Mountain Cycle San Andreas Rebuild

[Supratada]

Re:

Thank you, likewise.
It did have two deep cable rubs but something i never saw until i had it powder coated, and I suspect you never knew either was that there were 4 big dents in the main spar. One each side at the head tube, typically dual crown fork hits, one underneath by the BB and the biggest one on the rh side by the seat tower mount.
That black paint hid a lot of things.
As I say, I don’t believe you ever knew of them and had I seen them, I wouldn’t have bartered the price anyway as I wanted a restoration project. It was a good price for such a bike.

 

[Lacuna]

Front wheel seemed hard to turn, like there was a gyroscopic effect. Steering would suddenly veer with light inputs. This is the first full sus bike I've ever ridden as my real bike is a light Orange P7 with Pace MXCDs.
Could the heavier tyres and rim make such a noticeable difference? Is the gyroscope thing a red herring and its the angles and massive fork?

Likely a combination of the forks slackening the head angle and the very very long stem. A 50mm stem with a layback post to compensate for reach would sort the steering but the pedalling/climbing would be comprised further by effectively slackening the seat angle. Probably best to just live with it

 

[Supratada]

Yeah. I took some photos side on with me on and off the bike then overlaid them with fade in Photoshop and the head angle went from steep to Peter Fonda slack.

 

[donny70]

Re:

Looks hot, but you need to move the shock mount forward 1-2 slots. It’s too far back for a shock that size. If it’s hitting the frame a shorter stroke is needed. Ask around the FB group mountain cycle fanclub and you’ll no doubt get a bunch of opinions. I myself run a shorter custom mount the eke out the last bit of travel while slackening a bit further.

 

[donny70]

Re:

Here’s a scan from the catalogue with a more forward mount and a slacker angle

 

[Supratada]

Hi, thanks for that. Since those first photos were taken, I have shifted the mounts forward and it kinda feels OK now. Not brilliant (and I guess it never will) but OK. Need a really heavy spring though, like 800lbs or suchlike.

 

[donny70]

Re:

It funny. With a tuned shock ‘monarch R’ and 130mm forks mine doesn’t feel much different to my orange which is a ‘modern’ single pivot. I prefer it to my orange for the trails near me, it’s still my go to.

 

[Supratada]

I wonder if I'm just too tall for it at 6'3". It certainly feels a lot better now than it did in the first rides, now the suspension is better set-up and with the modern fauxretro bars.

Nice build thread of yours too. I think I saw those pictures on Google when I first embarked on this build and it probably tipped me towards the red bits.
Same story though with the black paint covering up dings so well. I only skimmed the thread but you changed the rear swingarm to a post 2000 one? The first picture shows an older model swingarm with the high shock mount and with canti bosses.

 

[donny70]

Re:

Yeah. It’s had a lot of work done since then with custom made mounts etc. This is it now with a powder coat chrome finish. ’m still going to shorten the shock stroke by 3-4mm to get the bb lowered a bit further.

 

[donny70]

Re:

Custom length shock mount