Vee Candy

[Fabi]

There's a brief story to it:
At the Berlin group ride some dudes tested my v-brake. They were pretty amazed. "Your brake locks so well an runs damn smooth." Two 20" riders decided to switch to vee's and therefore build their own adaptors. They kept me in touch with pics of their developments and that caused the urge in me to think of a better solution than the Heatsink adaptors. My aim was to get the brake as near as possible to the seatstays because I always disliked the huge assembly of stuff on my brake mounts. The result of my consideration turned out pretty simple what actually pleased me because the costs for the realisation remained low.
To the 20" dudes: One of them quit the experiment due to massive clearence problems. And the other guy has exactly the same clearence issues but doesn't wanna give up. He already rides the vee now with thin kool stop pads a lots of tar.

Pictures:
http://www.observedtrials.net/album/data/660/DDCP_0038.jpg

http://www.observedtrials.net/album/data/660/DDCP_0040.jpg

http://www.observedtrials.net/album/data/660/DDCP_0049.jpg
The pads are in the lowest position of the slots. On the one hand that provides incredible power. On the other hand it makes the lever feel very spongy.
I don't care about that spongy feeling. The locking power is just too sick. I never had this overwhelming performance with the Heatsink adaptors.

In order to that refinement I equipped my brake with Alligator iLink housing.
Background: Tune headset.
http://www.observedtrials.net/album/data/660/DDCP_0044.jpg

The Ultimate lever is still waiting for a screw upgrade. The body screws will be replaced by real Ti; the clamp screw by Aluminum.
http://www.observedtrials.net/album/data/660/DDCP_0045.jpg

http://www.observedtrials.net/album/data/660/DDCP_0036.jpg

And for the weight weenies:
http://www.observedtrials.net/album/data/660/DDCP_0056.jpg
tune hub. Notubes rim.

http://www.observedtrials.net/album/data/660/DDCP_0053.jpg
DT aerolite spokes. Ti rotor bolts. Mavic Composite QR with Ti axle.

[firewrx612]

what rim width are you running in the rear? I thought of that but didn't think it would work with a 48mm.

[rush]

Coustellier with WTB weirwolf front tyre for the win!

Oh, the brakes are good too.

[toyota200x]

I am running the same setup with adapters instead of tapping the 4 bolt.

Can we please see some more pics of your bike?

[Keith Courage]

dude your bike is goddamn sick. its absolutely ridiculous looking.
If I made 100k a year I would seirously buy it from you for like 10k.

[tomacropod]

I tried that once too, turned a brake boss down to m5. The squishiness on my echo pure, even with a brake booster, was too much. I went back to mags.

- Joel

[CoppellStereo]

your brake will be way less squishy, and also brake better if you adjusted the SD knob completely the other way, in the postion you have it, it will always be squishy feeling, you also get better braking power when you have it in the opposite postion you have it in

[tomacropod]

Other way around Coppell, he's pulling more cable where it is now, dialing it further in will make it squishier, and more powerful.

- Joel

[Cryo-Cube]

pimp bike and brake setup

[Fabi]

what rim width are you running in the rear? I thought of that but didn't think it would work with a 48mm.
The rim is a DX32 - 38mm wide. It would still work with a slightly wider rim like the 40mm one felix uses.
And I totally agree with you. The trials frame market is not disposed to really wide rims along with the usage of v's.

[Fabi]

dude your bike is goddamn sick. its absolutely ridiculous looking.
If I made 100k a year I would seirously buy it from you for like 10k.
I'd appreciate to sell my bike for that price.
It actually isn't worth that much. I keep getting pretty lucky in buying hella expensive parts for a lot less. For example the front wheel, the crankset and the stem. Except for the Shimano booster; it cost me a fortune.

[Sondre]

Your bike just blow me away everytime I see it.
You have all these fancy parts, good job!


Is that a Juicy 5 you have there? How'd you like it? Mine sucks, even with a 203mm disc... Weird

[Giant1118]

$$$ baller brakes.

[Eisbein]

oh damn, i didnt test your V, but looks like a good possiblility. V is the better system for me. i never ride Magura again if its possible.
Nice bike man. I hope i came to the next group ride in berlin i will test it.
btw i runnig my Vs with a 42mm try all rim on a zhi Z2

[WuYang]

I SUX like your F**king V brake

[owentrialsman]

o yesssss lol. i love vees, cant beat the old ultimate!! did you just screw your vee posts into your maggy mounts??

[Fabi]

Thank you guys for the nice comments. They make me feel proud.

Is that a Juicy 5 you have there? How'd you like it? Mine sucks, even with a 203mm disc... Weird
It's a Juicy Carbon. It came with a 203mm rotor and didn't satisfy me. The rotor bent just because of ordinary braking. I still think that the pads came in contact with oil or grease although I only touched the brake with latex gloves during assembly. I replaced the standard pads with kool stops and the performance enhanced. The look and heavyweight of the rotor began to annoy me. The Formula 185mm rotor was the right replacement.
I'm still not really happy with this brake. I actually expected more power out of a disc brake. When I'm at comps the fellas say that it works very nice, though.
I already plan to get rid of the Juicy. There's weight saving potential, too.

did you just screw your vee posts into your maggy mounts??
No.
The studs are threadless. The screws attach everything to the frame.

[Sondre]

Ok, yeh I changed my Juicy 5 for a vee... Much better =)

[wil]

can you explain how you did your adaptors please?

BTW nice brake setup and sweet bike

[CoppellStereo]

Other way around Coppell, he's pulling more cable where it is now, dialing it further in will make it squishier, and more powerful.

- Joel
thats what i thought too, but i get a lot less squish when its the other way, maybe my brakes are just crazy, i dunno

[willapaj]

Back in 2000, when I got my first X-lite mod, my maggies leaked from day 1. There weren't many options back then, but Monty actually made an adapter that was essentially the exact same thing you've got there. Looked too flimsy to me though, and probably would have been impossible to get hold of anyway...

[B-boy]

that whole damn bike is perfect - love it! nice job!!

[Fabi]

Back in 2000, when I got my first X-lite mod, my maggies leaked from day 1. There weren't many options back then, but Monty actually made an adapter that was essentially the exact same thing you've got there. Looked too flimsy to me though, and probably would have been impossible to get hold of anyway...
You mean these?
http://www.observedtrials.net/album/data/660/48002214-g.jpg
I almost forgot that they exist. But no, my adapters are not exactly the same.
From what I've heard the Monty adapters suck because you can't get them tight. They keep loosening for some reason. And they are just made of steel.

This picture should explain how I've done that.
http://www.observedtrials.net/album/data/660/studs.jpg

[willapaj]

Yep, those were the ones I had in mind. Yours look better. :h5:

[wil]

they look well done!

too bad i aint got a metal lathe

[airmj]

but where do you stop the print on the caliper? the ones on the monty has 3 holes to slot the spring thing. How does yours work? i don't understand how it latches.

[jdw3]

sweet bike....I have that same booster sitting next to me, although it does not fit on my XT vee... :(

[derek_gruending]

Sick booster!!! How much that run ya?

[Peter Green]

get a bb7 buddy, only if it fits your price policy :)

aerolite spokes must suck with the disk brake. Every little step towards rigidity of the wheel improves disk braking

Wow!!! i've never seen a Ultimate lever on the trials bike, even on pictures! that's my dearest dream... And where'd you get the i-link hose? how's the price and how does it feel compared to whatever you had before?

thanks!

Nice bikey, although i would go with the same color of spokes fr/rear and a BLACK WALL rear rim! :greddy:

[Fabi]

but where do you stop the print on the caliper? the ones on the monty has 3 holes to slot the spring thing. How does yours work? i don't understand how it latches.
I glued a piece of aluminum to each mount.
In glue I trust.
http://www.observedtrials.net/album/data/660/glue.jpg

Sick booster!!! How much that run ya?A little more than 60 bucks on ebay.

Wow!!! i've never seen a Ultimate lever on the trials bike, even on pictures! that's my dearest dream...I've seen at least two bikes that were pictured with ultimate levers. They aren't that rare.

And where'd you get the i-link hose? how's the price and how does it feel compared to whatever you had before?
Purchased 'em on ebay germany for 50 EUR. The seller ships from switzerland. I also know that there is a shop in germany which has them but as long as you don't have connections you won't grab them cheaper there.
The iLink housing is as stiff as nokon. Understand, I've never had problems with the nokon stuff but the iLink system is a little lighter and I wanted a black hose. The XC riders rate them higher than nokon because they ought to have some considerable benefits compared to nokon. whatever.

[jaimer]

I would like to try this on my mod, where were the clearance problems?

[Kaz]

that's a great bike, looks light what's it's weight?