michel77 profile

Very enjoyable read, well researched, well written and fun while still conveying an important message. Support those who support you and your activities. Kudos!

Edit: just noticed this was published May 9 (i.e. tomorrow), I'm commenting way early!

Is it just me or is the "a few issues" paragraph cut short? "Rocky performed a service, which included a calibration, an user friendly operation, and"?

Great photography on these dream build articles, well done!

With due respect, I don't get the "do more" argument.  Get a bike that allows for physically harder, but maybe slightly mellower technical rides (i.e. hardtail, rigid bike, singlespeed, etc.).  If you only have an hour, a short lap like that is perfect.  Then on the weekends, grab the full-sus and go for a 2 hour climb before you hit all the fun on the downhill.  Horses for courses, I guess, but it seems like the easy-out argument to me.

I was 100% sure I'd never buy a 5010.  That video however was pure genius so now I'm only 99% sure. Well played Santa Cruz, well played..

Hey Andrew, I had a 2.4 Honcho first and it came out pretty narrow (about 2.2 on a 30mm internal rim).  I now fitted the 2.6 and it's much better, still running a bit smaller than a true 2.6 but it's wider than a 2.5WT Aggressor so close enough.  Seems like a solid tire so far.

I do also like the look of the Cumberland, looks just a bit more aggressive than the Ehline (although Eh-line is an awesome tire name) and comes in 2.6 vs 2.5 for the Ehline. I may use some store credit to get a Cumberland and report back..

I just recently switched out my 2.5 Aggressor rear/2.5 Minion DHF front for a set of Teravail Honcho's 29x2.6 durable casing rear and light/supple casing front, both 60 tpi.  Something a little lighter/faster and appropriate for spring/summer conditions but still capable enough for the burlier stuff.

Pretty impressed so far, much faster rolling than the Maxxis combo, and ride noticeably "softer" as well which is nice on a hardtail.  I may even try the 2.6 Ehline out back, more in line with this article being more of a semi-slick tire.

Posted by: Lynx

Well I guess this is a Rigid, but also HT:-) My 2018 Kona Unit XL running 29+. Absolutely love this bike, great all around geo with the external lower cup, if I want slacker, I can throw a 650B+ in the rear and slacken the HTA by about 1.5 degrees. Sadly though, just came to the realization that I have to put it aside for the time being as it's just too much for my knee to handle right now, hoping that by end of year the knee will be strong enough I can be back on it, but 2+ days to recover from a basic XC ride isn't cool.

It's seen a few iterations/parts swap since I built it in early 2018, initially I just swapped all the parts from my '08 Monkey onto it, but found I didn't like how slack it was for general all around riding with the 650B+ R/29+ F setup, so decided to try full 29+ and it fit/worked and have been running that ever since. I've taken it down our steepest and gnarliest trails without much issue, just takes a good bit more rider input and speed reduction, to get it down.

Love the look of that, very cool as a 29+ (hope you stocked up on Chronicles!).  Is that a "manual" 2x setup in the front?

Love that SS Samurai, and looks like you're putting it through the paces!

They do this funny thing where they use the same frame for 142 or 148 rear spacing. I suspect they make the frame 145 and you just spread or squeeze it? Probably works fine but something about that philosophy turned me off but I also full well know that my custom Marino I am waiting for with 148 rear spacing may measure 145 when I get it ;)

Surly does that on most of their bikes, most steel manufacturers say you can go either way and run boost or not.  It's only a 3 mm spread per side, not an issue for any steel frame.

Posted by: syncro

Ok, so I have to give a warning for this pic.

It may be more awesome than some of you can handle.

Others may need to go and grab some paper towels.

Test rides can be booked by calling 1-800-GRT-RIDE

That's awesome!  Love the fork protection, is it functional or aesthetics only?

Posted by: Cheez1ts

That starling is a very nice, what are you doing to the suspension?

Going to try the Ohlins coil and probably an Ohlins fork as well, slightly stiffer chassis than the Cane Creek and probably going to 160mm in front

Posted by: AndrewMajor

Posted by: michel77

…I came across a deal on Mone fork and bars on that other site, and decided to give those a try. It's a bit of a klunker look which I rather enjoy:

The bars are the Oddmone bars, 22.2mm diameter with a 75mm rise and 15 degree sweep. I was already running bars with a 45mm rise and 16 degree sweep but these feel super comfy and put me in a good spot.

I went out for a quick shakedown ride and had a blast! There's a bit of spring/flex to the bi-plane fork which takes the edge off but there's no mistaking you're on a rigid bike. Probably will throw an insert in the front so I can run lower pressures. I'll run this setup for a while to see how we get along, for now I'm pretty stoked and it definitely helps to keep the mellow trails spicy :)

I’m normally into a straight-blade rigid fork aesthetic but I have to say this looks amazing!

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Big tire, wide rim, big insert! Can only speak from experience but the combination changed my rigid bikes from sometimes machines to ride-almost-anywhere mountain bikes.

Yep, found a source on the elusive 2.8 Vigilante so got one of them plus an additional cushcore on the way :)

Posted by: WeTYC...

Posted by: michel77

And from today (should be in the full-sus thread really but I like you guys ;) )

I'm super jealous!  Did you ride up Mountain Lake to Mt. Constitution Trail, or did you go up the paved road?  Do they just close the gate and leave the road unplowed?

I tried to get my riding crew to pledge that if we got snow down to sea level we'd drop everything and take the ferry over, but it didn't wind up happening.

Don't feel too bad for me--I did get two snow rides in (on the mainland, not Orcas though)  Last Tuesday's solo ride was shorter then planned because it was so damned cold even with thin wool glove liners under Windstopper lobster claws my fingers got dangerously cold.  Realized I really made the right call when I was sitting in the warm truck cab waiting for my hands to be useful enough to drive and the pre-Hypothermia convulsions started.

Today's ride was a short one because riding buddies had commitments they had to get home to.  Too bad because snow conditions were primo and air temperature was high enough that fingers and toes were toasty.

No pics of my rides either because they were on the semi-fat 6" full-boing Hammerschmidt'd maximum-inefficiency snow bike.

Sorry, I missed this post.  We went up the paved road.  They close the gate at the bottom but it was actually plowed so it was decent for riding up and I love it when they close the road, no cars and no people! 

We took Cold Springs down, it was tough going at the pedally bit at the top but once we went downhill we could (mostly) keep some momentum.  Once past the rock garden, the snow went to about 6" and it really opened up, pretty awesome!

Whereabouts are you at, sounds like you're in the area?  If you can't get a riding crew together, feel free to hit me up and I'm always happy to get a lap or 2 in!

I'll be on my Starling for '22, got a few changes planned for suspension setup mostly but otherwise it's been treating me well and I'm really enjoying it (even if I sometimes curse the weight on climbs; main goal for '22 should be to lose about 5 lbs and get fit..).

Great start to the '22 hardtail thread!  Love the Docta's and the Arcturian, sweet rigs!

Possibly influenced by certain NSMB articles over the years, I decided to try something a bit different this year.  I've had rigid bikes before (Surly Karate Monkey, Salsa Fargo) but never converted any of my modern hardtails.  

I've been kinda missing having a rigid bike in the fold, especially now in the wet/sloppy months and also I now have a second bike that suits me better on the rowdier trails so the Chromag is now mostly used for quick lunch rides and after work loops with the dog(s).  I've been keeping an eye out for a rigid fork that would fit my Chromag Surface which means min. 500mm axle to crown to not alter geometry too much.  I came across a deal on Mone fork and bars on that other site, and decided to give those a try.  It's a bit of a klunker look which I rather enjoy:

The fork is the La Roca tapered fork with a 502mm axle to crown and boost spacing, so it's a pretty good fit for this bike.  I'm getting used to the large gap between tire and fork, but a bigger tire may be in order here..

The bars are the Oddmone bars, 22.2mm diameter with a 75mm rise and 15 degree sweep.  I was already running bars with a 45mm rise and 16 degree sweep but these feel super comfy and put me in a good spot.

I went out for a quick shakedown ride and had a blast!  There's a bit of spring/flex to the bi-plane fork which takes the edge off but there's no mistaking you're on a rigid bike.  Probably will throw an insert in the front so I can run lower pressures.  I'll run this setup for a while to see how we get along, for now I'm pretty stoked and it definitely helps to keep the mellow trails spicy :)  

Side note: I know this is not the Radavist, but I figured the hardtail crowd would appreciate a little tinkering with bikes ;)

Posted by: Vikb

Posted by: michel77

Nice snow riding pics, guys, way to get out there!

It has been much the same here on Orcas Island (just across Haro Strait from Victoria) and I've been out a few times on the hardtail for some freshies.  Celebrated the end of 2021 today with a ride up the local mountain on the full suspension rig and surfing down through about a foot of pow, awesome fun!

Wow. Looks great. I really want to check out Orcas Island one day soon. I'm glad you got out for some fun snow riding to end out 2021.

It's good riding here, and I'm happy to set you up with a spot here to set up camp if you want to!  Mind most trails here close to bikes between May 15 - Sept. 15, best time for riding is late Sept/early Oct (the island is best avoided in July/August, too busy these days..).