Update on my bike set up

[jazclrint]

Ok, so I still haven't been able to send my front Fox to Push for them to fine tune it for the crosslink, but it has been working pretty well since I set it up right.  Then there was my race weekend (props to Willie B for hooking me up last minute with that pivot for my crosslink) on Columbus day weekend.  It was at Sunday River and the descents we really steep and technical, and I found myslef over the bars once and walking most of them because I just could not control my bike enough and felt like I was begging to go over the bars.  Well, I talked with my teammates and gave a real good look at my position.  I like an aggressive position, but this was too much.  The bars were at least 4" lower than the seat (I am 6'2").  Everyone told me I needed a shorter stem for more control, and I was pretty sure the bar needed to come up.  I was over way too far.  I got a cheap stem off of eBay.  It is 120mm and 15 degree rise, compared to the stock 130mm and 6 degree rise.  First impressions are good.  I am having some traction issues with the front now at lean that I didn't before, but drop offs and dips that would catch my front wheel before, don't seem to bother much, if at all.  Further proof that there really is nothing wrong with my crosslink CS (I have the last version that was pretty refined anyway), it is just really sensitive to setup.  I am getting there.  Now I just have to put some miles on the new stem and see how it goes.

I was worried that the shorter stem and height would ruin the nice climbing position I had, so I have a set of LP carbon barends coming, so I can stretch back out for the climbs.  Also I really miss the power position that they bring.  Not having barends forces me to stay in the saddle, where before I spent a lot more time out of it.

[jazclrint]

Yes I am resurrecting this thread, but I feel it makes it easier for those searching the archives.

Since then I got the LP barends, and while I do like them, they are more for cruising around and a relaxed hand position then foe climbing with power.

I went back to the same race a year later and things went MUCH better.  However, I started looking at how to get the weight back down on the 5500, and started looking at handlebars, stems, and barends.  This lead me to trying a 10 degree rise 120mm cheap easton stem with the current CT2 bar.  I have experienced on road and now mountain, a moment when you find the right position.  You just sit on the bike and it feels like home, and more powerful.  I've ridden some of the local snowmobile and ski trails and I am really liking the feel of this setup.  I was VERY concerned with getting a lower stem, but this is only a drop of 10mm.  I feel like I can manipulate my weight better, and I get better power out of myself.

Another good test will be Friday when I go up to Campus and ride with my teammates on trails I know.

[orange]

got any before and after pics?

[jazclrint]

Of what specifically? I've got a bunch to choose from.

[orange]

just an overview I guess

[jazclrint]

Geek-out mussings from my ride today:

Ok, went out with my college club buddies today: http://www.mapmyride.com/run//me/orono/430127146569872665

No front end weighting issues, climbed like a billy goat, but the technical stuff was a pain, and just not secure enough to do any descents.

But to specify.  In the technical stuff I was running wide in the corners.  Now I am using Mich Comp S lite tires still, and I think some of it is that I don't have the confidence in the side grip to lean the bike in.  Steering too much at slow speed caused a feeling of the front tucking under me.  Now, I was not able to push the middle ring on this stuff which is really how you need to ride these trails, so that is a big factor.  Also, I haven't measured my sag in a while, so my ride height may be too low in the back, causing my initial turn in to be too slow.  Smooth high speed turns were great and I felt like I could really chuck the thing into those types of corners, even with the small knobbed Michelin's.  Also, I did get the feeling once in a while that I wanted my weight further back.  I'm not sure how much is me, and how much is setup issues.  I know I need a lot brushing up on technique though.  I suspect some careful attention to detail would help with confidence in the beast.  But in general it climbs better (maybe even much better), feels like I can really put it down power whenever, but I'm not sure I am carrying as much speed over technical sections, and I'm not ready to trust it on tricky descents yet.  If this were a street bike I'd say my suspension wasn't dialed in and the reason I was running wide was because my tires weren't spending enough time in contact with the ground.  Another reason to lower the pivot point on my front shock adapter 3mm so I can run that extra bit of sag, which would make the shock happier, get the front wheel back to the ground that much sooner, and not let the front wheel come up so far on an already aggressive geometry.

Here are requested pics:

[jazclrint]

Step 2 here

[jazclrint]

The last step here

[purple gerbil]

If it was me i would try an borrow a pair of riser bar's and see how that goes even try flipping your stem to get different combo's..

Personally i alway's try to get my seat level with my bar's for a more balanced ride...it seem's your riding a little high for technical in the seat department....look's like your set up for climbing & open single track....drop your seat a touch so you have more room to move around the bike & get off the back when need's be...might try one of them spring thing's on your seatpost so you can adjust on the fly.....

But that's me!!

[jazclrint]

Actually the seat is lowered as far as I can stand, .  And, that was the original intention of getting the 10 degree rise stem was to borrow (or get for cheap) a low rise bar and try it out.  The intent of this bike is to race XC where the climbs tend to be long and steep, hence the aggressive setup.  I'm going to ride this for a while, but I will be on the look out for a riser bar I can borrow.
Thanks,
Rich

[jazclrint]

Update:
So I as posted in another thread I went riding down in TN this week.  Well, the day before I left I had taken the car for a new tire and a quick fix on the exhaust.  I had snuck in a ride just before the appointment and was riding the bike around in the parking lot while waiting on the car.  While doing bunny hops I noticed I was bottoming out the fork with no problem.  Uh-oh.  Fast forward 3 days and while at The Bicycle Center I asked to borrow a shock pump to check the front pressure.  Sure enough it was only about 20psi, where I usually run 35-40.  The mechanic pumped it up for me, and it worked much better on the trails.  Harsher obviously, but it worked much better.  Now these trails weren't as technical as home, which was nice because I got reminded that this bike likes to go fast.  Initial turn-in felt better, but I was still running a bit wide in the tight corners.  What I need to do is set the sag again and check what those pressures are.  From experience I know taking the time to do that pays off.  So the lesson of the day is something I learned in 5th grade Science class, when experimenting, limit your variables.

[shovelon]

Update:
So I as posted in another thread I went riding down in TN this week.  Well, the day before I left I had taken the car for a new tire and a quick fix on the exhaust.  I had snuck in a ride just before the appointment and was riding the bike around in the parking lot while waiting on the car.  While doing bunny hops I noticed I was bottoming out the fork with no problem.  Uh-oh.  Fast forward 3 days and while at The Bicycle Center I asked to borrow a shock pump to check the front pressure.  Sure enough it was only about 20psi, where I usually run 35-40.  The mechanic pumped it up for me, and it worked much better on the trails.  Harsher obviously, but it worked much better.  Now these trails weren't as technical as home, which was nice because I got reminded that this bike likes to go fast.  Initial turn-in felt better, but I was still running a bit wide in the tight corners.  What I need to do is set the sag again and check what those pressures are.  From experience I know taking the time to do that pays off.  So the lesson of the day is something I learned in 5th grade Science class, when experimenting, limit your variables.

Time to start carrying a shock pump.

Terry

[jazclrint]

I had forgot to pack mine when I left.