ackshunW profile

Nice! The tent setup looks so very ....  spacious. But also pretty light overall. Did your suspension upgrades become necessary with that extra (high) weight? Anyway, beautiful setup! Plan to spend a lot more internet time on AT overland....

Yeah, the Frontier is yours? Can you share just a little about your cap&tent setup? Rear spring upgrade? We have a 2011 and trying to decide if worth the investment to outfit it further.

You make these sound good but I’m never going to be used to $40 grips!

I know Revel has some fairly progressive environmental policies—— but I do not believe they build any frames in USA. Rims maybe?

I get that on my GG Megatrail—— where the seat stays are two separate pieces, and extend beyond the rocker link, to drive the shock. If you were to flex the rear triangle sideways, the shock eyelet would be pushed side to side too like a sideways see-saw. But to my armchair engineer eye, Nicolai has done everything right! Their rocker is a bazillion times meatier, has a giant pivot, and any forces from the seat stays have to come through those seat stay pivot bearings before getting to the shock.

I dabble in fandom of Nicolai, but I’m not expert——- even so I’m surprised you say the bike puts major side load into the shock—— really? With that giant downtube, giant welds on stout pivot mounts, and chunky rocker? I’m surprised. Do they have a reputation for eating shocks?

No! I agree with Alex —- he’s saying what I was alluding to above — if Andrew gained “effective reach” with this setup change—— those added mm’s didn’t come from the frame, they came from additional “effective stem length”

Yabbut, if the back sweep/upsweep numbers are the same, 15mm bar vs 76mm bar, for sure your hands wind up ~20mm further forward of the steer tube on the taller bar. 

Unless you’ve got the “rise” bend of the bar inline with the head angle- but most bars seem to be right when that bit is vertical. 

EDIT: I see now in the side view you do have the bars raked pretty far back...

In other words, bar roll has a way bigger effect on reach/ effective stem length when the bar is tall.

You mention added “effective reach”—- but it dawned on me, recently switching to a higher-rise bar (but not 3” — I’m not ready yet) — higher rise, if you keep the bars “level” i.e., rise part vertical, your effective stem length grows. I bet the 3” rise are equivalent to a 20mm longer stem with 15mm rise bars. What I’m saying is, don’t tell the short-stem mafia about this.

Great honest review. Only because you mention it a couple times..... I understand there’s a Torx fitting cut into the other end (bottom by your fork crown) of the BITS tensioning screw. Presumably so you can adjust with the to itself!

Thanks everyone for the responses, I’ve got some research to do on Fitz trail, Sprockids Park, and Roberts Creek. 

I know it’s kind of a BC mecca, but I didn’t imagine hitting whistler, I’m not much of a downhiller. That said LOTS and top of the world look like exactly my thing. 

Thanks again,

Eric

Hi all,

First forum post - I’m a member that comes here for the really incredible reviews and general sense of like-mindedness vis a vis the mountain bike world. I live in Brooklyn NY far from the north shore, but have always been fascinated by the riding there. Growing up riding in Trumbull CT we were heavily influenced by what we heard was happening up on the “shore.” :)

Fast forward a millenia and now I’m looking into BC for a family vacation this summer. Hoping you all can give me some direction about where we should look for our home base. Would like to air BNB (or similar) a cabin.

-Definitely going to do some riding but probably not all-day epics —- hoping for a location where I can get out for a morning blast then meet up with the family for the rest of the day.

-Would love to find an area that has a lot to offer for biking and other activities for non-mountain bikers. We want to also fit in some hiking, surfing, sightseeing, art if possible.

-I’ll probably fly with my bike but we may try a rental for my wife for a day or two. She used to ride a fair bit but she’s not up to black diamonds I’m sure. An area with a good rental shop and also has good medium difficulty trails would be awesome.

-Even better would be some recommendations for trail riding my 5-year-old daughter could tackle on her Early rider. 

I appreciate any advice, and I really look forward to seeing your part of the world!

Thanks,

Eric