Sluggish steel hardtail help

[Sa Calobra]

I built this steel hardtail a few months ago and it currently has Fox Float FIT4 forks on. The thing is it's sliggish, not nimble and nippy just sappingly slow.

Brakes aren't rubbing, the BB isn't sticking. The wheels are cheap 1900-2000gm Superstar components, could this be the issue?

Or maybe a sluggish freehub?

Ideas? I'm on the verge of walking away from it and I've not ridden it for over a month.

Anyone experienced a quick fix that worked?

My full sus is boost so I cant swap round wheels to check. That's a 30lb bike and feels nimble compared!

[Herman Toothrot]

EX23 are not too heavy a rim and shouldn’t make much difference. Tyre, compound & pressure is the thing that will influence it most. Put a specialized Slaughter, Minnion SS, Rock Razor or similar on the back and it’ll roll a lot better than any do it all type tyre, especially if you go for a harder compound. (But is that a slick already?)

However it is a steel hard tail bet the frames close to a 1kg more than an equivalent Aluminium one, if you have an Alumium or Carbon FS I bet the hardtail is heavier or the same weight, the marketers have really pushed Steel in recent years. I’m old so always used to ride steel, going to Aluminium I remember giving instant zip, faster acceleration. Stiffer & lighter = better power transfer.

Fuel free hubs do fail, the pawl supports crack and cause binding - you’d know though as the chain would go slack at the top.

Edited by Herman Toothrot on Monday 3rd September 20:27

[Craikeybaby]

Interesting comments of steel vs aluminium. I am looking at a new frame for my hardtail, and most of the options with geometry that I like are steel.

[timnoyce]

I had an Aluminium hardtail and moved to a heavier Steel hardtail (I just swapped frame, nothing else) and I was quicker everywhere. I don't think this is down to the frame.

As has already been said, tyre pressure, tyre pattern and suspension setup will all make a difference. How are you running the fork? I favour a slightly higher pressure in my fork when riding a hardtail, but then counteract that with a slightly more rebound damping to take the edge off the trail buzz (just helps to keep the nose up under braking and when taking the big hits). Do you ride with any compression damping or lockout?

[Mr Ted]

Its the Clement rear tyre, I tried them and they feel like riding through treacle, put a Maxxis Highroller2 on it, that will fix it!!!

[Mr Ted]

Also, are you using a front fork with the correct axle to crown dimension, the Ritchey frame has a slack seat tube angle and if the fork is a little long that will make it even slacker and put you too far back, the reason I ask is that BB drop looks non existent

[Sa Calobra]

I'm running two Ardents at the moment and the Fox is 110mm so I'm baffled.

[Mr Ted]

The Ardents are a fast rolling tyre so no problem there, how does the geometry look if you put it side by side with your full susser?

[Dixie]

Looks like the geo is odd. Like the forks are too long for it.

Was the frame designed to have suspension forks?

[Sa Calobra]

https://singletrackworld.com/2016/09/review-ritche...

It's optimised around a 140-150 fork ^

[Mr Ted]

Dixie said:

Looks like the geo is odd. Like the forks are too long for it.

Was the frame designed to have suspension forks?

I agree, there doesn't appear to be any BB drop, the head angle looks wrong (too slack), you have to measure the axle to crown distance rather than go by the length of travel, it's surprising how small changes in geometry can have a huge effect on how a bike feels

[Connectors]

As above, it looks all wrong. The frame looks a tad small for the rider too, just a bit too much seat post on show. The nose of the saddle also looks a very long way back from the bb centre line, that will make your leg muscles struggle.

[Sa Calobra]

Connectors said:

As above, it looks all wrong. The frame looks a tad small for the rider too, just a bit too much seat post on show. The nose of the saddle also looks a very long way back from the bb centre line, that will make your leg muscles struggle.

Good point it does look way too setback. I set it this way and didn't change since I first built the bike. I'll tinker.

[Mr Ted]

I found the geometry; the seat post angle is typically 4 degrees less than most current frames which would put the saddle 4 to 5 cm further back than 'normal' , the reach is typically 4 cm less than you would expect so I would move the saddle 4 or 5 cm forward if possible and then maybe fit a longer stem if it feels cramped. This frame is kind of the opposite to current thinking so a bit of an oddball!! I do love the colour though!!!

[Connectors]

Mr Ted said:

I would move the saddle 4 or 5 cm forward if possible

I think he's going to struggle doing that with the current saddle, it looks like he has 2-3cm of movement there and he's already on an inline post. But it's worth moving it as far as poss to see if it helps, then look at a saddle with longer rails.

[Sa Calobra]

I was considering swapping the denim (yes yes) specialized one off my Supersix Evo with this one anyway so could be a starter. Will have a go this weekend