calibra bossnut

BOSSNUT.DAVE

Hello I just want to share.
I bought it as I just wanted a new full suspension bike with out breaking the bank. First ride the bike was great and works great.
The more confident I got, the more I pushed it. First big problem happened when I climbed over a large tree only to find that the handle bars had a low break out point, they slipped.
I took it back to store to complain.
I've used the bike a lot since, only for the left crank arm to slip straight off the crank. It didn't feel loose or wobbly. Just bam it was off.
Contacted the store, they refitted the same arm?
About 30 miles later the crank came off again as I pretty much expected.

I'm happy with the performance of the calibra bossnut, but I'm not happy with the skill level of the people, person who built it.

My advice would be. Ignore who built it, and rebuild it yourself.

poah

well maybe if you had bought it this would never have happened?

BOSSNUT.DAVE

POAH wrote:

well maybe if you had bought it this would never have happened?

Makes no sense?

rockmonkeysc

BOSSNUT.DAVE wrote:

POAH wrote:

well maybe if you had bought it this would never have happened?

Makes no sense?

Don't worry. He never does make any sense.

The Rookie

It does look like you didn't check the bolt torques periodically as is strongly recommended when MTBing then? Has it had a service in the 3-4 months (at least) since you bought it?

You didn't need to rebuild it, just make some basic checks occasionally!

Mapaputsi

Guess it really depends on who builds it. I seem to have been lucky with the Go outdoors store I got mine from as have had no issues in the 6 months that I have been riding it. Same as any big bike store really, Halfords, Evans etc., there will be good bike builders and poor (inexperienced) ones.

In your case would probably be good to give it a thorough once over by a trusted mechanic since there has been so much wrong with it.

BOSSNUT.DAVE

The Rookie wrote:

It does look like you didn't check the bolt torques periodically as is strongly recommended when MTBing then? Has it had a service in the 3-4 months (at least) since you bought it?

You didn't need to rebuild it, just make some basic checks occasionally!

Errr yeah, that's why it's so strange!

It's been investigated by an independent mtb shop. On there first inspection they were surprised to see that both parts still have full splines.

This isn't my first mtb bike. I still own a 2010 cube HT. Which has had no issues, part from rear wheel abuse, by me.

BOSSNUT.DAVE

Independent bike shop have been great, they were expecting to see the splines all flattened or chewed off.
They said that the crank arm pinch bolts were correctly tightened.
They stripped the drive crank out of frame and then noticed that the drive side Bottom Bearing retaining nut was very loose. So said that this was probably working it way out, separating the crank and crank arm.

So it's a failure of the tightens of the bottom bearing retaining nuts. This is a big failure in my book. But who is responsible for checking that part of the bike before point of sale?

midgehulluk

I don't think go outdoors build the full bike, prob comes in a box 95% built and then they do the little bits like pedals and straighten the bars etc. If it needed a full strip down on the crank then I doubt they would never notice it. Is they any damaged parts because of this failure? If not, just get out and ride problem solved

BOSSNUT.DAVE

midgehulluk wrote:

I don't think go outdoors build the full bike, prob comes in a box 95% built and then they do the little bits like pedals and straighten the bars etc. If it needed a full strip down on the crank then I doubt they would never notice it. Is they any damaged parts because of this failure? If not, just get out and ride problem solved

Getting out to ride is what it's all about.

Shame the bike failed in this way. Wasn't a full strip down. They just knocked the crank through to check measurements and then noticed the bottom bearing wasn't tight.

As to the handle bars, yep been there. they weren't loose. Torqued up just right, but the grease on the steering tube allowed the bars to break out at the time when I put full load on the bars in the turns. Quickly rectified.

The Rookie

Get you now, you mean the stem not the bars! Stem would almost certainly be go outdoors, bars into stem not.

BOSSNUT.DAVE

The Rookie wrote:

Get you now, you mean the stem not the bars! Stem would almost certainly be go outdoors, bars into stem not.

Yeah your right. The stem slipped on the steering tube. Very unpleasant being dumped on the floor. Thinking wtf just happened.

BOSSNUT.DAVE

First 9 miler ride done, big steep woody climb and the crank arm is still on. Happy days.

midgehulluk

And I bet you was dreading the climb. I know I was when I suffered a snapped chain

prawny

I'm on my 3rd (and waiting on my fourth) frame, and now the shock has sucked air into the negative chamber and it's stuck down into it's travel. I'm going to have a go at fixing it myself as I'm fairly handy, not done a shock before but done forks and I've watched loads of videos of the explosive consequences, just need to find a time when it's not going to scare the kids.

Chain snapped on the first 2 rides too (in different places, rejoined with a quick link where it broke)

Great bikes to ride, but very buggy it seems.

I'm tempted to get my money back and get another hardtail.

supersonic

So it's a failure of the tightens of the bottom bearing retaining nuts. This is a big failure in my book. But who is responsible for checking that part of the bike before point of sale?

I'm not sure what they mean by this. There is no retaining nut. The HT2 bottom bracket uses two external cups with bearings press fitted into them. The cups screw into the frame, then the driveside crank with its integrated axle slides through. The non driveside crank is pushed onto the splines and the bearing preload adjusted via a cap. Then two pinch bolts are torqued up.

I can only assume that they meant the BB cup itself was not torqued correctly, but for it to unscrew with enough force to push the bolted up crank off the splines seems improbable. The cups tend to screw inwards under pedaling loads (hence why one is reverse threaded). But you never know, not seen it happen before.

BOSSNUT.DAVE

supersonic wrote:

So it's a failure of the tightens of the bottom bearing retaining nuts. This is a big failure in my book. But who is responsible for checking that part of the bike before point of sale?

I'm not sure what they mean by this. There is no retaining nut. The HT2 bottom bracket uses two external cups with bearings press fitted into them. The cups screw into the frame, then the driveside crank with its integrated axle slides through. The non driveside crank is pushed onto the splines and the bearing preload adjusted via a cap. Then two pinch bolts are torqued up.

I can only assume that they meant the BB cup itself was not torqued correctly, but for it to unscrew with enough force to push the bolted up crank off the splines seems improbable. The cups tend to screw inwards under pedaling loads (hence why one is reverse threaded). But you never know, not seen it happen before.

It was poorly written as i don't know the terminology. But yes your right i meant the BB cup itself. It was loose on the drive side and the only thing that the independent bike shop found to be wrong. The crank arm had been toqured up and still had the preload end cap fitted.
But like you I'm still not 100% convinced that the crank arm will stay on.

Crazyjenkins01

Sucks you're having problems Dave.
I had the same problem as you prawny, went back to RockShox as warranty job.

BOSSNUT.DAVE

prawny wrote:

I'm on my 3rd (and waiting on my fourth) frame, and now the shock has sucked air into the negative chamber and it's stuck down into it's travel. I'm going to have a go at fixing it myself as I'm fairly handy, not done a shock before but done forks and I've watched loads of videos of the explosive consequences, just need to find a time when it's not going to scare the kids.

Chain snapped on the first 2 rides too (in different places, rejoined with a quick link where it broke)

Great bikes to ride, but very buggy it seems.

I'm tempted to get my money back and get another hardtail.

That sounds bad.

Is that also a Calibra Bossnut?
I've seen a broken Bossnut frame at my local store. As to the problem with the rear shock, you could probably get that replaced by RockShox under warranty.

Crazyjenkins01

If it was the same problem as mine, which it sounds like, its a seal defect so theu just replace them. No problems since for me

prawny

Yeah I think it's just the seal on the current shock, but I'm waiting on a replacement frame and can't be bothered to go to wolverhampton twice.

I think I'm going to have a go at fixing it this weekend then see how it goes. But I'm going to pinch a go on the wifes hardtail to see if I can live without the suspension, if so the bossnut is going back to be replaced by i think, a Sonder Transmitter.

BOSSNUT.DAVE

I've not been to keen to go for a rideas i think the crank arm will come off. It only took 25 miles for the arm to come off.

I've taken the decision to replace the crank and drive system. Second hand M8000 XT, CS MX3 10SPD 11-42.
Hopefully this crank won't fall apart.

supersonic wrote:

So it's a failure of the tightens of the bottom bearing retaining nuts. This is a big failure in my book. But who is responsible for checking that part of the bike before point of sale?

I'm not sure what they mean by this. There is no retaining nut. The HT2 bottom bracket uses two external cups with bearings press fitted into them. The cups screw into the frame, then the driveside crank with its integrated axle slides through. The non driveside crank is pushed onto the splines and the bearing preload adjusted via a cap. Then two pinch bolts are torqued up.

I can only assume that they meant the BB cup itself was not torqued correctly, but for it to unscrew with enough force to push the bolted up crank off the splines seems improbable. The cups tend to screw inwards under pedaling loads (hence why one is reverse threaded). But you never know, not seen it happen before.

BOSSNUT.DAVE

Since my last post, ive completed the Dyfi 55Km Enduro.

Soon after the Dyf,i the rear shox rebound adjuster stopped adjusting. So it's been sent back under warranty.

Crazyjenkins01

Seems Rockshox are having a few issues on the Bossnuts I know about!

Have you seen the V2?

BOSSNUT.DAVE

I've lost all faith and enjoyment when riding my Bossnut.
When i go in to store to buy brake pads the staff don't know which ones fit the bike. Then they only have one pack , when i need two.

My opinion of the V2 will be based on the first varient. Would i buy it again, answer is NO!.

Just down to the experience ive had.

I'm seriously tempted to sell and buy a yeti or Santa cruz.

Crazyjenkins01

Cant you get the pads and other bits and bobs somewhere else? I dont buy anything from Go Outdoors for the bike

jamski

To be honest, once you've bought the bike, unless there's a warranty issue, there's no need to go back. Ask a local bike shop about pads, or ask on here.

And if you can afford a Yeti or Santa Cruz, then go for it. At the end of the day the Bossnut is well specced, but still an entry level full suss.

BOSSNUT.DAVE

Since owning mine less than a year. I've had four faults, but one is only down to part failure. The other three are down to poor build and lack of PDI checking.
Yeah i should have brought from a mtb LBS. But i thought how bad can a bossnut be. Completely forgot to facture in the guy who built it up.

JBA

BOSSNUT.DAVE wrote:

I've lost all faith and enjoyment when riding my Bossnut.
When i go in to store to buy brake pads the staff don't know which ones fit the bike. Then they only have one pack , when i need two.

Why do you need to go to Go Outdoors to buy brake pads? You know what brakes you have so just go to your LBS or buy pads on line.

BOSSNUT.DAVE

Yes you are completely right. You can buy brake pads from LBS or online. Or if you live close to the shop where you brought the bike from and pass the shop more frequently, perhaps call in as you drive passed. Only to find...lack of brake pads and staff that don't know which fit.

My whole point is why buy a Bossnut? If you then have to rely upon a LBS to look after you because the store that took £1000 of you can't be arsed to give you after sales support.

JBA wrote:

BOSSNUT.DAVE wrote:

I've lost all faith and enjoyment when riding my Bossnut.
When i go in to store to buy brake pads the staff don't know which ones fit the bike. Then they only have one pack , when i need two.

Why do you need to go to Go Outdoors to buy brake pads? You know what brakes you have so just go to your LBS or buy pads on line.

Uber_Pod

It's hardly a fault with the bike that a particular shop doesn't have stock of brake pads on a given day?

Even if the shop isn't helpful, how hard is it to look up the product page, find it uses M447 calipers and google for compatible pads?

A bike my have faults, but you've at least got to be fair.