What are you riding this year?

[MR. evil]

Looking Good Brian, I dig the white wheels.

 

[bvibert]

Thanks guys. I like how the white wheels look too. I wish the fork was white instead of silver, but it's not a fashion show, so it doesn't really matter.

Do you know what the complete bike weighs?

No, but I do want to find out.

 

[Greg]

Wow. That's coming together nicely, Brian. Looks like a totally different bike. And I'm just psyched to not hear rim brake rub and wait while you fix your spokes this season... :razz:

Going to go work on my bike in a few. Got the Nevegals on last night. Seating that first bead was a bitch even though they're folding. The 235s are not as wide as I expected, but then it occurred to me after reading your post that I have pretty narrow XC rims too. Thinking about saying Eff it and put on the platforms for tomorrow's ride... :lol:

 

[o3jeff]

Put on the platforms, hopefully they will slow you down so we can keep up.

 

[o3jeff]

No, but I do want to find out.

Do you have a scale big enough? I would like to know what mine weighs too.

 

[MR. evil]

Before I mounted up the rims I weighed them to compare to the old ones. I weighed each rim with no tires or skewers, just the rip tape/strip and, in the case of the new wheels, the rotors. While the wheels didn't feel appreciably different in my hands I was surprised there wasn't more of a weight difference in reality. The front was 438g heavier and the rear was 380g heavier, that's less than a pound a piece. If you factor out the rotors it's less than 3/4 of a pound difference per wheel. I understand that's a lot when you're talking about the rotating mass, but I was expecting it to be more since everyone says how heavy they are.

Brian,
your new wheel set is about 1.6lbs heavier than your old one, that is huge for a wheelset! But atleast you now have the peice of mind that these wheels will be able to handle a beating.

Just to put this into perspective, when I swapped to ghetto tubless last summer I dropped a total of 400g from my wheel set. That doesn't sound like alot, but I could instantly feel a difference in acceleration and when climbing. You might want to consider a switch to tubeless to help offset set some of the weight you just added. If you do decide to go that route, I would ask if ghetto tubeless is ok for someone your size over in the Clyde forum on MTBR. The total cost for the conversion is around $25 for the Stan's and (2) 20" bmx tubes. Or you could spend about $80 and buy the complete Stan's conversion kit.

My only flat last season was due to a huge gash in the tire side wall from a rock that no amount of Stan's liquid would seal up. It would have been a flat tube or no tube. But thats why I still carrie a spare tube in my pack.

 

[bvibert]

Wow. That's coming together nicely, Brian. Looks like a totally different bike. And I'm just psyched to not hear rim brake rub and wait while you fix your spokes this season... :razz:

Going to go work on my bike in a few. Got the Nevegals on last night. Seating that first bead was a bitch even though they're folding. The 235s are not as wide as I expected, but then it occurred to me after reading your post that I have pretty narrow XC rims too. Thinking about saying Eff it and put on the platforms for tomorrow's ride... :lol:

It will be nice not to have that constant rim rub, now I just have to listen to the turkey warble.

What made you switch to the Nevegals? Not enough traction with the other tires?

 

[Greg]

What made you switch to the Nevegals? Not enough traction with the other tires?

No good reason. I wanted to get the Nevegals based on the reviews towards the end of last season. Didn't order them in time for a ride that was coming up in which I definitely wanted better tires so I just bought the Moto Raptors from an LBS. If I don't notice a huge difference in traction, I might stick a Moto Raptor (2.24) in the rear and run a Nev (2.35) up front. That way I have a complete set of tires to change when ready. The Stick-E compound definitely is tacky so I think it'll be good on rocks and roots. If so, I'll sell the Moto Raptors to Grassi or you.

 

[bvibert]

Brian,
your new wheel set is about 1.6lbs heavier than your old one, that is huge for a wheelset! But atleast you now have the peice of mind that these wheels will be able to handle a beating.

Just to put this into perspective, when I swapped to ghetto tubless last summer I dropped a total of 400g from my wheel set. That doesn't sound like alot, but I could instantly feel a difference in acceleration and when climbing. You might want to consider a switch to tubeless to help offset set some of the weight you just added. If you do decide to go that route, I would ask if ghetto tubeless is ok for someone your size over in the Clyde forum on MTBR. The total cost for the conversion is around $25 for the Stan's and (2) 20" bmx tubes. Or you could spend about $80 and buy the complete Stan's conversion kit.

My only flat last season was due to a huge gash in the tire side wall from a rock that no amount of Stan's liquid would seal up. It would have been a flat tube or no tube. But thats why I still carrie a spare tube in my pack.

Actually, it's more like 1.8 pounds (about half a pound of that being from the rotors, which I didn't have before), but who's counting.

When you switched to ghetto and weighed the stuff that you took off did you factor in the weight of the sealant that you had to add? From what I've read you should add 2-3 ounces per tire. I don't know how much Stans sealant weighs per fluid ounce, but it's got to be at least as much as water, which is 29.57g per fluid ounce.

 

[Greg]

which is 29.57g per fluid ounce.

You turning into a weight weenie or something?

 

[bvibert]

No good reason. I wanted to get the Nevegals based on the reviews towards the end of last season. Didn't order them in time for a ride that was coming up in which I definitely wanted better tires so I just bought the Moto Raptors from an LBS. If I don't notice a huge difference in traction, I might stick a Moto Raptor (2.24) in the rear and run a Nev (2.35) up front. That way I have a complete set of tires to change when ready. The Stick-E compound definitely is tacky so I think it'll be good on rocks and roots. If so, I'll sell the Moto Raptors to Grassi or you.

The only thing that I'd be worried about with the Stick-E compound is that they say it wears down quickly. Seems like a lot of guys run the Stick-E up front and the regular compound in the rear to get more life out of the tires. Your idea of running the Raptor in the rear and the Nev up front may be a good one for that reason. If you don't go that route, and Grassi doesn't want them, I may be interested in the Raptors...

 

[bvibert]

You turning into a weight weenie or something?

:lol: No, I've been doing some research on weights in an attempt to make myself feel better about buying a DH wheelset for an XC bike.

 

[bvibert]

You guys distracted me.. I came in here to post that my bike is put back together and fully operational! I took it for a few laps around the house, it felt great to back on it! I even almost bit it pulling a wheelie. :lol:

 

[Greg]

Riding tomorrow?

 

[bvibert]

Riding tomorrow?

Probably not..

 

[MR. evil]

Actually, it's more like 1.8 pounds (about half a pound of that being from the rotors, which I didn't have before), but who's counting.

When you switched to ghetto and weighed the stuff that you took off did you factor in the weight of the sealant that you had to add? From what I've read you should add 2-3 ounces per tire. I don't know how much Stans sealant weighs per fluid ounce, but it's got to be at least as much as water, which is 29.57g per fluid ounce.

I weighed everything on a digital postal scale:
The old tubes I removed
The new 20" bmx tubes right out of the box
the excess rubber removed from the bmx tubes after the conversion
& the (2) scoops of sealant I added to each tire.

I then did all the math and it worked out to around 220g per wheel if I remember correctly.

 

[sLoPeS]

need some singletrack on the asap

so my bike should be out of the shop soon. the drivetrain was messed up, aka new drivetrain......great. no hydrolics for now, but it should be riding a lot better. with the rain all week, maybe start some rides next week?

 

[BigJay]

Evil Imperial frame number 18.

I see you:
http://www.imba.com/tcc/2002/vermont.html

:lol:

 

[JD]

And there's the Evil! Scott, head of IMBA trail crew on the right, back. I miss that shop. Alot.

 

[Charlie Schuessler]

So far this season I've stayed on the road and riding the 2008 Specialized Roubaix purchased last spring, keeping the aluminum frame on the trainer.

Carbon pays for itself in comfort and the compact gearing makes the uphills more fun. I rode my best Century last September, 102-miles in 5:38 and almost no road fatigue previously expirenced with my aluminum frame bikes...