Bar conversion with pics

[maviczap]

Originally Posted by Bibio

once you have ridden a bike with fettled cartridge suspension then jump back on one which is still standard you come to appreciate the fettled one even more as the standard feels harsh and uncontrolled (skitterish).

Yep, that's exactly why I want mine looked at

[Jayneflakes]

With the forks out of the way I though that it would be big and clever to do a valve clearance check, I checked it at about 15K and as I approach the big three oh, I though that I should get it done again.

Kind of handy that I did. The rear cylinder was all with in tolerance, albeit at the lower end, however both front cylinder exhaust valves were too tight and one inlet valve was even tighter.

I now have a three new shims on their way.

Maybe soon I can actually get out for a ride on my precious Sylvie before I become one of those bikers who only touches their bike when it is on the work stand. Oh happy days.

[Bibio]

Originally Posted by Jayneflakes

one of those bikers who only touches their bike when it is on the work stand

i feel a bit like that at the moment. oohh well not much to do now. think my biggest problem is i see fault in everything and try to rectify it so its easier to maintain in the future.

my latest idea is to drill small holes in the rear brake and gear levers so i can squirt grease in at every service.

[Jayneflakes]

Originally Posted by Bibio

think my biggest problem is i see fault in everything and try to rectify it so its easier to maintain in the future.

That sums up perfectly how I feel, my bike running right is not just about the fun I can have right now, it is about the fun I can have over the next few months.

I learned with my high end push bikes, maintenance after a muddy ride means less work to do when it needs servicing each month and I apply that idea to my bike. Hopefully when I come to ride it next, it wont need any work for several months , other than oil checks, tyre checks, making sure that it is safe...

[Jayneflakes]

I got my forks back this morning and they were fitted to the bike by lunchtime.

The damaged damper has been replaced as has the other side because they come in a pair. The forks have been stripped, serviced and modified to make for a softer ride. New seals have been fitted and they have been set up to quote them "as well as we can when we do not have the bike or the customer present".

Given that today is Wifey's and my anniversary, we thought that we would ride out together to our favourite pub for a special lunch and boy was it worth it. The steak was cooked to perfection, the chips were so crisp and fresh that they crunched and then melted in the mouth and the garden peas tasted like they had just been picked. I had to sit and read the paper for a while after that lot, it was excellent; good old Scallys in Weston.

As for the forks, what can I say? You would not believe me anyway. The biggest clue to something being different is that they don't make the funny noise that they used to make. The action of the forks is both supple and yet also quite firm. At speed, I barely notice a bump in the road, the whole bike just sort of floats along as if there was a cushion of air under the wheels. At slow speed, I fell connected to what is happening on the road and I can feel what I need to feel, it is strange to describe, but the bike works. That is it. It just works.

Instead of worrying about if I have the settings right or what the strange noises were, I just went for a ride. The pain in my shoulder was negligible, which is what I wanted. I need a longer run than we had to get to know how it all moves, but so far it all feels synced up. My only addition was to slacken off the preload by half a turn and unlike before when I needed a spanner to turn the adjusters, this time they felt like they were running on bearings and they were silky smooth.

So folks, if you have any suspension jobs that you want sorted by a truly excellent bunch of lads, check out MCT Suspension. They truly are first rate and the turn around time was less than a week. Also worth checking out is their workshop, I have seen dirtier high tech laboratories than this place. I actually feel a little embarrassed that I did not wash and polish my forks before sending them off!

Thank you to Bibio for the recommendation, You were not wrong (again).

[Nutsinatin]

Originally Posted by Jayneflakes

They truly are first rate and the turn around time was less than a week. Also worth checking out is their workshop, I have seen dirtier high tech laboratories than this place. I actually feel a little embarrassed that I did not wash and polish my forks before sending them off

Can confirm, the lab I work in has some pretty grim areas that haven't been cleaned since the refit 7 years ago. But congrats on the suspension sounds fantastic, I was halfway there before my last bike was written off so hopefully I can get something even better this time (although not quite as good as yours).

[Bibio]

great stuff Jayne. yes it hits the pocket a fair old whack but fettled suspension really is a complete different ball game.

[Jayneflakes]

Originally Posted by Nutsinatin

Can confirm, the lab I work in has some pretty grim areas that haven't been cleaned since the refit 7 years ago. But congrats on the suspension sounds fantastic, I was halfway there before my last bike was written off so hopefully I can get something even better this time (although not quite as good as yours).

Awwww, mine is only great for me, some one else could come along, jump on my bike and hate it. Once suspension gets this good, it starts to become about taste rather then actual performance!

Originally Posted by Bibio

great stuff Jayne. yes it hits the pocket a fair old whack but fettled suspension really is a complete different ball game.

This is the truth, my bike feels so attuned to me now. Does this mean that she is finished now though?

Have a couple of pictures of the MCT reworking.





Hmmmmm, shiny bits...

[andrewsmith]

Nice!
Glad you've got them all sorted

[Geodude]

They look great Jayne, so glad your bouncy bits are doing as they should

Happy anniversary too, it was also my anniversary of becoming single so we share another date.