S40 finally assembled and ready!

[Pollock]

Not too long ago, I bought a used S40 in great condition. This was shortly after having a chance to test ride Maria’s 2019 S40 while she was making sure the 1X worked

For random reasons, it took longer for everything to arrive, but recently I had all of the parts! Time to build!

I put it together on Sunday. Most everything went well. The only two outstanding build issues are a seat bolt I need to cut and replace (stripped head now) and fixing the rear brake. Well, a rubbing rear break doesn’t matter for Zwift!

I went for a short ride on Zwift to get a feel for the fit adjustments. After the first ride, I needed just a bit more knee room and to bring the entire drive train in just a bit. Yesterday I made those adjustments and had time to make the Tour of NY! I cannot say my actual power numbers are better, but climbing feels a bit improved versus my trike with rear suspension. How much of that is placebo versus real I won’t know for a while.

If you have an S40, it works well with a wheel on Wahoo Kicker Snap. The ‘rear’ derailer cable just fits around the mounting hardware. The brake disc brake cable is way out of the way.

I can see that getting seat time will be important. The actual seat is different than my other bikes/trike (hard vs mesh) and I need to ease into the time on the seat some. I may still use the trike for 2+ hour efforts until I can get enough time on the S40. I a, really looking forward to gaining control with the bike outside so I can start to compare against my speeds over the last few years. I think I’ll notice a nice improvement.

Sorry, no pics. It is just a stock S40.

Has anyone needed to adjust the TRP Sprye brake that has just a little bit of rubbing? It looks like the inside pad is rubbing just a bit. I have backed out the mounting bolts, squeezed the brake and tightened the bolts back down. That seems to be the right process. It is improved, but still rubbing a bit. Using the barrel adjuster isn’t really helping to correct it either.

 

[tiltmaniac]

Not too long ago, I bought a used S40 in great condition. This was shortly after having a chance to test ride Maria’s 2019 S40 while she was making sure the 1X worked

For random reasons, it took longer for everything to arrive, but recently I had all of the parts! Time to build!

I put it together on Sunday. Most everything went well. The only two outstanding build issues are a seat bolt I need to cut and replace (stripped head now) and fixing the rear brake. Well, a rubbing rear break doesn’t matter for Zwift!

I went for a short ride on Zwift to get a feel for the fit adjustments. After the first ride, I needed just a bit more knee room and to bring the entire drive train in just a bit. Yesterday I made those adjustments and had time to make the Tour of NY! I cannot say my actual power numbers are better, but climbing feels a bit improved versus my trike with rear suspension. How much of that is placebo versus real I won’t know for a while.

If you have an S40, it works well with a wheel on Wahoo Kicker Snap. The ‘rear’ derailer cable just fits around the mounting hardware. The brake disc brake cable is way out of the way.

I can see that getting seat time will be important. The actual seat is different than my other bikes/trike (hard vs mesh) and I need to ease into the time on the seat some. I may still use the trike for 2+ hour efforts until I can get enough time on the S40. I a, really looking forward to gaining control with the bike outside so I can start to compare against my speeds over the last few years. I think I’ll notice a nice improvement.

Sorry, no pics. It is just a stock S40.

Has anyone needed to adjust the TRP Sprye brake that has just a little bit of rubbing? It looks like the inside pad is rubbing just a bit. I have backed out the mounting bolts, squeezed the brake and tightened the bolts back down. That seems to be the right process. It is improved, but still rubbing a bit. Using the barrel adjuster isn’t really helping to correct it either.

The best adjustment of the spyre for me is to eyeball it with a sheet of white paper, and slowly cinch the bolts down.

I've had mixed results with the hold-brakes-and-tighten method-- it can still result in misalignments which cause brake shudder.

If it works, though, it is reallly convenient

 

[Bill K]

Has anyone needed to adjust the TRP Sprye brake that has just a little bit of rubbing? It looks like the inside pad is rubbing just a bit. I have backed out the mounting bolts, squeezed the brake and tightened the bolts back down. That seems to be the right process. It is improved, but still rubbing a bit. Using the barrel adjuster isn’t really helping to correct it either.

I have a similar problem on the S40 with Yokozuna calipers and brake cable. The brake cable is really stiff and when you loosen the caliper mounting bolts the brake cable twists the caliper out of position. Squeezing the brake and tightening the bolts does not work well, it always drags.
Try loosening the cable, pulling the cable housing out of the caliper, then squeeze the brake and tighten the bolts.

 

[benphyr]

#18 under this thread has a link to a youtube of adjusting Avid BB7 disc brakes. The process would likely be the same except that you would be centering the brake pads with the Spyre so you would be turning the outer and inner pads in the same amount for the initial setup. Also, remember that brake rotors are not necessarily perfectly aligned throughout the rotation especially if they have been used and/or abused (ie. stuffed into the trunk of a car).
https://cruzbike.com/forum/threads/...-mountain-bike-disc-brakes.11101/#post-148962

 

[Pollock]

Thank you. I will try your suggestions to see if I can get the brakes working a bit better.

I am very glad the brake does not slow me on Zwift. Maybe I’ll have a chance of keeping up with @trplay now

 

[jond]

Pollock wait till you’re out on the actual road to see the benefit of mbb encased in solid goodness. If you’re new expect a learning curve that is steep but rewarding.

 

[paco1961]

The business card trick works every time. Before you do the squeeze and tighten, fold a business card in half and slide over the rotor. Loose mount the TRP caliper. Then slide the wheel in place with the business card folded over the rotor and between pads. Cinch up the QR, squeeze and tighten. Release brake lever and remove card.

 

[Pollock]

Pollock wait till you’re out on the actual road to see the benefit of mbb encased in solid goodness. If you’re new expect a learning curve that is steep but rewarding.

I have the drill page loaded. Tomorrow the rain ends and I’ll get sometime in a parking lot! I know to go slow and practice the drills. I’ll use Zwift to keep up fitness since I’ll miss long rides for a bit.

 

[Pollock]

The business card trick works every time. Before you do the squeeze and tighten, fold a business card in half and slide over the rotor. Loose mount the TRP caliper. Then slide the wheel in place with the business card folded over the rotor and between pads. Cinch up the QR, squeeze and tighten. Release brake lever and remove card.

Thank you! I was thinking of trying tilt’s paper trick, but I will start with this one. Hopefully I’ll get one of the two options to work well.

 

[Pollock]

I worked on the rear brake this morning. I first started with making sure I was loosening the right bolts; I was not. I was playing with the lower bolts that are horizontal while I needed to loosen the bolts that are vertical and closer to the brake.

I tried both paper and a business card and neither of them seemed to work any better. I was able to use the ‘normal’ procedure for these brakes and also shifted the brake assemble a bit to the inside once the bolts were loosened. Holding the brake down and tightening the bolts, I have a really good brake adjustment. There must be a very small section of the rotor that is not quite true as I get a very little scrape noise in one small section. Spinning the wheel, it now spins for quite some time compared with the original 2 revolutions.

Now for lunch then heading to the park!

 

[tiltmaniac]

I worked on the rear brake this morning. I first started with making sure I was loosening the right bolts; I was not. I was playing with the lower bolts that are horizontal while I needed to loosen the bolts that are vertical and closer to the brake.

I tried both paper and a business card and neither of them seemed to work any better. I was able to use the ‘normal’ procedure for these brakes and also shifted the brake assemble a bit to the inside once the bolts were loosened. Holding the brake down and tightening the bolts, I have a really good brake adjustment. There must be a very small section of the rotor that is not quite true as I get a very little scrape noise in one small section. Spinning the wheel, it now spins for quite some time compared with the original 2 revolutions.

Now for lunch then heading to the park!

Thankfully, truing a rotor is fairly easy if you're willing to try!

Great to hear it is working now!

 

[Pollock]

Looks like I will continue my brake battle. They worked well inside, but no stopping power. I know the next step to move the caliper(?) in a bit and reset again.

I do have a question though about seats. I believe I have the carbon fiber seat. I can get 3 of 4 bolts mounted well, up the fourth one is giving me trouble lining up with the remaining hole. Has anyone shaved just a *little* bit near the mounting mole in the seat? Any particular tool?

 

[paco1961]

I had to monkey around quite a bit w my S40 seat. I could get them all in if I left them very loose - and by very loose I mean just barely threaded. I didn’t want to force tightening them down for fear of over stressing and cracking the CF. So I took a small rat tail file and turned the round holes into slotted holes. I think I only had to do so on 2 of the holes to get it to sit flush. No problems since initial set up

 

[Pollock]

Thanks paco. I will see what I can find at Lowe’s to widen the hole. I need a pair of cutters anyways or small hack saw, I stripped the head of that one bolt backing it out.

 

[paco1961]

I seem to remember stripping one also . . .

 

[Pollock]

With a small hacksaw and a small file, the seat is mounted properly.

 

[Suz]

Looks like I will continue my brake battle. They worked well inside, but no stopping power. I know the next step to move the caliper(?) in a bit and reset again.

I’m in the same brake adjustment phase. I’ll keep watching your progress!
I also had the same issue with the seat bolts.

 

[Roger Underhill]

Not too long ago, I bought a used S40 in great condition. This was shortly after having a chance to test ride Maria’s 2019 S40 while she was making sure the 1X worked

For random reasons, it took longer for everything to arrive, but recently I had all of the parts! Time to build!

I put it together on Sunday. Most everything went well. The only two outstanding build issues are a seat bolt I need to cut and replace (stripped head now) and fixing the rear brake. Well, a rubbing rear break doesn’t matter for Zwift!

I went for a short ride on Zwift to get a feel for the fit adjustments. After the first ride, I needed just a bit more knee room and to bring the entire drive train in just a bit. Yesterday I made those adjustments and had time to make the Tour of NY! I cannot say my actual power numbers are better, but climbing feels a bit improved versus my trike with rear suspension. How much of that is placebo versus real I won’t know for a while.

If you have an S40, it works well with a wheel on Wahoo Kicker Snap. The ‘rear’ derailer cable just fits around the mounting hardware. The brake disc brake cable is way out of the way.

I can see that getting seat time will be important. The actual seat is different than my other bikes/trike (hard vs mesh) and I need to ease into the time on the seat some. I may still use the trike for 2+ hour efforts until I can get enough time on the S40. I a, really looking forward to gaining control with the bike outside so I can start to compare against my speeds over the last few years. I think I’ll notice a nice improvement.

Sorry, no pics. It is just a stock S40.

Has anyone needed to adjust the TRP Sprye brake that has just a little bit of rubbing? It looks like the inside pad is rubbing just a bit. I have backed out the mounting bolts, squeezed the brake and tightened the bolts back down. That seems to be the right process. It is improved, but still rubbing a bit. Using the barrel adjuster isn’t really helping to correct it either.

I found I had to repeat the process a couple of times and use less pressure so the wheel stopped more slowly. This seemed to me to take any slight wobble of the disk out and not to just immediately clamp on a particular part of the disc. I think it’s also the case that as the Caliper is tightened it may pull the disc to one side. There are also pad adjustment Allen bolts and I believe this is the correct way to adjust the pad position. There are some trp videos on YouTube and definitely a pdf on their web site. In the end as I couldn’t buy a second spyre locally so I went ahead and put the hy/rd hydraulic cable actuated brakes on it. Very nice!

 

[Pollock]

I’m in the same brake adjustment phase. I’ll keep watching your progress!
I also had the same issue with the seat bolts.

Thanks Suz. It is great knowing I am not the only one having ‘fun’ learning to adjust these brakes!

 

[Pollock]

I found I had to repeat the process a couple of times and use less pressure so the wheel stopped more slowly. This seemed to me to take any slight wobble of the disk out and not to just immediately clamp on a particular part of the disc. I think it’s also the case that as the Caliper is tightened it may pull the disc to one side. There are also pad adjustment Allen bolts and I believe this is the correct way to adjust the pad position. There are some trp videos on YouTube and definitely a pdf on their web site. In the end as I couldn’t buy a second spyre locally so I went ahead and put the hy/rd hydraulic cable actuated brakes on it. Very nice!

I did notice that as I tightened the bolts, it pulls the entire brake back towards the outside just a bit. Visually inspecting the brakes, it is the inside pad that seems to be the bigger problem. I do have both of the pad adjustments screws backed out all the way; it I turn them even a quarter turn, the wheel spins less freely.

I am contemplating pulling the pads on the rear brake and then reseating them. As they are now, I don’t see enough of a gap for the rotor to spin freely from the pads. I will say, it feels like I am missing something easy and fundamental.