NickB profile

Didn’t Sacki tell us that 34.9 was the way to go in a previous NSMB article literally titled “why all posts should be 34.9”? I’ve wanted one of his droppers for a while but had to spend the extra on the Revive because the new post isn’t available in the larger size. 

I’m not really complaining as I love the post but I did think it odd.

Any thoughts on the “Suspension Post” Feature of the Devine? As a hardtail rider I thought that it sounded kind of cool.

Loved the run down of the suspension set up. Lots of idiot friendly language and comparisons to well known bikes.

I’ve got the new version of this Suzuki on order. 12 month waiting list and mine is due in September! They are a classic little 4x4. The new version has an arm wrenching 100hp (75kw) motor and the aero properties of a brick. So refreshing in a market flooded by fat arsed SUV pretenders.

That sounds awesome, I love the old GT’s!

I had a mid nineties Avalanche. The cheap Zaskar. 

Ball burnished Alloy frame and team blue and yellow logos, aghhh! It was awesome! The Mag21 forks may not have aged as well however.

Ha! I’m looking for a petrol after a lifetime of clattering diesels. No such thing as a smooth powerful V6 petrol around here! 

I was surprised by the number of people that would ask me about it on the climb up Fromme. “You’re from Australia? Man, I love your diesel trucks!”. To which I’d reply  “Naa they’re a Ute Mate!”

Great story about an amazing trip! Bikes are bikes and a bit of variety never hurt anyone. 

Now I got to hook me up some junkets!

I’ve got a Cane Creek coil Helm on my SJ Evo and am pretty chuffed with it. I looked at conversions for my Lyrik but it was cheaper to sell my old fork and buy a whole new one. Any idea how they compare? Conversion vs off the shelf mrp or Cane Creek? The CC is the only one with the sexy Cherry Bomb coloured crowns though!

There's a 2.35 DHF in the shed, perhaps I'll throw it on. I do like the fat ones on my hardtail... I am talking about tyres still.

Seems to happen on both my Stumpjumper EVO "Big" bike and my Chromag Stylus Single Speed.

I've had cuts on both the sidewall and tread, on various models from two different manufactures. So I don't think that the inserts will be a game changer, but they're the only thing that I haven't tried!

I'd love to believe that I'm getting faster but I'm pretty sure that it's just a bunch of bad luck. 

It's cool, I've just come back from an awesome bike trip and am having more fun on wheels then ever. So don't give me too much sympathy! I'll just keep reading your writing on this subject, looking for a magic bullet but otherwise I'll just keep riding!

I'm a little heavier (86kg out of the shower) and run 20-25 from and 25-28 rear. I've been told by various riders (most faster than me!) that I'm running them both to hard and too soft.

30mm rims and 2.6 tyres, though I've got a 2.35 to try on the rear. It may help!

I already owned these so they ended up on the build. The 2020 model has 165mm cranks as stock, so specialized seem to think that you’re on to something.

Here’s my specialized Stumpy Evo, she’s 650b with all the trimmings.

The tight, rocky desert trails in Central Australia are fun but my new Dagga pedals are getting hammered by the low bb. Next step may be a 29” wheel conversion if I can find some cheap second hand bits to test it with. And some green pedals to go full Rasta!

Interesting bits are:

Frame is a Large 650b S3 alloy

Shock: Ohlins TTX coil

Drive train: Stock NX w/carbon Decendent cranks 170mm

Fork: coil CC Helm

Bar/Stem: Box 50mm and Chromag Alloy

Wheels: project 321’s with Derby Rims

Dagga pedals are passing the rock strike testing with flying colours, even if my shins are not.

Thanks for checking her out. NSMB has been my home page since I left the Van North Shore trails and that isn’t changing!

Not as extreme as the bike in the last post (what a beast!) but a fun little companion for my regular ride, a Chromag Stylus. 

It’s a large Specialized Fuse with RS Pike Ultimates up front and Next SL 32x18 SS drivetrain at the rear. 160mm Bike Yoke post holds a carbon Phenom saddle and RF have the cockpit covered. 

The 29’er frame is currently sporting a pair of the older style 650b Traverse fattie SL wheels and 2.6” Rekon exo+ rubber. So the BB is a ground hugging 305 mm off the deck. The 140mm forks and 66’ish HA are all party, but the 25 pound weight means business. 

Haven’t tried the rim strips, but the plugs that come with Roval wheels are genius. They’re plastic with rubber seals and you pop one in each spoke hole. 

They never lift up when you change a tyre and they save about 50 grams a wheel. Not sure why the rest of the industry hasn’t done us a favor and stolen this idea.

Chromag Stylus Single Speed (and occasional Box 7 speed).

Yea, I know that the chain tensioner is upside down (and the chain a bit loose) but it seems to be the only way to make it work with the oval ring. Options are: A round ring, a rear derailer style tensioner, or just to keep pedaling..... even if it makes your eyes bleed!

So the story behind her is that a mate was trying to sell a Stylus frame and fork combo. I took it for a test ride and promptly laid it down in a rock garden, putting a series of toonie sized dents in the top tube!

Before he knew what had happened my money was in his bank account and the frame was at a panel beater. This guy normally does custom cars and Harleys so he did an awesome job with the dents. He then laid a fine coat of pearlescent, metallic rootbeer over the evidence. The logos are painted on in pearl white too.

I’ve swapped out the orange fork decals for black since the photo too.

About 7 years ago I got to spend 12 months in BC and 6 on the shore. I was always blown away by the locals laying waste to the scariest trails that I’ve ever seen on these crazy hardtails.

So I was always going to have a Chromag of my own. It didn’t happen quite the way I planned, but it did finally happen!

Bike brew is the Aussie Chromag distributer. I’ve been chatting with them about a Wideangle and they’ve been really helpful. When you place an order they will get it from Canada for you, so it may take a few weeks.

We had three bikes out of our five stolen from outside a pub at Crankworks about three years ago.

Yes, they where new, expensive and unlocked… And we were drunk…

I know that we didn't deserve to get them back, but we found a guy with two of them walking down the street. He said he was taking them to find their owners! Fortunately, a cop walked past before five drunk Aussie bikers could ask him any more questions.

The last, a brand new Santa Cruz Bullit with XTR and Fox 40's (crazy build!) was found about a week later, in perfect condition on the side of the road.

As the owner of the Santa Cruz was back in Aus by then, I had to pick up the bike from the Whistler RCMP and send it to him.
But I didn't mind as I got an excuse to head back to Whistler for another weekend!

It was one hell of a way to end our month long North West bike riding road trip.

A VERY big thank you to the Whistler RCMP and the amazing person that turned in the Santa Cruz!

The Honzo looks sexy but that massive seat tube gusset always looked a little like an erection to me. I'm a fan of a few curves so I've just finished building a Nimble 9.

Frame – 2015 Canfield Nimble 9, Large. AKA Blue Steel.
Rear shock - Not this time!
Front fork - RockShox Pike RCT3 140mm 29'
Wheelset - Nextie Carbon Rims with DT240 Hubs and SuperComp Spokes (front wheel to be swapped out)
Tires - Maxxis DHF 2.5 and DHR2 2.3
Handlebars - Raceface 35x800mm Sixc Carbon
Stem - 50mm Easton Haven
Headset - Cane Creek 40
Grips - Odi Vans in Brown
Saddle - Cromag Brown Leather
Seatpost - Specialized Dropper
Brakes - Shimano XT, with IceTec 180mm rotors
Cranks - Truvative Noir Carbon W/Absolute Black 32 tooth ring
Chain - Shimano XT
Rear derailleur - Shimano XT
Rear shifter - Shimano XT
Cassette - Shimano XT
Pedals - Shimano XT

The Nimble is a lovely ride. Dances through turns like a ballerina and moto’s across the rough like an MX bike. A BIG thankyou to Rob at Crankin.net.au for supplying the frame and rims and spending waayyy too much time answering stupid questions. It’s nice dealing with someone that obviously has the same passion for bikes as you do!

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Love my 2011 EVO, or 2012?!?

Which one had the pimp'in gold trim?

That beast has taken me both up and down a whole lot of mountains in both Canada and Australia. I'll admit that I'm thinking of selling it as it's just a little to much bike our local terrain.

The build is: stock forks and shock.
35mm stem and 780 bars (up from 60 [HTML_REMOVED] 750)
Eastern Haven wheels (took a bunch of weight off while looking trick.)
XT brakes with 180 [HTML_REMOVED] 200 rotors (as the Avid's and I never got along.)
Lost the dropper as it is really only used as a DH bike now days.

I was very disappointed to find my camera full of photos of my child and none of my bike, so this is the best I could do (shot at some random rock in Whistler Park): Notice, if you will, the sagging elbows, white knuckle death grip on the bars and the eyes as wide as dinner plates. #FULLPRO

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Spent a year living on the North Shore and loved my 160mm Enduro Evo (2011 model, 160mm coil rear and 170mm Fox Vanilla front) it was as happy at the Shore, as Whistler, even the occasional XC Epic!

DH is good for a second bike.