork compared to a 34mm fork. Or just put a fat tire on my rigid fork and call it a day!

I can see my Reba 120 with 32mm stanchions flex like mad when I tap the front brake. It also has a fair amount of stiction no matter how carefully lubed up it is. I wonder if to what degree the flex and stiction are due to: A. The design of the fork squishy bits, B. The structure of the fork crown, stanchions, etc. C. The head tube angle of the frame, since the closer the angle is to 90°, the more horizontal the force put on it by impacts. (I tried to make a video of this for grins just now, but it turns out that slow-motion video in the dark with only LED driveway lights creates a crazy strobe effect!)

Every time a Boomer buys an e-mtb, a millennial adds a year of to his/her target retirement age.

I was into Stache before they went mainstream. Back when you could only get a vinyl Stache or a bootleg tape. Not it's all commercial and they sold out. You squares ruin everything.

On SRAM cranks, there is usually a space on the drive side where the spindle is exposed.

Interesting data point. I am 40 pounds lighter than you and I'd like to think I am somewhat graceful on the bike. Maybe that's why I have not killed my Reba in the four years I have had it. There's a bit of FOMO in my question. You never know what you're missing sometimes. For example, I borrowed someone's Salsa Timberjack the other day for a spin around Walnut. I immediately noticed that the fork had NO rebound damping. It was a pogo stick! I suspect the seal under the damper had failed and the damper oil was just sloshing around in the lowers. It was a newish bike and he later got it fixed, but he had been riding it like that for months because he didn't know what a good should feel like.

When you say "stiff" do you mean the way the air springs and damper work, or the way the fork flexes? I was amazed one day while when, riding pavement and tapping my front brake at how much the fork bends under me like it's trying to bend, not telescope. I'll bet it looks like a wet noodle in slow-motion. This is why I would want a fork with a stiffer chassis (34mm stachions might have this affect) for anything over 120 or even 100mm.

69° with a rigid / 100mm fork, on paper. 120 is probably more like 68. Head tube angle versus front-center is an interesting comparison that gets ignored too often though. I don't worry about going OTB much and worry far more about keeping weight on the front tire in turns. Seated position doesn't mean much to me because ... what kind of jerk sits while wrangling a mountain bike? The seat tube gets pretty friggin slack on the KM though. I can't stand up all the time. Flexy Reba is why I would not want to go longer than 120 on one. Probably better off with less travel than a noodily fork. Even a "good deal" on a new fork is something I'll consider a long way down the road in the context of what I spent on bike stuff recently and the Disneyland trip that I am being dragged into this year. Holy shite that place is expensive!

The Reba I have has different air shaft sizes that alter the travel. 2015, I think. I don't think there's a spacer option for this generation. Mine is limited to 80 to 120mm. I think the spacer reduction method is for older Solo Air or Dual Air forks. I had a Dual Air Reba and I was able to switch it from 80 to 100 mm that way. I had loads of trouble with that fork for I learned how to reassemble it with great efficiency. Might take you up on the 140mm option just to see what that feels like.

I have ridden my Karate Monkey with the original rigid fork (480mm a-c) and a Reba at 120. The Reba is fine, just wondering why I would want to go longer or if I can shorten it. Taking apart a fork to lower it for one ride is kind of a PITA. The Reba at 120 seems fine, but when I see "everybody" using longer forks, I have to wonder if I am missing something from my perspective of ignorance. Then again, maybe I am overdoing it because everyone else falsely thinks they always need more suspension. also just wanted to create an opportunity for people to talk about the hardtails they are riding.

And at what point does one say, "OK, that's enough!"?

I would not say that frame was designed for a 140 mm fork. It came with a short rigid fork and it can handle a 140. That does not mean it's a good idea for me. Stiffer and better damping would probably do me good, but I have yet to feel like "oh man! If only I had more travel on my fork!"

I ask because my frame can take a 140mm fork, I have it at 120 now, it's scientifically due* for a basic service and I could drop it to 100. I have both air springs as options. 140 seems like overkill for my riding, would chopper out the bike like whoa, and that would mean buying a new $$$ fork anyways. My approach to riding is to get away with the "least amount of bike" possible. I rode it rigid a few times lately and I am finding that's just no longer fun. I wonder if I could tune in a 100mm spring enough to make it viable, but that level of suspension wizardry might be beyond my skills as this point. On that note: anyone find that paying extra for SKF seals is worth it beyond the price of OEM Rockshox wiper seals? *I determine when it's time to service my fork by how old the oil stains on the garage floor are. They're getting pretty stale. Probably out to replace my wipers too.

Was the Angleset set up to slackened or steepen the HTA? I would assume most people are always chasing a slacker HTA but perhaps one might want to steepen it after putting a longer fork on.

What kind of tire size and fork do you find to be optimal on a hardtail for Austin riding? What kind of fork is "too much" and at what point is it "not enough" fork?