Firm and Nimble to Soft and Wallowy

supermurph09 · January 2017

This is bike related so please read on...

I own a Canyon Ultimate SL 9.0, I've had it approaching 3 years, in that time it's been my only bike apart from a TT bike. For the first 2 years the ride was great, it felt nibble, sharp, and racy, now though it feels none of those things. A new bike is out of the question so I'm wondering how to correct this and bring it back to it's best.

It's never been crashed, the wheels are the same Kysirium Elites, Ultregra 6800 throughout, there are a few creaks though. I'm thinking that a full stripdown and service at my LBS might be the way to go? £100 seems good value.

Have others experienced the same having owned a bike for a few years. It's not like the carbon can go soft can it.

Hinaultscrapcousin · January 2017

The resin used to bond the carbon fibres ages in the sunlight, so yes, the carbon can go soft. However, I think modern resins are much more resistant to this.

There are several things that could be causing it:

Wheels out of tension
BB on its way out
worn headset
worn axles/bearings in hubs
worn spindle/bearings in pedals
Worn freehub

It may even be that you have improved to the point where the power you deliver to the frame is enough to cause some flex.

How well maintained is the bike? Bear in mind that a service price won't cover the cost of parts that need replacing, so that £100 may go up by quite a lot.

supermurph09 · January 2017

Hinaultscrapcousin wrote:

The resin used to bond the carbon fibres ages in the sunlight, so yes, the carbon can go soft. However, I think modern resins are much more resistant to this.

There are several things that could be causing it:

Wheels out of tension
BB on its way out
worn headset
worn axles/bearings in hubs
worn spindle/bearings in pedals
Worn freehub

It may even be that you have improved to the point where the power you deliver to the frame is enough to cause some flex.

How well maintained is the bike? Bear in mind that a service price won't cover the cost of parts that need replacing, so that £100 may go up by quite a lot.

Wheels could certainly be the issue, there is certainly some stickiness in the free hub, the bearings were replaced recently. BB appears to be where the creaking is coming from so again maybe worth looking at replacing.

And yes, there is more power going through the pedals.

So, service, BB replaced, new wheels. Oh joy.

Hinaultscrapcousin · January 2017

You might not need new wheels. Depending on what they are replacements parts can either be common or like hens teeth.

It would be worth finding out what needs doing and comparing prices with new parts though, taking into consideration future maintenance like replacing rims, bearings, spokes etc. A decent set of handbuilt wheels will be like triggers broom

Moonbiker · January 2017

That odd sure its not psychosomatic?

Frames Going Soft?
https://janheine.wordpress.com/2012/03/15/frames-going-soft/

Hope my ribble pro evo frame doesn't turn too cheese after 3 yrs.

BigGeordie · January 2017

Buy a steel bike!

spam02 · January 2017

Do you have another set of wheels (other than your TT wheels ) you could use or borrow. That would at least rule out (or in) wheels/freehub being the issue?

Anonymous · January 2017

Hinaultscrapcousin wrote:

You might not need new wheels.

:shock: :shock: :shock:

You always need new wheels :twisted:

keef66 · January 2017

My carbon bike still feels firm and nibble if I remember to pump the tyres up...

But if it didn't I wouldn't be spending £100 for somebody to 'service' it in the hope that it would return it to factory freshness. For that I could buy new tyres, chain, cassette, bar tape and possibly BB and fit them myself.

If yours is feeling genuinely soft and wallowy, and it's not down to under inflated tyres or under tensioned wheels, I'd be tempted to strip it down and give the frame and fork a good clean and inspect it closely for any signs of damage, cracking, structural failure. If OK, reassemble, taking the opportunity to fit a new BB and headset bearings, inner and outer cables and bar tape, and making sure everything's nicely tight / properly adjusted.

Hinaultscrapcousin · January 2017

Carbonator wrote:

Hinaultscrapcousin wrote:

You might not need new wheels.

:shock: :shock: :shock:

You always need new wheels :twisted:

Fair point, I'll shut up!

lesfirth · January 2017

Moonbiker wrote:

That odd sure its not psychosomatic?

Frames Going Soft?
https://janheine.wordpress.com/2012/03/15/frames-going-soft/

Hope my ribble pro evo frame doesn't turn too cheese after 3 yrs.

Thats my thought. However, if you keep the bike in a shed outside mice might nibble the frame to see if it has turned to cheese.

supermurph09 · January 2017

keef66 wrote:

My carbon bike still feels firm and nibble if I remember to pump the tyres up...

But if it didn't I wouldn't be spending £100 for somebody to 'service' it in the hope that it would return it to factory freshness. For that I could buy new tyres, chain, cassette, bar tape and possibly BB and fit them myself.

If yours is feeling genuinely soft and wallowy, and it's not down to under inflated tyres or under tensioned wheels, I'd be tempted to strip it down and give the frame and fork a good clean and inspect it closely for any signs of damage, cracking, structural failure. If OK, reassemble, taking the opportunity to fit a new BB and headset bearings, inner and outer cables and bar tape, and making sure everything's nicely tight / properly adjusted.

With respect my mechanical skills are not upto it, things just tend to catch fire.

supermurph09 · January 2017

SPaM02 wrote:

Do you have another set of wheels (other than your TT wheels ) you could use or borrow. That would at least rule out (or in) wheels/freehub being the issue?

Actually I have a set of Enves in the loft that I borrowed a while ago and haven't returned, I could whip those on and see how things feel. Good plan.

keef66 · January 2017

Fair enough, just don't expect a £100 service to magically transform the bike. And make sure you know what they include for that.

hsiaolc · January 2017

I can bet that £100 service won't make you feel any better.

Your mind is set. Subconsciously you want or desire another bike. Your wheels have not softened. Your carbon fiber frame have not softened to a point that you feel nothing like before.

Sell this one and buy another one.

daniel_b · January 2017

One question from me - is Nibble meant to be Nimble?

Just wanted to know if I had missed a trick and there was a very different use for this word to which I am familiar with.

keef66 · January 2017

Daniel B wrote:

One question from me - is Nibble meant to be Nimble?

Just wanted to know if I had missed a trick and there was a very different use for this word to which I am familiar with.

I'd just assumed it was predictive text or spellcheck, but quite liked the phrase firm and nibble so carried on with it. I'll not share the image that firm and nibble suggests to me though...

daniel_b · January 2017

keef66 wrote:

Daniel B wrote:

One question from me - is Nibble meant to be Nimble?

Just wanted to know if I had missed a trick and there was a very different use for this word to which I am familiar with.

I'd just assumed it was predictive text or spellcheck, but quite liked the phrase firm and nibble so carried on with it. I'll not share the image that firm and nibble suggests to me though...

Fair do's - potentially I guess - I await the answer with baited breath!

supermurph09 · January 2017

Daniel B wrote:

One question from me - is Nibble meant to be Nimble?

Just wanted to know if I had missed a trick and there was a very different use for this word to which I am familiar with.

Ha ha, didn't spot that. Nimble, I'm not looking to eat my bike.

supermurph09 · January 2017

hsiaolc wrote:

I can bet that £100 service won't make you feel any better.

Your mind is set. Subconsciously you want or desire another bike. Your wheels have not softened. Your carbon fiber frame have not softened to a point that you feel nothing like before.

Sell this one and buy another one.

No money in the coffers.

Firm and Nimble to Soft and Wallowy

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