Carrera Hardtail thread - owners pictures and spec's

Lewis A

Mines probably less than an inch lower than when I'm commuting, where my saddle is at the correct height. But yes, probably compensating for technique, I'm not a riding god.

bass1979

Dropper seat post will solve lots of problem

Skajme

Got some nice new Wellgo MG1 pedals for my Vulcan. Very happy with these! They feel so light, and look pretty good!

ednino

bass1979 wrote:

Dropper seat post will solve lots of problem

:roll:

asdfhjkl

Couple pics of my Vulcan. Recently upgraded the original Suntour XCM fork to a solo air Recon Gold and it has totally changed how the bike feels. 1 kg of weight off the front of the bike and a fork which actually works! The old fork had pretty much rusted itself rigid. Yet to fully cut the steerer (hence the obscene spacer stack) but I'm not fussed - it'll make it easier to sell the fork in future. Shorter stem and wider bars make it a bit more comfortable too.

Next upgrade is probably new brakes (Deore or SLX). I'm also running this drivetrain into the ground until it's no longer rideable, at which point I'll put a single ring on the front and look at upgrading from 8 speed. I never use the big ring off-road and I haven't used the little ring in months because the front mech no longer shifts down into it! Cables are fine, the mech has just died after five years of abuse.

Frame: Carrera Vulcan (08/09)
Forks: Rockshox Recon Gold (Solo Air, RL)
Bars: Crank Bros Cobalt 2 (700 mm)
Stem: On-One (80 mm)
Headset: Superstar Integrato
Grips: Superstar Grippa

Brakes: Tektro IO on 160 mm rotors

Shifters: SRAM X.4 (3x8)
Front Mech: SRAM X.3
Rear Mech: SRAM X.4

Saddle: Charge Spoon
Seat Post: Stock
Seat Post Clamp: Superstar QR (31.8 mm)

Cranks: Shimano Alivio
Pedals: Wellgo B-54
Bottom Bracket: Stock

Front Wheel: Unknown
Tyre: Maxxis Ardent 2.35" (old sizing)

Back Wheel: XM719 on Deore
Rim: Mavic XM719
Hub: Shimano Deore
Tyre: Schwalbe Nobby Nic 2.25"

The Rookie

Lock the front mech using the 2 limit screws and bin the cable and shifter for an instant (and free) 200g weight saving!

If it's the original front wheel it will be a formula badged as DDM.

Those are wide bars for an XC bike! Still it's all personal choice (Vive la difference!).

asdfhjkl

I like wide bars - more control around tight corners - although these days even 700 mm seems narrow :P

Yeah that wheel sounds familiar - it's as heavy as anything! That said, I'm not overly fussed about weight - after taking 30 lbs off the rider this year the bike already feels a lot faster.

step83

Well was national ride to work today according to the news, so I did. Really need to fudge together some kind of chain guide from an old mech or similar.

rides silly quick once moving those lovely heavy formula rims need some persuading.

Planning to get the frame stripped and powder coated, lighter rims and rigid forks and see what else i can do to trim the weight down.

One bike



Kit

36T front to 11-32 rear
20" Kraken 04 frame
Formula rims with Swalbe big apple up front and a kojack on the back
deore crank and rear mech and shifter
Shimano clippy pedals model escapes me
50mm kore stem
700mm crank brothers bar
Bar ends :oops:
Clarks hydro brakes which really need looking at, the stop but wont lock the wheels (may lob some mechanicals on)
crank brothers inline post with the original saddle
RS Tora Uturn forks

The Rookie

Similar or my commuter, although mine uses a Gryphon frame the rest is MTB.

The Stronglight track cranksets are a good weight saving over the original. I use Mosso alloy forks, under 700g which is nice.

The Formula wheels aren't that heavy, just over 2.1kg the pair last time I weighed some.

AndyPatio

Having a lot of problems with my front brake. Every time I remove the front wheel to transport the bike about when I put it back in the pads rub against the disc, I've tried absolutely everything suggested online. The only method that works is loosening the bolts, slamming the brake on and holding the leaver in while I tighten the bolts back up. I really shouldn't have to do that every ride. Also even if I've just re-seated the caliper and stopped the rubbing, I can take the wheel back out, put it back in and it will rub again and the bike hasn't even moved.

The skewer is fine, its fitted properly. I've tried aligning the caliper with my eye, still get the problem. From day one of buying the bike I noticed the front brake wasn't that good. If I pulled the lever hard it wouldn't lock the front wheel up and now when I ride if I pull the front lever in it rattles all the way up the folks and it looks like the front disc is wobbling, I've been told this is because the pads are contaminated but would this cause all the problems I'm having?

I took out the care plan with Halfords when I bought the bike because my knowledge of bikes is very little. So it will be returning sometime this week hopefully, I just wish I could sort it out so I'm not without my bike for majority of the week.

Any suggestions? The brakes are Clarks SX hydraulic disc brakes.

Thanks.

Antm81

Having to re centre the caliper is probably due to slight variations in how tight the qr is, since I've changed to a fork with a 15mm axle I've not had to make anywhere near as many adjustments as the position of the wheel is far more consistent.

AndyPatio

I tighten it the same. I counted the turns when I removed the wheel and then counted it back and put it back to the exact same tension. It still caused it to rub. The only problem I could possible see is that the pistons aren't retracting properly?

Antm81

If the pistons weren't retracting properly then surely it would start rubbing after every time you operated the brake not just after removing the wheel and re aligning the caliper wouldn't solve it either, only pushing the pistons back in would.

AndyPatio

True, after I've aligned the caliper it won't rub. It's just when the wheels been removed. I've asked on other forums and searched the internet, tried everything recommended but no luck. Not sure what else I could try before taking it to the shop.

Skajme

So I've made a few upgrades to my bike other than the pedals I previously mentioned!

New brakes and rotors. Shimano XT M785's and XT-Saint RT86 Ice-Tech Rotors.
Tyres, Maxxis Crossmarks.
Crank Brothers Iodine 3 AM Riser Handlebar.
And Finally some Easton grips.

So much happier with how it looks, the brakes are worlds away from the stock ones.

Here's a couple of pictures.

mathematics

Antm81 wrote:

If the pistons weren't retracting properly then surely it would start rubbing after every time you operated the brake not just after removing the wheel and re aligning the caliper wouldn't solve it either, only pushing the pistons back in would.

Are they new pads?

Any chance the disc could be bent/warped, or the bolts loose?

The Rookie

Skajme wrote:

So I've made a few upgrades to my bike other than the pedals I previously mentioned!

New brakes and rotors. Shimano XT M785's and XT-Saint RT86 Ice-Tech Rotors.
Tyres, Maxxis Crossmarks.
Crank Brothers Iodine 3 AM Riser Handlebar.
And Finally some Easton grips.

So much happier with how it looks, the brakes are worlds away from the stock ones.

You really want to be changing the forks soon!

Skajme

Thats the next thing on my list.
Only problem i've had whilst looking though is that the majority of forks seem to have tapered steerers where as I need a straight one.

dirkpitt74

Suntour Epicon or Raidon can be had with straight steerer and had fairly reasonabley from ebay.
Pretty sure you can get RockShox and Fox with straight steerer too.

Skajme

I need 650b forks which does narrow things down slightly. I've struggled to find any rockshox forks with straight steerers in 650b. I'll take a look at the epicon/raidons.

BoredHousewife

if it helps your bike should have a semi-integrated headset so there are headsets out there (superstar/nukeproof/cane creek for example) that have an external lower cup allowing you to run tapered steerers at the cost of an extra few mm stack height.

Skajme

Didn't realise you could do that, that's handy to know.
I think I am settling on the Epicons. Seem a really good price and will go more or less straight on the bike without having to buy anything else. Now to try and find a UK seller for the 650bs

The Rookie

Some 26" forks with more generous clearance will take 650b anyway, you only need one that give 1" plus clearance to a 26".

Skajme

Even more options opened up! If only this mountain bike jazz was simple eh? Is there anywhere I can find a list or something of 26" forks with enough clearance?

asdfhjkl

My 2014 Rockshox Recon barely has clearance to run a high volume Ardent so I'd imagine the lower end Rockshox are out of question.

step83

Thanks rookie I'll have a look into the crank and forks. I think the problem with the wheels is I'm comparing them to my other set which is silly light I think about 1.5kg

Also skajme I know Fox do straight steerers I'm running a set of alpines on another bike

delfox

my 2013 carrera vulcan

mostly standard

white alloy bar ends.. palm grips

suspension seat post

had this bike from new and it is ridden over various terrains.. fantastic bike for the money.. smooth as any bike ive ridden

kerbbumper

This is my Kraken 2012 do have upgrades planed when things wear out a little, or maybe just maybe get a whole new bike.




Stock but running 1 x9. Raceface front ring (orange) and bash guard, odi grips, v12 dmr pedals.

poah

quite smart looking

bass1979

Can someone help. What width of rear tyre you can stick? Have 2.1 atm. Front could take 2.35. But not sure about rear. Thank you.
Bike careera vengeance.