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New look for my carbon hardtail, and a questions

Nately27

Monkey
Jul 29, 2003
121
0
So i cracked the lowers on my Super T a while back, and I finally got a different fork on it. Fits pretty well, but its a bit tall naturally. I also re-finished the frame after having to fix a crack that had started on the driveside chainstay. Its flat black with a carbon inlay on the main triangle. It looked great up until i got a few scratches on it. I also threw some strain gauges on, when the front end started makin some wierd noises. Those are the wires you see running everywhere. Which leads me to my question, there is a distinct popping noise when the fork comes down from a manual, or when I drop the front end while standing above it. Its of course amplified by the monocoque, so im having difficulty locating it. I think it may be the headset, since that is the only thing to have changed from when it didnt make this noise. Ive also checked for cracks, and have found none. Its a race face headset which has been checked for looseness as well. Might it be ovalizing the headtube? or are the bearings in there bad? Anyways, here are some new pics:


 

Spitfired

Monkey
Jun 18, 2004
489
0
Rochester, NY
That bike is just so fricking cool.
I love it man, excellent job.

Noise: Might it be inside the fork? My 888 was making noises when I first got it, before I adjusted the rebound/compression. Try putting the rebound down a little bit.
Otherwise, I'd say try another headset and see if that makes a difference.
 

BAXTER

Monkey
Jun 25, 2005
161
0
THE BURG but missing BOSTON
If that is a first year 888 they make a popping or cracking noise after while. It's the spring and the plastic spacer moving against each other. You can either go inside and set your c clip to give you more pre load or use a stack of quarters the same size as the spacer. Sounds funny but it works fvkin great. Just epoxy them together and drill a hole the appropriate size. Having access to a drill press or bridgeport machine helps.
 

EVRAC

Monkey
Jun 21, 2004
757
19
Port Coquitlam, B.C., Canada
I think that's awesome. Sweet job. I was a fan before, but the black looks even better. Hopefully that noise is the fork. Mine made some noises too until I had the guy at the Marz. tent at Whistler tune it up.

Can't believe how negative some jerks can be. Don't let it get to you.
Did you see how badly that guy got slammed for posting his Elisworth?
Zedro, ever the voice of reason.
 

Bicyclist

Turbo Monkey
Apr 4, 2004
10,152
2
SB
Yeah dude I think that bike is sick. How does it ride? I didn't see the thread of when you built it, so did you engineer some flex into it?
 

Nately27

Monkey
Jul 29, 2003
121
0
ill have to check the fork and headset out, seems everyone agrees its one of those. Methinks its the headset though.
For those that missed the first thread on this frame:old thread

the process I used is similar to fiberglass, except with a vaccuum bag step in there as well. Carbon prepregs are a bit different though.
 

Nately27

Monkey
Jul 29, 2003
121
0
mcA896 said:
i personally liked the white better.
I liked the white too, it looked really good in pictures, but not so much in real life. flat black seems to hide all the imperfections a bit better though. Mayby a flat white with the carbon inlay would have been best???
 

zedro

Turbo Monkey
Sep 14, 2001
4,144
1
at the end of the longest line
Nately27 said:
I liked the white too, it looked really good in pictures, but not so much in real life. flat black seems to hide all the imperfections a bit better though. Mayby a flat white with the carbon inlay would have been best???
huh, its like the opposite then; the flat black doesnt look as good in pics, the white looked as smooth as a boats hull.
 

Nately27

Monkey
Jul 29, 2003
121
0
zedro said:
huh, its like the opposite then; the flat black doesnt look as good in pics, the white looked as smooth as a boats hull.
Yeah, the gloss white reflected so much light, the camera didnt pick up any imperfections. they were there though. i guess the black isnt so flattering in pictures.
 

beaverbiker

Monkey
Feb 5, 2003
586
0
Santa Clara
that bike is super rad. i love custom, homemade/backyard bikes. i built a chopper bicycle about a year ago. i just TIG welded 4130 together and put some parts on it. it had a rear 6" hayes disc, and 8 speeds with xt shifter and ultegra der. i should post it up on here sometime.
 

banj

Monkey
Apr 3, 2002
379
0
Ottawa, Ontario
If you're only hearing it after the fork has been fully extended than there a good chance it's the preload on the fork as was said. When the preload is set to the minimum it has some play in it. Try changing the c-clip to a higher preload as a first check.
 

binary visions

The voice of reason
Jun 13, 2002
22,092
1,132
NC
Uh, he hasn't made a CF bike. He's taken a hardtail, and made a mess. :p
Might want to find out what you're talking about, first.

That's not a carbon wrapped hardtail. It's a headtube, bottom bracket and dropouts installed in a built-from-the-ground-up carbon frame. :clue:

But I guess it's not okay or interesting that the guy built a frame by himself, at home since it doesn't meet your aesthetic standards...
 

LeRoy

Monkey
Apr 11, 2002
375
0
Wellington - NZ
My aesthetic standards were initally deeply offended. Luckily, I have tried to adopt the "think before you type" mantra and ran into that thread about him building the bike up.

Rather than calling the fashion police over to write a ticket, I am now genuinely congratulatory and envious of his efforts. It's awesome to see someone get their kicks riding something that they have crafted. I imagine (and that is all I can do due to my weak mechanical and technical skills) that it just feels better to rip on something that you have personally crafted. CONGRATULATIONS.