Heatsink

Well done on getting your 1st set of pads transplanted into Heatsink CNC backing! I'm sure it will be easy next time, now that you know how I hope the Plazmatic / Heatsink CNC combo works well (which I'm sure it will!) Steve

I must admit I wasn't won over by the fixed tensioner idea. From riding it for a while, I think sprung is better for no maintenance chain tension. Now you mention it, there is a new design in consideration which will be aired soon! Thanks for your suggestion! It's all noted! I'm not ruling anything out at the moment 2008 is going to be an exciting year. I'm all ears (eyes?) and prowl TF like a hawk looking for ideas! Steve

I heard today that the new 24UK Mk2s could be delivered with me the 22nd of Feb, all being well. Manufacture will be complete on Mon/Tues. To be honest, following going over every inch of the Mk1 to decide on the Mk2 design, the plan was then to bring over a couple of example frames to float with the Trials public. But quite a few riders were chasing me for the Mk2, and wanted to get on-board when I started to talk about my ideas, so now we have a larger batch coming over, mostly pre-ordered or verbally agreed as orders. There may only be a few spare frames left over and it looks like these will sell quickly. I've got a few products I'm tempted to press the go button on very soon, and I'd like to see how the mk2 is received so I can judge how to take it forward. If the 24UK is embraced, then I will keep the momentum going I'm looking forward to finally seeing the new features realised on the Mk2, and seeing what everyone thinks. I'm very pleased with the number of improvements over the Mk1, and also excited about the new features to be revealed! Exciting times! Steve

It's good to see more riders having a hand on shaping the new products out there! The futures' bright Some of the recent developments for products have sparked me off to having a more creative period of design during Jan. Innovation is contagious! The CNCed Vee idea has been suggested and is a good one! Mostly I've been carefully picking products to release where there is no or only one rival which I think can be improved on. I'm starting to see other approaches now though as the climate is evolving. It's actually good for the smaller firm when one company develops a monopoly because then riders are looking harder for those products with a different touch to stand out from the crowd. Steve

Here it is! If the retro trend continues then maybe..... Steve

There are lots of smaller companies which will happily exchange emails with riders and take on board suggestions

A blast from the past! Soon those 24" components will be built into a new 24UK Mk2 No long to go now. Pretty picture to fill the gap: Steve

http://www.booneti.com/cr/cr.html ^ Boone chainrings

I'm not near a phone at the moment. I take it you mean the other Steve

That was the "Whitehurst Scrutineers' cassette" which featured Carbon Fibre sprockets to satisfy the "working gears" rule and not actually be used.

The 2008 red compound is carried forward from late 2007. It's a definate keeper for 2008 due to the overwhelmingly positive response from riders and the proven consistant quality too. Their performance is quickly becoming one of the worst kept secrets in Trials! The Coust pads are naturally more expensive when incorporated in the Heatsink CNC backings since the compound costs me more to buy from the Coustellier family. They are naturally taking a profit from selling on the compound to me. This helps pay for all the R&D and testing they've done on these pads in the past, and it's great that it also supports their riding. It's nice to think that through my efforts combining their compound with the 3 Heatsink backing types, sales of the Coust/Heatsink pads are contributing in a small way to help keep them in the sport. The Coust pads actually take alot longer to make since I still individually hand cut each by hand with the assistance of my old (and top secret!) cutting guidance jigs coupled with hard won skills developed over the past 4 years. This labour time isn't taken into account in the price of the Coust pads though. It's great to hear that James Porter's Coust Vees were attracting admiration in Barcelona! I personally rushed those out at the last minute for him, the more expensive option compared to the Reds he'd originally ordered due to a delay I'd had getting the latest batch of red compound available in time! Steve

I don't know whether this will sway the voting a bit, but Aurelien Fontenoy (Junior World Champ 20"/26" 2006, Junior World Champ 20"/26" 2007, European Junior Champ 2007) has moved from Coust pads in Heatsink CNC Magura backings onto the Red pads in Heatsink CNC Magura backings since the last quarter of 2007. I've been supporting him with free Heatsink CNC backed Magura brake pads since 2005 and it's great to see him achieve so much with them during this period! Aurelien's latest vid here: http://www.trials-forum.co.uk/forum/index....howtopic=113668 Aurelien's site: http://aurelien.fontenoy.free.fr/ Aurelien's pads for 2008: Steve

Nice one Fred! I don't think I'd pass if tested again. I didn't have a theory exam to do back when I originally passed, 13 years ago! Steve

Hi, I'd love to see the results of a poll, if you can add on to this thread Very useful to catch the latest feedback from riders on these pads against each other Cheers! Steve

You've set a high level of riding in this vid Steve-o! As soon as the ups to bollards appear, and the gaps from there, that's the bar raised for sure Loving all the rail work too! Catch you later, Steve

I should have posted this at the end of last year! Better late than never though. http://www.myvideo.de/watch/3074374 ^ Youtube type link For 2008 I'm supporting 2 Austrian riders, Klaus Haunschmidt and Georg Wollendorfer, who perform Trials Demos as Poeberg - Trial. Here's their site (click image): ^ Quite a few older vids on there worth checking out, some of which have demo footage too. An English version is coming soon, but the German version has enough English on it anyway. Just look for "Media" on the left hand side Steve

25 definately isn't old! Good luck with your come back to Trials! Steve

Any chance of a better photo? You're welcome to pop them back in the post to me if you're feeling you've run out of energy getting to the bottom of it I can inspect, reglue, basically revitalise the pads, although if it's something about the set-up then whatever pads you use won't perform to your full expectations. Keep going, we'll get there! Steve

Hi Ross, Any photos of the braking surface? The inside looks to have got some black greasy gunk in there. Are the braking faces similar? How grippy do they feel? I've got a varnished table next to my PC here where I package up pads. The reds are very stubborn about not wanting to slide along this with only light vertical pressure. If you're not getting a similar sort of grip, and the surface is looking contaminated with gunk, then we're starting to work out what's happening Hi Ryan, Could you check out the brake pad surface in a similar way? If you have a smooth and flat surface like the side of an kitchen appliance, are the pads gripping? What does the braking surface look like? The pads go out degreased and very grippy, but of course it's possible for any pads to get covered in greasy grime. I wonder where it all comes from! If the pad braking surface has been contaminated, then give it a go with a brio pad and a house hold cleaner followed by washing off any residue with water and kitchen roll. The rims would be needing a clean too. By a course of elimination I'm sure we can get your set-ups working Your pads are exactly the same batch as the ones I'm running on my own bike which has the deadest of grinds on it. Crazy grip with little effort and very noisy. Last ground in 2005! I personally check all pads as I'm packaging them up to be sure they all feel right. Of course, if you still don't get any joy then just pop them back in the post for me to inspect and sort out for you Steve

Hi Ross, Worry not I'm sure we can get your brake set-up working without have to splash out any more money. I don't want a single rider to be disappointed! Of course, if anyone has a problem like a pad falling out a backing, it's instant email Steve@heatsinkbikes.com time! Otherwise, TF is great for pad set-up advice, and if that still doesn't yield results then I am happy to help. There will be a solution out there It does seem most likely that there is something about the set-up. If you put new pads in to replace a set-up that was working, then the 2nd set may not be as square as the previous ones. Sorry to cast doubt over your set-up, but these red pads are pretty darn grippy when they arrive with riders, but if the rim has accumulated some greasy residue, or the pads aren't hitting straight then things aren't going to work as they should. Could you pop up some photos of your set-up? Maybe some local riders can give their 2nd opinion? Steve

The bashguard (or spider, onto which the bashguard is mounted) has an internal saw tooth type shape which slides onto a matching form on the cranks, and a lockring holds it on. Middleburn call this rounded saw tooth shape the "Sweet torque" spline pattern. In the PDF below you can see a step-by-step guide that I wrote to removing the bashguard, with plenty of photos. This should more than answer your questions I hope, including tools required and the method. http://www.heatsinkbikes.com/content/Bashguard/bashguide.pdf Steve

I concur with Krisboats. Boiling works with some pads, but it can still be difficult to separate some brands from the plastic backings following boiling. That little bit extra temperature above 100 degC from using the oven works with all pads, as in the link to my Pads guide posted by JonMac. This is my recommended method from alot of experience. Quick, easy & reliable! Steve

You've been looking at the underside of Koxx pads I see. It's the only one with the circular recesses at the extremities

Nice looking bike! Good work on your component designs Nice to see some Heatsink CNC pads and backings completing the bike Those brake pads are cropping up everywhere! Steve

Hi, If you click on the link in the posts above, it's a link to an older version of the HSB pads page, and the Red refills are still available to buy via that page. When I get a moment I'll copy the code over to the current page! Steve