Mountain Biking - Rich man's problem here

Situation: You have a mostly stock 2011 Trek Fuel ex8 (Shimano SLX, elixir 5 brakes, Fox 120mm RL fork, RP2 with DCRV shock). Bank error in your favor, you’ve got $1000 burning a hole in your pocket. What do you do?
What
Do
You
Do?

What I’m considering:
Option 1 – Blow it all on a sweet new fork. Fox FIT RLC 120. Oh the low speed compression damping goodness. Mother of god. Put the old fork on the loaner bike, or hawk it on craigslist.

Option 2 – Convert to XT 2x10 and put the old parts on my loaner bike/hardtail. Added plus, this might actually make me want to ride my hardtail because the SLX stuff is pretty solid.

Option 3 - ?????????

Cut your losses, CL it and buy a Yeti.

I'm not really crazy about either option. They seem like relatively low benefit over what you've already got. I would probably be inclined to splurge on some nicer wheels or a full carbon cockpit (with room to spare). Just because you won second place in a beauty contest doesn't mean you won't need something more in six months and wish you hadn't overpaid for something you basically have already.

Dropper post. Not that that costs $1000, but nothing wrong with having money left over.

Alternately, option 1 and then send the old fork to me.

industry nine

The bank will most likely find the problem and want the money back. Don't spend it.

Dump the Elixir and get some Shimano M785's (2012 XT's), get a dropper post is another good one, either a 2012 Reverb, or hold off for a few months till 2013 Fox and Joplins are out, otherwise, what wheels are you running, swapping for some ligher / better ones would be a good upgrade.

Yeti sounds cool but the nearest dealer is 2,000 miles away so I've never ridden one. Also the geo is the same as my trek on their 5 inch bike, just a better suspension pivot.

The wheels are another good idea, i built all the wheels on all my other bikes. I'm running the stock wheels, some no-name shimano hub and bontrager duster rims, straight gauge spokes. I like the offset spoke bead on the duster rims but the hubs are complete crap; the cones keep loosening up every few rides and I'm sure the races are going to be shot pretty quick. Otherwise they've stayed true since their initial re-tensioning.

If I got new wheels and disk brakes I could put the old wheels and brakes on my loaner bike which has V-brakes now...

Hmmmmmmm

Chris Bling hubs but what rims? I weigh 180 and do mostly rocky rooty XC trails, no big drops or super gnar.

3. Return the money. It's the honest thing to do.

To the bank?

Maybe if it was personal, or a small mom and pop shop, but to the man?

This is assuming you're banking w Wells/BA/Chase or something or other, and not some local credit union.

to heck with the man. New wheels get my vote. 1000 bucks will build you a mighty fine wheel set.

industry nine

Oooh yeah, do that. Forget your King hubs laced to whatever rims. Go I9.

Good god people stay on track! Bank error was a metaphor (and a monopoly reference), it was a payroll error where they weren't paying me what they said they were paying me until I checked finally.

Also, straight pull aluminum spokes and aluminum nipples? I don't think so. I haven't had a steel spoke from a wheelset I've built or maintained break on me yet.

Also, straight pull aluminum spokes and aluminum nipples? I don't think so. I haven't had a steel spoke from a wheelset I've built or maintained break on me yet.

There are no nipples on I9 wheels. I could testify to their toughness as well but it sounds like you've already made up your mind.

3. Return the money. It's the honest thing to do.

Didn't read that part...give it back. It ain't yours.

Convert to SRAM X.9 triggers/derailleur, Sun Equalizer wheelset, and go tubeless with Stan's. Spend the other $500 on whatever you want.

$1000?

bank error in your favor? are you playing monopoly?

spend it on a kick ass mountainbike trip.

buy gas for a whole month.

eat out at an awesome restaurant, actually eat really really really well made food.

if not, get a 170mm rock shox lyrik and shimano xt trail brakes.

Ya only have a 1k budget? I9s are excessive bling IMHO. A Stans wheelset using their in house hubs will get you a decent tubeless wheelset and they're 30 POE if memory serves. Use the remaining to send the fork and/or shock to Push.

3. Return the money. It's the honest thing to do.


The bank will most likely find the problem and want the money back. Don't spend it.


Didn't read that part...give it back. It ain't yours.

While I'm impressed with the general moral righteousness of everyone, there seems to be a misunderstanding, see my previous post:


Bank error was a metaphor (and a monopoly reference), it was a payroll error where they weren't paying me what they said they were paying me until I checked finally.


This is money that I earned but was not paid, it was not really a bank error, that was suppose to be a lighthearted joke.

Apparently banks are serious business.

Ya only have a 1k budget? I9s are excessive bling IMHO. A Stans wheelset using their in house hubs will get you a decent tubeless wheelset and they're 30 POE if memory serves. Use the remaining to send the fork and/or shock to Push.

Can push do much with an Float RL fork?

I'm just gonna go ahead & put it out there that you should return the money.

Not that it would make any sense, but the general consensus here seems to be that you don't deserve the money you earn:lol:

Why give money back to the banks that partly caused the recession we are in and then got ALOT of bailout money (money that came from your tax dollars) maybe im a terrible person but i say spend that cash!

- Couldn't you just have a FIT cartridge installed? Not sure if that's possible, but it will probably be cheaper
- Dropper seat post
- Just convert your current 3x9/10 to 2x9/10
- New hubs, you said you built your other one's yourself and that you like your current rims, so maybe just change the hubs
- Bling cockpit

After reading these responses, the clear choice is to return the money to the bank.

LoL'z and stuff..................

(For reals, I'd think wheelset and carbon (bars, seatpost and cranks))

There is a lot of angst attached to my LOL.

I'm going to my LBS to discuss my problem with them, since obviously they won't tell me to give my money to a bank.

Just because you won second place in a beauty contest...


I'd like to point out, for the record, that at some of us have at least played Monopoly before. You should still get a carbon cockpit and save the rest of the money for when something breaks.

While I'm impressed with the general moral righteousness of everyone, there seems to be a misunderstanding, see my previous post:



This is money that I earned but was not paid, it was not really a bank error, that was suppose to be a lighthearted joke.

Apparently banks are serious business.

industry nine

Can push do much with an Float RL fork?

That's like askin if Moses can part the Red Sea.

The answer is they can perform miracles ( if you go by the past customers praise for their work). They can also convert your RL to an RLC for more fork adjustability. I'll be tearing down my Stumpy FSR to send the fork and new shock to them soon.

Push can do a lot with your RL...including adding the LSC adjustment. Is it worth $329($365 if you get the HV air kit) though? Not for me, but they have a lot of happy customers.

On your bike, I would look into a new wheelset first and then brakes.

Nothing wrong with what you currently have and if you're new to the sport, I would suggest just becoming a better rider. Since you're asking what should be upgraded, it seems like you haven't really outgrown your current setup.

I forgot about the RLC conversion, that might happen later in the winter if we ever get some snow and I go full XC ski mode.

I definitely have not outgrown my 5" FS bike, and doubt I will for a long time. I bought it after learning on a an old hard tail for two years which I definitely outgrew. I think the amount of suspension travel I have now is pretty close to ideal for the trail riding I like to do here in NH.

At this point, becoming a better ride for me would be learning how to go off drops and jumps. I've already read plenty of mountain biking literature on how to but my local trails don't have these kinds of features. My plan is to head to highland bike park in the spring and take some lessons.

Until then, I went to my favorite bike shop (http://www.bluesteelcyclery.com/) and talked to my favorite mechanic for good hour or so about what to do. We decided on wheels and brakes. I ordered Chris King hubs, DT 5.2 rims and competition spokes, XT brakes with ice rotors. With a NEMBA (http://nemba.org/)discount I strayed just a little above my original budget.

I'll be lacing wheels next week!

Bank error in your favor, you’ve got $1000 burning a hole in your pocket. What do you do?

If you're serious about it being a bank error do make sure you've got legal title to the money before you spend it. Otherwise the bank will come after you sooner or later. I don't know what your local laws are but over here you'd have to convince a judge you hadn't noticed it was an error to have any chance of legally keeping it, if you didn't say anything. And since you posted about it on a public bulletin board that cover is pretty well blown.

Unless you've got $1000 spare to burn on toys just for fun (in which case go ahead and enjoy it, if that's what you want) spending money that isn't yours now is just a recipe for aggravation later.

r e a d t h e w h o l e t h r e a d

You should return the money to the bank. ;)

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Instead of wasting the money on something that you do not need, I would keep them until I need them. Or buy some silver coins.

Return it to the bank...j/k I read the whole thread and know it was money earned

Good call on the Kings, that was what I was going to suggest. DT makes good rims as well so you should have a wheelset that will last as long as you choose to keep it. Enjoy

Thanks all, always nice to have a place to get fresh ideas. Even if some of them involve donating money to financial institutions.

So you ARE NOT going to return the money to the bank?

Man. That sounds pretty risky to me.

Har, Har, HAR! Good call on the wheelset. I think that was a smart move.

For an extra $2 get XT brakes and a fork

http://www.ebay.com/itm/NEW-Shimano-XT-BL-BR-M785-Trail-Disc-Brake-Levers-Calipers-F-R-Silver-/290648591605?pt=Cycling_Parts_Accessories&hash=item43ac018cf5
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Fox-32-F120-RLC-FIT-1-1-8-15QR-White-B-W-Logo-2011-NEW-/160679621628?pt=Cycling_Parts_Accessories&hash=item25694073fc