awesterner profile

But you won't get that answer out of a Product manager :-)

Is your idea of long based on wheelbase or roominess?

And spending $15K, one better be happy with 45lbs and probably obsolete (next year) geometry. Sign me up when geometry progression dies down and they drop 10lbs. I'm one of those guys that always rides from lower lonsdale to Fromme (if I choose Fromme). I'd be all over taking 30 minutes off my ride when I'm strapped for time, but I will absolutely NOT accept a compromised downhill experience because the bike weighs 45 lbs. I want it to handle the way by current bike handles, and I guess until then I slog it out :-)

The last few years I've been running the Fox forks with more tokens and open as recommended by some reputable tuners.  However this year, suspensionwerx recommended just the one token that came with my Sentinel, and keeping it around the recommended dial settings (RC2).  Has been fantastic, had me wondering why I didn't tune it this way in the past.

My 2018 Performance Elite RC2 was creak free on my Sentinel until about month 6.  Still one of the better, most consistent feeling forks I've owned.  But yeah, creaks are very, VERY common this year, again....

Maybe it's the really slack bikes these days putting a lot of stress on the CSU.  That being said, Jerry is right, they should have invested some of their money into 1 piece CSUs or SOMETHING that makes them creak free!

Great article Andrew!  It's good you mentioned the warm light.  I don't ride that often at night but when I do I have the somewhat cheapy Gemini lights which are crazy bright but very white and hard (?) that reflect off the trees almost too much making it hard to get much depth perception.  Nevertheless it's enough light to be safe :-)

Seriously short head tube.  Anybody that rides these super slack creations (me included) have been adding a fair amount of spacers. on my Sentinel...64degrees drops the front a lot, and that something a lot of us weren't prepared for when we first set them up.

and...you don't want to drop this bike on one of your mile high skinnies;-)  Seriously though, try out a longer reach bike, you'll be surprised that they maybe aren't as roomy as the #s suggest as Andrew says.  You don't want a longer stem than a 40mm on these.  You do take some unique lines though that may requires some extra hopping :-)

From all accounts his Norco DH design is proving to be really successful, can't wait to see more of these -alternative- designs show up in the lower travel.

Yeah but you have Style for Miles :-)

Tim——

It’s very active when the shock is Open but it still has a lot of support so that it doesn’t wallow. Most climbing I use the platform on the shock. Pretty much like every bike I’ve ever owned—maybe it’s just preference:). It rarely bottoms out -hard- when properly set up. Feels pretty sprightly to me. I’m a fast rider, but am easy to please when it come to design and setup. I don’t need to fork out crazy cake for a yeti SB for a perceived better performing suspension (a subjective view of some). ;)

It really could use a taller head tube. These slack ass bikes have a pretty low front end and big reach numbers on paper really need more stack for taller riders

The 160/140 of the Sentinel is a pretty good sweet spot. I find mine quite nimble. At least for me I don't think the 140mm rear end gets in over its head unless you are smashing medium hits at Mach Chicken, or if you are on the brake bumps in the Park. Other than that it's pretty solid pick for a in between bike. :-)

**disclaimer this style of bike is a rear wheel destroyer. I'm on rear wheel #4.  It takes you into the gnar at all the speed of a bigger bike,,,it's just kinda runs out of travel hahaha

Go on Instagram anyday of the year pretty much and see *CBC* being ridden as it was 20 years ago. Loamers are not just for locals these days.

My Fox 36 went to the new Fox Service centre for a warranty CSU. S-Werx sent it to them.  OGC has stopped stocking Fox stuff completely now I suppose.

I have the Gemini Duo and the single for the handlebar.  Tons of light.  For me I think the light is maybe too white/hard, but I have little experience with riding lights in recent years to know if something more expensive has a beam patter that gives more depth.  But for me, they offer a crazy amount of brightness, and very long battery life.

The Q&A in BIKE Mag asked about the shock choice.  Scott's Marketing guy said the reason people look fir piggyback shocks is because they are looking for more air volume. Haha WHAT?!!

Ahh Scott just squeaked their 10K build under 30lbs, what a relief. Another long travel Enduro destroyer with an XC shock and thin tires ;-) Maybe it's not Enduro, maybe its the category-shifting Downcountry-duro??

Finally some burley stays on that Yeti.  Well they LOOK burley anyway ;-)

Yeah...Rocky, Devinci, Giant, Knolly etc. Do the big boys ship direct to Canada (Trek, Specialized)?

Thanks for the review. I was considering the Firebird for next year but I am so use to my Sentinel now I thought I might as well put it on a 3lb diet for next season. Those that couldn't wait until 2019 and went with the 2018 carbon----the new ones have moar carbon (rocker). Probably the last bike I get out of the USA if we start seeing tariffs between US and China 8-)