GladePlayboy profile

Great article and made me do some self reflection.   What is really concering to me is the effects this crisis is having on mental health... I think its hard to argue that alcohol and drug abuse are spiking as is depression and severe anxiety.   I have this in my family (myself included) and without some exercise the prognosis is bleak.  Biking has been paramount to my journey to stay healthy.   My son has ADHD and sensory processing disorder and with schools closed he is depressed and my concern is this could get worse for him.    Cycling is one outlet to keep him and I ironically safe from ourselves.    We are in a very rural setting so there is very low risk of community spread and its tires on dirt only (low risk).

Man, I appreciate what you are saying Andrew... but I hate cutting handlebars.... what's wrong with 820mm, ha ha!!   But seriously as a dude riding at 230 without gear and being a self-proclaimed wide body I am comfortable at 800mm, especially on terrain where you are going fast... slower speed tech, with narrow trail and trees, yeah those pinkies can take a beating.

Thx for the perspective Clark and Cam... I mean its hard to argue with any of this.   Extraordinary times call for extraordinary efforts from every single person.    Can we do this?

Good article Cam... this is certainly a tough time for all.... I feel the benefits of riding at the moment slightly outweigh the risk.    I need to ride if possible as its the best time for me to think and process information... but I agree with scaling back the difficulty.   I am riding mellow stuff at the moment and will stick to this for now.    I also live in a very rural location where I have almost zero social contact with my neighbours unless I choose to do so... I can ride to a quiet trail from my house and avoid all contacts.

Yup..... although admittedly I am in love with my SRAM X01 AXS groupset at the moment.    Its freaking amazing.... but I have a soft spot for internally geared hubs.

Just razzing you about the 5 degrees... I use Hope's engagement of 8.2 degrees as the minimum for customer recommendations.   Although DT Swiss  hubs are a bit of an outlier in this regards as they are so darn good.

I had a Chris King headset many years ago before they were using a split ring for managing proper preload.... did not have a good experience with that headset.   It was rasta, that was the highlight.   The newer headsets and hubs look great but the price is exorbitant.   And 5 degress of engagement is so 2019....  ;-)

Hey Cam,  I've been riding the Cura4s in the interior this late spring and well below 0 Celsius and no issues... the levers feel a tiny bit sluggish but performance has been on point.

Truth.... I just custom built a Firebird 29 and my estimate on MSRP is like a silly $15K... I did not pay that however... in any case you add some Cushcore and some reasonably burly tires and the weight adds up quickly.

More than 50% might be a win... time will tell.    Only one ride in and albeit a zesty one they feel "normal"... I think they could excel in the bike park when you are slamming braking bumps.      Oh, and the Formula Cura 4s were outstanding in the steep and muddy conditions.

Any shop with a Raceface/Fox account can order it in... it is in stock.   Or yeah, Suspensionwerx....

Are you using Cushcore?   I've seen multiple Aggressors develop wobbles after Cushcore installation due to stretching of the bead for want of a better term.    I have run multiple Aggressors in the past year without issue, one with Cushcore.

2020 Pivot Firebird 29 with a few custom touches.

Will do.. the caveat is that I am running them with 2.5" tires on a 35mm rim... not ideal according to their recommendations.   But after installation and a bit of unscientific goofing about they feel good... will report back after I get some legit ride time.

I'm trying the XC 29 versions on a new build. I am a bigger guy but surprisingly easy on rims and tires. Looking at a bit of extra sidewall support and bead security as the biggest benefits.

Great question... I think for a similar tire diameter in 29 the volume per contact patch area doesn't change much... not sure I worded that properly?   I would run similar pressures, maybe a touch lower on  the 29s...

If that is the result of "professional" work then I suggest you find a new shop.    Unacceptable...

I have a MRP axle on my Slash... does the job.

We are a stocking dealer of WAO wheels... we have a few sets out on the trails being abused.   I have seen one damaged rim from a really bad case, which would have ended poorly on any rim.    Replaced quickly by WAO under their warranty.    These guys are solid and stand behind their product.

Already got it... shifting is sublime... its just another battery to charge.   No big deal for me.   Yes, its expensive but its the future.   As for 1st gen. product issues, yes this is a consideration but SRAM has been in the wireless drivetrain game for several years now so AXS is hardly new technology...