[Closed] I need a full Susser !!

Hey fudge, remind your wife that a lot of guys on her think she's pretty special for that. And obviously you must be too to deserve it.

Clockwork 120 is £379

http://www.bikescene.co.uk/Orange-Clockwork-120-Frame-12537-0-0.html

eddiebaby cheers for that. She's a very special lady and totally selfless!!

I get your point chest but that is a 2016 frame and also 650b

It's also an orange so only comparable by the fact it's. A hardtail frame. Personally I would compare against other alloy frames take an average and split in two price wise

renton give me a shout if you fancy a large smuggler.....

Hard tails are a great way to learn to ride bikes properly - to serve your apprenticeship - the harsh back end stuff? Learn to ride better lines, ride through it faster-skim over the top of it, manual roll it, bunny hop the lot of it.

FS shortens the apprenticeship and gets you to the top quicker but without some of the skills.

The problem is that it all takes time, you have to put the hours in to get the skills and fitness for it to all work and come together.

I've ridden hardtails for years including mega harsh Mk1,2,&3 Chameleons, Spooky Metalheads, Brooklyn Park frame, Evil Sovereign, Ragley Bluepig in places like Les Arc, BPW, Antur Stiniog black routes etc. FS isn't the magic answer - I use the same energy, the body still aches in the same places after riding my FS it's just the speeds are higher.

Ride what you have with conviction - if you can't manage that then just accept that opening a wallet won't make any difference.

I offered up the 650b Clockwork 120 as it's what you gave a price for. Similar quality IMO so you should be able to find a similar frame around the £250 mark new. The Clockwork may be last years model but so will yours in a month or two and it's second hand.

I built my first full sus last year, an old (2011) Zesty Frame, bits off my 26" Soul, dropper, some 140mm Revs, it's not a bad build, if a bit heavy.

Since then I've also had a few demo rides on full sus bikes, and I ride with friends that ride only full sus. I currently have a Soul 275 in addition to the Zesty, which I'm riding most at the moment.

Previous similar multiple threads aside, I can see where you're coming from renton - full sus v hardtail is a funny thing to get your head round at times, they are very different, in comfort, capabilites and speed.

I thought my hardtail was the perfect bike for a local ride the other week, then we hit the first rooty, bumpy, loamy climb, and my mate of similar fitness on his full sus just pedalled away, because he could stay seated and glide over the roots and bumps without losing grip and momentum, his arse wasn't getting bucked off the saddle, he wasn't having to stand up and shift his weight so much. By the top of that first climb I felt half knackered and beaten up, my mate was raring to go. At that point I wished I was on a full sus. On the less techy, smoother climbs, my lighter bike and more direct power allowed me to pull away, and on the smooth flat and downhills I could stick with him, but those sections were in the minority.

For me, the main advantages of full sus are: Comfort, technical riding capabilites, grip on climbs, speed. So it depends where and how you ride and what you want to get out of it. Back to back rides on similar terrain on different bikes is what you need, with STRAAAAVA going if that's your thing.

You'll develop better skills and get fitter and stronger on a hardtail I think, you just learn techniques to self preserve and minimise impacts and effort required, but if you just want to be fast, full sus is a much nicer experience in my opinion.

Hard tails are a great way to learn to ride bikes properly....and so on and on blah blah blah....

Mountain biking is supposed to be fun. If you want to change your bike, then do it. Making up phoney BS to justify riding a bike you're not happy with is just pointless.

I've done about 500 miles on my 529 now and really enjoy it!
I'd say that for my local loops across the downs, in the woods and along the canals it's ace. Nice and light with great rollover from the 29er wheels and good geometry to make the descents fun.

At Swinley I always take the T130 though. Whilst rideable on the HT, it's more comfortable and quicker on the FS. I think it's the rock hard polished surface that can become tiring. Plus, the FS makes the off track descents more fun.

I would suggest you just need to ride some different local trails! As offered, come join me out on the Ridgeway. We can take a low elevation bimble on a variety of trails. Feel free to try my T130 (though it's a Medium). You're not far from some great natural trails that you can infinitely loop to create huge diverse rides, you don't have to drive 1hr to a trail center to get your kicks.

I used to have the T129 and it's a great bike, but the HT is still the better tool for local loops (hell, even my SS rigid Stooge was better locally). As a one bike solutions the T129 is great though, otherwise a two bike garage would be perfect (529 & T129/130) to cover all riding and weather (you don't want to take the FS out on every gritty winter ride, or maybe you do).

Renton,

Its been a week since your first post. The weather has been great.

How have you got on with the bike?

How many hours and miles did you record on strava?

Ha I've actually stuck some flat pedals on it and just been riding it to work or the shops etc.

Feels a bit different to be honest compared to spds but not in a bad way.

Bit weird but I find myself shuffling back on the seat all the time for some reason. Not sure why as the bike is plenty long enough.

Renton I haven't read the whole post, are you using a dropper? If not have you tried a different seatpost with a bit more flex or even a smaller diameter with a shim. I used a carbon one on my old 456 and it took a lot of harshness out of the back end, and those frames are bloody harsh.

We are off to Swinley on Sunday again. I'm taking my lads and they are really excited.

I'm just going to have a pootle around with them and try and have fun.

That's what it is all about yes ?

Without doubt. Some of my best rides are with my 8 year old talking rubbish.

Inbred.... Yes using a stealth routed dropper.

Renton, I do the shuffling back on the set thing! Lol

I usually have to have the front of the seat tilted up slightly. That's on a Charge Spoon.

Glad to hear your out and about mate. Putting flats on does make the bike more "accessible" as you can just jump on it to shoot down the shops or whatever etc.

@renton, absolutely thats what its all about.
Social rides are great, hope you all have a fabulous day out.

I'm just going to have a pootle around with them and try and have fun.

That's what it is all about yes ?

Yes definitely yes . Have fun

Well... The boys loved it.

We managed two of the green and then the full blue with a bit of a session on one of the sections.

My bike was much better today. Not sure why as I haven't changed anything.

Here they are sat at the start of the red .....

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Eldest is pretty much hooked and is already wanting to come back and do the red.

You can shove your internet piss taking up your arris.... Times like this I don't give a monkeys.

Fair play to them.

Fair play to your kids and glad you enjoyed it. I'm sure the whyte will feel better the longer you have it.

You can shove your internet piss taking up your arris

Yes maybe. My bad. Just venting. Please ignore.

I've got two very tired boys now they are home.

This is awesome. More of this please! 😀

They honestly loved it.

They made me do a section of the blue a few times and said it was there fave bit of track !!

I see you are building up a full suss.

Glad you listened to all our advice.

Good luck.

In my opinion you need both a full suss and a hard tail and you pick the right bike for the right trail.

Hopefully this will help you ride more.

Let us know what it's like

Yep that's right mate. I've built this up as a bit of an experiment....

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All the kit off the 529 apart from the dropper.

Off to Swinley next Sunday on it just to see if it's any better.

Damascus.... I have taken on the advice and have been riding more .. to the shops, to work etc. The whyte is a good bike but I just wanted to try this and see.

The whyte isn't for sale though.

I said in your wanted ad that the codiene is shorter than the parkwood so genuinely interested how you'll get on with it given that was too short for you.

Well done for riding more.

I said in your wanted ad that the codiene is shorter than the parkwood so genuinely interested how you'll get on with it given that was too short for you.

That's right mate I remember.

In a quick test around the block it doesn't feel that much shorter when sat down but you can tell a little bit more when stood up.

I've literally bought it as a quick experiment to see if it makes much difference at all.

If it doesn't then the Whyte will be built back up and I will get on with it.

If it does then I will sell this and the Whyte frame and buy a T129.

Looks smart. Codiene 29er was ahead of the game for sure.

If it works you will sell it and buy another bike?

And the circle of life continues!

If it works given your history you should grab it with both hands and just ride it!

If it works you will sell it [b]for a profit[/b] and buy another bike?

And the circle of life continues!

😀

Hows the Jeffsy russyh

Really good mate. I am absolutely in love with it...I was worried about the shorter reach, but took the gamble and happy I did. I came to realise that really long and low BB don't work for Me. It just feels so right. Stable, fast and controlled. Needs some upgrades to get where I want but they are on hold whilst we move house.

Sweet.

Long works ok for my gibbon arms but the low I don't get on with.

Need to feel in rather than. On the bike iyswim

Interesting how you get on with the Codine, I looked at one a few years ago and thought it looked short. Probably ok for someone like me but if you like longer reach bikes, it's going to feel a bit old skool. Would recommend trying a Jeffsy if you can you can run it in a high geo which would be good for swinley. Albeit I still think you are crazy both cycling there regularly and not sticking with the Whyte

Oi Renton,

I'm back in the UK now and the Whyte T-130 is free for you to use/borrow/whatever if you want it. Oviously you have the O-O you may use, but just in case you want to test ride the T-130.

Oi Weeksy 😉

Many thanks again for the offer of your T130.

Onto the Codeine then..... Well despite the figures saying its a lot shorter in both reach and top tub compared to the 529 it didnt feel as bad as I thought it would.

I went to Swinley with my eldest lad and did the blue/ upto section 8 on the red/ blue and it felt great, I felt a lot fresher afterwards and not as beat up as I had on the Whyte.

If I were to keep it I would need a layback post (What layback droppers are there) and I would stick a pair of Pikes on it as the Sektors felt a bit noodly for some reason which is strange as they didnt on the 529 ?

I saw the Codiene up for sale on FB yesterday, and I wondered what was happening.

Not much choice on layback droppers, I know the KS eten is, but it's not the greatest post in the world.

I say get rid and buy something proper on finance if you can. If I had the cash spare I wouldn't have a hardtail as my only bike.

So then Budget? And does it have to be a 29er?

I saw the Codiene up for sale on FB yesterday, and I wondered what was happening.

Spur of the moment thing and removed 😳

Off out later on it if the new headset bearing arrives.

Renton sounds like you need to sell them both and get something else that has the bounce of the codeine and longer length of the whyte.

Perhaps the Large anthem in the classifieds...

Specialized Command are layback. Got one I would swap or sell if you are interested?

I need 31.6 mate.

Aren't the command posts 30.9 ?

Shim.

Bit harsh nobeer

I know how you feel a bit Renton. I have ridden a HT round Swinley & did find it a bit of a struggle. The bike was a Stanton Switchback, an awesome bike on the downs but slow everywhere else, I think was a bit small for me am 6ft with long torso. I sold it & built up a Ragley Big Wig this was better & faster but again reach not massive. Have sold frame for full suss frame, had back issues, now have an XL Smuggler which I love, it's my main bike loads of reach, fast & great fun, everyone said get a Large but I just thought sod it & went XL & glad I did.

Ah, yes, 30.9.

Onto the Codeine then..... Well despite the figures saying its a lot shorter in both reach and top tub compared to the 529 it didnt feel as bad as I thought it would.

If I were to keep it I would need a layback post

You say it's good then you say you need a layback? If it's good just leave it chap.

I would stick a pair of Pikes on it as the Sektors felt a bit noodly

Superstu... I have the saddle fully back on the inline post so a dropper with layback will be ideal.

Unless you are actually going out on it a lot more I'd not see the point in any upgrades. Just clock up 500 miles or so and go from there.