Bikes, Parts, Reviews and Technical Discussions

[ibex]

Fox Racing Shox 36 Talas-RC2





Description:

* 20 mm thru axle QR system
* Post style disc brake mounts
* Integrated disc brake cable guide
* Low speed compression

MSRP: $ 1065.00

Reviews:

I just finished my first ride with the fork and all I can say is WOW!!! I cannot believe how nice this fork is. It responded very well to small bumps and I had no problems with 6 ft drops and aggressive downhill sections. I even forgot that I left the TALAS in the 130mm setting and hit some pretty bad ass drops without even noticing. This fork is well worth the investment. You will not be disappointed at all with the TALAS. I wish I had this fork all along on my bike.

I will post a review in a few weeks after I get a few more miles on this fork.

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very plush through the whole travel, rebound adjustment is very good, 20mm axle easy to remove, not quite as good as maxle but nearly!
very very stiff on the downhill, the new talas lever is 100% better than last years


Source: www.mtbr.com/cat/suspension/2009-forks/fox-racing-shox/36-talas-rc2/PRD_419916_6513crx.aspx

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Go anywhere, do anything, then do it again on Fox's 36 TALAS RC2. Their proven TALAS (Travel Adjust Linear Air Spring) has evolved into a super-easy 3-stage system. With two flicks of a lever, you can adjust your travel down to 100mm for easy climbing, then let it back out and devour the descents with 160mm of buttery-smooth travel. Huge 36mm-diameter stanchions and the quick-release 20mm through-axle give you unprecedented rigidity and steering precision on even the roughest descents and allow you to run an 8-inch rotor. Plus, the adjustable high- and low-speed compression and rebound let you dial in your settings exactly to your liking.


Travel: 160, 130, 100mm
Spring: Air
Disc only
Weight: 5.1 pounds

[ibex]

Avid Juicy 5 Hydraulic Disc Brake

Reviews:

Are you looking to make the switch to disc brakes without breaking the bank? Are you tired of the poor lever feel and performance out of those other “budget” disc brakes? Look no further than the Juicy Fives from Avid.

From the SRAM website:

* Intended Use - Cross Country, All Mountain, Freeride, Downhill
* Finish - Aero Silver
* Special Features - New refined lever body design, 20 grams lighter than last years model, Tri-Align Caliper Positioning System, Power Reserve Geometry, Ambidextrous, Split Clamp/Matchmaker compatible, Drip-free bleeding, Indexed reach adjustment, DOT 5.1 standard
* Rotor Sizes - 160, 185, 203mm
* Fluid - DOT 5.1
* Weight - 397g (160mm rotor; front post mount)

Before the introduction of the Juicy 3’s, the Juicy 5’s were Avid’s answer for low cost hydraulic disc brakes that didn’t perform like their price would suggest. This 2008 set came installed on the Ellsworth Evolve review bike, but I have also owned a set of the 2006 version.

What do you gain over the Juicy 3’s? From the stats off the website, you get lever reach adjustment and a light brake. Those two features alone make upgrading to the 5’s a no brainer.

What do you lose from the Juicy 7’s? They are a little bit heavier (if you call 2 grams heavier) and you have no pad contact adjustment. The lighter 7’s carry around a 40 dollar premium.
Juicy 5 Hydraulics - The Good News

Price - Finding the Juicy 5’s around 120.00 dollars US is a pretty easy task. This puts these brakes at a great price point for hydraulics.

Lever Feel/Adjustment - The lever design allows true one finger braking and is comfortable to use. Many of the brakes in this price point come with 2 finger levers. You can also adjust the lever reach closer or farther away from the bars depending on your hand size and preference.

Modulation - While the modulation is not great, it is very respectable. Juicy’s tend to have an “on/off” feeling sometimes. The lever has a light feel that is progressive throughout. Match this with the ability to use one finger and these may be the best feeling budget brakes on the market.

Two Bolt Lever Clamp - Installing and removing the levers is extremely easy with the two bolt design. You can also use the Matchmaker from SRAM to mount the Juicy brakes with SRAM trigger shifters.

Design - The overall fit and feel of the brakes are top quality.

Easy Pad Replacement - The spring system makes pad replacement a breeze.
Juicy 5 Hydraulics - The Bad News

The Turkey Gobble - This set of Juicy 5’s had the infamous Avid “turkey gobble”. The G2 Clean Sweep Rotor on the rear emits a gobble-like sound when braking is applied. There are other brakes in the Avid line that do this same thing. This can get annoying during the ride.

Noisy - On top of the “gobbling”, these brakes can be loud if not adjusted perfectly. There are other brakes on the market that are not quite as finicky.

No Pad Contact Adjustment - You could adjust some of the noise out of the brakes with a contact adjustment. You would also be able to keep lever feel constant as the pads wear.

Power - The braking power on this set was not up to par with some of the other brands I have used in the past. They do have more power than their direct competition, but I would recommend using the 185mm rotors to get more power and better modulation out of these brakes.
Juicy 5 Hydraulics Overview

For the price, it will not get any better than this. One finger braking on a high quality feeling design. If you are going to run these brakes on a 29er, opt for the 185mm rotors (at least on the front). These brakes were overpowered by the big wheels on downhills, and the 185mm rotor would have prevented it. The little annoyances that go along with these brakes to not change their overall value. You can step down to the Juicy 3’s to save a couple of dollars, but I believe the weight and reach adjustment make the Juicy 5’s worth the upgrade.

Note: If you plan on cutting the lines and bleeding these brakes yourself, pick up the Avid bleed kit.


Source: reviews.mtbr.com/blog/avid-juicy-5-hydraulic-brake-review/

[ibex]

Giant Anthem Advanced 1
MTB Frame

£2,250.00

Full composite engineering form the world leader in composite bicycles. Oli Beckingsales's race-winning know how and the supple response of 3.5 inch travel Maestro suspension make Anthem Advanced the one to beat. Race-tuned, race ready, built to win!

ANTHEM ADVANCED - FRAME

* Advanced-grade composite with composite upper rocker links, 3.5” Maestro Suspension, 3.5’’/90mm travel frame
* SHOCK: Fox Float RP23
* HEADSET: Integrated 1 1/8” sealed cartridge bearing with composite spacers and top cap
* BOTTOM BRACKET SIZE: 68mm shell, BB not included
* EXTRAS: Seat collar, shock pump
* SIZES: S, M, L - COLOUR: Composite, Black

* Name : Giant Anthem Advanced Mountain Bike Frame 09
* Bike Colour : Carbon/Black
* Colour General : Carbon
* Frame size : 16in
* Price : £2250.00


Photo Source: www.giant-bicycles.com/EN-GB/bikes/mountain/2432/32471/

[ibex]

Continuum Wireless Cycling Computer

* 9 functions: speed, average speed, maximum speed, odometer, trip distance, clock, ride time, total time and pacer.
* Waterproof design
* No cross signal interference
* Auto sleep
* KM/ Mile options
* Universal handlebar mount and sensor
* Low battery indicator
* Fits oversized forks
* Resists noise interference

[ibex]

SRAM X.0 Rear Derailleur

£174.99

By BikeRadar

This iconic rear mech gets a gold trim change for SRAM's 20th birthday, but it's not showing its age.

The CNC machined alloy skeleton gets a new carbon outer plate on the jockey cage and an alloy inner one, to overcome previous fragility issues (we've not snapped a new one yet) while keeping weight below 200g. The Di.R.T: (Direct Route Technology) cable insertion makes control lines less vulnerable to crash/undergrowth damage, too. The 'ESP' 1:1 cable pull makes it much more tolerant of sticky, gritty cables, with superb snap precision from the Ti spring.

An absence of top body bounce keeps it more stable and accurate when shifting over rough sections, although the lack of body movement makes ample chain length and correct short/ medium/long cage selection vital to stop it being torn in half at full stretch. Jockey wheels wear out faster than Shimano equivalents, and there's no escaping the fact that this rear mech costs an absolute fortune.

Shimano XTR Shadow Rear Mech (08)

£99.99

'Shadow' style XTR is the lightest mech around.

More significantly, it's sprung normally for a super-light action with Rapidfire trigger pods. Shadow design tucks it away from rocks, too, and there's no second spring to let it bounce off the frame. It's proving more awkward to set up for consistent shifts than standard mechs, though.

This means the 'Low Normal' rigged Std mech still has its place, particularly with Dual Control shifters. Either way, Shimano's 'fluorine-coated link pin bushings', cold forged construction and the best jockey wheels around make XTR a super-tough unit.

[ibex]

Giro - Ionos

$224.99

From the top of the podium of the Tour de France, straight to your head comes Giro's Ionos. Built to the exacting demands of ProTour riders, the Ionos offers premium cooling, chic style and maximum protection. 21 massive Wind Tunnel vents keep your head airy and dry, while the In-mold Composite Sub Frame provides massive amounts of protection when you need it most. Plus, the Ionos uses Giro's top-notch Roc Loc 4 system for a supremely comfortable and secure fit. And, this sweet lid is available in the colors of some of your favorite professional cycling teams.