otagoboy profile

Coming to the end of my third year on my Zerode Katipo with Pinion C12 and carbon belt drive. Have done 3 oil changes and no other drivetrain maintenance on a bike that is ridden 4-5X per week in pretty filthy wet conditions. Whereas my Stumpjumper with AXS requires regular cleaning/oiling/ new chains etc. The whole issue of shifting under load just disappears with experience, and the benefits of swapping any number of gears in one quick twist is far more relevant. I would never swap to a trigger shifter for this reason. 

It is great to see more genuine trail/enduro bikes like the Machina with a gearbox. All of these longer travel bikes are getting heavy now, so the gearbox bulk is much less of an issue than on a 10kg/22lb XC bike. I cannot imagine NOT having a gearbox bike in the garage at any point in my future. And if I ever succumb to an e-bike, it will have to have a Pinion linked to the motor to avoid the drivetrain wear and tear that electric motors subject a normal derailleur system to.

I haven’t worried about the Category 3 thing as I am light (63kg/138lbs) and don’t do drops bigger than a meter (3-4 feet) or so.

Running this on a Zerode Katipo enduro bike 160mm travel front and rear. 35mm stem, Ergon GS1 grips. They are carbon. Can’t say I can tell they are any stiffer or softer than the SQLab 30X 16 degree riser on my other bike (Stumpjumper).

I’m old (62yrs) with low back issues, so like a higher bar especially on a bike with fairly low rise

I run a Whiskyparts Milhouse bar - 825mm wide, 70mm rise, 8 degrees upsweep, 16 degrees backsweep. And they have a cool little crossbar for strength.

Yes - currently run a ZERODE Katipo (Pinion), Specialized Stumpjumper 2021 with AXS and a Ventana El Conquistador Tandem full suspension with XT Di2.

Zerode is brilliant and Pinion likewise

I’ve used Ergon GS1 grips for over a decade now, on all my trail/enduro bikes. These have a slightly larger flare at the end compared to the GA3. They seem to have stopped making them this year, though you can still find a few online. 

Despite what people say about this type of grip being inappropriate for downhill or enduro work, I find quite the opposite. They allow great security and control, with only relatively gentle grip force; I have never experienced arm pump with ergonomic grips. The SQ LAb 711s are a reasonable alternative; less flare and bit softer, though this seems to make them better for longer, less technical stuff, where high frequency vibration/chatter is an issue.

I couldn’t care less about the look of them. Function over fashion any day. But then again, I love gripshifts, Pinions/Rohloffs and 16 degree sweep bars, which are more examples of items which work fabulously but are largely ignored by the masses. Some stuff you just have to try for yourself and ignore all the negative internet comments.

Just an article with statistics suggesting neck braces are genuinely useful

https://www.cyclenews.com/2018/12/article/neck-brace-effectiveness-study/

And in case you were wondering about how much faster motocross riders are than MTB, this quick test with LAPD radar and top pro riders shows their speeds are in the 30-40mph range (50-70kmh), so not radically different to bike park/DH/Enduro MTB riders.

https://www.dirtrider.com/speed-supercross/

I am also a mountain biking physician who has seen lots of trauma. Whenever I’m doing anything more than a lazy cruise on the green trails I have my full face and Leatt neck brace on. I know they aren’t perfect protection by a long shot, but they do improve the odds against cervical spine injuries. Amazes me so few EWS and World Cup DH wear the braces. They have no downside unless you are bothered by looks from other riders

I have gradually tended to being overbiked as I have aged, as the extra stability/security means I can stay decently fast despite being a bit more fragile and risk averse. And the increased travel soaks up impacts better for all my aches and pains

I recently swapped out my normal 35mm riser 16 degree backsweep bars for a “ridiculously” high 75mm riser 16 degree back sweep Whisky Parts  Milhouse bar on my ZERODE Katipo. The extra height was excellent on the steep stuff and made flat trails much less tiring too. Would love to try his Raised Reverse Stem and take things a big step further.

If you really have to have trigger shifters with a Pinion, they are available. Can’t see why you’d want them as it defeats one of the best features which is the ability to grab numerous gears with one twist of your wrist. But the option is out there for a price.

https://cinq.de/en/shifting-technology/428/shift-r-tour-for-pinion?c=136

I look at that design above and see one further improvement; a Gates carbon belt drive. Won’t break and quietens the idler gear. A downhill version of this is what the UCI World Cup downhillers need ( in addition to tyres that don’t flat!!)

No wrap but a few bits of 3M tape anywhere cables touch frame or I have straps for CO2 cartridges etc.

Wash after every dusty or wet ride; if there is dirt/sand/grit on the drivetrain I wash it off with a hose + bucket and re-lube as required. Keep bikes for 5-7 years, ride 5-6 days per week, and have never yet had to replace a bottom bracket, headset or suspension bearing as I make sure they are always clean and then serviced regularly. 

Re-sale value is always “bugger all” by the time I come to sell a bike, compared to what $$ have gone into it. So if I am going to part with cash I just spend it on parts that I am going to enjoy using rather than worrying about frame wraps and cosmetic blemishes.