Riftzone

the shimano deores are fine, work a treat...

MarkO - gotta remember there's two types of lights - those to be seen by and those to see with. the ones that yer see with are big bucks, heavy and clumsy. depends on yer needs - the odd night ride or an allergy to the sun

[Edited by Riftzone - 7/2/2003 3:47:24 PM]

SimonH

Been riding on and off since the early nineties and built up a full sus bike (based on a Proflex 857 frame) in about '95/'96. For the last few years I have done less and less cycling as I a) got a bit fed up with the inefficient rear shock and forks on the bike and more seriously, b) got lardy and idle

Anyway, I'm now looking to get myself a new bike and am after some opinions. I've narrowed it down to the Trek Fuel 90 and the Rocky Mountain Element. Both are full sussers. I've ridden both, they're both a complete revelation over the technology of my old bike and so I'm a bit undecided. I'm leaning more towards the Element just because it seems slightly better put together/thought out. Any one have any experience of owning either bike??

Also, if I go for the Element I've been offered the option of upping the disc brakes from Shimano Deore to Hope Minis for about £100 all in. The chap in the shop however says the Deores are fine and that the Hopes can be a bit fiddly - he's running Deores on his bike. I've no real experience of disc brakes - anyone care to comment?

Looking forward to throwing myself down some muddy hills again
Cheers

Luke

Simon

I have had 5 pairs of minis and various other hope brakes.

I ordered today a pait of Deore 555 series brakes. They are going to be like gold dust as the importers have fukked up big time.Its very difficult to find them so I suggest you are quick. Dont accept last years as they are poor quality.

so why the change??? I AM SICK TO DEATH OF PROBLEMS WITH HOPE MINI'S . So what if they have fantastic after sales service the basic product is krap.

I know of many riders who have tried the deores and rate them much higher than the minis. They are built better as well.(Wouldnt be hard!!)

The deore have smaller rotor sizes but dont let that worry you.


I would go for the fuel.. its got a great ride. That or find a good Intense tracer secondhand if you want the best.

IWatkins

Hopes can be fiddly, but are worth the hassle if you look after them, set them up right, fiddle with them etc.

However, ditch the Deores, they are pretty poor in my experience and swap them for Avid Discs if you don't want the hassle of Hopes. The Avids are very good in my experience.

Anyway, don't ask me, I don't have any suspension, or gears and don't use disc brakes any more.

PS I would also go for the Element.

Cheers

Ian

MarkO

Friend of mine's just bought a Fuel, and is very pleased with it, by all accounts. Don't know about the Element though, so can't comment.

As for the discs, I've heard from a lot of sources that Hope minis aren't the brakes of choice now, due to the hassle of setup and maintenance....

Franx

Why not try a bike in the shop with both those brakes, & see what you think. I always liked Hopes, although I've no idea what those are like.

Diesel

Squeak squeak - HOPE it goes away... Gets on my NERVES!

MarkO

Another question (might as well hijak the thread ). Anyone in Scotland or the North got a set of decent MTB lights that I could borrow on the w/e of the 9th/10th of August?

Franx

Decent lights?? Do they exist?

I have about five sets of lights, but they either don't work, don't fit, or if they do work, the bracket will have broken.....anyone been there?

Diesel

I always fancied those twin lights with a huge lead-acid in the water bottle holder affair - Cat's Eye I believe. Than I thought of the £hundreds£ I paid to get an ounce off the cartridge weight...

MarkO

I know all about lights - I used to own some NiteSuns (the ones with the bottle-shaped battery and 10W+40W Halogen bulbs ), and regularly went out doing XC and DH rides in the pitch black. Unfortunately, in a fit of pique I sold them 'cos I'd stopped riding for a couple of years, didn't think I'd start up again, and needed the money.

The reason I need these ones is for 'Sleepless in the Saddle' which I'm doing in August. I don't want to buy them 'cos I don't have any money right now (certainly not the ton-plus I'd need for decent XC lights). But it's okay, 'cos the place local to us is going to lend us four sets for that weekend.

Luke

Big difference between the old and brand new Deore disc brakes. 1 of which is you will be lucky to find the new ones....


Me thinks they have been removed due to to many good reports and sales of the XT and XTR falling like mad.