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Retro or modern! What do you prefer?

Sandwich

Pig my fish!
Staff member
May 23, 2002
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It's a cable throw converter, used for road drop levers to v-brake on tourers.

I've heard of people using the linear ones for shimano 9s shifter/10 speed derailleur conversions.
 

HardtailHack

used an iron once
Jan 20, 2009
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I had to google rollermajig but yeah same same, seems people still find uses for them hahaha!

 

soft-compound

Monkey
Dec 29, 2012
109
1
I think mine were the second gen. They didn't have the awful, break if you look at them external reservoirs. They still had the three finger lever, which meant it had to be run way inboard to be one finger, but the finger had to be a mile long to get there. I still have some adapters I need to put on ebay while people are still hoarding.
Wanna sell them too me?
Yeah the gustavs I have are the newer all black version , but I like the lever as I have long fingers and find on my hope brakes they are to small and short reach and I get cramp using them.

Tomac 204 with super monster? That has to be over the 64lb mark?
Arrow racing rims were the best I have ever owned , the old vanilla rc shocks can be pushed tuned and still feel amazing , I have had a vivid and that was crap the thread collar seem very week and the shaft coating too , I think the best modernism shock I have used is a manitou revox , did not like my dhx5 and the best shocks when set up properly for rider and frame have to be avalanche.
Boxxers are terrible as they need constant care and many plastic parts inside , fox40 need to much care and attention. Would love to try the showa or DVO emerald forks though.
But the likes of shiver , monster and avalanche are set up , fit and forget forks.
Can't speak for the newer style 888 though.
 

soft-compound

Monkey
Dec 29, 2012
109
1
I think mine were the second gen. They didn't have the awful, break if you look at them external reservoirs. They still had the three finger lever, which meant it had to be run way inboard to be one finger, but the finger had to be a mile long to get there. I still have some adapters I need to put on ebay while people are still hoarding.
Wanna sell them too me?
Yeah the gustavs I have are the newer all black version , but I like the lever as I have long fingers and find on my hope brakes they are to small and short reach and I get cramp using them.

Tomac 204 with super monster? That has to be over the 64lb mark?
Arrow racing rims were the best I have ever owned , the old vanilla rc shocks can be pushed tuned and still feel amazing , I have had a vivid and that was crap the thread collar seem very week and the shaft coating too , I think the best modernism shock I have used is a manitou revox , did not like my dhx5 and the best shocks when set up properly for rider and frame have to be avalanche.
Boxxers are terrible as they need constant care and many plastic parts inside , fox40 need to much care and attention. Would love to try the showa or DVO emerald forks though.
But the likes of shiver , monster and avalanche are set up , fit and forget forks.
Can't speak for the newer style 888 though.
 

Samoto

Guest
Dec 16, 2013
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I've heard girth is the new length
thats because 29" is outdated already, now hookless wide fat rims is da **** then add balloon Schwalbe tires and Emerald fork that reminds me of Monster T.

Its new style called Nouveau Retro.
 
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maxyedor

<b>TOOL PRO</b>
Oct 20, 2005
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In the bathroom, fighting a battle
But the likes of shiver , monster and avalanche are set up , fit and forget forks.
Can't speak for the newer style 888 though.
You looking to buy a Monster T? I have one laying around I kept to make a toilet paper holder out of.

Got some Louis FRs too, they're the best brake I've ever owned, but the 51mm mount means they don't fit any modern fork, they'd go perfect with an older Z1 on a retro freeride bike.
 

HardtailHack

used an iron once
Jan 20, 2009
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Louise brakes sucked as did the Julie, mine would work fine and you'd go for a good grab of brakes and the fluid would bypass the pistons and stick the lever at the bar. The new MT6 brakes can do one decent stop before they fade with the light weight rotor, about to try a normal rotor in hope that that helps.

The new MT brakes still fade in a few seconds with the light weight rotor, I have no idea why their brakes hate the heat so much, STILL!
 

norbar

KESSLER PROBLEM. Just cause
Jun 7, 2007
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Warsaw :/
Wanna sell them too me?
Yeah the gustavs I have are the newer all black version , but I like the lever as I have long fingers and find on my hope brakes they are to small and short reach and I get cramp using them.

Tomac 204 with super monster? That has to be over the 64lb mark?
Arrow racing rims were the best I have ever owned , the old vanilla rc shocks can be pushed tuned and still feel amazing , I have had a vivid and that was crap the thread collar seem very week and the shaft coating too , I think the best modernism shock I have used is a manitou revox , did not like my dhx5 and the best shocks when set up properly for rider and frame have to be avalanche.
Boxxers are terrible as they need constant care and many plastic parts inside , fox40 need to much care and attention. Would love to try the showa or DVO emerald forks though.
But the likes of shiver , monster and avalanche are set up , fit and forget forks.
Can't speak for the newer style 888 though.

Mavic 823's are more durable than arrow rims. Also stiffer.

Newer 888's are as fool proof as the old marzo. You can also put an avy damper in the 888 chasis and have the benefits of avy performance you like but without the idiotic weight. Isn't also the new dorado open bath?

As for shocks there are many great shocks on the market now. You only have tried a few.
 

HardtailHack

used an iron once
Jan 20, 2009
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I'm pretty hard on rims and I rate the Arrows pretty highly, I only have the FRX or whatever it's called but they are seriously tough. I'd imagine I'm a pretty crap wheel builder but I've only trued the rear once and it has only one ding but that was from a flying rock.
 

jonKranked

Detective Dookie
Nov 10, 2005
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I'm pretty hard on rims and I rate the Arrows pretty highly, I only have the FRX or whatever it's called but they are seriously tough. I'd imagine I'm a pretty crap wheel builder but I've only trued the rear once and it has only one ding but that was from a flying rock.
i had a set of the dhx rims once upon a time. totally indestructible, but dear lord were they heavy. like, stupid heavy. no reason they should have existed heavy. honestly two rims alone weigh more than what a current set of built wheels do.
 

HardtailHack

used an iron once
Jan 20, 2009
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Yeah that's why I went the freeride ones, hope hubs, bladed spokes and I'm pretty sure they were bang on 4.4LB with Minions they pinch flatted quite badly. Switching to Der Kaisers stop the flats but God damn you have to lean to get the side lugs to work on such a narrow rim.
 

maxyedor

<b>TOOL PRO</b>
Oct 20, 2005
5,496
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In the bathroom, fighting a battle
Louise brakes sucked as did the Julie, mine would work fine and you'd go for a good grab of brakes and the fluid would bypass the pistons and stick the lever at the bar. The new MT6 brakes can do one decent stop before they fade with the light weight rotor, about to try a normal rotor in hope that that helps.
Had the opposite experience with my Louises. Been running them since 05 on the Yeti and 06 on the Foes and aside from the occaisional sticky piston that fixes itself on the next ride, they've never given me trouble. I've had them smoking and they still barely got more than a little extra lever squish. Mine are the 2nd generation, not the more recent ones that may make a difference.

I hate new light-weight rotors though, mine are the older thicker, wavey ones with just a few holes and they resist warping better than anything else, and seem to stop better with my new XT brakes than Shimano rotors, but that may just be all in my head. I messed around with rotor design trying to make myself a set of the lightest rotors possible, and I beat all the off-the-shelf options, but they didn't stop for crap, just not enough contact with the pad.


Anybody mention Ringle Mags or Double-wides in this thread yet? My Mags were actually decent rims, the Double-wides on the other hand....
 

jonKranked

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Nov 10, 2005
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Yeah that's why I went the freeride ones, hope hubs, bladed spokes and I'm pretty sure they were bang on 4.4LB with Minions they pinch flatted quite badly. Switching to Der Kaisers stop the flats but God damn you have to lean to get the side lugs to work on such a narrow rim.
i basically had to put tires under a heat lamp to get them pliable enough to seat on the DHX rims.

that, and the one time they needed to be trued the massive weld bead on the seam made it a huge PITA in a truing stand
 

soft-compound

Monkey
Dec 29, 2012
109
1
op - original poster
Ahhhh! Ok I bought it from a guy not far from me in UK , got it for my birthday just fitting a avalanche chubie and have fitted black fork guards , may change the mono 6ti with gustavs though and the forks with DHF or 888 RC making it lighter.
Not heard much about these frames but they supposed to be amazing to ride apart from rear flex , but if you had no flex you have the risk of stress and cracking.

I had arrow DHR rims and they were amazing so were the double wides , double track rims are also great and the intense mags too.

Never ridden on a mavic rim before are they light aswell as strong?
 

Sandwich

Pig my fish!
Staff member
May 23, 2002
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Dude you have to check out the current decade. It's pretty rad. We have forks that adjust but don't leak, rims that are strong but are 300grams lighter, and brakes that have one piston and all the functionality. Crazy stuff.
 

norbar

KESSLER PROBLEM. Just cause
Jun 7, 2007
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Ahhhh! Ok I bought it from a guy not far from me in UK , got it for my birthday just fitting a avalanche chubie and have fitted black fork guards , may change the mono 6ti with gustavs though and the forks with DHF or 888 RC making it lighter.
Not heard much about these frames but they supposed to be amazing to ride apart from rear flex , but if you had no flex you have the risk of stress and cracking.

I had arrow DHR rims and they were amazing so were the double wides , double track rims are also great and the intense mags too.

Never ridden on a mavic rim before are they light aswell as strong?
That post really sums up the whole retro is better and more durable trend. How can you claim old parts are more durable when you have never ridden mavic rims? Especially since 729's have been available for over 10 years. 823's which are probably the stiffest strongest rims out there plus they have also been out there for a very long time. It's like saying transport in the XIX century was better and then admiting you have never driven a car.

As for the forks. Just get a modern post 2011 888 rc3 evo. You will be happy.
 
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jackalope

Mental acuity - 1%
Jan 9, 2004
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5,931
in a single wide, cooking meth...
After 5 pages of extolling the virtues of Double Down era bikes and components, this is either an epic troll or somehow we're communicating with Jan Karpiel from 15 years ago via a tear in the space-time continuum. But assuming it's the latter, I'd suggest the "op" (btw, it stands to reason that Jan would not recognize this forum term in 1998) contact a tractor trailer wrecker service to drag off the Scarab and see if CRC will use their special time traveling cargo jet to send him a leftover Nukeproof Scalp. That and buy stock in Apple, despite their doomed tablet.
 
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-BB-

I broke all the rules, but somehow still became mo
Sep 6, 2001
4,254
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Livin it up in the O.C.
The only thing I miss are those old-school red Shimano DH pedals. Heck I even retired my Gustav's last year for Saints and I'm VERY happy about it.
 

soft-compound

Monkey
Dec 29, 2012
109
1
That post really sums up the whole retro is better and more durable trend. How can you claim old parts are more durable when you have never ridden mavic rims? Especially since 729's have been available for over 10 years. 823's which are probably the stiffest strongest rims out there plus they have also been out there for a very long time. It's like saying transport in the XIX century was better and then admiting you have never driven a car.


As for the forks. Just get a modern post 2011 888 rc3 evo. You will be happy.
Well I never ridden mavic because I'm not a person that just goes out and blows money on bike parts because it is the new trend.
I was using my original sun modo/double wide rims on hope big uns up until last year when my bike got stolen
That is how good they are.
So if I need new wheels I will buy some mavic rims.
Well yeah 888 MEH!
I would really like kowa forks , have they stopped dong that naff nike
Coating yet that just flakes off?
I still have monster t from 2004 with original seals and bushings and they have been abused LOL!
I think the scarab frame rides too well just to say sell it and buy new , also the fact that these are still made I don't class it as old but the geometry might be old.
But still no reason to get rid of a $2000.00 steel frame that could last a life time.
I have been tempted by katipo frames though:)
 

ChrisRobin

Turbo Monkey
Jan 30, 2002
3,351
193
Vancouver
As far as old geometry goes, since you have an Avy rear shock, you can always have it shortened by .25 inches (as long as it doesn't make the frame destroy itself). Offset headset too.

Back in 2002, I had boat anchor sun double wides. What I liked about them if you could run your tires with 15 psi and not pinch flat. Although the rims would end up being square instead of round.
 

norbar

KESSLER PROBLEM. Just cause
Jun 7, 2007
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Warsaw :/
Well I never ridden mavic because I'm not a person that just goes out and blows money on bike parts because it is the new trend.
I was using my original sun modo/double wide rims on hope big uns up until last year when my bike got stolen
That is how good they are.
So if I need new wheels I will buy some mavic rims.
Well yeah 888 MEH!
I would really like kowa forks , have they stopped dong that naff nike
Coating yet that just flakes off?
I still have monster t from 2004 with original seals and bushings and they have been abused LOL!
I think the scarab frame rides too well just to say sell it and buy new , also the fact that these are still made I don't class it as old but the geometry might be old.
But still no reason to get rid of a $2000.00 steel frame that could last a life time.
I have been tempted by katipo frames though:)

If your double wide rims have no dents after 10 years that only means you could easily get away with a lightweight set.

Also going for mavic isn't going for a new TREND. Mavic rims have been on the market as long as double wides if not longer. They also have been as strong as them while being lighter for the same time. Not to mention it's not going for trends it's trying something new that 99.999% of the users confirm is better.

As for 888 and flaking off - that only happens in WC models. Do you need a WC model? I doubt it.

As for Scarab frame riding to well to sell it means you haven't ridden any reasonable bike but looking at your posts and what you want it just seems to me you are like most oldschool fans. A typical contrarian who wants something unpopular so he can feel special. Seriously if you are tempted by forks made by a company with close to no support outside of japan and spain (MSC sold their forks as their own) rather than something all the users claim is good you are just not interested in a well performing, hassle free bike. You want a special bike. Just time travel to 2003 and buy one of the Nicolai products from back then. Seriously.




Also Moto'6s? Lol and you are saying about reliability when you ride brakes that made the saying "hope it works"
 

HardtailHack

used an iron once
Jan 20, 2009
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I have two Kowa forks, I am sure I have whined enough on here but anyway-
09 Models-
-One plastic shim and a coil spring for the compression circuit, which shoots oil to the top of the fork meaning it foams and you have to run lots of oil to avoid losing all compression damping on high speed hits

Ported rebound.

Stock bushings were so sloppy the stanchion would GRIND it's way down the air spring which gave the fork a friction assisted anti bottoming system. After a week with both forks I could put my 100kg of heft on the bar and they wouldn't move at all.

The air spring shaft was kashima coated but the seals were so sticky the spring had a horrid notchy movement, the air spring air valve was at the bottom and was flush so if you put ANY oil in the air spring you had to remove your wheel to change the pressure or it would dump on your disc.

Got sent a set of warranty bushings, they were worse than the first set and one came with one odd bushing inside but I guess 3/4 is still a pass.

In the 160 I had three steerers com lose in the crowns, one mid race run.

To be blunt Kowa would have to be the worst fork on the market at the time, both my forks would have less than 20hr on them but both are useless. I can get new lowers for $120 US plus post but unless I move to an AVY cart they are still useless.

Oh yeah the DH fork also has to run an assist spring because the air spring is rubbish.

Feel free to make me an offer.


I have wasted thousands on odd items but someone has to buy the weird stuff to keep the little companies going as that's where a lot of the innovative stuff comes from. Still the only decent gear designed or made in the UK has been DMR everything else is ****!
 

Samoto

Guest
Dec 16, 2013
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Buying odd items is never good idea if one wants to get good value of product.

So saying that buying retro because you don't follow new trend, that's pretty moot as retro is a trend as well.
 

jonKranked

Detective Dookie
Nov 10, 2005
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this reminds me of the time i ran into a guy who had a manitou fork installed backwards because he thought the crowns were supposed to face forward.
 

norbar

KESSLER PROBLEM. Just cause
Jun 7, 2007
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Warsaw :/
this reminds me of the time i ran into a guy who had a manitou fork installed backwards because he thought the crowns were supposed to face forward.
Did he run those springy stanction protectors made from rubber?
 
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