Hi Lee: I’ve been feeling too stretched out and too far forward on my bike. I want to get a shorter stem but I have a Cannondale and they’re pretty expensive, so I want to get the right one. I have a 120mm stem now. Not sure if this is a daft question, but can you recommend what length I should go down to? I was thinking either 80 or 90mm. I guess it probably won’t make that much difference which… Thanks for any advice. Simon
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Hi Lee,
I have a couple of questions about titanium springs for your rear shock. How much weight savings do they provide over a steel spring? and do they feel “plusher?” also, If i have a 500 lb steel spring and i wanted to get a ti spring, would i need to get a 500 lb ti spring? or do ti springs require a heavier or lighter “lb”. than steel?
Thanks, Matt
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Hey Lee,
Congratulations on the twins, hope the family is doing well.
Lennard Zinn of VeloNews has written several recent articles addressing brake chatter on cross bikes. It sounds like 1-1/2-inch tapered forks help tremendously and several companies are moving in that direction (including Specialized on MTB and Road bikes).
I am wondering how the Carbon Tricross does with fork shudder when braking hard and is Specialized going to move to a tapered fork on the Tricross as they have done on the top of the line MTB and Road bikes?
Cheers and Happy Holidays!
Jafar
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Inspired by the discussion surrounding Why is a slack seat angle so rip-able?.
With a diagram this time.
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Love the site. Love the book. I recently bought a 2009 Specialized SX (not Trail) frame to set up for all around trail use. I’ve ridden a few DS/4X bikes and I love how they feel. I’m gonna run a single front ring for sure and know to use 34t with a mtb 11-34 cassette. What other stuff do you suggest as far as setup goes such as fork, crank size?
Danny
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I have a 2005 cannondale chase size small frame that i have converted to a single speed but it has vertical dropouts. I have tried tensioners and have not had any luck with them so I decided to try a half link chain since it looks cleaner.
I took the bike to a local bike shop and they tried swapping the rear cog to different sizes and now have a 36t front and a 17t rear. They tried a 18 rear but it was so tight the cranks would hardly turn. The 17t works but has alot of play until you put pedal pressure on it, but has never fallen off.
Can you help before I start buying hundreds of dollars of chainrings and rear cogs trying to find a good combo.
thanks, Kevin
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Mike “Luby” Luebesmier has tons of experience with Fox, Rockshox, Manitou, Marzocchi and Maverick forks and shocks. His suspension tuning company, DirtLabs, dials in all kinds of suspension.
If you need some suspension love, give Luby a try.
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Hey Lee,
Is better climbing efficiency the only benefit of having a high seat? I’m asking because I ride in a place with climbs that typically require riders to stand on their bikes, defeating the purpose of a high seat.
Alex
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Lee,
Came across the following:
http://www2.trainingbible.com/joesblog/2007/01/cleat-position.html
Seems to be some evidence for putting the cleat in the arch of the shoe, although people point out how it would likely make technical riding on a MTB harder. I certainly can’t imagine riding this way, but may make sense for the true XC types? Then again, if there’s really 9% to be gained, wouldn’t all of the roadies have adopted this by now?
Curious to hear your take. Keep up the good work!
Eric
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hey Lee,
I got a quick question for you about shock rebound settings (DHX Air). I read somewhere that rebound should be tuned by setting the rebound to fastest position and riding off curb, each time adding another click of rebound until the bike doesn’t oscillate (the travel compresses and then returns to its static position).
I did so and in the parking lot test (didn’t take it to the trails yet) it seems pretty slow to what I was riding before. Is that a correct setup method? Is it applicable to forks as well?
thanks!
Gal
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