Znarf profile

Great article!

Actually I have already sold the 38 and went back to the 36 and then got a 2021 Lyrik Ultimate as a spare, too for when the 36 will go in for warranty once the CSU goes again.

The Lyrik is pretty awesome, it is incredibly simple to setup and very plush. Lets see how it will hold up :)

Yeah, I rode the 38 for three months on the exact same bike, grips, tires, tire pressures, on a Raaw Madonna V2 Large and DT EX1501 wheels, 170mm Fox 38 Factory. Comfortable Syntace Vector Carbon Superlight 20mm risers with build in flex, ESI Extra Chunky soft grips. 

Only thing I changed was the fork itself. For some perspective (we are nerding out here and I enjoy that :) I weigh around 167lbs. I can ride double black trails safely but I am not a super fast rider nor super aggressive, I will ride some stunts but skip the freeride type huge stuff. I regularly ride (when there is no pandemic) the European EWS tracks during holidays, because those are the good trails over here. 

I agree with IslandLife that the 38 works a lot better than either a 36 or a Lyrik suspension wise. You can really feel how smooth it glides up and down with no stiction, also with the air volume in the lowers not influencing progression as much, using full travel with proper sag and pressure is MUCH better. The lubrication channels really work. Also more lower oil helps a lot. Also in really rough bermed, high speed corners and while charging the fork is very precise compared to my 36s. So the 38 moves up and down freely in those situations. 

I ended up with roughly the FOX recommended settings minus one Token @170mm. Setup was easier compared to my 2020 Grip2.

I would think that for stronger or heavier riders the benefits will be huge. It is a great product with lots of really good innovation and a step forward. 

The fore aft and side flex or the absence of it make it feel very direct. Too direct for my bones and joints. I rode the fork a lot on chunky „natural“ european trails, meaning hundreds of years of erosion, loads of roots, rocks, debris. On more groomed, flowy, jumpy, high speed trails the 38 was incredibly smooth and supple. Not on the more awkward slower speed stuff. 

All that said, for how I ride, I often get to a point where I am a bit tired or not attacking 100% because my body feels the past 25 years riding and building trails and I want to continue riding for another 25. I tend to try and ride a bit lighter. 

I would love to try the 2021 Fox 36, I bet the new chassis would be a great compromise. Maybe I will. My 2021 Lyrik Ultimate was half the price though and feels fantastic with the easiest setup. There seems to be a bit of bushing play, but it is very smooth and active. And I went through five 36 CSUs in three seasons and friends report that it seems to be an issue still even on 38s. 

I‘ve personally witnessed two creaky ZEBs though. All on Madonna V2s :)

Nice attention to detail! Nice pictures and nice article!

One insight from a fellow rider with bad wrists to another: I was fed up with my 36 170mm 29“ fork developing creaky CSUs and upgraded to a (Fox) 38. While it worked incredibly well and was very smooth in itˋs travel, it also hurt my wrists really bad, because the increased stiffness brought a lot of side to side bar movements and other vibration into my wrists. I ended up selling the fork and went to a Lyrik Ultimate, which is smoother all around for my body. Same story for a (no bad wrists and a much better rider than me) buddy who went from a Lyrik to a ZEB and then back to a Lyrik after half a season. His wrists started to hurt on wet rough trails and in the cold.

Before you drop the coin on a stiffer fork, maybe test-ride. Most reviews donˋt mention the increased stiffness as less comfortable. For me they meant the difference between being able to ride or NOT ride.

I think the DPX2 can also work great for high-speed-chatter - if the tune is right (and that's very dependent on rider weight and style). 

On my Madonna there ist absolutely no difference - both DPX2 and X2 are very, very good for high-speed stuff/repeated hits etc. But on my Rallon, like your experience, the DPX2 was harsher/less capable for high speed stuff. 

I do feel however that, also like you describe, the X2 ist really fantastic in the last 20 percent of its travel. And I think that is so, because of the fat rubber bottom out bumper it has since 2019. It's like the bottom out bumper on a coil shock and no matter what, it just "deadens" the really harsh impacts really effectively and also maybe has a positive effect on rebound in these last millimeters of the travel. I think that this applies to coil shocks as well. I think that a good part of what makes some people love coil shocks on Enduro bikes so much is the generous rubber bottom out bumper. 

It is just these last 10% of performance where the DPX2 isn't as good. On my Madonna it feels much livelier and snappier and still very capable in the remaining 90%. But I am only 75kg and while I am using some potential of this very capable bike and also have access to nice rough trails, I am not an extremely aggressive or fast and hard on my shock. 

I somewhat agree that if you are on a bike as aggressive as the Process X and hurling around a 2,5kg Fox 38 the DPX2 seems to be more a cost saving than a weight saving matter.

If it is a Performance "Elite" DPX2 it comes with all the bells and whistles of the Factory shock, but without Kashima. In my experience it works absolutely as good as the Factory version. The Performance (without Elite) is simpler, there might be a noticeable difference. X2 versus DPX2 is totally depending on the linkage/frame. I owned three bikes with these shocks (Giant Reign 27.5, Orbea Rallon 29" and currently a RAAW Madonna) and rode them extensively and owned an X2 and a DPX2 shock for each bike (all Factory shocks). I swapped back and forth and have to say that at 75kg I absolutely prefer the DPX2 on my Madonna, because it just works better. It was a toss up on the Rallon with a slight advantage for the X2. And I absolutely didn't like the X2 on the Reign. (that was one of the earlier X2s) 

The frame probably has a bigger impact on function than DPX2 vs X2 - as long as the DPX2 is shimmed right for you...

The Performance level fork is not all that bad. Either ride it and be happy or drop in a GRIP2 cartridge at the first annual service. The Rhythm series forks are crap though. Different CSU with different diameters and threads sometimes, cartridges and air shafts might not fit etc.

It'll be an interesting review - Kona makes interesting bikes, but the spec decisions / price ratio seems mediocre imho. This one isn't all that bad, I'd guess most components are pretty rideable.

Thanks!

Very nice review and also great pictures! I'd love to try a V2 compared to my RAAW Madonna. 

I'd love to know what "lifetime of the frame" means? 

Is the frame intended to last for a certain amount of time? Or what actually defines the lifetime of a frame? My first own TV (bought in 2003) said on the first page of the manual that it had a life cycle of five years. I was SHOCKED when I read that. It was expensive and I bought it with the intent to keep it for at least 20 years. (then gave it to my dad a year later when I moved to university)

Yes, that might actually be a very precise insight regarding casings! I keep going back to Exo style rear tires, because they are fast and that makes my big enduro 29er bike really fun. Grip is excellent still. But the tires wear out fast, tearing side knobs etc and I even had a couple of snakebites this season. 

The last couple of seasons were spent on DHR 2 WT in 2.4 with Nukeproof ARD - zero flats even with park riding.

Yes, that might actually be a very precise insight regarding casings! I keep going back to Exo style rear tires, because they are fast and that makes my big enduro 29er bike really fun. Grip is excellent still. But the tires wear out fast, tearing side knobs etc and I even had a couple of snakebites this season. 

The last couple of seasons were spent on DHR 2 WT in 2.4 with Nukeproof ARD - zero flats even with park riding.

The new Hugene V2 is 65.5HA - it was just launched last week. Looks much more pleasing compared to the V1.

RAAW bikes have fantastic customer service in my experience. But shipping across the big pond (after Taiwan -> Germany) is another complicating factor for sure. With all this going on as well. 

Fingers crossed for your buddy. He will love the Madonna. Mine keeps me happy :)

Raaw Jibb probably launches on February 18th.

I don’t know specific final travel numbers, but heard directly from the source that it is a bike that is pedally and nimble, much more playful than a Madonna, but still well at home in a bike park.

Maybe more a main bike for not extremely gnarly terrain than a little sister for your typical enduro beast? But that is just speculation at this point.

But we will see...

The Propain Hugene is also very interesting.

Posted by: tashi

That must be the “new math” I used hear about.

I believe according to a former US-President it is not called "new math" but "alternative math".

While they arent 2.3mm - I have had good luck with the new Magura MDR-C rotors. They have more material in the middle section. They are silent, cheap and very durable. Much better than Shimano XT and regular Magura Storm HC (which both are not bad).

They are 2mm and that already makes a noticeable difference to the 1.8mm Shimano rotors. Maybe give them a try.

It is going on a Madonna RAAW V2 Size Large. The smaller one is probably the way to go, by your recommendation?

Hi, 

could you confirm if this is the B-rad mini oder the bigger B-rad bag? I am debating which one to get. 1litre sounds huge :)

Really good ideas and advice here! What bike are you building? If you can run a 32t only, you'll probably want a 50t cassette.

https://ritzelrechner.de

Try this. I know, it is german. But it's really good!

Click the button "VERGLEICH" on the lower right. It means "comparison" and you can compare different combinations and ratios. It is really handy =)

Hi,

I understand that you're not keen on changing to a 28t chainring. But this exact swap made me very happy on my LT heavy 29er.

I have the XX1 10-42cassette and a steel sram 28t ring and couldn't be happier. Enough range, very light weight, longest durability if you swap the chain semi-regularly and absolutely enough top-end speed for me and good range on steep climbs. (with a 11spd Shimano XT derailleur and shifter)

I also had good luck with the 11-50t shark tooth cage for 11spd Shimano derailleurs. But I don't know if it is still available. The smaller 28t ring and shorter chain, shorter derailleur cage are pretty great features though in my experience.

The E13 cassettes aren't bad, I do find that the additional range isn't needed, if you dial in exactly the right chain ring size for your fitness level and bike setup, though.

Cheers

Znarf

Wear a google, even with your half shell. I wear contact lenses and have trouble with eyes watering when I ride fast. 

I wear a google with clear lenses, problem is GONE.

I´d enter my 250$ commuter bike which carried my around thousands of traffic jams. 

But really, smiles per $$$, my 5000$ Raaw Madonna made me giggle and smile with happiness so often during the last two years that I have to credit it with the best smile/$ ratio. Even though it´s a lot of money. It just rides THAT fantastic and really makes me smile when I just THINK about my last rides on it.