RADBMX.CO.UK
BMX General => BMX Chat => Topic started by: Mikku on September 02, 2020, 12:03 PM
-
I know "steel is real" and we all cut our teeth on hi-ten steel or 4130 but sometimes you just have see how the other half lives. I already race an aluminium Crupi frame with carbon Answer forks but recently an unexpected opportunity arose to take a bigger step into unchartered territory and pick up a carbon race frame. Not just any carbon frame, but one of those opinion-dividing frames that occasionally causes a stir. Am snowed under with work at the moment but here's a sneak peak of what I drove home with yesterday!! More pics and story to follow at the weekend, if not before. :daumenhoch:
-
Pumped up the tyres and took it for a maiden spin around the rice fields this evening! :daumenhoch:
-
So here are some more pics of my new toy! It's an interesting bike for sure. Based on a 2010 frame, the third and final year of UB2 production, it has a real mixed bag of components. The padded seat and assorted accessories (cyclocomputer, drink-holder, lights and lock) came off straight away but as you can see, it has some decent race parts, some road (Rotor 3DF) cranks and some mtb parts (by Canadian company Chromag and PRO bikegear)! Judging by the marks on everything, the bike has been well-used, presumably on the race track, at least in the early years of its life. It then passed hands and out of the race scene, last being used by the wife of the owner a recycle business, who decided to sell it after realising that she didn't like cruising around on it. Which is where I stepped in. :daumenhoch:
Apart from the rarity of the frame, what also attracted me were the race parts, including Renthal bars, Elevn forks and stem, and some well-worn but still straight Sun Envy rims which are laced to some Profile Elite hubs. The front spins forever and the back still has that distinctive sound from the cassette. I dare say that the latter could do with an overhaul but I'll leave that for another day. In the meantime, I'm going to break the bike down, clean it all up then take it from there. The Chromag bashguard will be coming off. The Izumi chain may be salvageable but I'll see after I've taken it off and cleaned it. Those non-stock (Smith and Mitas) frame decals on the non-drive side have got to go, though I'm hoping that the finish underneath won't have faded or otherwise be damaged by me removing them. Talking of Mitas, I had never heard of the brand until I investigated the tyres some more. Originally made by Czech company Rubena, the Speedo LTs are race-specific tyres with the LT standing for Czech Elite rider Lucas Tamme, who supposedly had a hand in developing them. In 2015/16 Rubena were then rebranded as Mitas, which explains the sticker.
After the clean up, the plan is to take the bike to the track and see how it goes. I can already feel how nimble it is just hooning around the rice fields but obviously the track is a different matter. If it's too short and/or stiff for my liking, then I may have to move it on but if not, I can start to think about what parts to use and what to swap out. The mtb parts can stay on there for the moment but I'm really not sure about that Rotor crankset! Since the chainring is a 43T, and therefore too small for me anyway, if I decide to keep the bike then I'll probably change the whole set-up to something more appropriate. On the plus side, it's certainly something you don't see everyday on a bmx, which I guess is in keeping with the frame! :coolsmiley:
-
Wow, way out of my knowledge base and wacky as heck, only part I remotely recognised was the Renthals :LolLolLolLol:. Will follow your updates with interest though Mick, especially keen to hear your feedback on how it handles on the track, re flex/rigidity etc. :daumenhoch:
-
Welcome to the UB club buddy fistblump good score :daumenhoch:
-
Thanks guys! The Renthal bars were one of the things that helped seal the deal - I've always wanted a set so if I decide that the frame's not for me, I'll keep 'em! :daumenhoch:
The alloy mtb post that's on there is 400mm, which is fine for the rice fields but not the track. I was thinking of cutting it down but need the longer post for riding, so last night I snagged a cut down carbon post online for under a tenner! Let the build begin!! Actually, if that's the case, should this thread be moved over to Tech & Resto??
-
A few updates. The cut-down carbon post arrived and it's perfect! Pics below of the post compared to the original and then installed. The bike looks much more purposeful with the sleeker lines. You can see from the bike pic that I also successfully removed those decals. The Mitas one peeled off easily and will live to fight another day on the back of a sticker-bombed race plate. The Smith one needed more encouragement and left quite a bit of sticky residue but I think I got most of it off with a bit of elbow grease. :daumenhoch:
Next job was the Izumi chain. That came off and had a degrease and clean, which has improved things a little but there's quite a bit of slap/noise on the (Profile Elite) chainring, so I guess it's a 1/8" rather than a 3/32" sizing. The plan is therefore to see how it rides on track. If I like it and decide to race it then I'll replace the chain with something better. If not, then I may as well save a few pennies and leave the Izumi on there for the time being, though I don't want to damage that expensive chainring so will probably swap it out at some point.
When the chain was off I had a closer look at the crankset. Made by Spanish company Rotor, the crank "is produced via a combination of forging and CNC machining and uses ROTOR's Trinity Drilling System, giving the crank an extremely high torsional resistance" according the review I found online. It has a 30mm UBB (universal bottom bracket) axle, as per the pic below. I can't show you mine because I don't have the tool to remove the bugger! That doesn't worry me too much though because with the chain removed, the cranks span smoothly and quietly through the BSA30 bearings, also by Rotor. I'm therefore inclined to leave it alone and instead focus my attentions on the Chromag bashguard. As funky as it looks, it's coming off as soon as I can undo the bloody chainring bolts! They are 6mm hex on one side and torx on the other, a combination I've not seen before. Not sure what size torx but I'm guessing T30 as it's bigger than the T25 that I have on my (not so) handy multi-tool! I reckon I'll have to replace the chainring bolts to something shorter, but will see when I get the buggers off. So that's where I am at the moment. More to follow as and when I buy some torx wrenches. ::)
-
Looks a mad bit of kit that! ??? Interested to know the ins and out's of that one :daumenhoch:
-
As mad as a "high modulus monocoque", according to the GT sales blurb. Definitely an eye-opener on several levels. Am doing some research on these as we speak, so will post up what I find down the line. :daumenhoch:
In the meantime, I got the bugger off! The bashguard that is. Bought a torx multi-tool and the T30 did indeed do the trick, finally revealing the nickel-plated Profile Elite chainring underneath. As anticipated, the hex/torx bolts were too long with the bashguard removed, but I had just enough bolts in my spares box to keep me up and running, at least until I get a matching set of new ones. Pics of the now naked-looking chainring below, together with the bashguard, which weighs about 100g so that's a bit more weight shaved off the bike. Tbh, I quite liked the red on there but I'm sure I'll get used to the new look. The black chain doesn't help, so maybe a silver replacement will be on the cards sooner than I was thinking! If that doesn't do the trick then I have a red Rennen chainring going spare, though that's also 43T and needs threaded bolts, so may be I'll just leave things as they are for the time being. That said, I also have the 44T Renthal chainring that's currently residing on the Quamen (pictured below), so I could swap the set-ups over. Actually, that's not a bad idea as the Profile chainring and black chain would look ok on the Quamen, and the Renthal ring and silver chain would like fine on the GT, plus I'll have better gearing to boot, as well as save the cost of a new chain. Hmmm. >:D
Anyway, the next step is to take this baby to the track, possibly this coming Sunday, if the weather improves!! :D
-
I made it to the track on Tuesday albeit only for an hour in damp conditions, so couldn't give the UB2 (or its rider) much of a workout. However, it was good to finally get to ride the bike on a track and first impressions were positive. Unlike the Quamen, it didn't feel too small and I liked the way it handled, though it may well be a different matter on a dry and/or harder surface than the damp dirt I was on. One negative was the sloppy/slappy noise from the drivetrain, caused by that wide and admittedly slightly loose chain. The sound is accentuated on this frame, with its hollow, monocoque design, so much so that it sounds like something is rattling around inside. I therefore plan to swap over the chainring and chain from the Quamen sooner rather than later in the hope that that will tighten things up (and quieten things down), then head back to the track on a dry day to get a better idea of what it's like. That could happen as soon as Sunday, but we'll see.
-
Made it back out on Sunday, this time at a different but more importantly, a drier track! I was therefore able to get a decent amount of time on the UB2 and I can now confirm that I flippin' love it! It's not perfect and I'm still to get used to the plasticky feel and sound of the frame but man, I love how it rides. Although it has a shorter tt than the Crupi (21" compared to 21.5"), the geo makes it feel just as roomy. I definitely need to change that chain though, so that's the next step, along with some tinkering with the inner cable routing, which I realised was the cause of that annoying rattle referred to above. I'm also tempted to swap out the chromoly Elevn forks for the carbon Daggers on my Crupi? >:D
In the meantime I've picked up some replacement grips, the blue of which seems to be fairly good match for the frame. :daumenhoch:
-
Loving this thread , keep it coming
-
Thanks man! Have been snowed under with work recently, so not much progress other than swapping out the grips and doing a temporary fix of the cable rattle!
-
Looks mad and reading the thread it sounds mad too :shocked: :LolLolLolLol:
Have fun with her :daumenhoch:
-
Yeah, it is a bit different I know! Actually took it out for a spin around the rice fields yesterday and it feels so much more lively than the Quamen (my now-usual rice field rider)! Still can't get used to the sound of the frame but it feels great to ride! I really need to crack on and swap out the chainring and chain then take it back to the track! :D
-
Still can't get used to the sound of the frame
I kinda want you to do a reverse of the old cardboard on the frame hitting the spokes trick from back in the day..... but this time with the card taped to the spokes and it smacking the frame to see if the sound resonates through the body and sounds like your on a motorbike :2funny:
I'll get me coat...... :-[ :LolLolLolLol:
-
I kinda want you to do a reverse of the old cardboard on the frame hitting the spokes trick from back in the day..... but this time with the card taped to the spokes and it smacking the frame to see if the sound resonates through the body and sounds like your on a motorbike
^^^ "nono" ^^^
Last Sunday I finally got round to swapping the chainrings and chains between the Quamen and GT. However, as always, things didn't quite go according to plan. Removing the Renthal chainring and KMC chain from the Quamen wasn't a problem, since I'd fitted them in the first place. The first hurdle I encountered was getting the bloody pedal off the UB2. Whoever had worked on the bike before had tightened the allen bolt up so much that I began to question whether I was trying to turn it the wrong way. After copious amounts of swearing and WD-40, it finally undid, leaving me with a bruised hand for my efforts. The Renthal chainring went on and looks great. I then went to fit the KMC chain and found it was too short, which I had feared would be the case since I no longer have the spare links for that chain. Even moving the wheel all the way back in the drops wouldn't have been enough, not that I want to alter the wheelbase as I like how it currently rides. So, that has forced me to doing what I really should have done to begin with (but was being tight-fisted), namely to buy a new chain for the UB2. That led me to my next problem - what chain to get? There are plenty of 3/32" options online but less of a choice from Japanese sellers. However, a bit of searching led me to a KMC Z610 HX, which I was able to snag for a not unreasonable 9 quid shipped to my door. That should arrive next week, so more updates and pictures then. :daumenhoch:
-
The KMC chain arrived this week and as anticipated, needed a few links taking out. I went to loosen the back wheel and found that the same gorilla who had cranked on the pedals, had applied the same amount of force to the axle bolts! Admittedly my 8mm allen key is only a multi-tool one but there was no budging the bugger! I therefore sprayed both bolts with WD-40, left them overnight then the next morning, went to my local home centre to buy a longer allen key. Thankfully the combination of the two worked and the wheel was soon free, so I could measure up and break the chain to size. The UB2 has its own chain adjusters and one of the bolts is missing from the non-driveside - not a big deal but I'll try to see if I can find one as and when. A bit of adjustment with the remaining 3 bolts had the chain tensioned and following a bit of fiddling with the brake pads, it was time for a test ride. I could immediately notice how much smoother not to mention quieter the drivetrain was, so all's well that ends well. Plus I much prefer the look of the Renthal ring to the Profile one it replaced. The next step is to sort out the cable rattle, which I couldn't do because I've run out of cable ends, so that will have to wait until I pick up some more. In the meantime, here are some pics of the new set-up including the chain adjuster. :daumenhoch:
-
So today I had a quick dig around my non-race spares box to see if there were any brake cable ends and although I drew a blank, I did find some other goodies. I've been looking to buy a padset and number plate for the UB2, as I definitely intend to race it at least once, and don't need much of an excuse to get a number plate fix! I have already seen some potential purchases online but the cost of shipping to Japan often makes things prohibitive unless I can combine purchases and postage. Anyway, rummaging though the box I found a NOS Boston plate and some black pads - perfect! & free!! Well, not really, as I did buy them at some point but I'd forgotten about them plus now I don't have to buy other stuff, so they kind of feel free! :daumenhoch:
-
Nice one... good find on the pads n plate....... a proper pad for the frame may be an issue so i guess it's an old duvet and shed loads of gaffa tape ;D
-
Yeah, the top tube design doesn't really lend itself to pads! Below you can see the pads that came with the original frame kits. The top tube pad basically sticks to the top of the top tube, a look which I'm not a particularly big fan of. Thumbs down Thankfully I only run bar and stem pads on my race bike, mainly to stop the plate rattling but also as a little nod to the old school. :daumenhoch:
-
Picked up some cable ends today, so was able to remove the old one and slide on some plastic tubing over the cable which will hopefully fix or at least reduce the cable rattle. Will find out tomorrow when I head back to the track to give the new chainring set-up a whirl. Here are few pics from this afternoon's shakedown ride. :daumenhoch:
-
Sunday's track test was a big success, with the bike now feeling and sounding a lot better. I was soon confident enough to give it the same amount of stick as the Crupi, so that was good. Autumnal pic attached! 8)
Next step is to swap over the carbon Daggers from the Crupi. Weight-saving aside, in the same way the chainrings look better on their new rides (the Renthal on the GT and the Profile on the Quamen), I think the forks will look better swapped over too. These Elevn forks look too small and slim for the UB2 frame, whereas will probably look fine on the more conventionally styled Crupi. Likewise the chunkier, bladed Daggers will balance up that slab of carbon on the GT! I think! We have a 3-day weekend coming up, so hopefully I can work on the bikes on Sunday and if successful (famous last words), take the GT for another track test on the Monday. Maybe! :daumenhoch:
-
love querky me, thats cool :daumenhoch:
-
Querky's good! :daumenhoch:
Fork update. After playing around with crown races and headset spacers, the UB2 is now wearing the Answer Daggers from the Crupi, with the Elevn forks having moved the opposite way. As anticipated, the chunkier carbon forks fit the frame much better than the slimmer Elevns, at least to my eye. Moreover, the switch of forks has shaved a bit more off the already light weight of the complete bike. According to my scales the Daggers came in at 620g, 220g less than the (840g) Elevns. The difference was certainly noticeable when holding them, so it will be interesting to see how that translates on the track. Below are a couple of pics of the forks in their new homes.
-
Here's a couple of before and after pics. I only had time for a quick test ride today, so tomorrow I'm going to check that everything's snugged up nicely, then switch over the magnesium DMR V12 pedals, also from the Crupi. If all goes to plan, I'll then head back to the track for a proper test. :daumenhoch:
-
What better way to spend a national holiday than to hit the track! Sunny weather yesterday meant I was able to test out the UB2 with the Answer forks - an all carbon set-up! Unsurprisingly, the front end felt lighter and it was noticeably easier to lift up - not that it was difficult before but it just pops up easier now, as per the pic below. I need to borrow my neighbour's scales again because with the addition of the Daggers and magnesium DMR V12 pedals, also from the Crupi, the bike should now be around the 18lbs mark. :daumenhoch:
Save for a bit of tinkering here and there, and possibly a change of tyres, I'll about done with making any more major changes. New cranks would be nice but are an unnecessary expense at the moment. I'd prefer to spend my hard-earned on an overhaul kit for the Elite cassette, which sounds okay to my untrained ear but I'm assuming they're the original pawls and springs in which case they must be quite a few years old by now. So that may be a Christmas present to myself or I may just save that for next year's race budget! ;D
-
I borrowed my neighbour's bathroom scales again yesterday and with the Answer forks and DMR pedals, the GT's now coming in around the 8.2kg mark, which is about 18.08lbs in old money. I say "around" and "about" because the readout moved slightly if I moved, so it's all approximate. Still fairly pleased with that though, especially seeing as I wasn't thinking much about weight-saving when I picked this up and started playing around with parts. :daumenhoch:
-
Just a small update today. I tried and failed to find a replacement chain-tensioner bolt (to replace the one that had gone AWOL) but apparently a 40mm, M4, fully-threaded, allen head bolt is not a commonly-used item in Japan! I therefore resorted to our Chinese friends on eBay and ?1.25 and 10 days later, 5 shiny new bolts arrived. I had my doubts they would a) arrive and/or b) fit, but thankfully they did and do! :daumenhoch:
-
I have just managed to pick up some of my favourite race tyres, the Maxxis DTH, which are getting harder to find since Maxxis brought out the Torch. Like the UB2, the DTH was designed for the Beijing Olympics and although tyre technology has moved on, so has carbon frame design, so I think the two are well-matched. :daumenhoch:
The Rubena Speedo LTs that were on the bike are actually slightly lighter than the 345g DTH. There were two versions of the Speedo LT, an economy version weighing 580g and an Elite version made from a "carbon racing extreme light tread compound". The ones on the GT weigh about 330g, which is the quoted weight for the Elites. I quite like them but since most of the tracks I run at are dirt, some still with dirt berms, I prefer the extra tread of the DTH. Plus they have a slighter lower profile than the Speedos, which I think gives the bike an even sleeker look. 8)
When swapping over the tyres I had a look at the tubes and these are made by Onza, yet another new-to-me brand. They looked in good nick but are a 1.75-2.20" size, so I'll keep them for the time being but may replace them with a newer, smaller pair down the line. So that's about as far as I want/need to change things for the moment. I could do with another track test but that may now have to wait for the New Year. In the meantime, I think I've done enough to this bike to justify entering it in BOTM! :D
-
After its glorious 2nd place (out of 2 ;) ) in December's BOTM, the GT went into winter hibernation until last week, when I literally took off the dust sheet, took it for a quick spin around the rice paddies then onto my first track session of the year. The DTH tyres were fine, as expected, and hopefully I can give them, the bike and rider their first race of the season in the next couple of months. To that end, I couldn't resist doing a little more weight-weenie-ing!! Since the seat on these is almost redundant, only ever being used when sitting down in and around staging and the start hill, I have just bought a used, all-carbon seat weighing a reputed 100g! Coupled with another cut-down carbon post from eBay, I reckon on shaving another 100g off the bike's already svelte 8.2kg but we'll see, when they both arrive. I should add that I wouldn't consider riding on either of these, in the sense of putting my full riding weight on them whilst on the move, let alone at high speed, but for my purposes, on this bike, I reckon they'll be fine. Hopefully! :daumenhoch:
-
loving this thread
-
Cheers mate! :daumenhoch:
It's been fun messing around with this thing, both on and off the track. The seat and post both arrived this week, so with a bit of spare time on my hands today, it was time to switch out the set-ups. First of all I had to sort out the post, which was sold cheaply for spares or repair as it had a split in the bottom. I therefore cut off the offending 15mm, sanded it smooth and mounted it up with the carbon seat. It looks a bit different to the Tioga D-Spyder and possibly not for the better, but I bought it for the weight-saving rather than aesthetics and I reckon the bike could now be sub-18lbs. >:D
-
As part of the continuing evolution and upgrading of this beast, I've been looking at the drivetrain and in particular the Profile Elite cassette. Not knowing the history of the bike but making an educated guess that the main components are quite a few years old, I've been thinking about replacing the pawls and springs in the driver. After watching a few online vids, I thought I'd first have a butcher's inside. I removed the driver, then the pawls and springs, all of which were covered in grease. I therefore cleaned it all up before putting it back together. There's not much tension in the springs, so I'm definitely going to get a new set of those, and possibly the pawls too while I'm at it, even though they looked okay to the untrained eye.
I'm also thinking about replacing the BB with something newer, but we'll see. :daumenhoch:
-
New springs have arrived! Profile said they had stopped selling the copper ones a few years ago, so that explains the lack of tension in mine. :daumenhoch:
-
I had a day off today, so decided to switch out the old, copper springs in the Profile Elite hub for the newer, steel ones. Having recently taken apart the hub, it didn't take too long to do, plus I could take a few pics along the way. A couple of things I noticed. Firstly and unsurprisingly, the hub is now MUCH louder. It wasn't quiet before but the greater tension in new springs has definitely made a noticeable difference to the sound. I like it but then I run a Halo Clickster on the Quamen and that's even louder!! :D Secondly, there's a bit of wear on some teeth of the cog. Not too bad I think, but I may pick up another one as and when. :daumenhoch:
-
I've been thinking for a while now about swapping out the cranks for something BMX-specific, the Rotor ones being road/mtb cranks. I actually like them but they're causing problems with the chainline. As always, however, I don't want to spend big bucks or want something shiny and new. Browsing through the Bay the other day, I then spotted these DXRs. They're the older, first generation ones and have seen a bit of action but were priced accordingly and in my size (175mm). Shipping to Japan was also offered and at a very reasonable rate, so after a few messages with the seller, the deal was sealed and they're now on their way. :D
The pedal washers are the wrong size, being for the newer generation version, so I've sourced some og replacements over here. Next step will be a new BB, since the one on there now is for the Rotor's 30mm spindle and the Shimano is a 24mm. I've been wanting to replace the BB anyway, so that's worked out well. Now I just have to decide what BB to go for. Shimano is the obvious choice for a Shimano crankset but I've read nothing but bad things about Shimano BBs, mainly in terms of longevity, so I'm currently reading reviews and stuff online and seeing what's readily and reasonably available over here. Will update the thread when the cranks arrive and a BB has been bought! :daumenhoch:
-
The cranks have arrived safe and sound and I love 'em. Just the right amount of wear to match the rest of the bike. :smitten:
Thankfully the new pedal washers are also perfect! As an added bonus the ones that were one there are now getting a new lease of life on the until-now, washer-less Rotor cranks! :daumenhoch:
Next up is a new BB, then I can start to swap everything over. :D
-
Yet another Shimano purchase! :daumenhoch:
-
After talking about doing this for about 2 months, I've finally removed the Rotor cranks from the UB2! Not without a struggle and a quick trip to the lbs I might add, but the buggers are off. Or rather they were, because they're now back on, having been cleaned up and re-greased. After removing the outer bolt on the drive-side arm, I discovered some white crap inside, as per the first pic. Not sure what it was but after an initial wipe down, I removed the arm and sprocket with the self-extracting washer. With the drive-side off, I had a closer look and realised that more crap was coming out from inside the arm. Corrosion of some sort?? Anyway, I cleaned it up and continued with the removal of the non-drive-side arm. My initial idea of messing around with washers to straighten up the chainline has gone out the window with the arrival of the Hollowtechs, so I gave everything a re-grease and re-assembled it. I now have a 3 week break before my next race, so really want to switch over the cranks before then. Next purchase is therefore going to be a new BB. :daumenhoch:
-
Purchase made! Actually, make that purchases! :daumenhoch:
-
The Crupi BB finally arrived from the States last week (can you believe it took over a month to get here!!), so I was finally able to fit the DXR cranks. Not without some issues but I eventually got them on. And very nice they look too! The silver finish changes the look of the bike quite a bit but I like 'em, which is good because they're quite a bit heavier than the Rotors they're replacing. Heavier by some 400g, if my old scales are anything to go by! However, putting them side-by-side clearly highlights the difference, with the Shimano arms much chunkier and I'm guessing, stronger with it. Plus, more importantly, the chainline is now a lot straighter than before. :daumenhoch:
So how does it ride? Well, I'm pleased to say that I finally have a smooth drivetrain. Whether it's the new BB or the straighter chainline, or a combination of both (I suspect the latter), pedalling's now a much nicer experience! It's also weird looking down at those chunky silver crank arms and black BB.
Some people may not like the oil slick chainring bolts but I didn't think the black ones I had on there would go well with the Renthal ring. Plus I've been wanting something with an oil slick finish for a while now, and these popped up at the right time and price. Actually, that's been the story of the bike as a whole. Apart from the parts I moved over from my other bikes (the Answer forks, Renthal ring and DMR pedals), I've picked everything else up online and usually used. Which is fine by me since, despite its sexy lines, this was never meant to be a beauty queen but a race bike. A pretty one maybe, but a bike to be ridden and raced, as it was designed for some fifteen years ago. So, almost to the year after I picked it up, I'm going to say that this bike is done. At least as far as I want to take it at the moment. If the weather holds, I plan to give the DXRs a shakedown test on Saturday in preparation for a race on Sunday.
-
Quick follow up:- gave the DXRs a good workout over the weekend including a race on Sunday. Unsurprisingly, the cranks and Crupi BB came through with flying colours. I really like how they look and feel, with no obvious downside to the extra weight. In fact the bike now feels a bit more solid than before, which is not a bad thing for a hollow, carbon fibre-framed race rig! :daumenhoch:
I've posted a longer, race report in the racing section, but here's a gate pic. 8)