2manyoranges
Old School Grand Master
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I am an XC whippet
140lbs. 5 foot 7. 1700mm in new money.
Whippets are narrow dogs.
I am a narrow man.
I am light and I ride light.
I have many bikes.
The scariest is my AMP B3.
The frame:
Beautiful thing. Wonderful welds. The rear triangle is so flexible that I have to check that I don’t have a puncture on fast descents...the back squirms like I am running on 2.4 with no air in it. I have never had a puncture on it. It feels as if i have six every ride. Scary. But that’s nothing on the fork.
The forks:
AMP alloy forks. God knows what stresses you place on the fork if you use a disc, with all the forces going through the axle and into the fork. With V brakes, it’s obvious that when you brake at full chat, the forks legs bend at least 3cms backwards. Holy crap. That’s 3cms on a fork about 460 long. And aluminium, which is not known for tolerating big and frequent stress cycles. With V brakes, at least the deceleration point is near the top of the forks, near the crown, although of course the force needs to be transmitted to the ground via the wheel and yes, lower forks through the hub.
Right. Let’s just rehearse this. I am light, I am not placing a big stress on the bike. I am doing a tough gig down a chalky, flint strewn steep ‘n long downhill on the Downs at full bore. The back feels like it’s made from spaghetti and the front from glass tubes. It’s not confidence inspiring.
AMPs are light. They are gorgeous to look at. They pioneered the Horst Link.
They are very very scary.
140lbs. 5 foot 7. 1700mm in new money.
Whippets are narrow dogs.
I am a narrow man.
I am light and I ride light.
I have many bikes.
The scariest is my AMP B3.
The frame:
Beautiful thing. Wonderful welds. The rear triangle is so flexible that I have to check that I don’t have a puncture on fast descents...the back squirms like I am running on 2.4 with no air in it. I have never had a puncture on it. It feels as if i have six every ride. Scary. But that’s nothing on the fork.
The forks:
AMP alloy forks. God knows what stresses you place on the fork if you use a disc, with all the forces going through the axle and into the fork. With V brakes, it’s obvious that when you brake at full chat, the forks legs bend at least 3cms backwards. Holy crap. That’s 3cms on a fork about 460 long. And aluminium, which is not known for tolerating big and frequent stress cycles. With V brakes, at least the deceleration point is near the top of the forks, near the crown, although of course the force needs to be transmitted to the ground via the wheel and yes, lower forks through the hub.
Right. Let’s just rehearse this. I am light, I am not placing a big stress on the bike. I am doing a tough gig down a chalky, flint strewn steep ‘n long downhill on the Downs at full bore. The back feels like it’s made from spaghetti and the front from glass tubes. It’s not confidence inspiring.
AMPs are light. They are gorgeous to look at. They pioneered the Horst Link.
They are very very scary.