Triple Chainring On 127M Bb

[aener]

I'm from a purely trials upbringing in the bike world, so am pretty clueless.

For a bike that will most often be used for getting around town on (average journey will be about 3.5-5 miles), but that I will also want to take to some trails/single track/general XCing, would you advise a hardtail or rear sprung frame? Is it just preference at this point?

My instinct says hardtail, 'cause having the pedals move in relation to the back wheel just seems weird.

Doing this on a budget, so are there any major issues with Brand X frames that make them worth steering clear of?

Thanks.

Edit: Is it possible to run three rings on the front with a 127mm BB? I've "converted" my Leeson, and have a Shimano LX derailleur and basic RPM cranks.

I've been fiddling for ages, but can't make it work. I realize the outer ring might be a write-off, but I can't even get the inner two working :/

Is it something I've just not been told, or am I doing it wrong?

Edited August 25, 2011 by aener

[Matthew62]

On a budget...hardtail. Cheap full-sussers are usually terrible. If you want one that works you've gotta pay the money. From the sort of riding you've mentioned a hardtail should be fine.

[aener]

On a budget...hardtail. Cheap full-sussers are usually terrible. If you want one that works you've gotta pay the money. From the sort of riding you've mentioned a hardtail should be fine.

The perfect response

[Tomm]

On a budget...hardtail. Cheap full-sussers are usually terrible. If you want one that works you've gotta pay the money. From the sort of riding you've mentioned a hardtail should be fine.

This.

For decent XC trails with loads of rocks, a decent (£2000+, unfortunately) short travel full sus is faster (up and down), more comfortable and probably more fun. But for what you've said, you'd be hard-pushed to justify full sus.

[Fish-Finger-er]

This.

For decent XC trails with loads of rocks, a decent (£2000+, unfortunately) short travel full sus is faster (up and down), more comfortable and probably more fun. But for what you've said, you'd be hard-pushed to justify full sus.

this

although dont feel the budget needs to be as high.

check it out

that at 1075 is a bargain. (although check out the mondraker bikes on merlin, some of the hardtails are super cheap)

[bike_dummie]

specialized pitch is meant to be good value full sus with the base model starting at £1200.

[Jake Beach]

specialized pitch is meant to be good value full sus with the base model starting at £1200.

Depends what your using it for, my dads mate has a hardtail, Jekyll and a pitch and he finds the pitch a bit of a 'tractor' for general xc stuff and only really uses it for Wales. It flies down a decent hill though

Edited August 23, 2011 by Jake Beach

[Revolver]

For a bike that will most often be used for getting around town on (average journey will be about 3.5-5 miles), but that I will also want to take to some trails/single track/general XCing, would you advise a hardtail or rear sprung frame? Is it just preference at this point?

If you're not spending much, then you'd end up with a full sus frame that would absorb power when you put it down, which would be a nuisance for getting to work.

Hardtail all the way, mang.

[Tomm]

Depends what your using it for, my dads mate has a hardtail, Jekyll and a pitch and he finds the pitch a bit of a 'tractor' for general xc stuff and only really uses it for Wales. It flies down a decent hill though

Depends where you ride though. If your Dad's mate is from Southampton (looking at your status) then yeah, there's no real rocky stuff close by*, and a hardtail is probably the best option. But if you live somewhere rocky (Wales, Lakes, Peaks etc) then 5" is about right for a good compromise between riding uphill and being able to hammer down. In fact a lot of the climbs I do are easier on a sus bike. On a hardtail, every little bump will lose you momentum, so long rocky climbs can be hard work. Whereas a decent full sus that tracks the ground will be a lot faster/easier on your bum.

*I've never ridden near Southampton so please correct me if I'm wrong.

[Jake Beach]

Depends where you ride though. If your Dad's mate is from Southampton (looking at your status) then yeah, there's no real rocky stuff close by*, and a hardtail is probably the best option. But if you live somewhere rocky (Wales, Lakes, Peaks etc) then 5" is about right for a good compromise between riding uphill and being able to hammer down. In fact a lot of the climbs I do are easier on a sus bike. On a hardtail, every little bump will lose you momentum, so long rocky climbs can be hard work. Whereas a decent full sus that tracks the ground will be a lot faster/easier on your bum.

*I've never ridden near Southampton so please correct me if I'm wrong.

Yep, the new forest is pretty flat ( and boring) but it gets slightly rougher and better as you go more towards pool/bournmouth. A long travel full sus is probally a no go if your area is fairly flat and smooth. I find that my lock out on my HT stays on most of the time on gravel and going up hill.

Edited August 24, 2011 by Jake Beach

[Fish-Finger-er]

the other thing is it depends on your riding style. apart from the odd trip to cannock chase, my riding is all north wales, and ive been overtaken on climbs by people,to overtake them on the next downhill, then have them overtake me on the climb after it, comment "you should of got a hardtail, makes the climbs easier" whereas i see it as "should of got a full sus, makes the dh's quicker"

generally find with people like that, by the end of the day, your ahead of them, as you can just plod on all day on the climbs, whereas they seem to slow down 10 or so miles in.

[aener]

Topic changed. More problems

[Revolver]

but I can't even get the inner two working :/

Is it something I've just not been told, or am I doing it wrong?

So by the inner two not working, how do you mean?

It should be obvious if it doesn't fit - the derallieur won't sit over the ring at maximum extension.

[aener]

So by the inner two not working, how do you mean?

It should be obvious if it doesn't fit - the derallieur won't sit over the ring at maximum extension.

I mean that when I set it so It sits nicely on the middle ring, it won't shift down to the inner, and if I set it nice on the inner, it won't shift up to the middle - even having written the outer off all together.

[Tomm]

I don't know if it will work, the mech is clearly going to be a long way out compared to normal. But if you can set it at the right height and the cage will physically go across enough, I see no reason why it shouldn't shift.

Set up the mech so in the little front ring it's held in place by the limit screw (forget about cable tension at this time). Then tighten the cable up so it'll shift into middle. Without having a tinker I can't really say if it'll work or not, but my feeling is that it should do. I hate front mechs

1x10 speed?