Carrera Hardtail thread - owners pictures and spec's

The Rookie

Personally, the fork first, the latest Kraken is downgraded somewhat from the earlier versions, I agree with 'Dirk' though that the brakes re not the most reliable so I'd keep some pennies to one side in case I needed to replace urgently, or keep an eye out for some decent used Shimano and use those.

arkitekt88

Thanks guys,

I was thinking maybe the brakes first as the back brake is not as responsive as i feel it should be. I should look at the reviews on here for a direction on what to consider!
Need to start saving if i want a better fork, but i guess it would be so worth it.
Looking worward to getting out and about around Epping Forest on Saturday

arkitekt88

Great so today I suffered a puncture on the rear 2 miles into my ride today and I have no idea when and it was only on a canal path. This is the second puncture, first on the front, I've had in 4 rides now.
Can I get some suggestions of a more robust durable tyre to stop me cursing so much!?

The Rookie

Depends on the cause of the puncture, no off-road tyre is immune to thorns for example, which are not exactly unknown on canal paths!

That said cheap heavy original tyres are a little more puncture prone and also ding grip as well, to get a tyre recommendation you need to tell us the type of riding and surfaces they are for.

FizzyArmilzz

buddy_club wrote:

One side has reverse threads, so unscrews clockwise (left i think) If that's not the problem then try some shock and unlock spray used on cars and old machinery - don't get it on the brakes though.

Thanks, I got them off with my friend, I sat on the bike while he put his whole force on the pedal, we sprayed it with lube and put them back on so hopefully now they wont be as stiff

The Rookie

Ideally you need copper grease.

FizzyArmilzz

Hey guys I am looking to upgrade the brakes on my 2013 Vulcan

I am looking at 2 Shimano brakes

http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/ie/en/shimano-deore-t615-trekking-disc-brake/rp-prod119961
&
http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/ie/en/shimano-deore-m615-disc-brake/rp-prod108802

Anyone knoe the difference between them?

rockmonkeysc

I think it's just ergonomics. The lever shape of the M615 is designed for 2 finger braking. It's also a pretty tough plastic lever instead of the aluminium lever on the T615.

FizzyArmilzz

Guess I'm going for the T615 thanks!

rockmonkeysc

f it's to use off road i would go for the M615.

FizzyArmilzz

I rarely go offroad, its mostly road cycling I do

The Rookie

Then get the Trecking brakes.....

Cody

deadbeat13 wrote:

Here's my Carrera Kraken - I must have been a good boy last year as Santa dropped it off for me on Christmas day....



It's my first bike (pedal powered) since i was a lanky teenager 20 years ago. They've come on a bit since then!
Looking forward to getting filthy on it.
Ta for looking,
Nick

That is a nice bike, why I didn't see that before when I went to Halfords. I saw a Carrera Kraken with Skeletal brakes which was for around £250-300, but I went for a Boardman Comp instead. I could have saved myself £350! I like the colour combination and frame. Really stands out.

Cody

demelitia wrote:

Here's my 2013 Vengeance. Bought the middle of this year for a bit of canal path exercise. Had about 600 miles out of it so far, no problems apart from a faulty bottom bracket and the gears being completely out of whack from the off.


Homemade front mudguard

I could tell you a lot about canal riding.

That front mudguard looks like a Mucky Nutz Bender Fender 'Large'.

FizzyArmilzz

I need to replace my crankset on my 2013 Vulcan, does anybody know if any of these here will fit?

http://www.ebay.ie/sch/i.html?_from=R40 ... 2&_sacat=0

The Rookie

So what you have now is? (make and model, often stamped on the rear of the arms)

Why do you need to replace it? a 2013 should be fine for a while yet!

UltraViolet

DirkPitt74 wrote:

Probably brakes. Not used Clarkes brakes but some of the reviews aren't too favourable.
Kraken got a good review in MBUK last month and came top of the group test.

ask any halfords bike guy off the record and they will say they are terrible, there is just no power to them even after bedding them in

FizzyArmilzz

The Rookie wrote:

So what you have now is? (make and model, often stamped on the rear of the arms)

Why do you need to replace it? a 2013 should be fine for a while yet!

What I have now is a Sram s200

I need to replace it because the biggest gear has some teeth bent and some snapped off

buddy_club

FizzyArmilzz wrote:

The Rookie wrote:

So what you have now is? (make and model, often stamped on the rear of the arms)

Why do you need to replace it? a 2013 should be fine for a while yet!

What I have now is a Sram s200

I need to replace it because the biggest gear has some teeth bent and some snapped off

You dont need a completely new crankset, just a new larger chainring.

The Rookie

Are the teeth actually damaged or are you confusing the lifting ramps and uneven teeth size that go with them for damage?

step83

Be impressed if your damaged the teeth unless youve been grinding along rails. Then im not impressed.

demelitia

Cody wrote:

demelitia wrote:

Here's my 2013 Vengeance. Bought the middle of this year for a bit of canal path exercise. Had about 600 miles out of it so far, no problems apart from a faulty bottom bracket and the gears being completely out of whack from the off.

Homemade front mudguard

I could tell you a lot about canal riding.

That front mudguard looks like a Mucky Nutz Bender Fender 'Large'.

Aye, that's what it's based on. Eyeballed the design on to some plastic from work;20 minutes with a scalpel and some cable ties later...

Got rid of the Suntours (HOW HEAVY?!) , switched them for a set of second hand Fox Float 32's. Night and day between them, even just considering the weight loss.
Received a set of Stans Alpine rims built up on Novatec lightweight hubs with Sapim D-light spokes today (~1450g without cassette or skewers) so that's the next install. Then a set of Raceface cranks with a narrow-wide on for a 1x9 set up. Planning on its first decent outing to the dales soon if the weather holds.

The Rookie

Stock suntours are just over 2.25Kg....a decent air fork will be sub 1700g (mine are 1435g).

I have a similar wheel set, Alpines, Sapim race spokes and Novatech rear hub but A2Z front, I think 1450g is optimistic, nearer 1500g would be my guess, was running single front gear on my Kraken and now have a narrow wide on the FS (links in sig).

demelitia

The wheel set was built up with the d771 and d772 hubs (alloy) so that may be where the weight has been lost. I'll admit I've not weighed them yet though. If I remember I'll put them on the scales and see. The floats I've out on are supposedly ~1.65kg according to the manufacturers website, how long the steerer is to get that number I don't know. I don't consider myself a weight weenie, just conscious of how heavy the components on the Carreras end up being to meet their price points.

The Rookie

I have a 772 rear, from memory 276g versus 268 claimed, my front is an A2Z which is about 70-80g lighter than the Novatec. I also used alloy nipples which are worth about 20g.

FizzyArmilzz

I have a Carrera Vulcan 2013, does anybody know what size the bottom bracket is on it, I don't have the tool and don't want to pay shipping twice to order the tool and BB separately.

The Rookie

What crankset? The crankset determines the axle width.

FizzyArmilzz

originally it was a sram s200 but I have changed it to a nonbranded one

The Rookie

From what I can find the S200 needs a 118mm, but the unbranded one may need anything, however if it fit as a straight swap with only minor front indexing, then the same!

Ashfish

Thought I should post this in here aswell, I have owned this Vengeance from new but have not really touched it for a couple of years after dislocating my shoulder twice in a fortnight (neither time due to riding :x )
I wanted to put it on a diet as in original spec it was rather heavy.
Been working on this for a few months on a non existent budget, finally managed to get it to a point I am happy with.





So for the upgraded spec
2nd Hand Hope XC front hub with new bearings on Mavic 771 rim (free)
Conti Trail King 2.2 £10
New Ritchey WCS rear wheel with Conti Speed King already fitted (free)
2nd Hand Easton Monkey Lite Carbon Bars (free)
new Bontrager lock on grips £15
2nd Hand SR Suntour Axion 100mm travel forks (free)
Boardman Saddle (free)
New GXP bottom bracket (free)
2nd Hand Sram S1000 cranks with RaceFace 32T narrow/wide £54
New Sram 8 speed chain (free)
New RSP chain Director £15 (bought before I got hold of the new cranks and narrow/wide to try and keep the chain on the original middle chainring without a front mech)
Original 8 speed Shimano cassette and alivio rear mech
Original Shimano hydraulic brakes
Original seat post and steam
2nd hand spd setup including pedals, cleats and Shimano MT70 shoes £48
Overall weight comes in at 11.1Kg

Next plans are for 10 speed rear when funds allow, or I can source one by barter/trade. Possibly a new shorter stem but I need to spend some more time on the bike to decide, I still haven't decided on steerer height yet and a lighter seatpost as the original is a heavy lump of steel.

Would love some opinions on the bike and all suggestions are happily received.