Purgatory bikes in CT had a roller that doubled as the FD. It was a pretty neat piece of kit. He did it long before either of these goons.
Want to know more about the Corsair Maelstrom?
- Thread starter ROTFLMAO
- Start date
I just realized that it's a Marque that my friend owns, not a Maelstrom. Most of our observations about the pulley are probably still relavent.
I rode a Maelstrom for the first time yesterday on some fairly solid downhillish singletrack.
All I can say is...mein gott, this bike RIPS! I hadn't ridden big bikes for over a year and I was instantly comfortable on it, riding as fast (if not faster) than I had previously on other bikes. The wheelpath gives it a "buttery bottomless travel" feeling. Very confidence inspiring. That isn't to say it wallows (like my VP-Free or the other VPP bikes I've swung a leg over) when you get up and mash...the idler pulley definitely does its job and isolates pedaling input. The bike doesn't climb well, but that's not shocking with a 65 degree HT angle (plus the one I was one had a 34t ring and a road cassette). With a FD and a 22t little ring I definitely could've sat back and spun up the hill, but using the bike for everyday XC riding would be a schlep.
This will be my next long-travel bike, if I ever live somewhere that requires it. In short, this is the easiest bike to ride fast downhill that I've ever had the pleasure of swinging a leg over.
All I can say is...mein gott, this bike RIPS! I hadn't ridden big bikes for over a year and I was instantly comfortable on it, riding as fast (if not faster) than I had previously on other bikes. The wheelpath gives it a "buttery bottomless travel" feeling. Very confidence inspiring. That isn't to say it wallows (like my VP-Free or the other VPP bikes I've swung a leg over) when you get up and mash...the idler pulley definitely does its job and isolates pedaling input. The bike doesn't climb well, but that's not shocking with a 65 degree HT angle (plus the one I was one had a 34t ring and a road cassette). With a FD and a 22t little ring I definitely could've sat back and spun up the hill, but using the bike for everyday XC riding would be a schlep.
This will be my next long-travel bike, if I ever live somewhere that requires it. In short, this is the easiest bike to ride fast downhill that I've ever had the pleasure of swinging a leg over.
Couple questions on the Maelstrom.
1. Is the headset cup OD a normal 1.5, or is it something proprietary? I ask because I'm wondering if I could run an internal headset to get the bar height down.
2. Sizing? I currently ride a large BR which fits me nicely. The large Maelstrom has a slightly longer ETT, but does so with a slacker ST angle, so the reach is probably about the same. I could always play with stem length a little if I need to.
1. Is the headset cup OD a normal 1.5, or is it something proprietary? I ask because I'm wondering if I could run an internal headset to get the bar height down.
2. Sizing? I currently ride a large BR which fits me nicely. The large Maelstrom has a slightly longer ETT, but does so with a slacker ST angle, so the reach is probably about the same. I could always play with stem length a little if I need to.
HAB - Colorado Dirt is the only person I know who has used a headset other than the one Corsair supplies. I cant remember if he changed for stack height reasons or not but his thread is on the freeride forum. One thing I can say is my Maelstrom with a Totem is lower at the stem then my Wildcard with a 36
that really surprised me. I ride a medium Wildcard for jumping reasons but went with a large for more comfort. The Large feels nice.
that really surprised me. I ride a medium Wildcard for jumping reasons but went with a large for more comfort. The Large feels nice.It's a proprietary headset as the head tube has a spilt in it for pinch bolts, I haven't measure one so I don't know if the dimensions are the same as 1.5 or not.
They do have a reasonably low stack height though as the headtube is pretty short. You could run a flat bar like the Gravity 777 and could get the bars as low as you would need.
I realize it uses pinch bolts and all that, I'm just wondering if something else will work.
The head tube is quite short- 10mm shorter than my current bike. I've got that set up with a zero stack headset, no spacers, a zero rise stem, and a 19mm rise bar on a 160mm fork. So with a 180mm fork, and a flat bar, it would be maybe 10mm higher.
Dude, I know what I'm doing plenty well enough to know where I want my bar. Please stop telling me my personal preference is wrong. Seriously.
Thanks. That's what I wanted to know.
This is the exact reason I want to demo a Crown, similar suspension axle path with more travel and a slacker HTA. That thing has to be silly fast.
Hey folks,
I came across this thread and a few others as I was about to pull the trigger on a medium Maelstrom. However I'm hearing a lot of bad things about the noise the drivetrain makes and also something about the chain getting stuck in the pulley mechanism from time to time. The 'official' fix seems to be to dremel the area above the pulley and add a bit of sticky velcro?
Anyone know if this effects all frames, is it a dual ring issue only or single ring setups etc?
Also I'm 6' 1" and swaying towards a medium as it has the same effective top tube (23.5") as my current ride which is a large.
The drivetrain noise and dremel thing is starting to really put me off though. Any help is appreciated.
I came across this thread and a few others as I was about to pull the trigger on a medium Maelstrom. However I'm hearing a lot of bad things about the noise the drivetrain makes and also something about the chain getting stuck in the pulley mechanism from time to time. The 'official' fix seems to be to dremel the area above the pulley and add a bit of sticky velcro?
Anyone know if this effects all frames, is it a dual ring issue only or single ring setups etc?
Also I'm 6' 1" and swaying towards a medium as it has the same effective top tube (23.5") as my current ride which is a large.
The drivetrain noise and dremel thing is starting to really put me off though. Any help is appreciated.
You notice the drivetrain noise in the parking lot but never on the trail. Set up with an E 13 SRS + set in the wide setting the chain can not hop up so easy as to get stuck in the upper idler guide wheel. All good for me since I set up the SRS +. I have been racing and riding my Maelstrom in some nasty North East Coast USA weather along the way.
I'm going to shim the upper idler wheel so it can't move and just run a Blackspire stinger lower guide. I hope it won't drop the chain as I really don't want to have to run a full chain guide.
Been there done that with the Stinger guide. I would opt to move to the SRS+ or a Gamut guide as both will work well and keep the chain from hopping up. I have zero issues with this set up.
Tried it and it works fine, I have to machine a small amount out of the Stingers roller but it hasn't dropped a chain yet.
I now want to put a semi integrated stem in the top cup but I am a little worried about the small amount of insertion into the HT, the stupid pinch bolt setup and a shallow insertion headset scares me a little.
I would be leaving the bottom Corsair cup in.
Any ideas?
The Stinger worked fine for me until things got muddy. I am guessing you are runnning a 1 1/8 steerer? You could then use a top cup assembly from a Cane Creek XC flush reducing headset. Cup should be deep enough.
I'm sorry but these frames are rubbish, they absorb square edge bumps really well and they are very lively for such a heavy frame but that's it there are no more good points. As I have stated previously I couldn't tighten the rear wheel as the maxle fouled on the frame, I decided to file it to make room, upon disassembly I found that the swingarm is not masked when the frame is sprayed meaning the dropouts are have an interference fit but only until the paint flakes off which may be a pain later.
Bolt holes to mount the rear shock don't line up with the shock/linkage at full extension which means you have to undo a linkage every time you remove or insert the shock.
Inside the headtube is painted which makes the pinch bolts useless as you have to press the headset in unless you remove all of the paint(which you should).
I now have a nice creaking noise from(I think) the main pivot, the bike has been ridden maybe six times and not once in the wet.
Rocks get trapped behind the rear pivot and get crushed between the swingarm and the frame as the shouck compresses. I doubt this will do any structural damage but it takes a bit of paint off.
The idler setup works well but is stupid noisey compared to my old BB7 and there is nowhere near enough clearance between the chain and swingarm relief where the chain runs. After a few rides the top of my chain was polished from contacting the frame so often, I am also losing a few grams off my swingarm every time I ride as the chain chomps the shiz out if in taller gears.
I still really like my bike but I just don't see how a company could hold off production for so long and still have so many issues on the production run.
Bolt holes to mount the rear shock don't line up with the shock/linkage at full extension which means you have to undo a linkage every time you remove or insert the shock.
Inside the headtube is painted which makes the pinch bolts useless as you have to press the headset in unless you remove all of the paint(which you should).
I now have a nice creaking noise from(I think) the main pivot, the bike has been ridden maybe six times and not once in the wet.
Rocks get trapped behind the rear pivot and get crushed between the swingarm and the frame as the shouck compresses. I doubt this will do any structural damage but it takes a bit of paint off.
The idler setup works well but is stupid noisey compared to my old BB7 and there is nowhere near enough clearance between the chain and swingarm relief where the chain runs. After a few rides the top of my chain was polished from contacting the frame so often, I am also losing a few grams off my swingarm every time I ride as the chain chomps the shiz out if in taller gears.
I still really like my bike but I just don't see how a company could hold off production for so long and still have so many issues on the production run.
That's what happens when you rush a product to market [SARCASM]
Too bad your bike sucks. I had high hopes and really liked the look of each one of their frames.
Too bad your bike sucks. I had high hopes and really liked the look of each one of their frames.
In the end this is a complicated design that would benefit from a few modifications to the idler and tunnel area. The performance of the frame was well above average in my opinion and could hardly be called rubbish. It could use a few small refinements to be perfect but so could most frames.
Testing any other DH bikes soon on MTB gear tech?
Some of my other contributors may be featuring some DH bikes soon. I have a Cove STD that I'm on now that I'll be reviewing soon. It's more of a freeride bike I guess but still very DH capable. I'm getting married this summer and we're paying for the whole thing ourselves so my ability to buy bunches of new stuff this year is severely limited. Keep an eye on the site though, we'll have some cool stuff going on this summer.