Fair points.
Most of the riding was on a 27.5" wheel (the 29er was a 1-day experiment), I am well aware of the height differences being a problem without a compensation method but when you have an older bike that is sub $2k to begin with buying angle sets and other goods is a rabbit hole as you mention in your article.
I guess I was interpreting the conclusion of the SB104 experience as you were interested in the possibility of it being more 'lunch ride' in which yeti does not do anything to adjust headtube angle. I understand lunch ride is way less extreme and I agree that it isn't a good philosophy in our process 134 case as I hated/disagreed with the bike wearing the extra long travel fork.
To your point I think all the fuss of putting a 130/140mm fork on it and angling it out just to run a 29er seems like a lot of effort for that extra bit of ability to roll over things not worth the trouble without really knowing if it turns out great. If it does you have an opportunity for newer geo on a much cheaper bike. I personally think the bike is fantastic on the shore with the 150mm pike that it has now and no other changes but it's owner is looking for something more.
Does the slack mullet really help you that much? On the process 134 with -2 angleset the bike would end up with a 64 degree-ish headtube. I guess I would like an opinion of a person that enjoys this kind of bike?
I had a 2021 Status 160 (also have a friend who has the 140 version) which as you know is born as a mullet with a 426mm chainstay; so similar-ish to the kona with a bit more reach. I personally did not enjoy the 29" wheel or the fact that in the low position the bike was hovering below 63 headtube angle. It felt like a barge turning on some of the tighter trails like pangor. The Status 160 felt pretty good with a 27.5 on the front (un-mulleted and not compensated so that the headtube became more steep) although it did make the pedals pretty low (not a big deal imho). In the end I felt like I was riding a very overweight bike for no reason at that point so I bailed on it for a lighter trail bike. The replacement bike is around a 65.5 degree headtube angle and matching 27.5" wheels which doesn't seem to be a problem on steeps or tech and I love it. Yet some folks describe this magic of a 29" front wheel and slackness which doesn't translate for me when I tried it. Not a big deal but just trying to understand other people's fascination with it.
Nov. 24, 2021, 3:38 p.m. - doodersonmcbroseph
Fair points. Most of the riding was on a 27.5" wheel (the 29er was a 1-day experiment), I am well aware of the height differences being a problem without a compensation method but when you have an older bike that is sub $2k to begin with buying angle sets and other goods is a rabbit hole as you mention in your article. I guess I was interpreting the conclusion of the SB104 experience as you were interested in the possibility of it being more 'lunch ride' in which yeti does not do anything to adjust headtube angle. I understand lunch ride is way less extreme and I agree that it isn't a good philosophy in our process 134 case as I hated/disagreed with the bike wearing the extra long travel fork. To your point I think all the fuss of putting a 130/140mm fork on it and angling it out just to run a 29er seems like a lot of effort for that extra bit of ability to roll over things not worth the trouble without really knowing if it turns out great. If it does you have an opportunity for newer geo on a much cheaper bike. I personally think the bike is fantastic on the shore with the 150mm pike that it has now and no other changes but it's owner is looking for something more. Does the slack mullet really help you that much? On the process 134 with -2 angleset the bike would end up with a 64 degree-ish headtube. I guess I would like an opinion of a person that enjoys this kind of bike? I had a 2021 Status 160 (also have a friend who has the 140 version) which as you know is born as a mullet with a 426mm chainstay; so similar-ish to the kona with a bit more reach. I personally did not enjoy the 29" wheel or the fact that in the low position the bike was hovering below 63 headtube angle. It felt like a barge turning on some of the tighter trails like pangor. The Status 160 felt pretty good with a 27.5 on the front (un-mulleted and not compensated so that the headtube became more steep) although it did make the pedals pretty low (not a big deal imho). In the end I felt like I was riding a very overweight bike for no reason at that point so I bailed on it for a lighter trail bike. The replacement bike is around a 65.5 degree headtube angle and matching 27.5" wheels which doesn't seem to be a problem on steeps or tech and I love it. Yet some folks describe this magic of a 29" front wheel and slackness which doesn't translate for me when I tried it. Not a big deal but just trying to understand other people's fascination with it.