Priority of Parts on a MTB
Discussion
I've been cycling regularly for 2 years, twice a week, all seasons, but have only recently purchased a quality full sus mountain bike. I'm keen to hear the opinion of others on the effect of various equipment pieces that go together to make a great bike. I know the most important element about cycling is the rider (so no need to state this again) but how influential are specific parts. The frame needs to work and fit right for the rider, then the rims, spokes tyres, gearing, brakes?
How much difference do exceeding light rims, wheels, rubber make to a ride? What is the advantage of xtr of slx gearing? Is it just weight or do they simply engage quicker? (Assume cons are that xtr is more fragile and wears out quicker).
All and any comments welcome. Would just like to hear peoples opinions on the influence and effect of various equipment on their bikes, what makes the biggest difference to you?
How much difference do exceeding light rims, wheels, rubber make to a ride? What is the advantage of xtr of slx gearing? Is it just weight or do they simply engage quicker? (Assume cons are that xtr is more fragile and wears out quicker).
All and any comments welcome. Would just like to hear peoples opinions on the influence and effect of various equipment on their bikes, what makes the biggest difference to you?
Talking about the bikes then my 'priorities' would be;
Frame
Suspension
Wheels
Components.
Generally, if you took a pound of weight off the wheels it would be more noticable than if you took it off the frame/suspension/components.
Tyres are important but I just use a good all round tyre (Maxxis High Roller) rather than swapping them when conditions change.
The difference between component models is down to a, quality of materials and construction; and b, their intended use. SLX are lightweight All Mountain / Free Ride components whereas XTR is X-Country race kit.
Frame
Suspension
Wheels
Components.
Generally, if you took a pound of weight off the wheels it would be more noticable than if you took it off the frame/suspension/components.
Tyres are important but I just use a good all round tyre (Maxxis High Roller) rather than swapping them when conditions change.
The difference between component models is down to a, quality of materials and construction; and b, their intended use. SLX are lightweight All Mountain / Free Ride components whereas XTR is X-Country race kit.
mk1fan said:
Talking about the bikes then my 'priorities' would be;
Frame
Suspension
Wheels
Components.
Generally, if you took a pound of weight off the wheels it would be more noticable than if you took it off the frame/suspension/components.
Tyres are important but I just use a good all round tyre (Maxxis High Roller) rather than swapping them when conditions change.
The difference between component models is down to a, quality of materials and construction; and b, their intended use. SLX are lightweight All Mountain / Free Ride components whereas XTR is X-Country race kit.
Sorry, slight hijack.Frame
Suspension
Wheels
Components.
Generally, if you took a pound of weight off the wheels it would be more noticable than if you took it off the frame/suspension/components.
Tyres are important but I just use a good all round tyre (Maxxis High Roller) rather than swapping them when conditions change.
The difference between component models is down to a, quality of materials and construction; and b, their intended use. SLX are lightweight All Mountain / Free Ride components whereas XTR is X-Country race kit.
I keep reading about Maxxis High Rollers...are they all they seem to be? I tend to require tyres that really bite when leaned on, and I find most tyres I’ve tried don't, so I’m stuck with a 'stick to what I know' mentality.
mk1fan said:
Talking about the bikes then my 'priorities' would be;
Frame
Suspension
Wheels
Components.
Generally, if you took a pound of weight off the wheels it would be more noticable than if you took it off the frame/suspension/components.
Tyres are important but I just use a good all round tyre (Maxxis High Roller) rather than swapping them when conditions change.
The difference between component models is down to a, quality of materials and construction; and b, their intended use. SLX are lightweight All Mountain / Free Ride components whereas XTR is X-Country race kit.
I would totally agree and I have some specifics when making a purchase;Frame
Suspension
Wheels
Components.
Generally, if you took a pound of weight off the wheels it would be more noticable than if you took it off the frame/suspension/components.
Tyres are important but I just use a good all round tyre (Maxxis High Roller) rather than swapping them when conditions change.
The difference between component models is down to a, quality of materials and construction; and b, their intended use. SLX are lightweight All Mountain / Free Ride components whereas XTR is X-Country race kit.
XTR shifters. These are very expensive but are superb and well worth it.
Forks that "duck", I can set the fork height for going up or downhill of dial them down for a sprint. They are superb for keeping the front wheel on the ground during a steep climb and help you concentrate on power
application and weight distribution.
UST tyres/wheels. virtually eliminate the puncture repair stop
DECENT BRAKES - dont skimp on them, there is very few maintenance free strong durable "stop in any weather, any surface, light and maintenance free units there. I have had too many rides cut short due to companions brakes failing. Now they all ride the same as me and we have no problems. It may piss me off having to cut a ride short but imagine being the guy whose brakes just failed halfway down a hill...
Sorry to hijack:
Gooby - what brakes do you run?
XTR shifters. These are very expensive but are superb and well worth it.
Forks that "duck", I can set the fork height for going up or downhill of dial them down for a sprint. They are superb for keeping the front wheel on the ground during a steep climb and help you concentrate on power
application and weight distribution.
UST tyres/wheels. virtually eliminate the puncture repair stop
DECENT BRAKES - dont skimp on them, there is very few maintenance free strong durable "stop in any weather, any surface, light and maintenance free units there. I have had too many rides cut short due to companions brakes failing. Now they all ride the same as me and we have no problems. It may piss me off having to cut a ride short but imagine being the guy whose brakes just failed halfway down a hill...
Gooby - what brakes do you run?
Gooby said:
mk1fan said:
Talking about the bikes then my 'priorities' would be;
Frame
Suspension
Wheels
Components.
Generally, if you took a pound of weight off the wheels it would be more noticable than if you took it off the frame/suspension/components.
Tyres are important but I just use a good all round tyre (Maxxis High Roller) rather than swapping them when conditions change.
The difference between component models is down to a, quality of materials and construction; and b, their intended use. SLX are lightweight All Mountain / Free Ride components whereas XTR is X-Country race kit.
I would totally agree and I have some specifics when making a purchase;Frame
Suspension
Wheels
Components.
Generally, if you took a pound of weight off the wheels it would be more noticable than if you took it off the frame/suspension/components.
Tyres are important but I just use a good all round tyre (Maxxis High Roller) rather than swapping them when conditions change.
The difference between component models is down to a, quality of materials and construction; and b, their intended use. SLX are lightweight All Mountain / Free Ride components whereas XTR is X-Country race kit.
XTR shifters. These are very expensive but are superb and well worth it.
Forks that "duck", I can set the fork height for going up or downhill of dial them down for a sprint. They are superb for keeping the front wheel on the ground during a steep climb and help you concentrate on power
application and weight distribution.
UST tyres/wheels. virtually eliminate the puncture repair stop
DECENT BRAKES - dont skimp on them, there is very few maintenance free strong durable "stop in any weather, any surface, light and maintenance free units there. I have had too many rides cut short due to companions brakes failing. Now they all ride the same as me and we have no problems. It may piss me off having to cut a ride short but imagine being the guy whose brakes just failed halfway down a hill...
Gooby said:
RickIV said:
Sorry to hijack:
Gooby - what brakes do you run?
Hope.Gooby - what brakes do you run?
brilliant brakes. I have not had ANY problems with them EVER.
What varient?
I was running <thinks> Mono 4s?? and found them to be extremely fragile and un-relaible, good when working tho!
Swapped for juicy 5s and a night & day improvement IMO.
OP>> I'd suggest if the budget were to allow then build the bike as you want it from the wprd go.
I've seen many people buy a 1-1.5k bike and ending up spending the same again because of the compromise in components.
Spend 2-2.5k and you should have all the bike you will ever need apart from replacing worn out parts.
frame and fit is important but you can do a lot of remedial work to get a bike to fit such as headset spacers, stem length/pitch, seat position etc so, whist it is the most important aspect of the bike, getting it wrong isnt the end of the world and depends upon the riding style you choose.
wheels are crucial, i have lost count of the number of higher end full sus bikes decked out in fox and chris king bits with awful factory wheels. not only are good wheels lighter and stronger but they are going to work better for longer between servicing due to the quality of components inside such as cartridge bearings. i have preferred tyres for the summer/winter months but its not an issue if i just get the bike out and the "wrong" tyres are fitted... if its a weekend away i would change/take the other set according to weaher reports...
a nice rear mech/shifter combo is always good. the rear mech does a lot of work so its nice to have quality. front mech/shifter on the whole can be of a lesser quality as the nature of its job is different and it is used less frequent (esepcially on a road compact)
with shifters you should also get some top quality cable set with teflon coated inners etc for ease of shifting, this is quite subjective until its a really wet and muddy day....
brakes, if well adjusted and fettled should not have too many problems. pads are replacable and lever travel etc is all adjustable so lower quality hydraulic disc brakes should be made to work well enough.
finally, tools are just as important to keep it all running smoothly, having the right tool for the job is a god send on a trail and there is no point buying a £2K bike if you are going to repair it with a 30 year old set of worn spanners...
surprised its not been mentioned but clothing can make the difference between a good day and a really carappy day. as billy connolly said about holidaying in scotland "there is no such thing as bad weather, just the wrong clothes". i see peopel on mountain bikes in jogging bottoms who must look at me in surprise as i go past "lycra'd-up" but its comfy, it regulatates body temerature and if it gets wet its not going to retain too much water. invest in £150 worth of gear, gloves, shoes, padded shorts (baggy or otherwise) and a cycling jersey and a very lightweight waterproof top.
then its all personal preference really, bars, seat, tyres etc dependant upon the type of riding.
wheels are crucial, i have lost count of the number of higher end full sus bikes decked out in fox and chris king bits with awful factory wheels. not only are good wheels lighter and stronger but they are going to work better for longer between servicing due to the quality of components inside such as cartridge bearings. i have preferred tyres for the summer/winter months but its not an issue if i just get the bike out and the "wrong" tyres are fitted... if its a weekend away i would change/take the other set according to weaher reports...
a nice rear mech/shifter combo is always good. the rear mech does a lot of work so its nice to have quality. front mech/shifter on the whole can be of a lesser quality as the nature of its job is different and it is used less frequent (esepcially on a road compact)
with shifters you should also get some top quality cable set with teflon coated inners etc for ease of shifting, this is quite subjective until its a really wet and muddy day....
brakes, if well adjusted and fettled should not have too many problems. pads are replacable and lever travel etc is all adjustable so lower quality hydraulic disc brakes should be made to work well enough.
finally, tools are just as important to keep it all running smoothly, having the right tool for the job is a god send on a trail and there is no point buying a £2K bike if you are going to repair it with a 30 year old set of worn spanners...
surprised its not been mentioned but clothing can make the difference between a good day and a really carappy day. as billy connolly said about holidaying in scotland "there is no such thing as bad weather, just the wrong clothes". i see peopel on mountain bikes in jogging bottoms who must look at me in surprise as i go past "lycra'd-up" but its comfy, it regulatates body temerature and if it gets wet its not going to retain too much water. invest in £150 worth of gear, gloves, shoes, padded shorts (baggy or otherwise) and a cycling jersey and a very lightweight waterproof top.
then its all personal preference really, bars, seat, tyres etc dependant upon the type of riding.
pablo said:
surprised its not been mentioned but clothing can make the difference between a good day and a really carappy day. as billy connolly said about holidaying in scotland "there is no such thing as bad weather, just the wrong clothes". i see peopel on mountain bikes in jogging bottoms who must look at me in surprise as i go past "lycra'd-up" but its comfy, it regulatates body temerature and if it gets wet its not going to retain too much water. invest in £150 worth of gear, gloves, shoes, padded shorts (baggy or otherwise) and a cycling jersey and a very lightweight waterproof top.
Very, very true...Frame
Forks
Wheels
Brakes
But on my DH bike brakes are more inportant than wheels.
Tyres also make a huge difference. I tend to stick with Maxxis, if nothing else than I understand them. I've had dozens of sets of High Rollers. I tend to use 2.3 Maxpro's F&R in summer and change the front for a Supertacky in winter.
With everything else I tend to find something that works and keep using it. I ONLY use Shimano Chainsets because I've never had one fail ever. SLX on my 6" and Saint on the DH. X9 shifters and derailers. ODI grips, Shimano DX pedals. Raceface bars, Hope QR's Seat clamps, & hubs and Mavic rims. I value reliability and toughness over everything else because for me the confidence I get from that is worth more speed than saving a few grams here or there.
The jury's out on brakes at the moment. I've ran Avids for years. The Juicy 7's on my 6" have been great (once I finally got them working right) but the Codes I had on my DH were terribly unreliable, awesome when they worked, but I never want to be in the position again of attacking a run flat out and having total front brake fail.
I fancy the look of Hope Tech V2's, but I was speaking to the guy that runs Team Skeene and he told me they swapped them for M6's as they were unreliable. Of course they don't make them anymore! Tech M4's are more of a Trail brake, so I might get Saints.
Forks
Wheels
Brakes
But on my DH bike brakes are more inportant than wheels.
Tyres also make a huge difference. I tend to stick with Maxxis, if nothing else than I understand them. I've had dozens of sets of High Rollers. I tend to use 2.3 Maxpro's F&R in summer and change the front for a Supertacky in winter.
With everything else I tend to find something that works and keep using it. I ONLY use Shimano Chainsets because I've never had one fail ever. SLX on my 6" and Saint on the DH. X9 shifters and derailers. ODI grips, Shimano DX pedals. Raceface bars, Hope QR's Seat clamps, & hubs and Mavic rims. I value reliability and toughness over everything else because for me the confidence I get from that is worth more speed than saving a few grams here or there.
The jury's out on brakes at the moment. I've ran Avids for years. The Juicy 7's on my 6" have been great (once I finally got them working right) but the Codes I had on my DH were terribly unreliable, awesome when they worked, but I never want to be in the position again of attacking a run flat out and having total front brake fail.
I fancy the look of Hope Tech V2's, but I was speaking to the guy that runs Team Skeene and he told me they swapped them for M6's as they were unreliable. Of course they don't make them anymore! Tech M4's are more of a Trail brake, so I might get Saints.
raf_gti said:
Gooby said:
RickIV said:
Sorry to hijack:
Gooby - what brakes do you run?
Hope.Gooby - what brakes do you run?
brilliant brakes. I have not had ANY problems with them EVER.
What varient?
I was running <thinks> Mono 4s?? and found them to be extremely fragile and un-relaible, good when working tho!
Swapped for juicy 5s and a night & day improvement IMO.
OP>> I'd suggest if the budget were to allow then build the bike as you want it from the wprd go.
I've seen many people buy a 1-1.5k bike and ending up spending the same again because of the compromise in components.
Spend 2-2.5k and you should have all the bike you will ever need apart from replacing worn out parts.
I cant recomend them enough.
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