I'm lovin' it

I'm in the middle of my project to lighten my bike, but with the new fork, the new ti handlebar, the seatpost and the new pedals on, I had to take it for a spin. The bike is noticeably lighter. I mean, very noticeably. I flew up the hills. The bike felt more nimble and was much easier to handle.

I'm a little disappointed with the Ritchey WCS seatpost. As many others have posted, it let the saddle roll out of position after hitting a decent bump (not a jump mind you). I'm going to chalk it up to a loose bolt since it didn't happen again after I tightened it up on the trial, but I've got my eye on it. Of course, the ever-reliable Reba Race fork did its job admirably. I liked the more narrow handlebar as well. I felt much more in control of the bike and actually was able to come out of a couple situations where I lost control after getting kicked sideways by a large rock.

I don't have pics yet because I'm waiting to finish the project first. The wheels, the new headset and the new xt cassette still need to be added. That should lead to another pound and a half of weight loss.

I do have to note that the egg beater 2 ti pedals are INCREDIBLE! I never knew a pedal could be this easy to get in and out of all while holding you in on jumps and hops. They are superlight and shed med like nothing. I bought a second set to sell for a profit, but I may just keep the extra set for my road bike. I am incredibly impressed. I ended up getting each pair for under $100 from Performance plus $20 of performance points from the purchase. You just can't beat that!

Stay tuned for pics.

Build II

Well, the shim for my handlebar isn't in yet, but I'm expecting it tomorrow. I picked up some pre-ordered goodies from Performance today. I picked up my XT cassette and my Egg Beater 2 ti pedals. They are superlight! I also got a killer deal on a Ritchey WCS seat post at under 200g, not bad for $33 after the use of some rewards points.

I put the seatpost on today already and I'm in the process of putting on the pedals. I'm going to try to get my fork on tonight, at least enough that I can measure and maybe cut it down so I just have to stick on the stem and handlebar tomorrow.

My wheels should be in next week and then it will be all finished. I swear, no more stuff...well, until I add the Moto Fly Team ti frame. Maybe next year :-).

As always, pics will be on the way.

Resolution and Upgrades

Ok, so I resolved my headset issue. My buddy who used to be a bike mechanic confirmed that the broken headset piece is just a bearing seal and that it is not necessary and typically a pain to install. He noted that it's fine to ride without it and no damage will be done. Solved!

On another note, the upgrading is going well. I'm waiting on a shim for my handlebar to be delivered as it wasn't originally included with my handlebars when they were first sent. It should come in the next couple of days. I'm going to work on installing the fork this weekend and finish up the cockpit. I pick up my new eggbeater 2ti pedals tomorrow with my new XT cassette.


I also just purchased a new wheelset, the Spinergy Xyclone 29ers. Supposedly these are the beez neez of mtb 29er wheels. They offer super bling cred as well. I should have all of the upgrades done by next week for a trip to my buddy's house for memorial day. We're planning a ride, but we'll see if the wives allow that to actually go down.

Motobecane's First Blemish...headset failure

So up until now I have had no problems with my bike (mind you it has only been two months, but still). However, upon entering my renovation project, I noticed a gap in my headset. Upon further inspection it looked as if a part, maybe a seal, wasn't sitting right in the assembly causing a gap and a slight wiggle in the headset. I disassembled the top cap and upper parts and noticed what appeares to be a cracked plastic seal. I tried reassembly but it is obvious that this part creates and gap and does not really fit well with the rest of the assembly. After removing the piece entirely, the rest of the assembly fits very well and the headset/fork are nice and tight and the fork is free flowing. It almost causes me to wonder if the part is supposed to be there in the first place.

I first contacted Cane Creek about the issue, as it is a Cane Creek headset. At first the representative couldn't even identify the part or help me with its assembly or warranty. He then disclosed that Cane Creek doesn't even make this Cane Creek headset for this bike and that I have to contact Motobecane regarding the part, which I did.

I have a message into Moto presently and still have not received a response. I was surprised though by the fact that the CC rep told me that they didn't make the CC headset. I guess Buyer Beware on that point when buying a Moto bike from Bikes Direct.

Progress

Since I last wrote, all of the parts have come in for my little project to lighten my bike. I actually even bought a second handlebar after finding a great deal at Performance Bike on an Easton Monkey Lite XC carbon bar. But I think I'm going to either return it or sell it in favor of the carbon bar, as titanium is a little more sturdy.

So now I have the RS Reba Race fork, a new, lighter PD stem, a titanium handlebar, and a new XT 11-32 cassette. I'm also eyeing up a new wheelset, a Synergy Xyclone 29er set with white spokes that is keeping me up at nights thinking about. That would shave about another 400g's off the weight.

The bike weighed in last night at about 28lbs. We'll see how low we can get that without going too crazy. There are certain benefits to weight on a bike. Stay tuned!

Update on the decals and renovations

I finished the first of the decals last night. I think they look pretty good. I'm going to try to finish up that project this weekend and then I will be sure to post pictures on the site. I think they are really going to add something to the look of the bike.

I'm also starting to get the parts in for the lightening up project. I got my titanium handlebar in the mail the other day, but yesterday I found a great deal at Performance Bike on an Easton Monkey Lite XC carbon handlebar. I'm deciding between the two. The other will go up on craigslist.

I'm still waiting for the stem and fork.

Off to ride today, finally. They keep calling for sun and heat and it continues to rain. Hopefully today will be my lucky day.

Time to LIGHT it up!

Ok, so I've had the bike about a month now and I love it. It is clear to me that I'm going to go with the 29er full time. It's probably time that I sell the 26 inch ride even though I put some time customizing that bike. So, with the prospect of money coming in from that sale and with the fact that I'm going to commit to the 29er, I am planning a few upgrades for the bike:

1. Rock Shox Reba Race fork with poploc - This is an incredible fork. I have one for my other bike and I loved it. The remote poploc is a great feature as well and used a lot during climbing. It has a dual air spring chamber and all the adjustments you can ask for. I bought it in white yesterday. The best part, it only weights 3 .14 lbs.

2. I got a new stem. The adjustable stem that I was using is like a boat anchor. Also, it was less than reliable, allowing my handlebars to move while riding and loosening around the adjustment bolt. Very dangerous! I bought a profile stem set at 20 degrees. Much lighter too!

3. A new titanium handlebar is coming my way. Super light and super strong. This will be a huge improvement over the generic black heavy bar that I have there now. With the new stem and fork, my front end just got significantly lighter.

4. A new XT cassette. The Shimano HG something or other that I have back there works fine but I'd like to drop a little more weight off of the bike. That was one of the heaviest things on the bike that I could find.

I'll be putting the new parts on over the next week or two. I'll be sure to post pics. I'm looking to lighten this bike significantly.