Mountain Biking - Newbie Introduction

Hey everybody! I just wanted to say hi and introduce myself.

I just recently bought a Specialized Stumpjumper FSR frame and managed to piece together a working bike from components off a Mongoose Solution (made by pacific cycles) which I owned for about two weeks before buying the new FSR frame. I'm very excited to get back into mountain biking, but I've been plagued with popped tubes, bad cables and now a broken (replaceable) rear derailleur hanger. Hopefully that will be the last breakdown for a while...

I used to own a Schwinn hardtail/hardfront back in college and would ride 14 miles of trails and urban assault everyday on it. It was a good bike then, but I bent the head tube and after leaving the bike unused for several years I gave it away and went without a bike for another year. How I ever went without a bike for so long is beyond me... now just waiting for the new derailleur hanger is killing me...

I currently plan on getting back into trail riding, but around here there aren't ANY trails so I've had to make due with new neighborhoods full of dirt piles and gravel. Anyways... this is getting too long... Nice to meet all of you!!!

Welcome back to the dirt. If you are getting a lot of popped tires it could be the quality of the tire. If it is the terrain consider going tubeless :)

Maelstrom,

thanks for the tip about the wheels, but I figured out the problem after my front tube popped twice and the rear popped once. My rims were cutting holes in the tubes so I went to my LBS and bought some rim strips. It seemed to cure the problem (I hope). I also got the rare experience of having to completely overhaul my fork because RockShox sent it with too much oil in the right side and it would only get about 45mm of it's 80-100mm travel. Hope I don't have to do that again (I spilled oil all over the floor in my house).

It didn't come with rim strips :o...

something I use is simply the tube sliced and wrapped around the rim. Works well...just need some super glue to set it in :)

Fork maintenance is the messiest part of the bike. I love doing it but do it outside with a plastic sheet under me and a bucket handy :D

Welcome back :)

Maelstrom,

Not to doubt your method, but how could that keep the rim from cutting the tube if you're using another tube to buffer it? Seems to me it would just cut through both...

Oh, and the reason I didn't already have rim strips is because I ordered the wheelset online... they weren't already on the bike... Still, I figure I got a Stumpjumper FSR for around $700.00 after all the parts I added to the frame and that is a lot cheaper than the $1200.00 they cost new so I guess I can afford to buy some new tubes and rim strips (and now a new derailleur hanger and chain)...

Thats all a rimstrip is. I just tried it one day cause I was too lazy to get to the shop and buy one so I used an old tube. Works perfectly (same wheel for 6months) Biggest problem is cutting the tube to narrow and it slides back and forth on the rim sometimes exposing the top of the nipple.

the rimstrips I bought are plastic... seemed much better than the fabric or some rubber... and it's really light (not that I'm too concerned with weight)... It's good to know that works for you though... if needed I'll remember to try it.

Thanks!

Just a quick fix option. I can think of lots of things that might work for it :)

My preference is the cloth tape. The plastic ones can also slide and cut the tube. Fonde de Jante made by Velox is some of the best. Pedro's makes some too that is similar, but cheaper and yellow (not that anyone would see it).

L8R