Anyone ridden a Canfield Jedi?

I'm considering one but not really sure what to think of the rearward axle stuff and extending chainstays.
This wouldn't be the first time I bought a bike on spec.

I have one, I love it.

I wrote down a few thoughts last year
http://forums.mtbr.com/canfield/my-canfield-experience-872572.html#post10630900

Contact them directly, they often have good deals on leftover and demo frames.

Hey Dave, what size are you on? Also how tall are you?

Props should also be given for them being one of the only (if not the only) bike company to make a presence at BC cups last season with frames, reps and at least one of the brothers themselves.

The bike's an XL. They're now located in Bellingham. Both Canfield brothers are total shredders and quite tall themselves. The Jedi is one of the last boutique monster descender bikes that I'd actually want to own.

My only real question is about the design, which is unconventional. I'm curious to know more about the extending chainstay/wheelbase…

Doesn't Intense M9 wheelbase get longer as you go deeper into the travel as well?

Hey Dave, what size are you on? Also how tall are you?

medium, I'm 5'10"

You're welcome to take it for a spin any time.

medium, I'm 5'10"

You're welcome to take it for a spin any time.

What year is yours?
Ever notice the wheelbase extending? Most of the reports are very positive but in theory it sounds like it would be weird.

The new 2014's should be in around March I think. They'll have some minor revisions compared to last years. If you can demo one do it and wait for the new ones to arrive.

Awesome bigbike. The rearward path makes big chunky stuff and square-edge bumps disappear.

The new Balance has caught my eye.

What year is yours?
Ever notice the wheelbase extending? Most of the reports are very positive but in theory it sounds like it would be weird.

Mine is 2012.

All I noticed from the extending suspension was immense plushness. Chunder, braking bumps etc seems nil to none. I've heard people say they notice it in hard corners but I never did, although I may just be too slow to notice.

Talking with their rep they went through a couple design iterations playing along with the chainstay length for cornering. At rest the CS is quite short to compensate.

I like to think about it as a whole package. You never hear people talking about the front wheel path making the wheel base shorter. On most bikes, the front wheel comes back and the rear wheel goes forward so wheel base shrinks (allot) during compression. However with a Jedi, the rear wheel mimics the front wheel path, keeping the wheel base very close to the same length throughout travel. It will maintain stability on hard bottom outs and carve corners more than snap turns. The short chain stay keeps the chain stay length at sag in the ideal length for turning (so it doesn't feel long). The wheel moving backward, out of the way of the obstacle gives the bike a ultra smooth bump feel and the pulley wheel eliminates the pedal kick that you would normally feel with rearward travel. If the bike doesn't have a pulley wheel or a jack shaft, it's not very rearward. The Jedi is the next level of smoothness. The worse the track gets, the more fun the Jedi is. My bike calls me a wimp and screams at me to go faster and bigger, at least that's how it feels sometimes. Game on.

I am friends with the Director of Sales, who moved to Bellingham a few years ago. He's on the board here, and I get you his contact info if you want to talk to him direct. He is a shredder - goes hucking large and just loves to ride - cool guy to talk with about their bikes.

http://bb.nsmb.com/member.php?u=73094