Carrera Kraken

rickthomp20

I have just puchased the above bike and am new to biking.

First question is how should I set up my forks (suntour xc 120mm)?

Second question is what sorts of tyres should i ge for flat terrain and short trails?

Third question is how ofen should i have my hydraulic discs checked/serviced?

Any responses would be appreciated.

Many Thaks Rick

supersonic

Did you get any manuals with the bike? If not you can download the fork manual from Suntour.

The standard tyres aren't too bad, but does depend what surfaces you'll be riding.

Discs should only really be touched when the pads need replacing or they start to feel different ie indicates a bleed or oil change is eneded. Periodically check bolts though.

Raymondavalon

Welcome..

No idea about what settings the Suntour forks offer..

Tyres are a personal choice, what rubber comes on the Kraken's rims?

As for the brakes, just bed them in (ride, brake hard, ride brake hard.. a few times) and use them. Just ensure you keep the rotors clean and free from any lubrication or oil based solvents when cleaning after a ride.
If the brake levers start creeping towards the grips, you should be able to adjust the lever travel and keep an eye on the pads. When it's time for new pads, it's an easy enough task to do yourself. Oh, and check the bolts before / after every ride
If the levers should ever feel like sponge and fail to stop the bike, then get them in for a bleed, but top be honest that shouldn't happen as most brakes are rock solid reliable

There is tons of into in the FAQ Top Tips and Tech Tips Forum

Enjoy the new bike and ride it like you stole it...

xand_xand

Enjoy it chap.
And start saving for all those pointless and not so pointless upgrades!!
You won't be able to resist

leaflite

The forks have preload adjustment which makes them harder to compress or easier to compress depending on which way you turn the dial.

How far the brake lever is away from the bars(reach adjustment) can be adjusted with the use of a small allen key where the lever joins the piston.

supersonic

Preload sets sag and ride height, it does not alter spring rate.

kinmofo

i dunno if thats a full sus one or not, if it is, check the welds on the back... like regular, a friend of mine had one of those carrera's and the welds kept giving in on his. after the 4th time he went for a refund n bought a specialized lol

concorde

supersonic wrote:

Preload sets sag and ride height, it does not alter spring rate.

I thought pre-load affected the force needed to get the forks moving in the first instance?

supersonic

It does, but it does not change the spring rate. By altering that initial force, the fork then sags a different amount when you get on the bike. When you are riding and the fork is sagged, the spring then reacts the same under compression.

It can 'feel' it is stiffer, and you certainly increase positive travel and reduce extension when you unweight the forks, but preload is for fine tuning only: if the spring is the wrong rate it needs changing.

concorde

Understood :-)