You don't need to be an 'investor' to invest in Singletrack: 6 days left: 95% of target - Find out more
In January I bought a new bike. Since then we've done 600km around various trail centres and a fortnight in the Alps, but I'm still not feeling the love.
I've got used to the saddle being 6ft in the air and the steering snapping from "nothing happening" to full turn as it overcentres but a few things are still upsetting me.
The brakes (Shimano Deore) have been dodgy since new. Initially they just became less effective, roughly around the last couple of corners at Bike Park Wales. In the Alps they just squealed continually, whenever applied. New pads and liberal coating of the discs with alcohol have stopped the noise but they still judder and slip. You can see the fork shimmy back and forth as the brakes grip and then slip. This translates into poor performance - you just never know if the brakes are going to work or not when you pull the levers. I've run out of ideas, short of giving up and replacing with new rotors and XT calipers.
Next issue is the chain. Which just won't stay on the big chainring. Even in big front, big back it just falls off between the rings. Everywhere - Aston Hill or the Verders and not only on big jumpy stuff. Indexing or adding a chain device doesn't seem to help much. Again, considering scrapping the X9 mech and replacing with XT.
Finally, is the shock (Monarch Plus RC3) supposed to coat its piston in oil? Still seems to be doing it after 8 months so if it was leaking significant oil I'd expect it to have run out by now!
Any suggestions? Ignore the niggles? Get someone more competent to do a full service? Keep replacing bits? Sell up and buy a Spec. Enduro instead?
Go to the place you bought it from and talk to them, all the parts will have a minimum of a 1 year warranty. Sounds like the shock needs a service at least. By fork juddering do you mean the headset is loose?
In terms of steering is it too snappy? Sounds like lots of setup needed. In terms of the saddle it should be about the same height as your previous bike? Maybe some spacers under the stem if balance isn't right?
Life is too short to own a bike you aren't getting on with. Sell it and try something else.
sell it and try something else.
why would you want to eat toast for breakfast every single day of your life...... 😀
Life is too short to own a bike you aren't getting on with. Sell it and try something else.ton - Member
sell it and try something else.why would you want to eat toast for breakfast every single day of your life...
Sage advice... well maybe but probably not. If you don't know whats making the bike wrong how do you know buying something else will fix it?
If you bought the bike new then I'd speak to the shop and see if they can arrange for the dodgy components to be fixed/replaced under warranty. If nothing else, it should improve the resale value if you come to sell it.
If they won't do it on warranty, or if it doesn't fix the issues, then I'd be tempted to give up and get a new one.