I finished building up my bike today.

"CCC (formerly CyclistCarCoexist)" (ccpbb)
03/14/2015 at 22:26 • Filed to: Bikelopnik

Oh god, I hate Avid Brakes so much. spent 4 bloody hours rebleeding and bleeding them. So want Shimano brakes. Anyways, this is the greatest bike I've owned. More after the break.

Brand new Focus Raven Carbon frame, used Conti/Kenda tires, a used RockShok Reba at the lowest recoil at 90 PSI, triple Deore cranks, 9 speed XT mechanical gruppo, Oury grips, Fizik Tundra seat, and some cheap pedal I threw on for now. And the hated avid brakes. I had shitty syringes at the shop as well as trying to get the right bleed procedure. I've been riding competitive road for the past year, and I'm starting MTN now. Any advice Oppo?

DISCUSSION (21)

Scary__goongala! > CCC (formerly CyclistCarCoexist)
03/14/2015 at 22:28

I like to mountain bike and everything you just said sounded like French to me. Bike looks nice though:)

PowderHound > CCC (formerly CyclistCarCoexist)
03/14/2015 at 22:31

my roommate has avid brakes. Kept blowing out the syringe. I need to take my bike to a shop very very soon

Sam > CCC (formerly CyclistCarCoexist)
03/14/2015 at 22:33

Whenever my bike needs service, I always just give money to the local bike shop.

Now I know how non-car people who take their vehicles to the dealership for service feel.

CCC (formerly CyclistCarCoexist) > PowderHound
03/14/2015 at 22:37

The rubber bit in one of the syringes kept on falling out in my case as well as the tube seals between the syringe and bleed port. Ended up disassembling them and and using zip ties to ensure seal. Ended up having DOT 4 fluid spraying from tiny holes in the tube. Bring it to a shop, I was cooped up in one for 4+ hours working on those junky brakes.

CCC (formerly CyclistCarCoexist) > Sam
03/14/2015 at 22:39

I work at a bike shop. I didn't have work today so I just brought it in to work on. I was there from 10-2 trying to bleed the back. I got assistance from the mechanics, that concluded we had shitty syringes and the brakes had some sort of air leak.

jkm7680 > CCC (formerly CyclistCarCoexist)
03/14/2015 at 22:40

Damn, that bike looks awesome.

CCC (formerly CyclistCarCoexist) > Scary__goongala!
03/14/2015 at 22:41

thanks!

bob and john > CCC (formerly CyclistCarCoexist)
03/14/2015 at 22:43

mmm,. I think you would have been better off with a 2x10 shimano.

as for brake: yes, avid are a bit of a pain in the ass to bleed, but belive me, shimanos even mroe so. Weirdly, i dont mind avids. I've gotten really good at bleeding them.

Mountian riding. seeing as your on a hartd tail, do NOT ride it like a hard tail. I made that mistake and shredded a specialized frame.. When you see bumps coming up, get you ass off the seat and let you legs do the shock absorbing.

when climbing, lift the bike over with your legs instead of trying to pedal past it.

PowderHound > CCC (formerly CyclistCarCoexist)
03/14/2015 at 22:43

it is a pain. We had to use two people for it and it still sucked

CCC (formerly CyclistCarCoexist) > bob and john
03/14/2015 at 22:47

The shop im at was closing, and I could have sourced new XT 10 speed gruppo as well as a raceface crankset, but I was ok with the current state and the already previously planned out build.

Yeah, I've gotten over the weird bumps and drips I encounter on single track as well as climbing (not as bad as it seemed) but I need to get used to cornering. Never a strong spot for me, on any bike.

bob and john > CCC (formerly CyclistCarCoexist)
03/14/2015 at 23:11

ah, cornering. fun fun fun. i always used berms or slid the tire. on double track, you have to learn to trust the tires

CCC (formerly CyclistCarCoexist) > bob and john
03/14/2015 at 23:44

yeah, I'm still learning to trust my Conti GP 2000s and Michalin Pro3s on the road...lol

OPPOsaurus WRX > CCC (formerly CyclistCarCoexist)
03/14/2015 at 23:47

Kinja'd!!!

Nice rig. This was from my trip to NH last year. The ride down (double black Diamond ski trail) was stopped mid way by a moose.

CCC (formerly CyclistCarCoexist) > OPPOsaurus WRX
03/14/2015 at 23:49

you must had been driving a Saab or Volvo.

RallyWrench > CCC (formerly CyclistCarCoexist)
03/14/2015 at 23:59

Welcome to the mountain dark side. A buddy of mine is a Cat1 roadie who recently started on MTBs and is loving it. The technical skills will really help your bike control on the road. It's also a great way to get more elevation out of your rides than your local roads may offer.

Bleeding Avids can be frustrating, but ive been happy with the XOs on my Ibis, and the trusty old Juicy7s on my Kona. It does help that there's a SRAM office locally where I have some friends. I've heard nothing but good reviews about the new Shimano stuff though.

I don't get to ride nearly as much as I'd like, as I seem to do more trail work than trail riding. I've gotta spend more time commuting on the road to keep the legs up for weekend mountain rides. Keep those wheels turning!

bob and john > CCC (formerly CyclistCarCoexist)
03/15/2015 at 00:00

I cant trust road tires. too skinny.

now, my motorcycle tires that are 160 wide...waayyyyyyyy more trust worthy

aebome > CCC (formerly CyclistCarCoexist)
03/15/2015 at 00:06

Man, i'm jealous, that's a nice bike, good component choices. I've been riding for years, but just got serious again about a year ago. Definitely make sure you have good gloves and a helmet that covers the back of your head. Both have saved my bacon more than once during an off. You will bail, it's just a matter of time.

What kind of riding do you do/have near you, trail, xc, downhill? Your bike looks like a 29er, have you ridden 26 or 650b's enough to give a comparison? I ride a 26 hardtail.

CCC (formerly CyclistCarCoexist) > aebome
03/15/2015 at 03:35

Don't be jealous. It was formerly a returned bike with a cracked frame that got warrantied. The fork has been rode and abused by the last owner, it took heavy amounts of red tape to get this and I'm currently using a Giro Aeon road helmet for this.

I usually do road biking, and getting into XC and trail. This is a 26 hardtail, not a 29er. The mountain bike I've been riding has been a 1989 Fuji Mt. fuji. It has a fork, no suspension whatsoever, and Deore parts from that era (index shifting was new, yo). But mtb is pretty prevalent at the shop, as one of the mechanics has a prototype Santa Cruz Jackal and another does DH and XC.

CCC (formerly CyclistCarCoexist) > RallyWrench
03/15/2015 at 03:39

Yeah, I've been adapting to the back strong bias brake of MTB inthe past few days. I live in the Bay Area, so elevation is not difficult at all, and easily attainable. 25 minutes can take me to a mountain with 4000 feet of climbing, and an hour takes me to the Oakland hills...

Have car, will drive (now has a motorcycle too) > CCC (formerly CyclistCarCoexist)
03/15/2015 at 04:35

I had the same syringe go twice on the Avids on my Giant MTB (also a 26" hardtail). Between the two failures I think I might have ridden it once (and transported it once or twice). Thankfully the current ones are holding up ok.

I've just started riding my MTB again after it sitting for too long. I'm keen to get out for some decent trail rides when I get the time. Enjoy your new bike!

aebome > CCC (formerly CyclistCarCoexist)
03/15/2015 at 16:10

Well it sounds like you are getting an upgrade at least. I'm still riding a circa 2002 aluminum hardtail with rock shox jett c front fork, sram grip shifters (remember those?), and shimano alivio mechanicals. It works for me, for now (and I've certainly got my moneys worth out of it, especially since everything is still in decent working order), but i really need to get something a little better with as much riding as I'm doing now. definitely looking to stick with a hardtail tho, I like the reduced complexity.