New Bike: 5Spot
After placing my order early in the New Year all the packages have now arrived and been rapidly transformed into my new ride. Which is just as well 'cos I've been without a steed for about a month, enjoy yourself Dan !The worst of it is, that I've had an anxious couple of weeks waiting to get out on my shiny new Turner 5Spot but haven't been able to as mrNixon (Manitou's bouncer) was an ill chap after his trans Atlantic journey. Yesterday however, he returned from Raw Experience (UK) after a thorough rebuild come health check and now seems happy to do the whole springy, dampy thang. It's been torture seeing msTurner hanging up half built twice a day as I sulk away on my lardy commuter.
Although I only managed a short and unadventurous ride to start bedding the bits in I'm very pleased with the results. The bike rides beautifully, the brakes are starting to get stronger and my conversion to SRAM thumb shifters was painless. I can't yet tell the difference between the settings of the RP3 yet probably 'cos I'm on sensory overload with everything else.
mrNixon has the lurvely TPC damping and the IT system seems weird in a good kinda way and I'll report back once I've done some pukka climbs. For the record the rebound assembly and lower leg casting seemed to be the issues with mrNixon and not the much slated IT system. Phew, I had a nervous few days with this and thought I'd made the correct choice by staying away from the SPV models. My anxiety caused my flexible friend (bless him) to order a replacement / alternative come backup Pace RC41, which I'm looking forward to trying. I'll post more info and pic's once I get a few more miles under my knobblies.
Finally I'd like to give a big Thanx to Chad at RedBarnBicycles (MT) for supplying such a beauty and putting up with me along the way. Raw Experience (UK) for reviving mrNixon and allowing me to "get out and ride". Oh and not forgetting Keith for the pic's.
2 Comments:
Farqui said...
Specification;
* Frame Size: Medium - 5 Spot
* Frame Year: 2005
* Frame Colour (PC/Ano): Silver
* Shock: Fox RP3
* Fork: Manitou Nixon Super (air, IT, TPC damping, QR, bossless, black)
* Brakes: Hope Mono M4 (180/180mm)
* Brake Levers: as above (std Hope lines)
* Cranks: Shimano XT Hollowtech II (175mm)
* Shifters: SRAM X.9
* Front Derailleur: Shimano XT (FD-M761, down swing)
* Rear Derailleur: SRAM X.9 (long)
* Chain: SRAM PC-59
* Pedals: Time ATAC Alium
* Stem: Thomson (100mm x 5, black)
* Handlebar: MaxM MX-5 riser (carbon, 1" x 26", black/blue/silver)
* Seat post: Thomson Elite (straight 410mm x 27.2mm, black)
* Seat post Collar: Hope QR (blue, 31.8mm)
* Saddle: WTB Shadow V Stealth (Ti)
* Bottom Bracket: Shimano XT Hollowtech II
* Cassette: Shimano XT (CS-M760, 11-32)
* Headset: Chris King (blue)
* Grips: Odi Speed
* Tyres: Panaracer XC Fire Pro (2.1, kevlar, red)
* Tubes: Slime jobbies
* Hubs/Skewers: Chris King ISO Disc (blue) / Hope QR (blue, steel)
* Rims: DT x4.1d
*** Build Weight: 28.8lbs (incl. Pedals)
* Future Changes: Play around with the straight and layback seat posts and may even revert to a trusty ol'saddle to find a comfortable riding position.
The fork steerer too long.
The cables need reigning in again and will be shortened accordingly.
Fork - Pace RC41 (on order) with "fixed" 130mm travel as a comparison to the variable Nixon, it'll reduce the all up weight and the carbon will match the bar ! Unfortunately, this also means a calliper change but at least it'll give me the opportunity to shorten the std length hydro hoses.
Other than that, it's mainly speculation as I expect that it'll take me a while to get used to a fancy horst link that's replaced my trusty ol'single pivot, full-susser. However I might get around to;
Brake Pads - claims are that different pads improve performance, sintered standing by.
Hydro Cables - braided, for a solid response.
Cables - Nokon, trick, less maintenance, to loose a g or two!
Tyres - I do fancy trying some other rubber, perhaps Bontragers?
Wheels/Tyres - UST conversion, peeps rave about 'em & I do run low pressures.
Farqui said...
I've now had well over 6 months terrific riding out of the Spot and although it's not all been "plain sailing" it's been a blast.
Whilst mrNixon was initially repaired I fitted a Pace RC41 which is slightly shorter at 130mm travel. It certainly sharpens up the handling but to be honest I think I much prefer a slightly longer option. So back on went the Nixon and after just a month or so the IT system started to gradually bleed thru it's travel after a few minutes. A short fork does not make for log hops ! Raw have since replaced the IT system was a revised unit that should resolve all related issues. Along with crown/steer and stanchion assembly. Fingers crossed that it keeps functioning...
I ditched the WTB Shadow saddle and am now atop a mighty comfortable Fizik Gobi.
The Panaracer XC's have been swapped for the excellent Bontrager ACX's which I'm sure will soon be tried "tubeless".
The Chris King freehub took around 600 miles to start to bed in and I lurve the immediate drive. Now that's quality.
My initial cable routing left something to be desired and the over the top of the taco route soon had the rear der catch on the seat post collar - even with a slimmer Salsa version. The routing has been altered to go thru the taco as now listed on the Turner website.
The RP3 shock is great and after a few wks I was able to identify that the different setting were working! Full propedal is pretty much only used on ashpalt climbs and the minimum on long offroad downhills. At all other times it pretty much stays in the middle.
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