Worried about new bike spec

majorwedgy
majorwedgy Posts: 15
edited August 2008 in MTB buying advice
Hey guys completely new to this whole biking lark and have just bought myself this:
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll? ... :IT&ih=009
I did a lot of looking around and the spec on this bike seemed way ahead of anything else up to double the price.

My concern is 2 fold, firstly I would like a little re-assurance that I havent bought a pup, but more importantly I would like to know whether the brakes are any good or whether it is worth me buying these:
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll? ... :IT&ih=014
My concern revolves around the brakes on the bike being single pot as my mechanical disc at the moment sticks all the time due to the fact the fixed pad keeps moving itself closer to the disc. Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated
Ant

Comments

  • dave_hill
    dave_hill Posts: 3,877
    majorwedgy wrote:
    Hey guys completely new to this whole biking lark and have just bought myself this:
    http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll? ... :IT&ih=009
    I did a lot of looking around and the spec on this bike seemed way ahead of anything else up to double the price.Ant

    Doesn't look bad for the money, just don't expect miracles of it! It'll be great for tootling down the shops or doing the odd forest fire-road, but I wouldn't want to chuck it down the DH track at Fort William (not riding it anyway :D !).

    On any lower-end model the weak point is nearly always going to be the forks - Dart 3s are no exception.

    Hydraulic brakes are miles ahead of mechanical and Quads get good reviews. But be aware that hydraulic discs are self-compensating - that is, the as the pads wear they stay close to the disc (if they didn't, the lever would get closer and closer to the bars as the pads wore - not good).

    I certainly wouldn't have paid any more than what you have for it - I think that the supposed £485 RRP is wishful thinking on the retailer's part. That extra £225 would buy you a lot more bike!
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  • BlackSpur
    BlackSpur Posts: 4,228
    I thought single piston hydros, like those quads, didn't self adjust?
    "Melancholy is incompatible with bicycling." ~James E. Starrs
  • majorwedgy
    majorwedgy Posts: 15
    I must be honest I don't know what I am talking about but going on a specification basis the specs of the bike are at least equal to the Carrera Fury which retails at £499 and that gets rave reviews, although I am happy to say this bike will predominantley be getting me to and from work :D Would I get significant increast in braking performance going from a single pot Quad brake to the twin pot version above? I am assuming that twin pots are self adjusting and that blackspur is right in that the Quads will not self adjust? I must admit I misred the bike spec and thought it had QHD-1's that got rave reviews on this site :oops:
  • stumpyjon
    stumpyjon Posts: 4,069
    I'd echo Dave's comments, what you paid seems reasonable for the spec (same bike on Amazon is selling for £374), there's definitely worse forks out there than the Dart 3s and a Deore drive train is perfectly adequate.

    If you're mainly road riding I'd stick with the current brakes unless they start to give you problems, you really need the extra power if you're into DH etc (which the bike isn't really suitable for). The price of the brakes you're looking at would put me off. It would appear from a quick Google search on the QHD-SPs that they are self adjusting :)

    All in for what you paid not a bad spec at all and leave the brakes as is.
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  • majorwedgy
    majorwedgy Posts: 15
    Thanks guys, feeling little better now! Have to say I tihnk it is definately better than the Claud Butler Cape Wrath I was looking at getting - at least on paper anyway!
  • supersonic
    supersonic Posts: 82,708
    For £260 it is a good buy - but aint no carrera fury lol. I hope it is the correct size and you know how to set it up.

    Single piston hydros take a bit of careful set up, but ca be ok once they are. Wheter the pad self adjusts or not depends on whether it is an open or closed sytem.
  • majorwedgy
    majorwedgy Posts: 15
    excuse my ignorance but what is an open/closed system? Also what is the big difference between the fury/what I got? is it the frame? because all the components deore V sram X5/7 as well as tora 302 V dart 3 seem much the muchness
  • supersonic
    supersonic Posts: 82,708
    No offence, but on paper the Tora is a much better fork. I have 3 of them, and have tested a dart:stouter legs, stiffer structure, lighter weight. And in the case of the Fury, the Tora has the 318 MC version, superb fork.

    Add to that a Merida frame and twin piston brakes, and an paper we are talking night and day. On paper. In reality, it is what feels best, and I think for 260 you have a bargain. Just keep it serviced and well adjusted.
  • thanks supersonic., shall do my best on the maintenance front - cant say have had much luck in the past :roll: