It's supposed to be spring - weather says no! And the choice for Calgary has basically turned it from a gap year to a temp relocation. I'm chasing career work here rather than holiday type jobs.so if you are posting from Calgary i assume you got your trip, accomo and insurance all sorted out. please keep the pictures coming of a Canadian Gap year. it will make not ridign over winter easier...:thumb:
I was until you went up to Calgary. Still, this thread makes me happy. arty:I think I'm just gonna post all sorts of bike related shit in this thread. I've gotta make Udi jealous.
Eh, the more I come to understand what's going on here I'm OK with being here. Particularly if I can find some oilfield work here. Within a few hours there's a dozen snow/bike parks (I gather from the locals). Should make for awesome trips compared to Qld regardless. Plus 30 mins from me there is a 700m descent 'AM' track, the gradient/terrain of which outshines any DH track I've seen in Australia, within that vicinity there's a heap more shorter DH/FR/AM trails and some ballsy XC. I have a big XC network right on my doorstep (literally across the road) and 4 more within 20 minutes riding. There's also a small scale (200m vert hill maybe? Could be less) lifted park with a heap of FR/flow/huck trails across the river (1km away) so it may not be Whistler, but I'm pretty happy.I was until you went up to Calgary. Still, this thread makes me happy. arty:
Thomson seatpost? How about the ano pink CK headset? The Bontrager, whilst not regarded as bling, is really nice too. Cranks are chromed and the saddle is ti. This is as close as I can get a picture to show the actual colour:Dat Thomson seatpost. Did you take that bike over or did you snap it up from a local?
Make a pumptrack out of that ice bro.
http://frameskin.com.au/Find a less obtuse chainstay protector. One day I will find 3M 2228 here....
That's the stuff I used on my Commencal. Not as good as 2228 IMO.
Yeah, I've called mine the 'rock crusher' for precisely that reason - the linkage mechanism literally crushes rocks on most rides. Not the most well thought out bikes in my opinion. Some other design flaws include stress riser areas on the frame and a LOT of rear end flex. I like to think of the flex as 'trail compliance'. I've got an early Tracer, I thought on the later ones they would have figured out the head angle.. and the rock crusher for that matter. Mine has a k9 -2* installed and that fixed the geometry. As shit as it is, it is actually a lot of fun to ride.What I immediately found on my first ride is that the linkage is so poorly thought out. If they want to leave it as is they should bloody well make it have a mud guard from stock, else change it so there's enough space for rocks/gravel/grit/shit to slip through the linkage members and not jam it up. When the linkage compresses a space opens up in the bottom link, which the rear wheel constantly directs a heap of pebbles/rocks/mud at, this fills the void and the linkage can't extend.
I'm just running a thinner, less ugly tube wrap now on the chain stay and a few layers of duct tape on the inside of the seat stay. Next time I wrap a set of roadie bars I'm gonna pinch the old tape I think. Similar deal.Might I suggest the grip tape that goes on tennis racket handles? Spodgy, light, variety of colours....
I remember that bike being stupid slack and actually having mint AU geometry. My stuff keeps finding its way through the community haha. When I sold that thing it was frame only with two shocks, so doesn't surprise me its changed a bit. Willsy01 is now the owner of my 2nd Commencal.pretty sure I own your old blue commencal now. had white totems and formula brakes when I bought it. fun bike but heavy. ended up stripping it and using bits on my cove. will build it up again one day
They beefed up the Tracer by adding 1kg of dead mass in the frame (my Tracer frame is almost a kg heavier than my v10 frame). Haven't fixed the geo. An angleset would fix that, but not sure I want to spend any more money on it. Maybe if I can sell the stock wheelset for a good price (came with Haven spec wheels).Yeah, I've called mine the 'rock crusher' for precisely that reason - the linkage mechanism literally crushes rocks on most rides. Not the most well thought out bikes in my opinion. Some other design flaws include stress riser areas on the frame and a LOT of rear end flex. I like to think of the flex as 'trail compliance'. I've got an early Tracer, I thought on the later ones they would have figured out the head angle.. and the rock crusher for that matter. Mine has a k9 -2* installed and that fixed the geometry. As shit as it is, it is actually a lot of fun to ride.
Its a Prime item, so should ship to CA just happily.That's the stuff I used on my Commencal. Not as good as 2228 IMO.
Also can't source that here in Canada.
Failing that I hope to find some foamy double sided tape and get some tough-ish tape over the top. Quite effective and very quiet. Light as well.
They aren't great on weight but you don't notice it in the ride. So much going on in the suspension that you get lost in the welding and alloy. They pedal well though, i find that my DH bike (Same suspension design) pedals better than some mates AM bikes.Also how was the Porrygong for weight and pedalling? Getting sick of carrying extra weight around on AM bikes.