[adrenalnjunky]

Ok- yesterday I got my first few trail miles in on my Flux. First FS bike I've owned, and coming from riding a Cannondale race-hardtail since 1998, I'm extremely impressed with how nimble the Flux is. Course, I guess it doesn't hurt that it came in at 26.5 lbs, with a relatively heavy fork. I was really hoping that I could keep it under 29, but sheesh.

This thing rails with some speed on it, and doesn't wallow around on slow technical stuff. I kept grabbing a bigger gear to push through sections faster - which was a bad thing considering my brakes weren't really bedded in yet. I've gotten really used to grabbing rear brake to set the front wheel in a tight switchback-type corner. I couldn't even get the bike to do a decent endo.

The trails I was on were just some flat city trails, poached on some unused riverbank land, really twisty and technical but no real descending or climbing. I can't wait to put this thing on a true XC trail and see how it performs.

As with every new bike build, there were some small issues - my King rear hub developed more play than I wanted to keep riding on, and my spokes unwound enough to where I need to go re-tension everything. Seatpost slipped, and I think I need a few more psi in the rear shock. All minor stuff, really.

I do need some help - does my buildup make me a Homer? Where do I sign up for the Kool-Aid? What if I don't find sheep attractive?

 

[miles e]

I do need some help - does my buildup make me a Homer?

With the 36 the fork du jour for the Spot, I guess the Pike has probably trickled down to the Flux now, so you're under-forked.

Looks like a solid build overall, but you might think about trying some modern (faster, lighter) tires when the time comes. Nobby Nics are a good bet for low weight and rolling resistance while still offering ample traction and not being too flimsy.

I imagine the Juicy 5's are not particularly light, so you could probably get better performance and drop substantial weight (1/2 pound maybe?) with Martas or similar.

Otherwise ride and enjoy. :thumbsup:

 

[adrenalnjunky]

Thanks!

Yeah - The Panaracers have been so consistent in varied terrain, I've really liked using them - they weigh 580 grams, and the Nic's are 570. I have damaged sidewalls on 2 of the 6 I've owned. $25 each for the FireXC vs. the $60 each for the Schwalbes though is a hard sell. I've been thinking about something like the Kenda Small Block 8's, or Racing Ralphs. We'll see once I wear these out.

J5's are the same weight as J7's, believe it or not - same calipers, and I guess the J7 levers are lightened, and then have the pad adjustment knob, and it all equals out in the long run. I do plan on upgrading to something like the Marta, Mono-Mini's, or maybe the new Elixrs once we get some field reports on them. I bought the J5's off an OEM bike for $100, so I had to buy rotors. I didn't go overboard on the rotors, I'm using the heavier Avid rotor from the BB series for now- they're what I had laying around.

 

[cactuscorn]

very nice build. i too was a fan of the fires on my flux then i swapped em out for larsen tt exceptions and dug it even more. cheaper than the kn's but not by alot. youll also drop about 120 g's total over the fires. thats another 1/4 lb on the outside of the rotating mass which aint all bad.

 

[miles e]

The Panaracers have been so consistent in varied terrain, I've really liked using them - they weigh 580 grams, and the Nic's are 570. I have damaged sidewalls on 2 of the 6 I've owned.

You're referring to the weight of the 2.25 Nics, right? Although I suppose they might be comparable in volume to the 2.1 Fires anyway; they're certainly not the biggest 2.25 I've ever seen.

You damaged sidewalls on Fires or Nics? I had great luck alternating between the Nics and Ralphs on my Flux a couple seasons ago- not one flat. Haven't been able to replicate that success with any 29" tire though. :madman:

 

[adrenalnjunky]

Sorry - my sentence structure sucked there - I've cut sidewalls on 2 of the Fire's (I've only run the 120 tpi versions - not the heavier 60tpi). I generally read that the FireXC is a touch narrow for a true 2.1" and I don't know that I need a much wider tire than what I'm on now. Speedgoat just has a single weight for the NN - and they list 2.1, 2.25, and 2.4 sizes- but not weights for each.

CC - I was looking at the Larsen's too - were you running them front and rear, and what size, 2.0"?

 

[prooperator]

Nice!

That is a nice build. How do you like the revelation? I have the same fork in white on my 04' Burner and it out performs the fox fork I had. CC is right, the larsens are great xc tires just about anywhere. I ride them here in the southeast.

 

[adrenalnjunky]

proop (Kept wanting to type "poop" there)

I've had that Revelation since May 07 in my hardtail to turn the old school Cannondale into something similar to a SantaCruz Chameleon w/o the taller bottom bracket. It's an 07 U-turn DualAir model with the remote lockout. I've found the fork to be really dependable - haven't done any teardowns or anything to it (probably past due). I check the air pressures every couple of weeks and it seems to be fine. I have noticed my negative spring pressure is leaking down a little faster than it used to, which can cause it to lose some of the small-bump sensitivity. I'll probably ride it the rest of this summer, then send it to PUSH for their full pro service. I've never owned a Fox Fork, so I can't really compare anything.

I used to be a RS guy before I went to the Headshok, and then I stopped riding for a few years.('03 - '06 & not the Headshok's fault) When I came back to riding in '07 I understand I missed some pretty weak years in RockShox's product history? From what I can tell, they've really gotten their act together and are competitive again.

**edit**
I see you're from GA, while I've never ridden any trails there, if you've gone to Oak Mtn. in Birmingham, then that's exactly the type of trails I ride here. If the Larsen's perform there, that helps me decide.

 

[SCUBAPRO]

I do need some help - does my buildup make me a Homer? Where do I sign up for the Kool-Aid? What if I don't find sheep attractive?

Nice build; good enough to qualify to be a Homer. :thumbsup:

No need to sign up, kool-aid is around the corner; grab a big cup.

You will have to take that up with Tidy....

 

[prooperator]

Been There!

Adrenalnjunky,
I ride Oak Mtn 3-4 times a year with the larsens. You will be pleased. Have you rode the Raccoon Mtn. trails in Chattanooga? They are similar w/ lots of climbs and rock.

 

[adrenalnjunky]

Haven't made it out to Raccoon - Chatanooga is a pretty long haul for me from Louisiana. a friend from Knoxville told me about those trails - I threw them on my Google Earth list of "trails to hit when I can afford the gas".

 

[cactuscorn]

yep, steve's 2.0's are on both ends. i find them very good in anything but sand. i took the flux back home to az a cpl years ago, hit some sand patches on desert classic as im sure ya can imagine, and............. scary! just frightening. the front end hit the stuff and stopped then tried to crab under me till the back tire sunk in, repeating the haltage thusly lettin the front find straight. the only problem now is my body weight kept goin fwd and down into the bars. never crashed but came damn close. this happened every time. never again.

i now am experimenting with them on the stinger but not yet sure if ill keep em or toss the 1.8 fires back at it. the tt's roll better over roots and such but the tiny fires blaze through the high speed corners a bit better which surprises me.

 

[prooperator]

I hear ya!

Yeah, I hear ya man-It feels like I need to refinance my house to pay for gas to and fro to work. Anyways, you will not be disappointed by the larsens.

 

[Paul5s]

Nice build and welcome to homerville :thumbsup:

I'm still waiting on parts for my own Flux build so spending too much time here right now drinking the Koolaid but I've been told most of the bits will be in my LBS tomorrow

As for tyres what about Maxxis 2.1 Advantage up front with a 2.1 Crossmark rear? I've used this combo and it works nicely similar to a NN/RR combo but much cheaper. Both are very good tyres and if you really want speed put a pair of Crossmarks on but I prefer the extra grip of the Advantage.

 

[TLL]

Sweet build. I'd dump the Pannys, but that is just me.

 

[Tidybeard]

What if I don't find sheep attractive?

I'm sorry, but you'll have to leave, we don't allow sickos in, how could anyone not enjoy the vision below?. What's wrong with the rest of you? The QC process appears to have completely broken down just because I've been away for a little while...

Just kidding, welcome - nice ride:thumbsup: