All Things Bikes and Tacos! (...and every vehicle imaginable)

After 4 straight days of rain in the ATL, it was nice to be able to wash the truck and get a ride in. The trails (Sope Creek) have held up surprisingly well. This is as muddy as I got after a 7 mile singletrack spin.

 

Some exploring today led to a nice trail

 

Getting that new coil dialed in, and readjusting the fork to the new feel. Added an offset bushing as well, to slacken out 0.5* and drop the BB 5mm. With the taller fork, that should get me about 1* slacker than stock, and back to the original BB drop.
Headed out to test on some of the steeper, looser trails today.

 

I've been looking for a better way to carry my bikes that wasn't a bulky annoying option, and came up with this. It works pretty great. Let me know what you think.

Parts:
Amazon: Toyota Genuine Accessories

$56 PT278-35100-BH Truck Bed Header Rail

PT278-35100-BH Truck Bed Header Rail
Amazon: Top Line AB2600 Add-A-Bike Clamp
Amazon: RockyMounts LoBall Track Locking Truck Mount

I mounted the header bar using extra strength 3m tape. also drilled holes into the tonneau and screwed and epoxied in some plastic sheetrock anchors to screw the header down with. Feels pretty damn solid.

 

Curious to hear what you guys think about this. I dropped my bike off for a free tune up the shop offers within the first month of a purchase. I go to pick it up today and notice a good size scratch on the down tube that I know for a fact was not there before. I gave it a good cleaning the day I took it in. There's no way I would've missed it.

I talked to an assistant manager who talks to the mechanic that claims he doesn't know how that could've happened. He is going to bring it up to the general manager once he's back from Downieville and we'll go from there. There doesn't appear to be a crack in the carbon, only cosmetic. Regardless, I'm bummed since I've logged 7 rides on it so far and this scratch didn't come from me.

What would you guys expect in this situation? I know it's hard to prove when that happened. Any shop guys in here?

 

It would be hard to prove it was them. But I think if you say you cleaned it before you brought it in and it wasn’t there... just ask them to go through the process of ensuring the frame isn’t compromised. If the carbon is damaged it could make the frame unsafe, and you’ll have to fight them to replace it. If the carbon is good underneath, then you should just go out and enjoy the bike. It will get eventually get scratched anyway. I know the tune up isn’t the first one you expected, but now that the first scratch is there, you can just send it and not worry about it anymore.

 

Yeah, that's my game plan and where I left it with them. No doubt scratches will happen. I'm not raising hell by any means and they've always been a good shop to work with. As a customer who just threw them a bunch of business I'd hope they'd step up and help me out if it does develop into a crack. That'd be my expectation at least.

 

Agree on this...besides they would likely do some sort of finite element analysis on the frame to identify what forces lead to the failure anyway. Although I understand as I get nervous as hell about any scratches on my bromad cause I always fear a puncture might arise. But if you bought it new...then you get that warranty for a little bit.

I know you cleaned it before turning it in...but man that scratch looks quite fresh as well from the clean cavity there.

 

Doesn’t Santa Cruz have a lifetime frame warranty? Not for the scratch obviously but for real damage. Anyway, my Tallboy CC is 3 years old, scratched to heck and no cracks.

 

I believe my bromad has a 5 year warranty from bill of sale.

 

Lifetime on bikes after 2015
https://www.santacruzbicycles.com/en-US/warranties

 

Ah good to know...I typically buy after a frame has been out so shit maybe mine has a lifetime warranty now.

 

He also noted that the scratch looks fresh. I'm not one to make a big deal out of things like this but when I saw that I knew for a fact it was not there when I cleaned it. I'm talking tooth brush and rag in hand.

I don't know if this is something SC would warranty if it did crack. But they do have a crash replacement that gets you parts at a lower cost.

 

I like this set up, What bed cover is that?
I've been eyeing the Bakflip MX4, I'm hoping this would be possible on the Bakflip too.
Anyone know?

 

A buddy of mine and I went on a night ride. Lots of fun we go ride during the work week at midnight but here in Phoenix it so hot we go when the sun goes down on our days off so we brought some sodas. I have a 2014 Santa Cruz Tallboy LTC 27.5+ and he is rocking that 2017 trek Stache 29+ We both have serfas 1600 Lumanss lights which I recommend fo sho.

 

Man that's the mod I need to get done!!! 1UP's are all over here in MN these days

 

Night rides are super fun. We do em in the winter in MN. I'd advise a secondary light on your helmet for turns/burms.

 

What's the best way to get bearings out of those pivot points without some kind of fancy tool?

 

You're gonna love that rack. Nothing beats 1UP quality and all aluminum that won't rust.