Enduro newbie

Had 2 scammers from Nigeria, Olivia Edwards,+234 8086790448 and Pamela Hubert, +234 8037789127. Classic MO, satisfied with the product, get courier to collect etc. this was from Gumtree and here.

So if you read my last reply, yes my post did lead to a resolve with this problem I had. Myself and Jarqeus came up with a solution, he definitely went out his way and my problem is sorted. I will even do future work with him. As for the rest of your post, I myself don’t push a mouse around. I work daily with my hands and do manual labour. So yes I know a thing or two about communication when it comes to main contractors or private clients. Communication is key and resolves 95% of all problems and helps with amicable solutions. Don’t tell me a job done perfect 3 weeks after your deadline is suddenly going to make your already pissed of client happy? Real world problems right there. Anyways you do you. My problem is sorted. Thank you Cogent.

Ok. So I got a call from Jarqeus at Cogent. We came to an agreement which I am very happy with. He was super apologetic and after talking to him I can see where the problem came in and he does admit he could have updated me sooner or just kept me in the loop. Apologies accepted from my side. Given the agreement we reached there isn’t any bad blood and I’ll give them a try again in the future. Thank you for sorting this out Cogent Industries.

So great, I get some feedback. Now you do know I had to buy a new shock because there was no communication from your side? So now you going to slap me with a price and I am going to look like a d@@s if I don’t pay? Also the shaft takes a close to a month, suddenly it arrives on Friday, its not up to speck and you getting a new one made and anodized by end of the week? Hmmmmm, you told me 2 weeks give or take. I just find it strange that I didn’t receive anything for close to a month, then after having to post it publicly, the shaft arrived on Friday, which you didn’t send me a mail to let me know. Also, still no email or any communication concerning this.

Boggles the mind.

Agree 100%

Yip it is a monarch. It’s definitely not a price issue, or even the wait issue as I said, it is what it is. Unfortunately nothing can be done about this. Problem lies with keeping me in the dark. All it takes is one email or phone call. That is my issue. It’s plain and simple. Like I said, I even asked for a price on a replacement monarch or something similar. But not coming back to a customer is not a good business model.

I have heard good things about them. My brother in law sent his DVO fork there and got it back within 4 days, perfect, no hassle. Definitely worth looking into that for my next service.

Ok, so this might be a once off experience from them or it might be usual thing. I unfortunately had "THE" experience, and it still going. So I booked in my rear shock at Cogent Industries for a service on Monday the 4th of November. Took the shock in as it was stuck and I could hear oil in the air chamber. So here is the timeline of what has happened so far. 1) Monday 4th November, take shock in and get told 24-48 hours under usual circumstances, bit longer if there is anything out of the ordinary. All good, or so I thought 2) Wednesday, no communication thus far so I call to get an update, get told the seal kits delivery was delayed and should be there on Thursday, no worries as I will be up and riding by the weekend. 3) Friday morning, I phone again and get told the seal kits are being delivered today only. So nothing to worry as they are doing the service today and the shock will be ready on the Friday afternoon, great. So this is where it all started going South. 1) Friday 6th November, receive a message, please call Cogent industries. Ie a "please call me" I call only to hear there is an issue with the shaft of the shock itself, so the seals were replaced, but after a pressure test there as a leak and on disassembly the shaft sheared off, according to Cogent it had a hairline fracture and it sheared off. Ok. NO RIDING on the weekend 2) Solution is to get this shaft machined and replaced, as RockShox doesn't make replacement parts. We try make a plan for other shocks but nothing that can fit. Bummer. 3) So I ask Jarqeus at Cogent for a quote on the new machined shaft, a quote on a similar shock and even a replacement shock. 4) Call Trail Tech cycles, get a quote within 30 minutes, nothing in stock so it will need to be ordered. 5) No riding on the weekend, but it is what it is. 6) Monday 9th November, call Jarqeus and tell him we need to go ahead with the machining of the shaft, so send me a price in this, and also the quote for the replacements. 7) 25 November send Jarqeus a WhatsApp, stating my name, shock and the problem with the shock, message got read, but no reply. So today is the 7th December, still no answer, feedback or even the quote on the replacement shocks, in the meantime I had to buy a second hand shock so I can ride. Am I the unfortunate guy to get the worst service from Cogent or is this a pretty normal happening and no-one says anything? Problem is that Cogent is delivering a service that only a few guys can do, including the bike shops which send the shocks to Cogent anyways. Must say I am very disappointed at this whole situation, it just sucks that it has had to come to this but honestly I am gatvol, just a phone call or an email would make it better, any feedback at least. I am not unreasonable, if there is an issue with the machining, lets explore other options, if I needed to buy a new shock, well then I had to. But not replying, or communicating PISSES me off. Please by all means reply to this, maybe I am out of line but really, a month with nothing?

The huck era was a double edged sword I think, 1) It proved what could be done on a bike and pushed the industry into that direction of making bikes strong and rideable. Those bikes were highly over engineered and absolute pigs to pedal. We now have bikes with usable suspension and geometry that works for a broader spectrum of riding. 2) It sucked. One hit do or die. Look the dudes that dropped the big stuff and basically paved the path to what we know today as freeride need to be given respect for what they did, but it was a bad time. Yes it started a movement but it was a circus, an act, or perceived as it. Look at the older Crusty Demons of Dirt MX videos and the New World Disorder videos, notice a trend? It wasn’t until the whole ride, party, get laid thing kinda fizzled out, then it became more mainstream. And in term became more acceptable and the industry changed there bikes accordingly. This comes from a 40 something year old who has a bit more experience than back then. But man being in my early 20 with a DH bike dropping of anything was fun! Being a goon in the veld dropping into erosion ditches was awesome.

Put the oven on 200. Heat them up gradually and feel them as they get warmer. Water won’t work, if there is any leather on the shoe it shrinks a bit as it dries. This technique hasn’t failed me. I had a pair of Vans that killed my feet, so bad that they started to burn and were basically unwearable. Me being a cheap skate and not wanting to buy new shoes I did this about 4 times after each cooling( I don’t recommend this, it should work after 2 times) but I got them so good I could go skating with them without and numbness or burning. They lived there days out getting dragged across griptape.

So here is something to try, Vans run a little tight in the toe box area, so and I have done this for the past 15 years with all my skate shoes, microwave! Put the shoe in the microwave for about 20 seconds, be careful, don’t do it if the shoe has steel eyelets, wear a thick pair of socks and loosen the laces. After the 20 seconds, it must be hot, not warm. Put your foot in and tighten the laces as normal. Jump up and down a bit. You can do it 2 times if needed. You can use the oven too but takes a bit longer, 200 degrees. Like I said I have been doing this for years, I have high arches so I need a little extra support in the arch area. Also my feet are a bit wide so this is why I microwave them. Sounds crazy but it works. Try it. It does nothing to the shoes structure or durability it just makes your foot mould to the inner.

Reese Wilson pitched up and rode at his best, he didn't cheat. So how can you say that? Yes he isn't top 10 but saying he doesn't deserve it? Yes the track deteriorated fast after his run and the others had a hard time, but that's racing. It was easy to see as the race was won or lost in the woods, the riders all tried to make up time in the top section to make up for the forrest, and it wasn't like they guys were 10 seconds up after the first split either, it was close all the way up until the forrest. The weather was against everyone, same as the forrest. Nobody could control the weather. Personally I think he rode well and deserves it, like I said, he gave it his best, and won.

Think its a different market. Some people don't want to wear full XC shoes. Also it you have to carry your bike or walk back up a hill, those carbon XC shoes are ****. Not to mention wearing them all day. I think the market can offer 2 different styles of shoes but it think they catering more toward the "casual/skate shoe" and most of the current clientele will kick against the XC shoe. So get loose, stick that foot out and drift that corner Bro, its only shoes

Flats. Flats. Flats. Clipped in you get lazy, you learn to bunny hop wrong and jumping suffers too. That being said I have seen guys jumping huge clipped in. Flats for the party!