luisgutierod profile

I can backup this device. I have ridden a knowlly warden 2015.. check the pedal kickback numbers on that machine.. nothing.. its like chainless almost..

very interesting option.. any mullet geo on 160mm could be used as 27.5 fron with some tweak (180 or spacer cup etc)... I would love to know if it can handle the 65mm stroke.. nice job.. bad pricing though..

no issues, tried on some I9 grades and NOBL TR33s, no prob at all.

great review man ! All reviews should go to the effects temperature has on performance. My experience with these is hat for aggressive riding (and fast trails) front works fantastic with cushcore, as well as the rear.. however rocky abrasive terrain is a durability issue for sure.. for which I would switch to Wild Rockr2 in GumX.. for technical loamy damped conditions, the enduro f/r combo works great.. If your OCD allows for it.. WE Front & DH34 rear is amazing combination as well.

Noel, thanks for jumping on these forums. I will have a Knolly again in the future when I deserve it ;). I have lusted over a few bikes, carbon warden when I had my alloy, podium, delirium. Etc. With that said, I think you nailed it withthe term "raceable" bike, that's how I used my Warden for 3 seasons..

I understand bike geometry needs to be compared with other current ones.. however I feel like there is a range that should be declared "acceptable modern" as it all depends on personal preference (pro riders included). A frame in L size with 500mm reach is long.. by no means dated, (in my books... ).. shortish CS length at 431mm? (it's a 27.5 bike after all) Dont ever try a Canfield balance then. ; ) . 

Knollys have been "balanced" bikes all the bike (geometry wise), but the shortcoming is the linkage... when clean and fresh bushings there, it works great.. let mud/grit/much sit there and you have a friction sh*t-show against you. I had a previous gen warden, I loved the way it handled descents, tech riding, definitively not an enduro race bike (the no pedal kickback was amazing feeling on the downs)....But the linkage required too much maintenance to be smooth and keep the suspension acting freely with the shock.

I have raced wild enduro rear with CC pro couple times, and being average weight (75ish kg naked) I am terrible line picker and EXO tires last me nothing.. the rim tires survived Madeira EWS with good traction.. on the front I was not convinced on the benefits back then, but this summer I managed to use MagiX Wild Enduro from + CC pro in the bike parks in PDS.. this one held up to the abuse of high speed rocky and/or groomed berms as a DH tire, with 20 psi... on the other hand, I tried Michelin DH34 with CC pro in the rear.. not needed in my opinion.. better damp and enough support without insert.. I just put a huck norris to protect the rim in case of catastrophic line choice.. I had a lot of those but at low speed (if you saw Zermatt race conditions.. worst weather snowy muddy cold af).. I understand Maxxis is benchmark for testing and there are comparative casings to other tires.. but I think that there a nuances that make very different experiences with other manufactures + inserts. Tire profile, volume for example play a huge role, if you see the Michelin DH offers, these are not high volume tires, compared to Wild Enduros.. and new Schwalbe Supertrail are in between Exo+ and DD may be ?.. good article on experimenting !!

hahahahah I gave my kid my ixs hack evo elbow pads that got as gift as were really small for me. We all think the same

I can tell you that from many tires I have tried, there is a big difference between the Der kaiser project folding and the DH csg version (new current version).. This is a fantastic rear tire that weights 1400 gr as well.. I don't k ow if Der baron project exists as DH csg.. Michelin wild Enduro front with dh34 back its a very efficiency all rounder, not too heavy. The DH 34 is heavy, but as its not that big, it's manageable.. The compound wears really good

my armchair-engineering rationale is that the offset in the cups is not in the range for the HT length, and that would put stress on the whole assembly...

if on 30-40% sale, I9s are the ones to go.. their Enduro-S line is fantastic...although if you get into the details of stiffness and alloy/carbon frame combination, I rather get more compliant wheels (enduro S ones have std spokes vs alloy ones in their higher end ones)

Posted by: grambo

Hmmm fack, sucks to see, hopefully cheap tires from Germany continue to be a thing. Debating grabbing some Saints or Zees from b-d this week now.

and maguras

I have MT5s caliper with zee/xt levers... works like a charm...

I wont derail you with other bike options... there is a lot of info on this thread http://forums.mtbr.com/banshee-bikes/banshee-rune-v2-build-thread-821649-new-post.html

I have a Warden which I will sell soon (2015), replaced with a Canfield Balance as current go to bike, and I have a Darkside... Knollys are and ride completely different to any dual link-ish bike (dw/banshee/canfield/VPP, Yetis).... 

I have had an obsession with a Rune for so long, but I settled for another bike during my last bike change. All issues you mentioned are solved and you can get 31-32 lb no prob, but dont get that hung up on 2-3 lbs of weight. Wheels/tires and pedal position/efficiency are way more important than 2-3lbs, believe me, I've been there...

cheers