hbelly13 profile

"...super low at 341mm which is the lowest of any 29er I compared against."

I guess you did not look at Evil. Evil's The Wreckoning BB height is 339 mm ( X-Low position) and has 11 mm more rear travel. Their new steed the Offering sits at 338 mm with a 150 mm fork or 334 mm with a 140 mm fork.

Andrew do you have any thoughts on what shifters are compatible with a Hammerschmidt that could be run on the right side of the bars? I have long preferred to run my dropper lever on the left side and may very well set my Honzo as a dingle speed soon. Having the shifter on the right would be far more ergonomic and less of a mess. I was thinking maybe a gripshift front could be run on the right, but if a trigger could rigged to do so that would be more pleasant.

Right on. When I threw a long over that Honzo I declared to anyone that would listen that every bike was going have that geometry. They all do now to some degree. I despised 29er's up until riding that bike and now both my bikes are 29er's ('15 Honzo SS and a '17 Evil Wreckoning). Oh and BTW, I was riding a Gravity Dropper post in '05 with little to no issues back when no one knew what they were and everyone gave me crap about them. I said that everyone would have dropper posts back then too. I should have become a cult leader.

The Honzo was a game-changer bike and my friend ran his Honzo the same way. However, the Honzo did not show up in Kona's catalog until '12.

So you were running a 170mm Durolux even prior to putting the -2 degree angle set? So that puts yr bike in the 64.5-65 degree angle range? I have my Honzo set up with a standard headset and a 140mm fork (Revelation, meh.), but was thinking about bumping it up to a 150-160mm beefier something and maybe snagging an angleset too. Mine is a single speed and I am curious if you've had any issues with out of the saddle climbing (standard single speed fare)?

There are fantastic deals to be found used or OEM take-offs. However you really need to A. know what you are looking at,  B. do your research regarding value thoroughly and C. not be in a hurry. Few are willing to do this. To illustrate, I plan to purchase "new" brakes prior to a bike trip at the end of the summer. I know exactly what I want and what the average prices are across the internet. I have had several come available, but I know I can do better on price and I am not worried about set up as I can do it myself. As noted, I am in no real hurry. I believe the same approach can be employed on entire bikes as well, but it requires more time, eye for detail and willingness to accept issues that may arise.

They look eerily similar.

They resemble E13's and while I'm not a conspiracy theorist I would venture that they did the E13 tires to test the market.

Long before Muc-Off became a thing, I used Suzuki-Wash. Now I pick up jugs of the generic version of it from assorted motorcycle outlets. Basically I do the exact same thing as above, but use a small portion of pvc insulation to rest the chain on versus a Wash Buddy. Also a big plus one on the SC1.

I'm glad you like Fox. They've never been impressive for me. I've had no real issues with assorted Rock Shox products I've had over the last decade. They've been dependable, easy to dial in, simple to maintain and simple in general. On a handful of occasions when I've been able to ride comparable Fox equipped bikes on demos on the exact same trails at best they felt equal to similar Rock Shox set ups. The increased cost, poor maintenance history and complexity without any perceptible gains just doesn't work for me. Again though, whatever turns you on.

There are numerous stories/interviews out regarding Evil's past and how those days are behind them. My friend is a local dealer and they've been great to work with the past three years. We've seen exactly two bikes require warranty service (both of which were due to improper rider set up; improper torque, etc.). Evil took care of these promptly. 

As far as the bikes go, nothing rides like them. Go read the reviews. I've ridden all of them and my daily driver is the Wreckoning. The Insurgent is a fantastic bike and if you already have the parts and wheelset that will go on it (142 rear axle/27.5 wheels) then picking up the current frame at it's reduced price is a no brainer. Otherwise, pick one of the newer models that turns you one. If you want further specifics ask away.

• Banshee Rune V2 -An absolute all around rager. Could be lighter, but who gives AF when it rips like it does both up and down.
• Santa Cruz Butcher -Super fun bike that was dumb simple and just a blast. Too bad SC didn't bring this one into the new school geometry/27.5 wheel world.
• Evil Insurgent -The ONLY bike I've pedalled around (and I've demoed everything) that gives the aforementioned Banshee a run for it's money. Could be my next whip.
• Kona Honzo -The first 29'er I rode that didn't suck. The only other 29'ers since then that I've liked were the Ibis Ripley LS and Evil Wreckoning.
• Surly Instigator 1.0 -I had mine for 13 years(!!!). I rode it built up every way to Sunday and was bummed when it finally cracked last year. Ridiculously killer steel beast.

:devil:

I am sure there are other decent options, but the Ironcase is the most bombproof case I have ever seen or used. It has been around longer than anything else for a good reason. I have had mine for over 16 years and have never had ANY issues with a bike that I traveled with it. I would look for a used one as they are not cheap.

…Triple 8 wrist gaurds. I have used these for more than fifteen years. I go through about three sets a year +/-. I put my gloves on and then these over top of them. As my hands are my job, I wear them all the time off road. Sure, I know how to fall, but these have saved me countless times. They are inexpensive, easy to get used to, make you look like a Terminator, provide tons of support/protection and will always be cheaper than surgery. Believe me, I tried every guard/brace out there including custom orthotic numbers. These are WAY more durable, protective and economic. I do not ride without them. I have taken plenty of nasty falls, but zero wrist injuries. :devil:

I do not own a Darkside, but I have been aboard a Rune V2 for more than a year and half. The Darkside on paper appears to be a Rune on steroids. I would surmise that like the Rune the Darkside is going to be amazing pedaling bike, making it very fun and playful on messy trails or in a park. I agree with Porkchop in so much that if you are looking for a more DH mow-over-everything kind of rig that it's not likely going to suit you. "Freeduro" or "Superenduro" …that sounds about right. :evil:

Oh, hey alright, let's do this again! Note that I did not say "one more time" as that utterance always precedes a crash. Here you go…

1. What eyewear do you currently use when you ride (goggles, glasses) and for what kind of riding? I current employ a couple of pairs of Oakley glasses for both my mountain and cyclocross riding (mis)adventures. They both have pink lens with black frames. This provides me with nice contrast in the deep forests of my southern surroundings and a reminder of my New Wave/Punk roots.

2. Have you had any experience with Ryders eyewear? I have a ten plus year old pair of Ryders lurking in the bottom of my gear bag. They were inexpensive and worked fine when I bought them in a pinch upon forgetting my usual go to's. They make a nice spare for my occasional forgetful cohorts.

3. Are fogged up glasses a problem for you when riding? Is this a joke? I generally refer to myself as a schwettefatf*ck as I sweat like the proverbial pig. They don't call it "Hotlanta" for nothing. Most of the time, my glasses stay perched on my helmet save on exceptionally (rare) sunny rides or if it's a particularly nasty descent. Otherwise, it is very tricky to see through them. I could rant on about how one of the main reasons I like my Bell Super is how well it holds my glasses beneath the visor, but I will save that for another contest.

4. Where do you live and ride? I live in Alpharetta, Georgia a small city just north of Atlanta. I have a number of local trails I frequent including one I can pedal too. In addition, about once a month I hit trails up in N GA/W NC/E TN including my favorites up in Pisgah.

5. Most importantly: Provide an example of a 'gear shots' style review: **I considered providing a link to some of the dental articles I've penned, but I figured you can find more engaging sources for your boredom. Nevertheless, here is a schpeil I wrote about the Nomad 3 and an older piece NPR published of mine.

Party. Now to check my messages**…

Is bold the new all caps?

Good info. I've got to say, I'm kind of curious about these things. Do they help with clearance over obstacles too (when your pedals are at approx 3 and 9?

**I just happen to like the way bold looks.:|

Clearance? Maybe, but I am old school and still run a bash guard.** :devil:

**I run a Black by Absolute Black 32t driving my 10 speed cassette with a OneUp 42t hack. It works great as my legs are much less tired/sore after big climbs and it is easier to remain on the gas throughout any ride. I had a 30t round ring prior and I more comfortable climbing with the Black and it's higher tooth count.

I began mountain biking 28 years ago when the original Biopace came out. The modern ovals are completely different. I do not notice any pulsing effect or really anything weird while pedaling it. In fact everyone who has hopped on my bike had to look at it to notice that it was oval as you feel nothing out of the ordinary. Several of my friends picked them up too and love them. I ride clipped in, but my friend who rides flats said that it helps him stay glued to the pedals even more than ever on climbs. **:devil:

Is this happening? Are there any updates? Thanks.

I am pretty sure that the editors and/or DT Swiss found the responses so remedial and sub-Pulitzer, they decided this was not such a great idea. Perhaps this exercise was not unlike being a shopper at the Sunglasses Hut and thinking you are qualified to perform opthalmic surgery. Fun, however the results will be less than optimal. :devil:

OMG!!! Thank you all for this great honor!!! :devil: