GRIME TIME
EXPERT WORKSHOP ADVICE
TECH Q&A CLICKS FOR TRICKS
I’ve got a Fox 36 Performance Elite fork on my Privateer 161 and when I’m riding rocky tracks it feels harsh. The sag is set as per the chart on the fork leg and I’m running four clicks of high-speed compression damping, six clicks of lowspeed compression, and five clicks of both high- and lowspeed rebound. There are so many clicks, I figure I should put some on! Any tips? Benny, Cwmbran
Just because lots of clicks of adjustment are provided, don’t feel you need to use them. The GRIP2 cartridge in your fork is prone to feeling overdamped, so you shouldn’t need to wind on much additional damping. If you’re happy that the air spring is at the right pressure for your weight and riding style, start by removing all the compression damping. Should you then feel the fork is too active, you can try adding a click or two of lowspeed compression. We’d also reduce the amount of rebound damping – too much will reduce the fork’s ability to recover over repeated hits, making it feel sluggish. If it then starts to feel too skittery, try slowing down the low-speed rebound by a click or two. For a more thorough guide, search YouTube for ‘BikeRadar suspension set-up’. There are two great videos, 10 Minute Suspension Setup and Advanced MTB Suspension Setup, which cover the subject in more depth.
CLIPPING ISSUES
I’ve had a pair of Crankbrothers Mallet clipless pedals for a few years now, and love them. But when I ride in my new shoes (Ride Concept Transitions)
I find it hard to unclip. The shoes are pretty big, I guess, whereas my previous Shimano ME7s were fairly compact. Sam Ashcroft, via email
If your cleats don’t feel rattly then they’re probably not too worn, but check their condition just in case, and also see if there’s any detritus stuck under the cleat. Assuming you’re all good, there are two likely causes. Firstly, there may not be enough clearance between the sole of the shoe and the cleat for the pedal mechanism to disengage cleanly. Try adding a cleat spacer – usually provided with fresh pedals or cleats – under each cleat. If there’s already one fitted, simply add a second. This should provide a little more clearance and reduce friction when unclipping.
Alternatively, the issue could be the proximity of your shoes to the crank arms. If your toe scuffs the crank when you twist your foot, it can make it difficult to release your shoe from the pedal. This is more likely with bulkier footwear. Try repositioning your cleats as close to the inside edge of the shoes as you can for a little extra crank clearance. If your cleats are pushed all the way back, you could also shift them forward a touch to give more space, but this may compromise the position of your foot over the pedal, so see how it feels before you commit.
If this doesn’t help, try Crankbrothers’ ‘Easy Release’ cleats, which have a 10-degree release angle, rather than 15 degrees with the standard cleats, so your toes won’t have to turn in as far. Finally, if your shoes still contact the cranks, you could try fitting longer pedal spindles, to move your feet outboard slightly. Newer Crankbrothers pedals have a 57mm stance width (the distance between the centre of the pedals), but as your Mallets are a few years old, they may have the previous, shorter spindles and a 5mm narrower stance-width. There’s a kit you can buy to fix this (Crankbrothers
Long Spindle Kit, £42.99). Try the cleat adjustment first, then new cleats, with the spindle kit as a back-up option.
CARTE DU JOUR
What are your go-to foods for long rides? I’m bored with energy bars and not sure I want to smash gels non-stop! Kate Barnwell, via email
You need a strong stomach to do a whole ride on gels! They’re a handy way to get some fastacting energy when you start to lag, though, so we’ll generally carry a couple on longer rides, just in case. The classic place to start is a peanut butter and jam sandwich. If room is tight, flatbreads or pittas are more compact than regular sliced bread. Stuff a banana in there, too. Want something naughtier? Peanut butter and hazelnut spread sandwiches are rocket fuel and taste like a Snickers bar! A sausage roll or slice of quiche carries a good bit of salty flavour that can pick you up. Finally, you can’t beat flapjack and jelly babies for a sugary hit.