Short travel 29'ers

Posted by: skooks

Posted by: Heinous

Knolly Fugitive really excites me.

I have been riding a Fugitive LT since February and really like it. It's my first 29er and I was worried it wouldn't be very agile. I have to say I am suprised at how good it feels in this regard, and how well it handles low speed jank.

I jumped aboard the short(er) travel 29er train yesterday with a fugitive. I'm working on getting the suspension dialled to taste but I am very very impressed with the ride. It was a few small bedding in laps but the bike frame is VERY stiff in a good way, probably due to the 157 rear and also that my last bike was a 2015 Process 27.5 so there's that too.

I'm sure I wouldn't be so amazed at the frame stiffness if I was comparing a 2019 Process, but maybe not.

The Fugitive really does climb well, I was still making the same mistakes in the same places which I feel is a good rubric for technique vs machinery. The overall traction and terrain feel was also good especially since it's a DPX2 as compared to the coil shock that I had on the Process. The rear wheel tracking was also crisp for ladders and some skinnies.

Oh and it is fast, especially fast when I'm not trying to be fast.

Overall, the bike is taut and responds swiftly to body language without feeling drifty and I think I'm really looking forwards to riding this in a non-monster truck enduro plow manner.

Posted by: DanL

Posted by: skooks

Posted by: Heinous

Knolly Fugitive really excites me.

I have been riding a Fugitive LT since February and really like it. It's my first 29er and I was worried it wouldn't be very agile. I have to say I am suprised at how good it feels in this regard, and how well it handles low speed jank.

I jumped aboard the short(er) travel 29er train yesterday with a fugitive. I'm working on getting the suspension dialled to taste but I am very very impressed with the ride. It was a few small bedding in laps but the bike frame is VERY stiff in a good way, probably due to the 157 rear and also that my last bike was a 2015 Process 27.5 so there's that too.

I'm sure I wouldn't be so amazed at the frame stiffness if I was comparing a 2019 Process, but maybe not.

The Fugitive really does climb well, I was still making the same mistakes in the same places which I feel is a good rubric for technique vs machinery. The overall traction and terrain feel was also good especially since it's a DPX2 as compared to the coil shock that I had on the Process. The rear wheel tracking was also crisp for ladders and some skinnies.

Oh and it is fast, especially fast when I'm not trying to be fast.

Overall, the bike is taut and responds swiftly to body language without feeling drifty and I think I'm really looking forwards to riding this in a non-monster truck enduro plow manner.

Pictures? What colour did you get? Its great that you are so stoked on your ride. I would live to try one of those. Seems like the ideal short travel 29er for bc.

I sold my 2020 process 134 carbon as I found it too flexy when going got rough. It was fine for moderate trails, which means it would be fine for almost 100% of the trails everywhere else in north America, but at 220lbs on an xl, I didn't like it for steep janky or hard charging. I suspect the fugitive would be the exact opposite. And knolly has such amazingly active suspension. Jealous for sure.

Yeah, what the heck? Where are the pictures?

Found lurking in it's natural state

Hell yeah man, looks great :D

Posted by: DanL

Found lurking in it's natural state

Now I really want one. Maybe I can pick up a demo.....

Posted by: Hepcat

Thoughts on the Norco Optic?

I did get to demo one for two rides. Liked it a lot. Climbs tech stuff really well, descends tech stuff equally well, feels very "surefooted". What it does lack, though, is the "pop" of a short travel bike. On mellower climbs/rolling terrain, it doesn't accelerate or feel as fast as a Giant Trance, for example. Haven't demo'd the Sight for comparison, but I wonder if it's worth not having all that travel on a bike that essentially feels like a bigger bike anyway.

Knolly makes a solid bike for sure. I enjoyed my Endorphin and the CS I rec'd from Knolly was excellent. Enjoy the Fug!

Now I have a water bottle, the previous owner had the OneUp EDC tapped into the fork and I have frame straps for my pump. It's like triple birthday time.

Posted by: RAHrider

Posted by: DanL

Posted by: skooks

Posted by: Heinous

Knolly Fugitive really excites me.

I have been riding a Fugitive LT since February and really like it. It's my first 29er and I was worried it wouldn't be very agile. I have to say I am suprised at how good it feels in this regard, and how well it handles low speed jank.

I jumped aboard the short(er) travel 29er train yesterday with a fugitive. I'm working on getting the suspension dialled to taste but I am very very impressed with the ride. It was a few small bedding in laps but the bike frame is VERY stiff in a good way, probably due to the 157 rear and also that my last bike was a 2015 Process 27.5 so there's that too.

I'm sure I wouldn't be so amazed at the frame stiffness if I was comparing a 2019 Process, but maybe not.

The Fugitive really does climb well, I was still making the same mistakes in the same places which I feel is a good rubric for technique vs machinery. The overall traction and terrain feel was also good especially since it's a DPX2 as compared to the coil shock that I had on the Process. The rear wheel tracking was also crisp for ladders and some skinnies.

Oh and it is fast, especially fast when I'm not trying to be fast.

Overall, the bike is taut and responds swiftly to body language without feeling drifty and I think I'm really looking forwards to riding this in a non-monster truck enduro plow manner.

Pictures? What colour did you get? Its great that you are so stoked on your ride. I would live to try one of those. Seems like the ideal short travel 29er for bc.

I sold my 2020 process 134 carbon as I found it too flexy when going got rough. It was fine for moderate trails, which means it would be fine for almost 100% of the trails everywhere else in north America, but at 220lbs on an xl, I didn't like it for steep janky or hard charging. I suspect the fugitive would be the exact opposite. And knolly has such amazingly active suspension. Jealous for sure.

I've been on a fugitive since the start of this year and couldn't be happier with it. Such a capable and fun bike for tech climbing and just about any type of descending. Perfect for the type of riding I do on the shore and in squamish.

I'm adapting to tuning fox for the ride now. The forks/shock handle the 2ft drops/jumps but there's harsher chatter on repeated small edges. Still really composed on loose stuff - I'm guessing it's a rebound issue that it's packing slightly??

Yesterday was acclimatising part 2 - fast laps of Leppard/Crinkum followed by Expresso. Climbing traction is still great - I can easily motor up loose loose surfaces, like that little section at the first switchback on Fromme or quickly change body weighting when the rear spins out on that uphill section on Leppard.

It's just very composed - tracking on corners combined with a surprisingly not-reachy cockpit (only 20mm shorter stem) means I'm not riding on it, which I was concerned about, but very much riding in it. Body position changes are accepted easily and responded to quickly and the odd offline rock strike or slip is quickly adjusted to.

I'm looking forwards to part 3 which is rocks/roots and speed control on Lower Crippler, Boundary and Pipeline.

Posted by: Vikb

Just had a look and I can get the Lyrik as a 29er 150mm fork and there is a 140mm airshaft available. You can buy the Yari as a 29er 140mm fork. Not great damper, but it's cheap and will take an Avy aftermarket damper or other damper for higher performance. I like 20mm over-forking so that could be fine for a 140/120mm 29er.

MRP Ribbon 29er fork can be internally adjusted anywhere between 140-160mm. No parts required. Just drop the lowers.

I'm not as familiar with FOX forks or other brands. I think Andrew runs a short travel 120mm Helm on his Waltworks V2 though.

Anyways if 140mm is short enough fork travel seems like there are options for a 29er.

Manitou Mezzer internally adjustable down to 140mm too. No need to purchase another air shaft.

37mm stanchion fork on an Optic...🚜

Also, sure that 140mm airshaft was for Lyrik? Not seeing it.

Posted by: Hepcat

Also, sure that 140mm airshaft was for Lyrik? Not seeing it.

Yes. You can get a Lyrik/Yari airshaft in 140mm.

Raaw sent out an email this morning announcing their upcoming short travel rig, the Jibb.

Boy I'd like to get my hands on one of those. Wonder if we'll have to wait till June like the V2...

Btw, Raaw just posted up a small batch of XL V2's on their site if anyone gigantic here has been waiting.