ohio profile

If and when Tim gets to an enduro model, I would jump on this at the travel and geometry (rear center, front center, head angle) of a Specialized Enduro... maybe of a Spec SJ Evo. So it's not yet my model, but as a platform, I love it. The weight, the simplicity, the aesthetics, and the aluminum are all enough for me to take a flyer on the proprietary shock for equal money to a carbon frameset.

I also didn't know about this part. Thanks for the tip!

Never gets old. Dude is still a magician.

I'm kind of surprised at the spring rates needed with this shock. I run an EXT on my Spec Enduro, and at 75kg I'm running a 425# or 450# - and the 450# ends up very lively, running almost no preload. Granted you're 86kg but just extrapolating the 550# would be enough on the EXT for you.

Curious what about the damper gives it less support... maybe that bladder, but the shaft size should give it an air pressure boost. Or maybe just lighter comp valving.

In either case, seems like a tough sell in north america vs a custom valved EXT, a DVO that's easily tuned at half the price, or a new Rockshox Superdeluxe which sounds really good also at half the price, and maybe even less as they show up used or oversupplied to the aftermarket.

Coincidentally, I've been on foamies and GA3s, going back and forth. Have tried ESI chunkies and Wolf Tooth octos. Have gone back to the GA3s. I have significant wrist issues (salvage surgery coming up on the left wrist in a few weeks) and the GA3s have made a world of difference in wrist and hand fatigue for me. Nearly as much benefit as switching to a 20deg sweep bar (Protaper carbon 20/20). The grips are hard to notice with the super funky bars stealing all of the attention. But it works, and I've been able to keep riding.

@andrew I heard of Reform about a week after buying that saddle. I probably would have tried them had I known sooner. However, I also reached a point where I wasn't willing to spend any more time or effort trying out mail-order experiments even though SQ Lab was high on my list of possibilities. This is the reason shops exist, and good ones have saddle demo programs. So I went to the best, most-focused shop I could find and I used two hours of their time, inventory, and expertise. If they had a saddle that worked for me, I was going to support them and walk out with it. 

Again, I'm not a big fan of the S company ever since their ruthless enforcement of the Horst link patent in the early 00s, but until about a month ago, Spec earned a spot in such dealers by being one of the few brands that supported dealers exclusively. That matters a lot for customers that aren't us ubergeeks on bike sites and forums - which include a lot of very dedicated cyclists. Lots of folks that put in 1000s of miles a year aren't particularly technical, don't want to waste ride days trying out experimental or quirky gear, and need a shop to support them. That means obscure brands with no retail presence aren't even in the running.

I think judging people that effectively subsidize industry R&D, keep shops alive, and generate a healthy used bike market just because they aren't spending enough time online to know about boutique options is well, kinda shitty. I think there are plenty of ways to encourage your audience to support boutique brands (which this site does a lot of) without putting down fellow cyclists.

I keep trying NOT to buy specialized gear, and I keep ending up with it. 

Ended up with an Enduro in 2020 bc at the time it was the only frame with the geometry I wanted and the suspension kinematics I wanted, and a few details that I prefered to the Geometron (SWAT box, water bottle fit, a touch of weight). 

After spending $1000+ cycling through saddles for my roadie (and recouping maybe a few $100 on ebay), I went to the fanciest shop in Seattle and spent two hours demoing saddles on the rollers. I tried every other saddle and couldn't help but walk out with a Sworks Power Mimic. First road saddle that has *ever* been comfy for me - but a price tag I literally lied to friends and fam about.

With (again roadie) shoes, I've tried Lakes and found the craftsmanship and materials kinda "garage-y" and the fit didn't work for me at the opening of the upper anyway. I am currently in Shimano wides, but have to say the latest Specialized Torch release sounds like a philosophy for fit that sound *perfect* for my foot.

I'm on board with the jist of the article - if you care that much about the hobby to spend that kind of money, make it special - but I also don't ding people for buying the expensive *mainstream* brand because in most cases that shit is expensive and prevalent for more reasons that just brand and availability.

@Ryan, how would you describe your leg shape? I'm finding that knee pad preference is a lot like shoe preference, in that it really depends on your individual physiology. As someone with "chonky" legs - big quads and calves, relatively wide/stout knee joint compared to leg length - many knee pads are either uncomfortably tight or get pushed up by my calves and down by my quads. I've settled on Fox Enduro for a decent fit, but they're thinner than I'd like.

That seems impossible... can you elaborate on how a helmet could snap handlebars? Any chance they were damaged at some other point, and failed from pulling on them during the climb?

Sure, there are more niches or subcategories than ever, but bikes are also so much more versatile than ever. This is good news - we can have more fun, in more places, on fewer bikes. My gravel bike does road better than any of my old road bikes, and does boring Mt. Tam singletrack better than my overgunned enduro bike. My overgunned 170mm enduro bike pedals better than any of my old trail bikes, and does downhill almost as well as my old DH bikes. The newest gen of 150mm, slacked out trail bikes are even more versatile and basically can ride anything off-road from rolling XC to DH park, and still make it fun (if not competitive).

It's pretty easy to have two bikes (say, a rigid Grizl and a Stumpy Evo) and be able to have fun and keep pace on any surface in the world (short of snow or sand). That's rad. 

Side note - the ski world has paralleled this. My 108s can cover everything from railing groomers to powder in the trees and are light enough for BC. Still need two pairs of boots/bindings to get what I really want both in resort (boot stiffness, safety) and BC (lightweight, articulation), but can ski essentially the same planks x 2,  so I'm never having to relearn.