[jacksonpt]

I hit some local trails very briefly... about 30 minutes of pretty modest trails. But it was good for a first ride - gave me a chance to play with a couple of suspension settings. Here are some very preliminary impressions...

- 575 cockpit feels small/short... going to work on that
- 5th element is super smooth
- Talas R... too early for much of an impression
- Hopes feel great, and it's nice to have stopping power in sloppy conditions
- X9 shifters... different, still getting used to them, but they feel good
- Ritchey Zmax Pros have ZERO lateral traction, but clean very well

I broke the ARC post... well, actually the clamp. I don't think it had much to do with the fact that it was filed down, but rather that the ovalized rails never really fit right, so all the pressure was on 2 points. I also can't get it tight enough so the saddle doesn't tip forward/back where the trails gets a little bumpy. I'll probably end up replacing the post.

 

[Echo]

Am I misunderstanding something here? What post doesn't clamp on the rails?

 

[MMcG]

ugh - I hope future rides produce more positive vibes Jackson.

 

[Jozz]

*cough* Thomson *cough*

 

[jacksonpt]

Originally posted by Echo
Am I misunderstanding something here? What post doesn't clamp on the rails?

Yes, you are misunderstanding...

The ARC post clamps onto the rails... but rather than the pressure from the clamp being applied to the top/bottom of the rails, it's applied to the sides, like a vice. So when I sit way back on the saddle, there is a great deal of pressure put on a realtively small area as the nose of the saddle wants to come up.

Maybe these pics will show it better...

The ARC... tightening that allen nut squeezes the clamp together

A Thompson...

 

[jacksonpt]

Originally posted by MMcG
ugh - I hope future rides produce more positive vibes Jackson.

Oh, despite the seatpost thing... it was very positive. I know I can get the frame to fit better by fooling around with the stem/bars/saddle positions. I absolutely love the 5th, and the hopes are killers. The shifters feel great, and I'm sure once I get used to them (and get the derailleurs properly adjusted), they will feel right at home on the 575.

 

[MMcG]

That seatpost is whacked!

I'd say ixne on the Arc - and go Thomson or Easton or Titec.

And who makes that saddle?

Your ARC stem looks very similar to my Easton EA70 stem with that clamp mechnism up front. what size stem did you go with and what is the rise on it?

 

[stosh]

Why did you pick the arc seatpost?
How's the weight stack up?

 

[jacksonpt]

Originally posted by MMcG
That seatpost is whacked!

I'd say ixne on the Arc - and go Thomson or Easton or Titec.

And who makes that saddle?

Your ARC stem looks very similar to my Easton EA70 stem with that clamp mechnism up front. what size stem did you go with and what is the rise on it?

I was wondering about the design... but I've only ever used 1 post, so I gave arc the benefit of the doubt. Physics just don't favor that design though.

The saddle is a Selle Italia. The stem is 100mm, 5degree rise.

 

[jacksonpt]

Originally posted by stosh
Why did you pick the arc seatpost?
How's the weight stack up?

It was a package deal. I was going to get the stem and the bars anyway, with a Thompson post. But Yeti offered a package deal... post, bars, stem for $100. Couldn't pass that up.

The post is slightly lighter than a Thompson Elite post... but I don't remember by how much... like 25g I think - lighter, but not significant.

 

[stosh]

Originally posted by jacksonpt
It was a package deal. I was going to get the stem and the bars anyway, with a Thompson post. But Yeti offered a package deal... post, bars, stem for $100. Couldn't pass that up.

The post is slightly lighter than a Thompson Elite post... but I don't remember by how much... like 25g I think - lighter, but not significant.

OH ok cool deal man!
Everybody I think is learning from your build. I know I am!!


I just made a huge purchase for my bike. I bought a spoke at $1.50 now I have to install it. The guy at the shop who I take my bike to all the time and spend hundreds of dollars at was going to charge me $20 to install it.

I don't think I'm going back to him anymore...

 

[Rip]

Nice bike.

Nice custom title.

 

[stosh]

Originally posted by Rip
Nice bike.

Nice custom title.

Bwahhhhhhhhhh I didn't see that title till you mentioned it!!


BWAHHHHHHHHH x1000000

 

[jacksonpt]

Originally posted by Rip
Nice custom title.

Yea... it took a while to get here, but it's not surprising.

 

[punkassean]

Originally posted by stosh
OH ok cool deal man!
Everybody I think is learning from your build. I know I am!!


I just made a huge purchase for my bike. I bought a spoke at $1.50 now I have to install it. The guy at the shop who I take my bike to all the time and spend hundreds of dollars at was going to charge me $20 to install it.

I don't think I'm going back to him anymore...

Stosh, was this spoke a drive side rear spoke? Or a disc side front or rear spoke? The reason spoke cost more to install is because in order to do it right, the whole wheel will need to be trued and re-tensioned. Usually $10-$12 max. $20 is a bit high but if the cassette/disc rotors needed to come off then it's really not that bad of a price. Also consider that the tire needs to come off and the rim strip removed. So it really adds up.

•Velox Rim strip $3
•Nipple, alloy 50¢, Brass 0¢
•Spoke $1
•Labor to remove/replace cassette/disc rotor $4-5
•Labor to remove/replace tire $4-5
•Wheel true/tension $8-12

Now if you have a rubber rim strip or an intact nipple and the broken spoke is a non-drive or non-disc, it could be a lot less $. Your local shop is just trying to keep his doors open for another year, it's nothing personal...

 

[Mackie]

Originally posted by jacksonpt
575 cockpit feels small/short... going to work on that

Could you tell me how tall you are, what size 575 you are on, and how long the stem is?

The 575 is on the short list for me, but have not had a chance to ride one yet.
Any info is appreciated.
Thanks!

 

[jacksonpt]

Originally posted by Mackie
Could you tell me how tall you are, what size 575 you are on, and how long the stem is?

The 575 is on the short list for me, but have not had a chance to ride one yet.
Any info is appreciated.
Thanks!

I'm about 5-9, average build. I went with a medium frame, and a 100mm stem (5degree rise). But don't put a lot of weight in my opinion at this point... I've had so little time on the bike and very little time to get fitted to it.

 

[stosh]

Originally posted by punkassean
Stosh, was this spoke a drive side rear spoke? Or a disc side front or rear spoke? The reason spoke cost more to install is because in order to do it right, the whole wheel will need to be trued and re-tensioned. Usually $10-$12 max. $20 is a bit high but if the cassette/disc rotors needed to come off then it's really not that bad of a price. Also consider that the tire needs to come off and the rim strip removed. So it really adds up.

•Velox Rim strip $3
•Nipple, alloy 50¢, Brass 0¢
•Spoke $1
•Labor to remove/replace cassette/disc rotor $4-5
•Labor to remove/replace tire $4-5
•Wheel true/tension $8-12

Now if you have a rubber rim strip or an intact nipple and the broken spoke is a non-drive or non-disc, it could be a lot less $. Your local shop is just trying to keep his doors open for another year, it's nothing personal...

Well it's a tubeless so the tire didn't need to be removed.
It was rear tire and I do have disc brakes so I could see that taking a few minutes.

It's not the price of the fix... but that he never cuts me a break and I just had him re-tension my rear rim 2 rides ago.
I'm begining to question his work also.

 

[punkassean]

I would only pay $20 for that if I knew it was top quality wrenching. If he is slacking then look around at other shops.

 

[douglas]

Originally posted by Rip
Nice bike.

Nice custom title.

HAAAAAAAAA HAAAAAAAA!!




thats great, lol

 

[Mackie]

Originally posted by jacksonpt
I'm about 5-9, average build. I went with a medium frame, ......

Thnaks for the info. It's a sweet bike.

 

[stosh]

Originally posted by punkassean
I would only pay $20 for that if I knew it was top quality wrenching. If he is slacking then look around at other shops.

I'm in the process. There is this one other, the guy is good but something about his personality bothered me. Just that I always felt like I was just some regular customer bringing my bike in and it seemed like he belittled me when I didn't know something.

 

[punkassean]

That is an all too common problem at bike shops. There is no reason for attitude to play into it. If there are only 2 local shops in your area then I bet there really isn't enough competition to make your LBS's try hard enough. They have a strangle hold on biz as it is. You should open a shop and blow doors!

BTW: how does one go about getting a custom title?

 

[stosh]

Originally posted by punkassean
That is an all too common problem at bike shops. There is no reason for attitude to play into it. If there are only 2 local shops in your area then I bet there really isn't enough competition to make your LBS's try hard enough. They have a strangle hold on biz as it is. You should open a shop and blow doors!

BTW: how does one go about getting a custom title?

You have to do something really extraordinary.
There is a shop I really really like but they are about 45min away and sometimes I can't make it out there. Oh wait there is this other one... hrmm didn't think about them... I'll have to swing by sometime.

 

[jacksonpt]

Incase anyone was curious... you can see what the seatpost clamp is supposed to look like in the pic above.

Here's what the broken side looks like...

 

[stosh]

Originally posted by jacksonpt
Incase anyone was curious... you can see what the seatpost clamp is supposed to look like in the pic above.

Here's what the broken side looks like...

Damn! That sucks! I think you should get a Thudbuster seat post.

 

[dlb]

What kind of a trail did you ride it on, any drops or big bumps that let you get some air? Im just wondering how you like the rear suspension. Kinda funny, asking you how you like the ride when I have a new frame in the garage. I actually assembled it with the parts build from the Ventana and rode it around the block yesterday.

 

[Skookum]

Coolness there's mud on your bikey!!!!!

Yikes that seatpost looks cheeseball....

 

[jacksonpt]

Well, I put my old saddle on the ARC post - the rails are round so they fit perfectly. I tightened it down has much as I could... I still can't keep the saddle from tipping forward/back. The saddle rails fit perfectly, so it has to be the post. I think it's an inferior design... anyone considering a 575 (or any yeti) should stay away from the post. I'm happy/impressed with the ARC stem/bars to this point, but the seatpost was a big disappointment.

Thompson here I come.

 

[MMcG]

Originally posted by jacksonpt
I was wondering about the design... but I've only ever used 1 post, so I gave arc the benefit of the doubt. Physics just don't favor that design though.

The saddle is a Selle Italia. The stem is 100mm, 5degree rise.

If you want to try a longer stem Jackson - maybe we could swap. I have a 110 and a 120 zero degree Easton EA70 that I could trade you for your ARC one.

 

[jacksonpt]

Originally posted by dlb
What kind of a trail did you ride it on, any drops or big bumps that let you get some air? Im just wondering how you like the rear suspension. Kinda funny, asking you how you like the ride when I have a new frame in the garage. I actually assembled it with the parts build from the Ventana and rode it around the block yesterday.

Nothing big at all... it's actually a foot trail that people walk their dogs on. Some very small rocks (softball size and smaller) and some roots, but nothing big... certainly nothign bigger than rolling off the average curb.

With only about 30 minutes in the saddle, I haven't formed any opinions, only impressions. But I'm very impressed with the 5th. I spent about 30 minutes setting the pressure in the chambers. I set the SPV chamber to Progressive's recommendation, then I set the sag to about 30%. Seems to be a good setup, but I haven't done any real climbing yet.

 

[jacksonpt]

Originally posted by MMcG
If you want to try a longer stem Jackson - maybe we could swap. I have a 110 and a 120 zero degree Easton EA70 that I could trade you for your ARC one.

Thanks for the offer, and I may take you up on it. I want to get some more time on the bike before I start swaping out parts... at least parts that aren't broken

 

[jacksonpt]

bump for IAB

 

[stosh]

Wait, did you get on your bike again this weekend?

 

[jacksonpt]

Originally posted by stosh
Wait, did you get on your bike again this weekend?

Yea... I rode yesterday. I swapped in teh seatpost from my hardtail temporarily. See teh "woah... what a bike" thread for details...

 

[tgaines72]

Mine should be here next week!!!