Znarf profile

I’ve been riding a Raaw Madonna since March this year. I bought it as a backup for my carbon Orbea Rallon 29 and intended to primarily ride the Orbea and the Raaw for winter rides or when something on the Rallon is broken only.

Since I took delivery of the Madonna I didn’t touch the Orbea once. Even though the Rallon is a great bike, too.

The Madonna felt absolutely spot on for me from the first minute. I have had a lot of nice bikes (instead of owning decent cars) over the years, but very few felt as great from the get go to me. 

If you ride a lot, the Madonna is a fantastic bike. It’s incredibly solid, the performance of the rear suspension is absolutely superb! I love the geometry and especially the longer chainstays and absolutely find it strikes a great balance of confidence and flickability. It climbs great, the seat angle is perfect for long legs, even better than the Rallon‘s.

I believe that the bearings and frame parts will last for a couple of seasons, for real! Most bikes I get around a full season max before the bearings are not rough, but stuck! Also, another unexpected side effect of the alloy frame: it stopped my whimsy fussing about getting the frame dinged/scratched/clamped/crushed in transport (train, ferry, roof rack, shuttling, lift) etc. Carbon frames are strong while riding, but I worried (and actually destroyed one) about them all the time...

And yes, it is not cheap, but when handling the frame in person, it’s incredibly well built and in my opinion worth the price. 

If there is a chance for a test ride, do it!

I am not sponsored or affiliated with RAAW in any way. I just own one and paid full retail for it.

It would be a gross generalization (and a wrong one imho) that "Europeans accept e-bikes". Most of my serious (bio-biking) buddies don't accept e-bikes. They feel that e-biking is a totally different sport and not the right one for most of them. (on trails for recreation).

There are however TONS of people who never actually rode their bikes and now ride e-bikes a lot. But most of them will not ride trails, only bikepaths or bike lanes. They often lack skill and our endurance to ride the heavy bikes safely on trails. 

And then there is the group of e-mountainbikers on trails, which consists mostly of fit-ish younger guys too lazy to ride proper bikes. Some of them don't know trail etiquette, because they just ordered their e-bike online after watching rad youtube-vids with loads of skidding and sick e-bike jumps. 

And then there are 0.01% former real bikers, who can't ride because of some health issues or really old age. And if they can ride again on an e-bike, I am all for it. Truth to be told, these cases are pretty rare.

If it was up to me, I´d ban e-bikes on trails, but introduce a special permit for people with a certificate of disability. 

For commuting and general recreation riding (not on trails) an e-bike is LOADS more efficient than your average Best-Ager Mercedes Cabriolet - so I am all for it.

@Dolomite - e-lobbying across the big pond, eh?

I live in Southern Germany (and manage and build a legal trail system here) and I travel a lot with my mountain bike, all over Europe and have spent quite a bit of time in BC and North America as well, biking. 

Just for the record, I disagree with several of your "conclusions" and "facts".

1. the Dolomites, parts of Austria and South Tyrol DONT have THE best trails in the world.  There are great trails in these regions, but that is true for a lot of regions. I don´t know if you´ve ridden all regions world wide a lot, but if you don´t, you just can´t speak of "world´s best".

2. E-Bikes and trail access are absolutely not without trouble (in Europe) and I for example have certainly NOT understood the potential of E-Bikes the way you have. I however understand that there´s a boat load of POSSIBLE trouble.  

3. As with guns, not E-bikes kill trails, but some people riding them ;-) I´ve experienced douchebag non-e-bike behaviour on trails over the last twenty years. And I´ve experienced douchebag e-bike behaviour on trails. If you have physical ability as a selecting factor (only dedicated people get to 6000ft mountain tops self propelled) there´s a humbling element. Lazy people just don´t go there a lot. And if you´ve climbed LOADS you just don´t argue. You sit there and nibble your energy bar and some water, content with little stuff.

Add a motor though and things get ugly. I KNOW - riding an e-bike can be very exhausting. And absolutely not everyone who rides one is lazy or a douchebag. In fact, there´s no reason that regular mtbers are douchebags, too. And in lift or shuttle assisted riding areas the douchebag factor is higher as well. But suddenly every "regular" tough climb is not as strenuous as before. You´ll have e-bikers speeding climbing trails. And some who don´t. But what´s the point of lugging 5kgs of motor and battery and NOT speed? You could just ride a regular bike...

Yeah - you can rack five times as much elevation a year with your e-bike. But know what? I could multiply that with my car. And could even do it in the rain, without getting wet. In fact - I could do it with a bike on my roof rack. =)

To be fair, as long as you ride your e-bike responsibly, I couldn´t care less if you ride e or non-e. Have fun and enjoy yourself. But just to give the Canadians here a second, non-e opinion I thought I´d contrast your pro-e-bike european opinion with a european non-e-opinion...

Also try Syntace bars. They come in 12deg also, loads of different rises, widths and materials. Not cheap, but probably the highest quality bars and stems you can buy. Don't know if they're available in Canada though?

Procore actually DOES help against burping and rolling, contrary to what the Cushcore chart says. It's also lighter AND it does protect against pinch flats. 

But Cushcore doesn't look bad, too. Especially for park bikes it might be a low maintenance option. 

Their website however states, that it should be swapped for a new foam ring every two tires. It has a "service life" as most other performance products, or so the website says. 

If you ride a lot, that's not a lot of product life for a 149$. 

Not destroying your rims constantly saves a lot of $ though. So maybe it's not that expensive.

I really like this uncle Dave thing. The guy can write and seems like a cool uncle.

Could we have links to those anti 27.5 articles? I'd like to read them 🙂

I am 6ft with long legs and long arms and the large as well fits me perfect with a 70mm stem. And now I start to feel like a parrot 🙂

Great write up btw@boomforreal

I have this exact bike's 26 inch sister. And let me tell you, it is a stellar bike. I even like the elixir trail brakes.

The clamp on the command post ir can be reversed btw. If you want less setback!

Nice bike and write-up!

Is it a Pike RC? Has that a charger damper?
Also - the Hans Dampfs are the "Performance" variant. Probably decent tires, but only from Schwalbes "budget" line.
Understandable at that pricepoint…

That is probably the point about simple machines. They just do their job without us noticing too much.

I can imagine a Heckler does just that.
I always loved mine.

Posted by: Timmigrant

I noticed an increase in stiffness with the Marzocchi Z1 over the Fox 36 and the Lyrik. Apparently the Z1 CSU is also less susceptible to creaking. Better yet the Grip2 damper will drop into the Z1 chassis. It's the setup I'm running at the moment and love the fork. I love the stiffness of the Z1 chassis, I like the air spring, and as you know the Grip 2 damper is outstanding.

Just to double check - a regular Fox 36mm Grip2-damper does fit the Z1?

I’ve read somewhere that the Z1 has the thicker walled stanchions like the 36 rhythm and the e-bike ready 36 versions - which therefore use the Fox 34 innards...

A 2020 Z1 with a Grip2 cartridge upgrade looks like a great option, as it comes in 44mm offset and 170mm 29er spec. The e-bike ready 36 is 160mm max because of the 34 parts...

Get a Fox 36 E-Bike ready fork.

It has a not-hollow crown and thicker walled stanchions (Fox 34 air assembly is fitted therefore) and it also comes with a Grip2 damper.

It is supposedly made for the higher system weight of e-mtbs and speeds.

It is said to remedy the creaky CSU issues and is a lot stiffer.

I am thinking about getting one, because my forks always get creaky at some point, even though I am not heavy and I figure myself as a reasonably smooth rider.

Happened on several Pikes, a Lyrik and now also on three times on my 2018/19 Fox 36s...

Hi,

we were in the same situation in last summer. My wife is a tad under 5'6 (167cm), same weight, fit and able to ride all the black rated and most parts of the double black ones, does small jumps and small drops, but doesn't do the high risk features. She likes to climb, too.

She rode an Orbea Rallon V4 27.5" 160/160mm bike in size Small (420mm Reach with a 30mm Stem, 750mm bars, steep seat tube angle, very short 420mm chain stays) for the last three seasons.

During our 5-week honeymoon in Whistler last summer, she somehow got demoing loads of bikes during Crankworx in her head. She was fascinated by the 29ers (I bought a 29" Rallon last February), because my bike "rolled so well". I thought that the big wheels would be cumbersome for her at her height, but demoing them for free was a no brainer.

She tried around ten bikes, both 27,5 and 29" and small or medium sizes.

And it became crystal clear, that the 29" wheels absolutely work for her, as long as the reach isn't too SHORT!

She was faster on technical climbs (which is somewhat unsurprising), what surprised me a lot: She tried incredibly steep rollers, gnarly off-camber sections without any hesitation on two properly sized 29ers which she didn't try on her dialed-in 27,5" own bike. And that's talking demo bikes with unknown components, only roughly setup suspension etc.

She liked the Santa Cruz Hightower LT size Medium and the Rocky Mountain Instinct best.

She had loads of fun for the remainder of our vacation on her Rallon, but clearly she lusted for a 29er.

Because the Rocky Mountain bikes are not a good deal over here in Europe I got her a Medium Hightower LT CC frame for a good autumn deal and built it with light, but durable components for her birthday.

She's ridden the bike a lot for a little over six months and she couldn't be happier. Buzzing the rear wheel is a non-issue. With a 30mm stem, 10mm of spacers and a 10mm rise bar and 430mm reach there is absolutely no need for her to move back that far, even in steep stuff. She rides tight and technical stuff without problems.

I think bike weigh is key for light riders: you have to keep the components and especially the wheel set and tires lightish (she rides a DHR II 2.3 as a rear tire with a FCK Flats insert). No need for a 2.5", she's light!

Before buying a Megatower or a Bronson I'd take a really good look at the Hightower LT. While it is a beautiful bike, the slack seat tube angle is a nogo for taller riders. BUT in size Medium and without a crazy long inseam, the geometry absolutely works. Chainstay length, head tube angle, stack are perfectly balanced. 160/150mm keep bb-height and rear tire/butt clearance at bay. The head angle is slack enough for a small rider. I'd say that the super slack sub 65° head angle on the Megatower could make the bike too slack for a smaller rider.

So - I'd recommend to also demo a Hightower LT size Medium. A closeout deal with really high-end components could be a great match, maybe even better than a Megatower, because it is more like a 29" Bronson, than a 29" Nomad. Without EWS speed or huge jumps that might be a better compromise.

Yetis are 7000+ Euros in Germany, that’s around 10.500Cad.

Same applies for Rocky Mountain or Santa Cruz. Incredibly expensive because of tax and distribution model.

There are still lots of Santa Cruz and Yetis to be seen on the trails though.

The 29 inch Capra rides fantastic, also the 27.5 is really nice, had a long demo in Whistler during Crankworx.

I’d prefer the 29er though. They really designed a great bike there.

Schwalbe used to make a tire very similar to what you wish for. Rock Razor Super Gravity in Soft compound and 29“.

After they switched to the new Addix compounds the 29“ version is only available in single ply and the not very soft Speedgrip compound. 27,5 is still available with the tough casing.

I really liked the soft version, but don’t really get on with the speedgrip. It rolls fantastic and is a great choice for a trailbike, but a let down on roots and slippery rocks. 

The softer compound worked really well for me, even in winter. After three seasons almost exclusively on semislicks I am amazed how much more confidence a proper DHRII gives in steep, dusty chutes though. 

Rolling resistance on paved roads is really bad, on the trail I don’t notice it as much.

Have a look at the Formula Neopos spacers. They let you use more travel more often, without getting too divy in the midstroke. Had the same f/r imbalance before. Now I am more like 90/95 instead of 70/95 after a good ride.

I’d think the tire combo is pretty bang on! Although there are better tires in really dusty conditions than the Aggressor, it’s a great choice still. It rolls alright and with the DD casing you should have decent flat protection.

I run the same tire combo on my 29er and recently replaced the worn Aggressor with a DHR II. And while it offers LOADS more grip, it also rolls quite a bit worse.

I haven’t done the hole 45km trip, just explored a bit (by bike) with JBV around the Tyax area.

Three things would be paramount for me:

1. Take it easy - if you crash out there, you are far away from any help.

2. Make sure that your bike is in really good shape, put enough (lots) sealant in your tires, don’t skimp on brakepads ;).

3. Enjoy the scenery - I found my time out there to be less about the trail or the bike. The colors, rocks and plants, all the intense sounds and the weather will blow your mind.

The time I spent out there was absolutely intense, it’ll be a precious memory! Thanks again to JBV for making it possible!

My five tens (ride Freerider or Freerider canvas with a thin sheet metal insole added and buy discounted last year models) last half a season. By then they are so soft that my feet get super tired on rough trails. The sole on the ones with black soles last longer for me. The ones with grey or colored soles wear even quicker.

I’ve tried other shoes for riding, but nothing comes close so far in performance. I was going to try the Freerider Pros next, because of the stiffer sole and better durability. But maybe not?

I’d try to warranty a 200$ pair!

Posted by: JBV

not to derail the thread, but i'd be curious as to if you feel the Lyrik is much of an overall improvement or difference from the Pike in general.  i have a Fox 36 on the AM bike and going back to my trail 29er with 140 for has me wanting for the front end performance of the other bike...  wondering if a switch to Lyrik 150 would do it.

Same situation when I ride my Smuggler with a 150mm Lyrik (2016 Model) compared to the 160mm Fox 36 Evol on my LT 29er.

The Lyrik just feels harsh in comparison. 

I bought a 2018 Debonair airshaft (140mm) for the Lyrik and some Formula NEOPOS spacers. But I haven’t had time to fit and try the modification yet. 

Will report back. 160mm of plush travel are really nice. Even though shorter travel bikes are hyped and fun!

No matter what you do - get the Fox Performance Elite or Factory and NOT the „plain“ performance.

Or if you do, factor in the cost of the possible upgrade to the better damper cartridges of the Elite or Factory line.

I’ve spent time on the different cartridges and the RC2 and FIT4 are much better than the budget GRIP stuff. More support, less wallow, but they open up when needed. Big, noticeable difference. 

I haven’t ridden the new GRIP2 - which ironically is their premium cartridge for 2019. It is supposed to be even better,

I really love how the now „old“ style Bronson V2 rides. Maybe you could snag an XL frame for a great price?