Carrera Hardtail thread - owners pictures and spec's

alzy

paulneenan76 wrote:

That's smart, colour is bling too. I know your commuting, but do we need pedal reflectors

Yes *hangs head shame* i do apologise. The tools will be out this afternoon sorting out a puncture from last nights activities so all reflectors will be removed :oops: . Pump and lock have been replaced with bottle cage which has "cleaned" things up a bit .

step83

Forgot to add a photo of the stem and bar fitted so its here, I feel more confident with the shorter stem bikes more reactive and im not leaning into it too far now



Also new wheels arrived, im keeping my old ones as spares the rear will be used for a turbo trainer wheel the front... desk oranament? :?

Corners R Us

Very nice. Just bought some Deore brakes myself. Those wheels look very trick. Might have to research a set for my steed as the wheels on it are old faithfuls!! Enjoy.

Corners

The Rookie

Looking nice, I found an 80mm stem best for me.....not quite in the same league wheel wise, but happy with my 1700g Superstar/Rigida combo.

step83

They are lovely wheels to look at, cant get a single tyre to fit them though. sore shredded fingers and snapped tyres levers galore here really not happy

Greer_

Have a look on the stans website for videos, lots of threads on here about it too. There's a knack to it, I struggled to get a tyre on using three tyre levers, but I can get tyres on now only using my hands - could never do that with my previous rims.

But first, get rid of the crap Superstar rim tape and use electrical tape instead. Then when you get one side of the tyre in, ensure its sitting in the well of the rim the whole way round and work the other side on. Easier if you watch the videos though!

step83

Thanks greer managed the front not the rear metal tyre levers neat washing up liquid an it just went on. I nabbed my old rim tape which is a skinny rubber band basically nice and skinny going to get some tubeless tyres though.
The difference though is night and day fronts so easy to lift. I was out with some friends bouncing to get some forest off the wheels, never been able to bounce it like that, my forks didnt though spotted some misting on the seals

Greer_

You don't need tubeless tyres, if anything the bead is tighter so they're even harder to get on (also a lot heavier). I'm just using Schwalbe ORC's.

Kowalski675

Hi,

I'm new to the forum (and MTBs), and found this thread, so thought I'd add mine. It's nothing special, so hopefully worth adding to the thread:







It's a 2007 Kraken, bought dirt cheap (about £220) on a whim at the end of 2007, discounted as their 2008 model range was in store. It hung unused in my garage until summer 2011, when i used it half a dozen times in local woods / canal towpaths, then it hung unused again until a few weeks ago, when I decided to give it another go, lifted it down and gave it a wash, lubed cables, adjusted brakes & gears etc.

It's mostly standard (SRAM X5 shifters and mech, Suntour XCR lockout forks, Truvativ Isoflow cranks & powerspline BB, Tektro Io cable disc brakes), but I've just added the following:

Giant Sole-O lock on grips.
NC-17 254 LR Pro bars -680mm.
FSA XC190 stem - 110mm, 17 degree rise (almost identical geometry to the stock stem, but it looks a lot nicer, and was only £4.95 from Chain Reaction, I've mounted it 10mm lower on the steerer than the stock stem, with Hope spacers).
Deity bar end plugs (just cheap plastic ones).
Woodman anodised ally QR seatpost clamp.
Crud catcher on downtube.
Bontrager bottle cage.
Bontrager Trip 5W computer.

At 14.96kg she's no lightweight, but I'm used to bikes weighing a couple of hundred kilos, so it still feels pretty light to me, lol, and it'll be more than capable of handling anything I can do with it. So now the plan is to get out there and actually have a go at using it, lol, and see how I like it. It'll be staying as it is for the time being, until such times as I'm using it regularly enough, and have the riding ability to justify any upgrades (which would principally be a better fork and hydraulic brakes). Doesn't stop me window shopping and oggling Nerve ALs on Canyon's website though, lol...

The Rookie

Just what my frame looked like before the nitromors hit it!

Kowalski675

The Beginner wrote:

Just what my frame looked like before the nitromors hit it!

The paintwork's mint (it's only done a few miles, and I've only fallen off it once, lol), and I like the classy silver & black combo, so I won't be chucking any paint stripper on it for now, lol (and Nitromors is hard work now that they've been banned from using the ingredient that made it so effective before...). I do have an unhealthy powdercoating fetish though, so who knows what may happen further down the line... :?

Lako42

Hi Guys

The black XC frame on my bike that I posted pictures of has sadly been replaced I was offered a great deal on a Scandal and took it. If anyone is interested I am selling the Kraken XC frame so drop me a pm if interested.

Sorry to be leaving the owners club.

Corners R Us

Something for the weekend Sir?

Well I've just picked my bike up from my LBS with it's latest upgrades and I can't wait to hit the trails this weekend.

So its had a set of Deore hydraulic brakes applied (and to the LBS for the hoses to be shortened) to replace the Tektro cable jobbies which did a sterling job but I was starting to reach their limits. £73.98 delivered from CRC.





I've also fitted some new jockey wheels...all the way from China! £13. I bought them in error thinking they were from a UK seller. To be fair they arrived within 10-days and I got 2 for the price of 1 from UK sellers of similar kit. The ones on their were circa 10-yrs old so had served me well!





The bikes also sporting new Intense System 2 folding tyres which I've bought/fitted since the last lot of picture whoring of my steed! Is that it for now....possibly!!! I keep looking at a new set of wheels and some new rotors but I'll try and resist.



Ultimately I'm hankering after a Giant Anthem of some description but the red bomber will be staying with me if if/when I get one.

To the trails! Corners

step83

Well bit of an update, i now have new rims, have gone tubeless and new forks. In the pictures ive not wound the travel down but i will before riding. Just need to get a new cassette as the old ones fully seized on so im off shopping tomorrow ready for Monday's ride

Corners R Us

FoD somewhere out the back of the bike centre exploring off trail!



Corners

johnp801

Looks like I am needing a new headset for my (I believe) 2004 Kraken frame. I am told by Halfords that a direct replacement is an FSA No.11N headset. This a a semi integrated headset and I wonder, seeing that I will have to do all of the messing about, changing it, if there is a suitable integrated headset available with fully sealed bearings?
(hopefully costing not too much more money).

Any recomendations?

This is the bike....

The Rookie

Semi integrated is the mounting style, 44mm insert in the headtube, so no an integrated (41mm ish) won't fit.

You can either use a headset with open balls, the FSA which is semi-cartridge or buy a dearer cartridge bearing style headset.

Have a spare original fit carrera one I can do you for not much money if you want one, all complete. PM me if your interested.

Not sure about all that messing, it takes about 5 mins to swap.

johnp801

Thanks for the advice

Any recommendations on the cartridge bearing style headset options, then?

I'm estimating the job will take me about 30 mins, allowing time to make sure I get the cups seated properly and swap over the crown race, no use rushing it to save 25 mins

Greer_

I'm using a superstar zero stack semi integrated headset - works well and haven't had any problems in the year I've been using it.

johnp801

Many thanks, Greer.

Would that be this one?
http://superstar.tibolts.co.uk/product_info.php?products_id=114

If so, not sure if it comes with a crown race. Is it fine just to use the original crown race with the new headset?

The Rookie

Yes that's the one.

It will come with a new crown race.

Greer_

Yep, it comes with a crown race, I'm pretty sure they're specific to the headset.

johnp801

Thanks Greer

That's just the info I was looking for. I'll order a silver one, I think.

arcing

Thought I'd share my new toy. I wanted to build up a single speed bike for running into town, and to stick a kids seat on the back. Stumbled upon this frame for a bargain £25, so built this up from parts on the classified with a budget of £200. Just sneaked over :P Just had a quick shake down. It's a bit different from my zesty, but it should be fun.

Kowalski675

Nice clean look, I like that.

Corners R Us

Kowalski675 wrote:

Nice clean look, I like that.

What he said..... 8)

The Rookie

Very clean, you'll want a second brake if your carrying a kid mind!

step83

The Beginner wrote:

Very clean, you'll want a second brake if your carrying a kid mind!

Bigger brake on the front the child on the back can act as a counter weight to prevent endos

arcing

Eyes are open for a back brake on the classifieds. May swap out the stem. Bit of a short steerer so i cant stack it high as I'd like. Bit of a racey position.

apple eater

Mine i think is a 2011 vulcan disc spec.

currently is original blue with white forks but i may respray it over the winter.

Rear wheel - shimano m475 hub, mavic xc717 rim, mountain king 2.4 tyre,
cassette is a shimano 11/32 8 speed,
s-ram x4 rear derailleur

Chain is now an unidentifiable 8 speed chain from lbs
Crank is Trumativ x-flow
bottom bearing is now Shimano UN 55 (68 x 115)
Front derailleur is s-ram

Brakes are Tektro IO cabled set up

Front wheel - shimano m475 hub, sunrim cr18 rim, mountain king 2.2 tyre.
Forks are suntour XCM V2 effective but heavy

Shifters are s-ram
KORE clamp 70mm i think