Mountain Biking - New Bike, Stopping by to say hi.....

Hi everyone,

I bought my first real Mountain bike today. I left over Cannondale rush 6 full suspension. I think I got a good deal on it. the only thing I may upgrade(besides the seat) is the cable dicl brakes, I would like hydraulic's, What do you guys think? Just wanted to say hi and see if anybody rides in the orange county, ny area.

http://i95.photobucket.com/albums/l138/scandluz22/IMG_1244.jpg
http://i95.photobucket.com/albums/l138/scandluz22/IMG_1245.jpg
http://i95.photobucket.com/albums/l138/scandluz22/IMG_1246.jpg
Jim

Howdy, welcome to the forums. If you search you will find many threads on Mech vs Hydro.

another warm welcome here

yeah, ditch those cable brakes. put grip shift on too

mx

Welcome to BF and congrats on your new bike!

another warm welcome here

yeah, ditch those cable brakes. put grip shift on too

mx

do you have a link to grip shift?

Thanks everyone for the welcomes

do you have a link to grip shift?

I think he might be joking . . . he tends to do that.

oh, OK. Thanks for the clarification. LOL

Welcome to BF and congrats on your new bike!

Thanks

But a grip shift is a shifter that changes gears when you twist the grip, much like a motorcycle throttle. They used to be more popular in the 90's but I think they have really declined in popularity.

I thought they sucked huge balls, but that is me. My wife's mid 90's Marin has them.

I think he was using humor to comment on your taking off perfectly good mechanical disc brakes to go to hydraulics. I think many would suggest you stick with the mechanicals for now . . . they will work plenty good. At some point down the road you can upgrade them if you want.

grip shift? ew. those things suck!

Welcome noob. Nice ride...I don't believe you have a bike w/o pic's. (that's how it works around here, hehe)

You get a new bike, you have to show pic's.

Might I suggest the Avid Juicy line of hydraulic disc stoppers. They are super easy to work on / install, and work very well. They won't break the bank either.

OK, I'll get some pics up later. Thanks for the welcome and the recommendation.

I've got a Rush myself with the BB7's (mechanical disks). I love them. Hydraulics are a little nicer, but it's not a huge change. Certainly not as huge as going from V's to disks. The brakes you have on that bike are among the nicest cable operated disk brakes available. Ride them until they don't work anymore then figure out if you want to go for hydros.

Around here the trails are very tight and curvy with narrow gaps between trees. The wide bars on the Rush were a real problem for me so I switched to a narrower flat bar. Maybe not a concern for your riding. The other upgrade I made that was WELL worth it was a set of lock-on grips. They're much more comfortable on the hands (provide me with better grip for technical climbs) and they make adjstments a snap. No need to wrestle with slip-ons. Oh, and if you have the Cannondale brake levers then pick up a set of Avid levers (or comparable). The difference in brake feel is night and day (the C'dale levers suck).

Oh, and the tires that came with my bike sucked.

Other than that, just ride the snot out of the thing. It's a great bike.

Hi, Thats a lot of useful info. OK first, I was thinking that I should ride these brakes until they stop working right. What bar did you get. What tires are good( I read that somewhere else also) I'll look into the avid levers. Where would I look for this stuff, I mean what's a good site to buy from? I'm pretty much a noob when it comes to components. Thanks for the help and I can't wait to get out on the trails.
I've got a Rush myself with the BB7's (mechanical disks). I love them. Hydraulics are a little nicer, but it's not a huge change. Certainly not as huge as going from V's to disks. The brakes you have on that bike are among the nicest cable operated disk brakes available. Ride them until they don't work anymore then figure out if you want to go for hydros.

Around here the trails are very tight and curvy with narrow gaps between trees. The wide bars on the Rush were a real problem for me so I switched to a narrower flat bar. Maybe not a concern for your riding. The other upgrade I made that was WELL worth it was a set of lock-on grips. They're much more comfortable on the hands (provide me with better grip for technical climbs) and they make adjstments a snap. No need to wrestle with slip-ons. Oh, and if you have the Cannondale brake levers then pick up a set of Avid levers (or comparable). The difference in brake feel is night and day (the C'dale levers suck).

Oh, and the tires that came with my bike sucked.

Other than that, just ride the snot out of the thing. It's a great bike.

Do not post again without photos of your new bike, preferably getting dirty.

I buy parts from Jensen USA (google it). The prices aren't the best but the service has been awsome and they have a good selection. You should be able to find Avid levers and other stuff there. I got a cheap aluminum Truvativ flat bar. With all this stuff make sure you have a general idea what you're doing before you order. For example you'll find two different diameter bars, so if you wanted to replace the bar you'd need to order the right one or it won't fit. (The stock bar is fine as long as the width isn't a problem for you.)

If you don't have a good understanding of bikes the best bet is to buy all your stuff from your friendly local bike shop and have them help you pick out what you need. Tires are a good thing to seek local advice about. The best tires for your area may be very different from the best tires for my area as local geography, geology, flora, etc will all play a part. The tires that work well in the OC are gonna be different from what I use here where terrain is rocky, rooty, leaf covered, sometimes wet, and always slippery.

Visit your LBS and I'm sure they'd be happy to help you spend money on upgrades. :)

Oh, and enjoy the ride. I'm sure you will. I love my Rush and would buy another if for some reason I ever lost this one.

I would recommend a new wheelset and tires as the best bang for the buck upgrade if you have the cash.. lots of weight savings and improved traction there.

Added some quick photos. Sorry they aren't of it getting dirty, but I haven't had a chance to get to the trails yet.

Not sure what the OP's wheelset is but the Mavic wheelset that came on my Rush (M113 or something?) actually seems pretty nice.

Just took a look at the photos. Nice bike, I like the color and decal scheme. Do you plan on using the platform pedals or swapping them out? I don't know how folks can ride those things off-road but I know some do. Every time I try platforms I bash the heck out of my shins.

I like the chain guard. I'll have to see if I can get one for my bike.

Not sure what the OP's wheelset is but the Mavic wheelset that came on my Rush (M113 or something?) actually seems pretty nice.

Just took a look at the photos. Nice bike, I like the color and decal scheme. Do you plan on using the platform pedals or swapping them out? I don't know how folks can ride those things off-road but I know some do. Every time I try platforms I bash the heck out of my shins.

I like the chain guard. I'll have to see if I can get one for my bike.


The Wheels are Sun Black Eye Disc, 32 hole. Not sure if those are good or not. I am going to try the platform pedals out for awhile and see how they do. What pedals do you use?

The Wheels are Sun Black Eye Disc, 32 hole. Not sure if those are good or not. I am going to try the platform pedals out for awhile and see how they do. What pedals do you use?

Nothing fancy, just Shimano clipless (forget the model number, one of the cheaper ones).

Another tip. I can't tell what shock/fork your bike came with but if they're pneumatic then try running pressure below what the manual recommends. I found the factory recommended suspension pressures for my weight were WAY too high.

I think he might be joking . . . he tends to do that.

no, i love XO grip shift. they are awesome!

mx

But a grip shift is a shifter that changes gears when you twist the grip, much like a motorcycle throttle. They used to be more popular in the 90's but I think they have really declined in popularity.

I thought they sucked huge balls, but that is me. My wife's mid 90's Marin has them.

I think he was using humor to comment on your taking off perfectly good mechanical disc brakes to go to hydraulics. I think many would suggest you stick with the mechanicals for now . . . they will work plenty good. At some point down the road you can upgrade them if you want.

no humor this time. i would always recommend hydraulic brakes. i do not use cable disc.

modern grip shift are alive and well. not a 90's thing. they are light and shift in a flash. good stuff. XO grip is going on my new high end build

mx

grip shift? ew. those things suck!

how so?

Nothing fancy, just Shimano clipless (forget the model number, one of the cheaper ones).

How are those if you wipe out? I don't plan on taking a spill, but s**t happens. Do they come off your feet easily?

Another tip. I can't tell what shock/fork your bike came with but if they're pneumatic then try running pressure below what the manual recommends. I found the factory recommended suspension pressures for my weight were WAY too high.

They are rock shox recon 327. What are yours? I haven't messed with mine, they set the bike up for me at the LBS. I rode it a little today( very little) and they felt a little stiff in the back.

How are those if you wipe out? I don't plan on taking a spill, but s**t happens. Do they come off your feet easily?

My pd m505's were really easy to get out of. Actually easier than the Candy's that I use now.

My pd m505's were really easy to get out of. Actually easier than the Candy's that I use now.

What shoes do ya got to go with those?

I'd say don't worry about upgrading any of the hardware stuff just yet. You'll have plenty of stuff to burn cash on soon enough. BB5's are great brakes and all your shifters/components are nice as well. I would suggest starting with:

1. Grips - the grips on my Rush 4 totally sucked and spun around. Replace immediately with ODI lockons.
2. Tires - I'm still using the CST Caballero in the back (poor tire has been through a whole race season and tons of rides) but for the front, you'll want something better. Check around to see what the local riders in your area prefer. Kendas high end stuff (John Tomac, Tinker Juarez, etc signature tires) are great. The Nevegal specifically has very predictable traction.
3. Shock pump
4. Shorts & Jerseys, gloves, arm/leg warmers, whicking base layers, socks, tubes, bottles, - you can never have enough


Also, it looks like your seat is tilted a little too far back, but this could be an illusion.

How are those if you wipe out? I don't plan on taking a spill, but s**t happens. Do they come off your feet easily?

Once you get used to them they are very second nature. Like most (all?) clipless all you have to do is rotate your foot by kicking your heel out and they unclip. Once you train yourself to do that then it's a piece of cake. You can set how much force it takes to unclip by a set screw. It'll go so light that a gust of wind will blow your foot off the pedal all the way up to permenantly welding your foot to the bike.

They are rock shox recon 327. What are yours? I haven't messed with mine, they set the bike up for me at the LBS. I rode it a little today( very little) and they felt a little stiff in the back.

I have the C'dale Lefty up front (the model with adjustable rebound and lockout) and a Fox Float R in the back (adjustable rebound, no lockout.) Both are pneumatic.

According to the Rock Shox site the Recon seems to be pneumatic with rebound adjust (though it depends on the model and 327 isn't listed). You're going to want a fork pump in order to adjust the air pressure. I'd assume your rear shock is the same. If you have a fork pump you'll be able to adjust the "spring" in the front and rear by changing the air pressure. I weigh 150lbs and run the front at 100psi and the rear at 80psi. Your front pressure will likely be very different since it's a totally different fork, but a 100psi or so starting point at the rear probably isn't a bad idea. If you don't have a fork pump visit your local bike store and have them recommend a model and show you how to use it (in case it isn't obvious).

The first upgrade I would get is bike shorts, if you don't have them already. These will improve your comfort on the bike more than anything else. More comfort = more ride time.

Oh, and re-looking at the picture, the comment above about the seat is probably accurate. Typically, one will start with the seat flat and adjust up and down slightly from there to determine what feels best.

Oh, one more thing: Have fun with it. Don't worry too much about upgrades until you get seat time and find things you want to improve.

How are those if you wipe out? I don't plan on taking a spill, but s**t happens. Do they come off your feet easily?

I have some bottom of the line, cheap m520's. I run them as loose as they can go, and I think I've only accidentally unclipped once or twice. On the other hand, I've come out of them pretty much every time I've fallen, including during one of those 0mph falls. Occasionally, my top foot will get stuck if I fall when I'm going slowly, but that's not that big a deal, other than it's sometimes awkward to get out. The foot in the direction you're falling will almost always come out, since you'll naturally turn your heel outward to try to stop your fall. And I've yet to high-speed crash and not unclip. I wouldn't be too concerned, and if it's really an issue, Shimano also makes cleats that release from any direction (though I did borrow my friend's shoes once, and I definitely DID accidentally unclip from them...multiple times on a short ride).

I actually fell just last week because my foot didn't unclip from the pedal. Turns out I lost one of the screws that holds the cleat on so when I rotated my foot to unclip the cleat didn't rotate but the remaining screw ensured the shoe stayed attached to the cleate and pedal. That kinda sucked because I had to ride out of the woods without the cleat (I removed it since I didn't want to fall again).

I went out today to a local trail. First, I'm glad I got a full suspension bike. Second, damn that seat sux!!! I ordered a gel seat , a WTB speed V. I'm now hooked I found my new addiction!!!!!

I went out today to a local trail. First, I'm glad I got a full suspension bike. Second, damn that seat sux!!! I ordered a gel seat , a WTB speed V. I'm now hooked I found my new addiction!!!!!

Any seat that isn't adjusted right will suck. Did you level the seat as recommended by some of the other posters? Also, stay away from overly padded seats. You want your seat to be on the hard side. Gel isn't necessarily a good (or bad) thing. It all depends on how much of it and where. Too much gel or gel in the wrong places can be rather bad.

Recommend you try adjusting the seat, get the bike professionally fit (if you haven't already) and exhaust the "free" adjustments before buying anything. It takes some effort, knowledge, and time to get a bike "dialed in", and no bike will be comfortable until it's set up right.

Edit:

Oh yeah, full suspension rocks! Gotta agree with you there. Glad you like the bike.

Any seat that isn't adjusted right will suck. Did you level the seat as recommended by some of the other posters? Also, stay away from overly padded seats. You want your seat to be on the hard side. Gel isn't necessarily a good (or bad) thing. It all depends on how much of it and where. Too much gel or gel in the wrong places can be rather bad.

Recommend you try adjusting the seat, get the bike professionally fit (if you haven't already) and exhaust the "free" adjustments before buying anything. It takes some effort, knowledge, and time to get a bike "dialed in", and no bike will be comfortable until it's set up right.

Edit:

Oh yeah, full suspension rocks! Gotta agree with you there. Glad you like the bike.

Thanks for the tips. I got the seat adjusted before I went out today from the LBS. I absolutely hate that seat. I ordered the new seat when I got home, thinking that anything will be better.

Well, until your new seat comes in try moving it forward on the rails. That may make it more comfortable in the short term (and who knows: it may cure your seat problems entirely).

FYI, since it looks like you caught the bug now is a good time to learn how to do bike maintenance and adjustment. It's simply part of the hobby. Check out the Park Tools website (google it) for instructions on how to do just about everything. You can do most bike maintenance with a simple set of allen wrenches.

The Park Tool site should tell you how to make various fit adjustments.

Sweet, thanks for the site. I remember waaaaaay back ( about 20 years) I used to do all my own work on my BMX bikes. I like doing stuff like that. That site will help a lot. Thanks again.

I went out today to a local trail. First, I'm glad I got a full suspension bike. Second, damn that seat sux!!! I ordered a gel seat , a WTB speed V. I'm now hooked I found my new addiction!!!!!


Hopefully this a better one for you than the last one! ;)

Hopefully this a better one for you than the last one! ;)

LOL........me too

how so?

I don't want to worry about changing my gears if my hand slips over them, and I just prefer the trigger shifters because it's so easy and quick.

I don't want to worry about changing my gears if my hand slips over them, and I just prefer the trigger shifters because it's so easy and quick.

I had the Shimano triggers and was always triggering shifts accidently, especially as I repositioned my hands on the bar during a hard climb (not the time you want to up-shift). I moved to the SRAM setup which only has thumb buttons (no trigger finger button) and haven't mis-triggered a shift since.