Ask Pinkbike - Buying New vs Used, Which 29er and Shift Cables
Here at Pinkbike we get inundated with all kinds of questions, ranging from the basic "Can I have stickers" to more in-depth, soul searching types of queries like if you should pop the question or what to name your first child. Ask Pinkbike is an occasional column where we'll be hand picking and answering questions that have been keeping readers up at night, although we'll likely steer clear of those last two and keep it more tech oriented.
Which Bike?
Question: Pinkbike user Yikes123 asked this question in 29ers forum: I'm considering either the Rocky Mountain Instinct 970 or the Ibis Ripley. Any thoughts? Assuming a standard Shimano XT build on both, is there much of a weight difference? Comments on ascending and design appreciated.
 | Both the Rocky and the Ibis are great machines that won't disappoint, but they also have very different personalities despite there being just a 10mm difference in real wheel travel. Which one is best for you? That depends on what you look for in a bike, and if you're looking to address your strengths or weaknesses as a rider. Let's look at the 130mm travel Instinct first: it's generally thought of as a bike that you can literally ride anywhere, and that's further enhanced by Rocky's Ride-9 system that allows you to tweak both the bike's geometry (for handling) and suspension to suit whatever terrain you're on the most. It isn't an on-the-trail kind of job, but Ride-9 works as advertised and is a neat setup for anyone who likes to tinker. I'm pretty sure that anyone out there who's spent time on both the Instinct and the Ripley would tell you that the former is the more capable and forgiving descender, and that it's better suited to rougher, steeper and rowdier terrain than the Ibis. Does that make the Rocky the better bike? Not really, just different. The Ripley is a badass bike that, as I said in my review of it last June, is a ton of fun: ''Hunting for different lines on the trail was a pleasure, a trait no doubt helped by the bike's willingness to leave the ground at the slightest hint of possible fun, and we often found ourselves with either the front or rear wheels up in a manual or nose wheelie in places where we'd usually just be hanging on to bikes of a similar ilk.'' In fact, I'd go so far as to say that the Ripley is one of the most playful and fun bikes that I can remember spending time on, and it also happens to accelerate faster than Lindsay Lohan on the way to see her pharmacist thanks to the anti-squat properties of its dw-link suspension. It isn't as sure-footed as the Instinct on rough ground, though, and not as adjustable, so it comes down to where and how you ride. The bottom line: if you're looking for a bike to make you quicker on the downhills, go with the Rocky Mountain. If you want a bike that is playful and feels like a long-legged cross-country bike, go with the Ripley. - Mike Levy |
The Instinct is more adjustable and more forgiving than the Ripley, but that doesn't make it better. Despite there being just 10mm of rear wheel travel separating them, they two couldn't be more different.
Older High-End Dual-Suspension Bike or a Newer Model Specialized?
Question: Bencartwright wrote in the Beginners Forum: I’m getting back into mountain biking after many years off and looking to get an FS XC bike. My budget is around $1200. What I've been looking at mainly are Santa Cruz, Ellsworth and Turner bikes from around 2004-2008. However, there is a nice Specialized Camber 29er from 2012 that came up for sale in my town. My question is: Is it better to get an older, really high end FS like a 2008 Santa Cruz Heckler, Ellsworth Truth or a Turner, or has technology changed so much since then that a decent 2012 or newer bike (like a 2012 Specialized Camber - standard version) is way better because it's newer, but not necessarily a really high-end bike?
| I am going to anger a number of loyalists, but you may be better off with the Specialized in this case. For starters, while its components are still looking relatively sharp, a well ridden mountain bike is nearing the end of its service life as it reaches three years. That's not saying that the bike won't go for another ten years, but this is the point where the wheels can't be trued or tensioned perfectly, the cassette cogs and chainrings don't mesh well with a new chain, suspension pivots are needing replacement and the time to rebuild the shock and fork cannot be ignored any longer. Properly maintained, the 2012 Camber should be in better shape mechanically. Of course, it is possible that the seller rarely used it, is moving onto another sport, and is dumping a perfect $6000 superbike for $1200. It happens, and if you can score a SC Heckler or a Turner Sultan in that condition, go for it. The more compelling reason to pop for the Specialized Camber is that, as you suspected, a lot of industrywide changes have occurred since 2008 - especially among 29ers. Almost every brand has redesigned their key bikes to include more trail-friendly frame geometry, improved forks and shocks, added suspension travel, through-axles, wider rims, better brakes, one-by and two-by drivetrains, and some significant innovations, like Shimano's clutch rear derailleur. The Specialized Camber 29 is a good example, as it was one of the first big-wheel bikes from that brand to be designed with modern trailbike geometry, and the Evo model remains a favorite choice among Specialized employees. The base model Camber that you are considering ticks the boxes necessary to make it a sharp-performing trailbike, but its component spec errs on the 'functional' side. If you can score the better-spec'd Camber Comp 29, I'd say you'd be better off with that choice, than with most fancy circa-2008 XC-type trailbikes. - RC |
Specialized's 2014 Camber 29 sells for only $1850 USD and yet its handling rivals many big-ticket bikes that were must-haves only five years ago. Since then, the basic trailbike has undergone a rapid evolution which has affected every aspect of its design and componentry.
Shifting woes and what can cause them?
Question: PB user n3v3rsumm3r asked the following in the Mechanic's Lounge forum: I have a 1x9 drivetrain and I seem to have issues shifting over time. Maybe an hour into the ride I start having delays in shifting up AND down. If I am trying to shift down into a lower gear and it delays I can do a very minor turn on the adjustment dial at the shifter to get it to go, but then it will lag on shifting up. Usually when I get to the trailhead my shifting is in order and I am able to shift without a problem up and down, and after a while this problem starts. Could it be dust? Could it be my Novara Teflon Slick cable? Could it be my Forte shifter?
| Drivetrain issues can be frustrating, especially when they happen intermittently. The first thing I would do is have the alignment of your derailleur hanger checked, since even a slightly bent hanger can create shifting problems like the ones you are describing, although the fact that your issues start later in the ride is pretty strange. This will be something you'll want your LBS to do for you, since it's difficult to gauge hanger straightness by eye, and a hanger alignment tool isn't in most home mechanic's arsenals. Next, I'd inspect the cable (remove it completely from both the shifter and the housing) to see if there are any kinks or bends in it. A bent cable can cause the bike to shift perfectly fine in some gears and poorly in others. You'll also want to check to make sure that your housing is long enough, especially if this is a full suspension bike. Housing that's too short can cause the derailleur to act up when the bike is weighted and the suspension sags into its travel. As far as the Forte shifter goes, I'd recommend checking that it shifts smoothly when the cable is disconnected, and that there isn't any skipping or sluggishness when up or downshifting. Shimano 9 speed rear shifters are also fairly inexpensive, so if the shifter turns out to be the culprit it won't be too costly to replace. If none of this solves the problem, the derailleur itself could be at fault. Check for worn pulley wheels, a bent cage, and excess play at any of the pivots. It's best to tackle a problem like this one step at a time, starting with the easiest and least expensive possibilities (bent hanger, kinked cable) first, and then moving onto the other potential reasons (a worn out derailleur or shifter). While you're at it, you may as well check your chain and cassette for wear, since those can also contribute to shifting issues. - Mike Kazimer |
A kinked cable can often be the cause of erratic shifting performance.
Have some unresolved tech questions? Jump in the Pinkbike Forum and we'll look to answer it for next time.
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Really? If its properly maintained, I find that really hard to believe.
Bought my current AM bike in 2012 and aside from under 700$ worth of upgrading, I find it my rig has stood up very well to the test of time. All I'd get from a new bike would be slightly lighter parts with mostly insignificant performance changes, nothing that would have me consider dropping 6k on a bike for. Yeah ok, I'm probably less gullible than the average person when it comes to marketing schemes but I failed to keep up.
As for stuff wearing out, drivetrain parts and tires are relatively cheap and suspension maintenance has to be done regularly anyway.
My Reign '10 has already done the Mega, SuperEnduro, The Alps from Morzine and Champery to Chamonix, and spent half of her life in Sintra, Portugal, among other thousand places. I cannot find a reason to replace it. I treat her well, though. :-)
It's like Port wine. Gets better with the age. Love her. errr... it
Treat your bike with respect and put effort into maintaining it and it'll last ages.
In addition, when you come to sell, you can ensure you get a good price for your bike by doing some of the work that might put off potential buyers..... learning how to do a bearing /pivot replacement for example.
So, if you are someone who does not feel confident in getting your hands dirty and you problem solving skills honed, buy a newer, perfectly good lower spec example over the older higher spec ones especially given that the tech on even Deore these days makes it realistically very hard to justify any more for someone like Ben who is looking to get back into riding rather than needing to shave seconds off their times.
For me the biggest issue of switching bikes would be the learning curve of getting used to new bike geometry, suspension, material, etc. I think once you have ridden a bike for a certain period of time, you become really comfortable on it and it almost becomes an extension of you. Furthermore, if you stick with one bike you can focus more on progressing your riding instead of getting used to new equipment. I also doubt that an average rider can fatigue an aluminium frame that's well engineered to the point of braking in 3 years.
So do yourself a favour, find a bike that fits you well, stick with it, become a better rider. If it brakes in half replace it.
Then you didn't read it very well then I suggest. The gentleman concerned (Bencartwright) doesn't have a bike on which to replace anything therefore is looking to buy a second hand bike for around 1200 USD and is asking..... no, wait a minute, why should I explain it to you. If you want to understand, try reading it carefully yourself.
Aircraft are around that long and still flying because thay are constantly rebuilding them and replacing worn out sections. Planes are riveted together not welded like bike frames. Bad and cracked sections of metal are completely cut out and repkaced with new. You cannot maintain a bike frame the same way.
In common speech, and i am pretty sure you are aware of that modern is used as an substitute for "not old".
Indeed I do have most of my older bikes still around so i actually have something to compare.
from a 92 Yeti ARC to a 2013 YETI SB66C I have one from every other year or so...
They are all still in good condition so if you want to stop by and compare yourself or just check out the size of my Penis you are more than welcome...
Those in the market for a used bike, however, should understand that most of the big-ticket components of a mountain bike will run trouble free for three years or so before the enevitable replacement and rebuild cycle sets in. At three years, most bikes look great, so it's the perfect time to sell. The cost of a SRAM 11-speed cassette is $400 USD. Add shock and fork service a new chain and some chainrings. A replacement carbon handlebar (for insurance purposes) and a professional wheel tune, and "basic maintenance" begins to add up.
Don't cry about buying a new bike every three years unless you first consider the economics: The seller gets a new bike for half price, the buyer gets a used bike for half price - but the seller doesn't have to worry about fixing big ticket items - ever - and he or she enjoys the latest geo and technology. If bike design remains stable, used bikes are a good deal. When geo and components are rapidly evolving, as they are at present, a new purchase arguably makes more sense. That said; bikes are pretty damn good these days, so new or used - ride what you own and be happy.
Micro structure changes with time.
~3 years and a bike will start to become weaker wet her you rode it or not.
*THAN WHEN
A Carbon Frame is made from two Components, hence the name composite material, One being the actual Fiber which which in case of Carbon, does have a longer life time than metals and second the resin which is called matrix. There is tons of different matrix materials most commonly it is Epoxy or Polyurethanes which basically is "Plastic"
Bottom line is they degrade fast and if they are failing the the strongest and most Durable Fibers are not going to help.
IF you don't believe me take an old bike seat and put it in the sun. After a few weeks the Synthetic Leather, mostly Polyurethane or PVC will start showing tears and breaks on the surface in stressed areas where the material is pulled and wrapped around corners (due to UV exposure) but the metal rails of the seat will not have changed noticeably.
Anyway I don't think the regular aging, when the bike is just sitting, of material has to be considered when buying a bike no matter if metal or Composite frame. Stress due to use is a completely different topic,
Yeah its old, suspension tech is basic but it works and it makes me grin like a loon when I pass troy lee fan boys at my local trails on there £5k Yt industries and Mondrakers.
At the end of.the day its not what you ride, its how you ride it.
Like a lot of debates here on PB, the answer depends to a great degree on personal variables.
Newer =/= better.
More expensive =/= better.
As already mentioned, main thing you should be worried about is whether the bike has been maintained, and what you'll need to do to fix it up if needed be.
3 years - what are you talking about?
My current ride I bought used, but gently so. We are talking stock tires still had nubs on them. Great rig, but weighs 10lbs over the modern standard. In a way though it is he best of both worlds. I paid half of the retail and am upgrading parts while I ride. By next year it should be 35-38lbs and I will be shredding the park.
Still, I would really like a 12mm rear axle so I had more wheels choices.
Unless it is a DH bike, there will still be a ton of life in it probably as is.