The answers to all
Your questions answered
your technical questions, including how to eliminate annoying creaks, plus our tips for installing tight tubeless tyres
Softer hardtails
As a keen MTBer for 30 years, and now approaching my 60th birthday, I want to invest in a new hardtail for me and my wife (up to £2,000 each). Unfortunately, we’ve both started to suffer from arthritis. Could you recommend any hardtails that may give a smoother ride?
Lee Stapleton, via email
It’s great to hear that the two of you are still hitting the trails! The comfiest ride would come from a full-sus bike, of course, but if you only ride less technical terrain and prefer a hardtail, then insulating bike and body from the ground will help mute high-frequency buzz and make bumps less jarring. We’d suggest looking at bikes with ‘plus-size’ tyres – usually 27.5x2.8in. These tend to be a bit heavier and can be expensive to replace, but their extra volume effectively adds a little (undamped) suspension and lets you run lower pressures for a comfier ride.
‘Plus bikes’ are less common now than they were a couple of years ago, but many come in below £2,000. If you want something with aggressive geometry, take a look at Kona’s Big Honzo range. The DL model is slightly over budget but we’ve seen it reduced online, and it comes with reasonable kit, including 27.5x2.8in tyres. Similar in shape is the Sonder Transmitter GX Eagle Revelation, at £1,799. This has done well in our tests thanks to its lively ride, but does come with a smaller 2.6in rear tyre. After something a touch more traditional? the Marin Pine Mountain 2 has largerdiameter but less voluminous 29x2.6in rubber, which should still help smooth out the trail. It’s a bike designed for longer days exploring the hills. For value, the Trek Roscoe 8 looks a good option – for £1,300 you get a 12-speed drivetrain, dropper seatpost, RockShox 35 fork and 2.8in tyres. There’s also a women’s version. Finally, Specialized’s plus-tyred Fuse 27.5 comes in at £1,000, which would leave plenty of budget in reserve for any future parts upgrades.
Life behind bars
Is there a rule of thumb for handlebar width? I’ve got an 800mm bar but many of my mates ride narrower ones. Steve Merton, via email
There’s no hard and fast rule, but plenty of theories. For example, do a press-up and see how far apart your hands are. Maybe your bar should match this, because it’s where your arms comfortably support your weight? Wider bars give more leverage, but a narrower stance means steering inputs don’t have to be so farreaching, so you end up less stretched-out on the bike. The best thing to do is to experiment. Try moving your grips inboard by 15mm, to replicate a 770mm bar. Give it a couple of weeks (unless it feels terrible!), then move them back out to 800mm and see which you prefer. You could then try a 780mm set-up. Finally, chop your bar down to suit (carefully!).
Creaking mad
My bike creaks constantly when I’m standing up pedalling, despite me fitting a new BB. It’s driving me mad!
Tim Hawkins, via email
We feel your pain! First, check all the bolts are tightened to the manufacturer’s specified torque setting. Chainring bolts and lockrings are easily missed, and would be our first port of call for pedalling-induced creaking. Check the pedal spindles (if you ride clipless, don’t forget the cleat bolts, and maybe give the pedal mechanism a light spray of lube). Make sure the headset is tight and greased, likewise the handlebar/stem interface and stem bolts. If you’ve got a carbon bar, use carbon paste rather than grease. Rear axles and even the mech hanger are worth checking (be careful not to contaminate the brake rotor with grease). Finally, make sure the chain is well-lubricated and the cassette is tightened down.