Carrera Kraken *Update Page 5

Greer_

UPDATE: PAGE 5

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I got into biking over the summer and I'm loving it so far. This is what I'm flying around on at the moment and I am perfectly happy with it (kinda!) I have some new forks on the way - now fitted! - and wouldn't mind new brakes/wheels when money allows! Updated spec is as follows:
(^ ) denotes upgrade

 Forks: RockShox Recon Gold TK Solo Air 2011^
 Front Brake: Tektro Auriga Comp
 Rear Brake: Tektro Auriga Comp
 Grips: Superstar Supagripa^
 Handle Bars: Raceface Evolve XC Riser Bar 660mm^
 Stem: Kore Elite K34 100mm 31.8mm^
 Headset: Superstar Integrato^
 Headset Spacers: Nukeproof Turbine^
 Gear Shifters: SRAM X5 Speed Triggers
 Chain: SRAM PG951
 Cassette: SRAM
 Chainset: Truvativ Isoflow
 Bottom Bracket: Power Spline BB
 Pedals: Shimano M520^
 Front Mech: SRAM X5
 Rear Mech: SRAM X5
 Rims: DDM Disc Specific White 09
 Hubs: Formula Alloy Black
 Tyres: Continental Speed King
 QR Skewers: Shimano Deore^
 Saddle: Charge Spoon^
 Seat post: Kalloy Alloy 31.6mm
 Seat Clamp: Superstar QR Seatclamp^

Current weight: 12.9kg - wouldn't mind knocking another bit of this!

Also tyre tread is getting low so looks like another replacement is needed there.

chez_m356

now there's a bike that you can see has been used, and it still looks good, love the colour combo, really nice

Greer_

Thanks shame I could only find the new forks in black! Should have them fitted by next Saturday, can't wait to try them out

mrmonkfinger

clean and functional

what are the new forks?

Greer_

Rockshox Recon Gold TK Solo Air should hopefully be a huge improvement

EyesintheSky

WILL be a huge improvement! Should be lighter as well, are they the 120mm flavour?

Greer_

They're from on-one, said 100mm on the website but i'm hoping they have removable spacers inside them. Whenever I phoned up, the guy didn't seem very sure but I wasn't worried

leaflite

Greer_ wrote:

They're from on-one, said 100mm on the website but i'm hoping they have removable spacers inside them. Whenever I phoned up, the guy didn't seem very sure but I wasn't worried

Should be ok at 100mm. Its not too difficult to remove the spacers(ive just done this with a set of toras). You will probably need a 24mm socket and some 15wt oil.

Greer_

leaflite wrote:

Greer_ wrote:

They're from on-one, said 100mm on the website but i'm hoping they have removable spacers inside them. Whenever I phoned up, the guy didn't seem very sure but I wasn't worried

Should be ok at 100mm. Its not too difficult to remove the spacers(ive just done this with a set of toras). You will probably need a 24mm socket and some 15wt oil.

I'll see how I get on - waiting till Wednesday for the rescheduled delivery as I missed them on friday :evil:

mrmonkfinger

Yes they'll be a huge improvement. I did a similar upgrade a while ago from a cheapo coil fork with fixed damping, to a recon race solo air (similar to yours but 2009) - it was a completely different bike

EyesintheSky

Greer_ wrote:

leaflite wrote:

Greer_ wrote:

They're from on-one, said 100mm on the website but i'm hoping they have removable spacers inside them. Whenever I phoned up, the guy didn't seem very sure but I wasn't worried

Should be ok at 100mm. Its not too difficult to remove the spacers(ive just done this with a set of toras). You will probably need a 24mm socket and some 15wt oil.

I'll see how I get on - waiting till Wednesday for the rescheduled delivery as I missed them on friday :evil:

Download the manual from Rockshox to make sure you can do something like that before you rip them open! 8)

Greer_

EyesintheSky wrote:

WILL be a huge improvement! Should be lighter as well, are they the 120mm flavour?

About 500g lighter if the weight of the suntours I have is correct (1805g compared to 2360g). Will get around to weighing them both when I'm swapping them over

mrmonkfinger wrote:

Yes they'll be a huge improvement. I did a similar upgrade a while ago from a cheapo coil fork with fixed damping, to a recon race solo air (similar to yours but 2009) - it was a completely different bike

I hope so - the suntours just seize up on me after about 10 minutes riding, it's just like a rigid! I've had them apart every few weeks regreasing everything but made no difference. Just accepted they're censored ! They'll be going onto my other bike for going to the shops etc.

Greer_

EyesintheSky wrote:

Download the manual from Rockshox to make sure you can do something like that before you rip them open! 8)

Done that today in school (only a few months left before uni though ... won't be able to afford many upgrades then ) before I seen this! Looks do-able. Think I'll leave them at 100mm for a while, then when they need a clean/service i'll remove the spacer.

Greer_

Forks arrived today, well pleased I'll get them fitted on Saturday and I'm just about to enter for my first ever race on Sunday so it looks to be a great weekend! 8)

DomN86

^^^

Upload a pic when you get that lovely fork on .

Greer_

DomN86 wrote:

Upload a pic when you get that lovely fork on .

Will do when I get home

Greer_

DomN86 wrote:

Upload a pic when you get that lovely fork on .

There we go only decent one I can get, had it out on one ride at the weekend and the difference was incredible! Far more responsive steering too, so starting to regret the change to a 120mm stem! :oops: Fitted the poploc lever the other day, so will be trying that out on my ride tomorrow. I think it will take a few more rides to get them properly bedded in but I'm prepared to wait

DomN86

^

8).

Worzel 72

That bike of yours looks like a cracking piece o kit, you've put a lot of effort into that. Well done sir

Greer_

Thanks new superstar headset will be arriving soon (to be installed with homemade tools) + new superstar grips and shimano QRs. Next on the list is a shimano deore crankset with a hollowtech 11 BB - the bearings are gone in both the headset and BB (failed after only about 500 miles) - the BB isn't annoying me though as I can't feel the play when cycling so I'll wait until I can set the cash aside. New pics will go up when everything is put on

frazered

did the 100mm forks turn out to be adjustable to 120mm?

Greer_

I haven't had them apart yet so I couldn't tell ya, sorry! There were no spacers supplied in the box and I forgot to check travel before I put air in them but I think they're set at 100mm which is perfectly fine for me as I'm rarely using the full travel as it is. But the first time I have them apart, I'll find out, too much effort replacing oil etc at the moment whenever they're pretty much brand new. I couldn't be happier with them though

frazered

They sound great. May get a pair myself. Cheers

jfry94

thinging about getting a set of eighter the recons or some sid race's but the vbrake boss's are putting me off of the recons could you post a couple of picture's of your bike front on please. btw very nice looking mines a couple of years older .

jfry94

also how did you get on with the homemade tools and the headset.

Greer_

1x Superstar Supagrips (red endcaps and blue lockrings)
1x Superstar Semi Integrated Headset
2x Homemade Tools
1x Broken Homemade Tool
1x Shimano QR Skewers (in post)
2x bags of haribo









About 40cms of threaded bar (from 1m length), 6 metal washers, 2 bolts (and 2 spare) - about £1.50 from local hardware store. And then 2 blocks of wood as the washers weren't big enough. It worked extremely well! Seat it first with a block of wood and a mallet, then hold the bolt at the bottom while tightening the top. If it starts going in crooked, loosen the bolt and move it so the pressure is applied in a different direction. £30 saved right there! Just watch the cables don't get tangled.

I cut some copper pipe lengthways but it was too soft to knock the cups out. I ended up just using a flat screwdriver and a mallet. Hope that helps!





So happy! But if anyone has any tips for bleeding my brakes I'll gladly take it! Otherwise I won't be out riding again until next weekend

Greer_

jfry94 wrote:

thinging about getting a set of eighter the recons or some sid race's but the vbrake boss's are putting me off of the recons could you post a couple of picture's of your bike front on please. btw very nice looking mines a couple of years older .

I'll put some up tomorrow - too dark now. But the bosses screw off so it's nowhere near as bad as you think - it was one of my doubts about them but I figured I wasn't going to spend an extra £70 just to get forks without them! They don't annoy me at all now ... I can't see them when I'm riding!!

Greer_

jfry94 wrote:

thinging about getting a set of eighter the recons or some sid race's but the vbrake boss's are putting me off of the recons could you post a couple of picture's of your bike front on please. btw very nice looking mines a couple of years older .

Sorry photobucket wouldn't work for me yesterday but here you go:

jfry94

cheers for that i had heard that it was possible to fit a headset without specialised tools but had know idear how to go about it also that white headset looks amazing i want a white 1 now. also i will probably be getting some of the recons and a new headset with the next 2 months so ill post up some pics when i do.

Greer_

jfry94 wrote:

cheers for that i had heard that it was possible to fit a headset without specialised tools but had know idear how to go about it also that white headset looks amazing i want a white 1 now. also i will probably be getting some of the recons and a new headset with the next 2 months so ill post up some pics when i do.

Me neither until I tried! thanks the forks are the best thing I've bought (bar the bike itself!) Keep us informed!

jamie 'jammy dodger'

Very nice.