Bouldering • Re: This thread is about bikes
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Well that sounds miserable. I go for short spins through the desert and chase jackrabbit and cactus wren through the sahuaros. I think I need to set my sag because this thing feel like riding a tightly strung bow through the desert. I have the rebound set pretty quick and a bit of compression up front to make it act a bit more like the oldschool hardtail I came from, but it still feels a bit bouncy.
I think the hardest thing to get used to is actually the size of the wheels. I felt so frikkin fast on the 26s leaning into corners and shit. I have to actually steer this thing and it feels weird. Oh and pedal strikes. Pedal strikes everywhere. My fastest rides of the season so far are the ones where I leave the car and my feet don't touch the ground until I am back to the car. This bike might be able to do that if I give pedal strikes a pass but it feels like dabbing. What I am most surprised by is the climbing capabilities. When the front end goes up and you get over the rear wheel, you can deliver a lot of power to the ground. It ate up a couple climbs that are tricky and easily bombed a gnarly descent that is scary for your collarbones on the 98.
Seems like a lot of tradeoffs with these newschool bikes. They do feel like driving a couch through the desert... but if you can get it up to speed it is fast af. The brakes are powerful but that also can cut your speed. The bike is efficient, but you need that to counter the active suspension... and so on. The old bike is straightforward and this is fun to learn. They just opened a new flow trail here and for the first time I would like to get some of that. Early morning old man at the skatepark style of course.
My brake levers don't feel all jammed up, but with the shifter there is a big reach for the thumb to come around to the upshift lever. It is strange.
Now looking at the list of things I have to buy - shockpumps, hydraulic brake pads, teal aluminum bling to pimp my ride - i see why the industry decided we all need to ride fullsus tubeless dropper post bikes. It is a lot less harsh on the body and dudes get to fiddle with mechanical shit. Win win.
I think the hardest thing to get used to is actually the size of the wheels. I felt so frikkin fast on the 26s leaning into corners and shit. I have to actually steer this thing and it feels weird. Oh and pedal strikes. Pedal strikes everywhere. My fastest rides of the season so far are the ones where I leave the car and my feet don't touch the ground until I am back to the car. This bike might be able to do that if I give pedal strikes a pass but it feels like dabbing. What I am most surprised by is the climbing capabilities. When the front end goes up and you get over the rear wheel, you can deliver a lot of power to the ground. It ate up a couple climbs that are tricky and easily bombed a gnarly descent that is scary for your collarbones on the 98.
Seems like a lot of tradeoffs with these newschool bikes. They do feel like driving a couch through the desert... but if you can get it up to speed it is fast af. The brakes are powerful but that also can cut your speed. The bike is efficient, but you need that to counter the active suspension... and so on. The old bike is straightforward and this is fun to learn. They just opened a new flow trail here and for the first time I would like to get some of that. Early morning old man at the skatepark style of course.
My brake levers don't feel all jammed up, but with the shifter there is a big reach for the thumb to come around to the upshift lever. It is strange.
Now looking at the list of things I have to buy - shockpumps, hydraulic brake pads, teal aluminum bling to pimp my ride - i see why the industry decided we all need to ride fullsus tubeless dropper post bikes. It is a lot less harsh on the body and dudes get to fiddle with mechanical shit. Win win.
Statistics: Posted by Lox — Sat Mar 06, 2021 12:36 am