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Long bikes are... bad???

vivisectxi

Monkey
Jan 14, 2021
476
581
yeast van
Who could forget the Kooka Double Barrels?
I think they might even have come with a sort of oil slick finish...certainly orange/red/ blue mix...or maybe Rasta?
maybe thinking of the caramba (different company) double barrels?



ah, the good old days of sketchy, but pretty cnc parts.
 

Lelandjt

Turbo Monkey
Apr 4, 2008
2,516
829
Breckenridge, CO/Lahaina,HI
But I think kooka had some Rasta anodization?
as long as we are on the topic, I broke two pairs of the original Race Face CNC models...catastrophically
I remember Kooka merely leading the way in turning billets of aluminum into snapping cranks. Cook Bros and Caramba were right there too. Raceface forged their cranks, then finished them on a CNC so they were the strongest of the CNC era cranks. However, their first gen with cutouts along the top and bottom did have some failures so the next year didn't have those cutouts and were a standard I-beam shape. My 9th grade self had the original lighter version and they held up to my riding.
 

vivisectxi

Monkey
Jan 14, 2021
476
581
yeast van
Those are the ones!
But I think kooka had some Rasta anodization?
as long as we are on the topic, I broke two pairs of the original Race Face CNC models...catastrophically
yeah, i went through a couple sets of the OG RF (pre forged) turbine cranks. i recall installing a set of new warranty cranks, & bending them minutes later on a stair gap (as was the fashion in the day) across the street from our shop. fastest warranty turnaround ever. fortunately none of mine sheared off, just torqued out of shape. RF was surprisingly kind, despite the obvious abuse we were subjecting gear to. was amazing the volume of broken hardware going through the warranty process in the shop at the time.

that said, i subsequently got the new forged atlas cranks (2006, i think?) that have been passed on to several bikes & are still running strong to this day.
 
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iRider

Turbo Monkey
Apr 5, 2008
5,653
3,093
I remember Kooka merely leading the way in turning billets of aluminum into snapping cranks. Cook Bros and Caramba were right there too. Raceface forged their cranks, then finished them on a CNC so they were the strongest of the CNC era cranks. However, their first gen with cutouts along the top and bottom did have some failures so the next year didn't have those cutouts and were a standard I-beam shape. My 9th grade self had the original lighter version and they held up to my riding.
Tune cranks FTW. They were flexy but did not break as frequent as other lightweight options.

 

Rhubarb

Monkey
Jan 11, 2009
463
238
Upon making Lee's numbers I'm now debating IF I need a longer reach. On top of that, GG's geometry suggestions says the same, I need a 472 (size 3) reach Megatrail...
Same height and feel 470mm to 485mm is my ideal range. My Bronson is 470mm and I need to run a 50mm stem. The Reactor is 482mm and I run a 40mm. I prefer the overall feel and handling of the Reactor. I expect the actual Reach on both bikes is not as stated due to running both bikes in the low setting and cockpit setup. I don’t like anything longer than 485mm, but I see the benefit for high speed tracks.
 

scrublover

Turbo Monkey
Sep 1, 2004
2,921
6,287
Tune cranks FTW. They were flexy but did not break as frequent as other lightweight options.
I had two sets of Toplines (Tune clones) over the years. Flexy as fuck, but never broke.

Granted I'm a little dude and they were on XC bikes.
 

buckoW

Turbo Monkey
Mar 1, 2007
3,787
4,733
Champery, Switzerland
You look like the result of IVF that accidentally got sperm from both Binary Visions and Jeff Foxworthy
Thanks! I like to look like that when I do the Ebike laps on the DH tracks with my friends who are easily uncomfortable. That’s my Swiss German alter ebiking ego. His name is Reto... Reto likes to fuck with people.
I’ve got an English alter ego who’s named Doive! He’s also an ebiker.

Haha, bikes are sofa king serious business!
 
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Jm_

sled dog's bollocks
Jan 14, 2002
18,999
9,661
AK
I had Kookas and somehow I didn't break them on the RM DH Race.
 

ianjenn

Turbo Monkey
Sep 12, 2006
3,001
704
SLO
Screen Shot 2021-04-11 at 7.25.08 AM.png


Screen Shot 2021-04-11 at 7.24.19 AM.png



Had these on the 2000 Patriot. Technically it was a Patriot LT before that was a thing.....should have kept them they are worth $1K now.
 

dexter

Turbo Monkey
Sep 23, 2001
3,053
99
Boise, Idaho
Those are the ones!
But I think kooka had some Rasta anodization?
as long as we are on the topic, I broke two pairs of the original Race Face CNC models...catastrophically
I had kooka rasta's on a few bikes and finally blew them up hucking the mega stairs to flat at the colorado symphony center... fun times
 

Westy

the teste
Nov 22, 2002
54,447
20,248
Sleazattle
Why u no like stress risers?

I have spent a good chunk of my life making CNCs perform well so they can cut beautiful die/molds. I understand why, but it pains me to see someone leave a part like that, not to mention some people seem to think it is cool.
 

Bikael Molton

goofy for life
Jun 9, 2003
4,028
1,165
El Lay
More man jewelry.

EDIT: LOL!
"Boone Technologies was one of those companies, but they stopped producing their signature Twist! cranks 25 years ago to concentrate on making titanium wedding rings instead."