New Member - A few Questions

[Kevins19]

Well, Hello. I have been lurking around this forum for about 2 years! Since I bought a EVO 4.0 Frame w/ carbon Swingarm from SuperGo (When they were on sale for $250.00) What a deal, and I have been very happy with the frame.

After seeing Ian (IFO)'s pics with the boxxer fork I couldn't resist! I built it up with a 2003 Boxxer Race, XT derailers, LX shifters, 8" Hayes Mechanical Disc up front and Avid V-Brake in the rear. Then I mixed in a few components from my hardtail.

I love the bike but I want to get a few new components. First, the rear shock. It was a 600Lb. spring when I bought it and the manual says I should be running a 500 to 550Lb. spring for my weight. CambriaBike has new springs on sale for like $20.00 so I figure its as good of time as any. But, they offer them in all different shock stroke lengths. What is the proper stroke for a NR-1 shock 1.5" or 2"?

Also, I have gotten many chips and scraps as well as cable rub on my frame and am looking into painting it. I really like the old GT LTS frames that were just brushed aluminum. Can I just strip the paint from the EVO and run it bare since its aluminum. I know it won't rust but will it change color or anything? Or, do I have to get it coated clear or something.

Thanks in advance

[Simon]

I always thought they were 1.75" stroke but even if it was a 1.5" stroke I'd still get the spring to suit a 2" stroke shock,
if you go to a bare aluminium frame you will have to apply a clear coat lacquer of some kind,aluminium does oxidize.
Simon.
P.s welcome to the site [smiley=nod.gif]

[Old Proflexer]

ditto simons comments -

if nothing more than just a confirmation from another source - since you're fairly new -
but, no one really listens to me anyway

OP

(my local supergo still had a few of those frames hanging until a few weeks ago)

[Kevins19]

Cool, Thanks both of you for the info. Maybe it is 1.75" I just remember people talking about 1.5" springs and in the manual it says 2inch somewhere. (Probably for something else)

One more thing...

I tore the bike down to do a complete cleaning of everything. And, I feel kinda dumb but how the heck do you get the rear deraileur cable thru the swingarm? I push the cable thru te tube inside and it gets caught on something at the end. (Presumably the exit hole isn't as large as the tube inside and getting caught on the lip) Is there a trck to it.

Thanks again.

[Ionit]

Welcome.
I admit its hard to get the cable through at first. I managed to thread the cable through hopping for pure luck. Now I use a long stiff wire to act as a guide.
Just get the stiff wire guide through. Then tape the cable onto the guide wire. Pull both backward through the hole. and that’s it.

The Colour your talking about would be the ball burnished coating GT has on some of its bikes. It looks great and is very though. But without the proper equipment your bike will never look that way. Instead If you stripe the paint off the frame you may already know that your bike will have a dull ("Matte, blinn shader, not reflective) look. This in my opinion looks very good on its own.

[Kevins19]

First of all, thanks for the idea of the metal guide. That sounds like an easy way to get it thru.

Yeah, Ball Burnished, thats what I am thinking of.

"Matte, blinn shader, not reflective"

Are you sure its not more of a phong? Hehe, are you a CG Artist by any chance? I haven't ever heard anybody say blinn shader before that I didn't work with!