DeKerf Implant

[NeilM]

No maps I'm afraid, the ride is far too close to home.

The weather is being a real ball ache, both from a road and mtb riding point of view. All the mtb rides are either washed out, mud baths or part closed, and although I'm a keen rider, motivating myself to go and do 30 miles on the road in the rain is pretty hard. Oddly, if it pours down once I'm out, I don't mind, it is just the first 20 yards away from home that are hard.

I'll take the Implant out again as soon as I have the tyres and saddle changed, I may put a brown Charge Spoon on as a temporary measure if it is dry at some point over the weekend.

My first impression is that this is a real offroad performer of a bike, and should be a worthy successor to my 853 Yates.

 

[NeilM]

TAKE TWO.

Another after dark excursion.

Well! Who would have thought a pair of tyres could make such a difference. Off with the Maxxis Ignitor's and on with some Tioga Factory DH tyres that I got on ebay a while ago.

I was going to put some Panaracer Trailraker's on, but I couldn't find them and the Tioga's were to hand, light and knobbly, so I thought they'd do.

On the gravel track I had loads more grip, and was really able to carve into the bends with total confidence. Not a hint of washout and muddly puddles were just laughed at with contempt.

The stiff climbs were still stiff and the double stiffy (ohh errr missus) still had no grip and had to be walked.

The switchbacks were taken faster and tighter, nice!

The long rocky climb is never easy, but the combination of grip without drag and pin point accurate steering made the climb manageable, which meant I cleaned it for the first time since before my Christmas illness.

The gravel downhill was great, and much, much faster than the other night. As was the rocky uphill, and this is where I started to realise that I was riding the bike I had hoped for, rather than the leaden thing I was on the other night.

Into the mud and puddles, and the grit in my mouth is testament to how fast I was going and how much fun I was having (it's hard to keep your mouth shut and grin at the same time).

Fast forward to the rocky singletrack at the back of the golf course, and this is where I came to realise the similarity between the Implant and Mountain; they are both extremely sure footed and both stick on the track you have chosen come what may.

Down the road towards home, and even the climb back into my road was a heck of a lot easier.

In short, the Maxxis tyres were holding the Implant back on every kind of surface, and with them replaced with a more free rolling and grippy tyre, the Implant is transformed from a bike I was thinking of selling on, to something an awful lot more desirable.

The Flite has also gone, and in it's place, and old brown Spoon I'd forgotten I had..... did you know I had mice in my garage? And that they eat leather saddles? No, me neither.

 

[The History Man]

So Errol and Graham will be staying then? Nice to pick up on a happier vibe after something as simple as a tyre change.

 

[Bullpup]

The Tiogas are really good - even though with the extended side lugs they come up oversized - what size are you using?

 

[NeilM]

2.1's.

They are just a pair I got cheap on the bay, but I figured as DH tyres, they should be able to cope with most things; fortunately I was right.

 

[02gf74]

Can you post photo of rear brake?

Im curious to see what the problem was and how the shims sorted it.

 

[Bullpup]

The extended side lugs on the Tioga's really make a difference on the loose stuff as you say.

 

[the_duke]

Re:

Gorgeous colour. I was tempted by this myself when it came up.

 

[NeilM]

Re:

Time for an update.

After an RB ride on the Quantocks, where I was constantly the last one up the hill, I decided the Implant was not for me.

Fortunately, when stripped down to sell, I realised the frame was actually a pretty good weight and therefore that it was all the other gubbins that was making it weight the best part of 29lbs.

So, over the last couple of months I have been answering RB adverts, watching the bay and taking advantage of the January sales.

DT Swiss forks have replaced the Pace's, SRAM XX cranks have replaced Raceface. 3 x 9 has gone all 2 x10. 11-36 Shimano XT cassette has been fitted to Hope Pro 3 hubs and Stans Crest rims complete with Hope rotors and tubeless Schwalbe Rocket Rons. X0 2 x 10 gripshifters have replaced their 3 x 9 counterparts and both mechs have been changed.

Still to fit are chain, pedals, cables and grips, so we'll see what the weight is down to once they are all aboard.

Still some fettling and setting up to do, but I think we're getting there.

 

[coomber]

Re:

Yeah that is a cool bike.

Tioga factory DH's?! Wow. Never got on with them, found them heavy and not particularly grippy considering. But that was 15 years ago might have forgotten what they were really like. Anyway, if it works for you..

Nice write up.