A Dose of Dos
Well it took long enough, but I finally got my new toy out on the trails last Thursday. There's still a bit of tweaking to be done, but I think I've got it pretty much dialed in. My initial concerns about feeling cramped in the cockpit turned out to be unfounded after adjusting the handlebar and seat positions a little, and there is no toe overlap.
First impression: This thing moves! Going for the lightweight build was a good idea, I think. I haven't actually weighed it, but I think it came in well under 25 lbs. I am not a fast rider at all ("pokey" would be a fair description of my riding style). That said, I felt like I was C-R-U-I-S-I-N-G!
Initial results indicate when I return Ricky's Karate Monkey fork, it'll only be to replace it with a rigid fork to call my very own! I had no problems whatsoever moving from the 100mm on the Stumpy to the KM. My initial impression, that rigid on a 29er feels the same to me as an 80mm suspension fork on a 26er, remains unchanged after this maiden voyage. I really see no need for a suspension fork for the type of riding I do, especially with the softtail taking the edge off on the back end. I'm already starting to look for good deals on a Pace, a fork I think is thimply thexthy!
Similarly, I think I'm keeping the Mary bar. If Jason won't sell his, I'll pick up one of my own.
I see no need to drop the SS setup either, at least not yet. I had no real problems handling the steep, rooty, rocky (but short) climbs where I was, and even though I hadn't been on a bike in several days, I didn't feel any more gassed-out than usual. It wasn't 'til the end of the ride when I was starting get tired that I found myself reaching for non-existent shifters (and even then, about half the time I was trying to shift up to stop spinning). Admittedly, 32-20 isn't the toughest gear in the universe, but it seems to work well for local conditions.
I do need to get used to the higher BB when going over logpiles, etc, especially coming off a Stumpjumper. There were a couple of times when my balance was a little off due to that. I also learned just how much I use my suspension fork as a crutch when lofting the front end.
The only disappointing part of the ride was tearing out the Ignitor's sidewall just as I was starting a second lap. Just bad luck, I suppose.
Bottom line, I don't think you'll be seeing this bike on eBay anytime soon!
First impression: This thing moves! Going for the lightweight build was a good idea, I think. I haven't actually weighed it, but I think it came in well under 25 lbs. I am not a fast rider at all ("pokey" would be a fair description of my riding style). That said, I felt like I was C-R-U-I-S-I-N-G!
Initial results indicate when I return Ricky's Karate Monkey fork, it'll only be to replace it with a rigid fork to call my very own! I had no problems whatsoever moving from the 100mm on the Stumpy to the KM. My initial impression, that rigid on a 29er feels the same to me as an 80mm suspension fork on a 26er, remains unchanged after this maiden voyage. I really see no need for a suspension fork for the type of riding I do, especially with the softtail taking the edge off on the back end. I'm already starting to look for good deals on a Pace, a fork I think is thimply thexthy!
Similarly, I think I'm keeping the Mary bar. If Jason won't sell his, I'll pick up one of my own.
I see no need to drop the SS setup either, at least not yet. I had no real problems handling the steep, rooty, rocky (but short) climbs where I was, and even though I hadn't been on a bike in several days, I didn't feel any more gassed-out than usual. It wasn't 'til the end of the ride when I was starting get tired that I found myself reaching for non-existent shifters (and even then, about half the time I was trying to shift up to stop spinning). Admittedly, 32-20 isn't the toughest gear in the universe, but it seems to work well for local conditions.
I do need to get used to the higher BB when going over logpiles, etc, especially coming off a Stumpjumper. There were a couple of times when my balance was a little off due to that. I also learned just how much I use my suspension fork as a crutch when lofting the front end.
The only disappointing part of the ride was tearing out the Ignitor's sidewall just as I was starting a second lap. Just bad luck, I suppose.
Bottom line, I don't think you'll be seeing this bike on eBay anytime soon!
posted by Drew at 3:26 PM
2 Comments:
Hey meester - how much you want for dee Stumpjumper? ;)
Glad to hear the Niner is out of the closet and on the trails - more incentive for me to meet up one weekend soon and ride. And give you the beer that's waiting in the fridge. The tasty, nectar, beer.
Dooood. :D Nice bike. Glad it is working out for you.
I've beaten the TAR out of my ignitors and they have held up great. I need to rotate them as I've got enough miles on them this year that the rear is showing some tread wear.
Hope to see you on the trails this weekend.
Pete
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