jason profile

Exactly.  MTB adopted road bike geometry (think 73 seat and 71 head tube back in the day ), from road biking.  This did not take into account the sometimes much steeper climbs and associated effect on the seat tube angle.  

Also, at the time there was no rear suspension sag to impact the seat tube angle (which is magnified by climbing). 

Current designs are starting to do that but what is likely needed is a seat tube angle with sag on flat land, as well as a seat tube angle with sag while climbing (industry adopted number so every manufacture uses the same metric), to be part of the geometry table. Then design the bike to hit the proper angle with sag and sag plus climbing.

Seat tube angle unweighted on a full suspension bike is irrelevant.

I have experience like Cam.  I started riding MTB with “straps”.  When spd came around I moved in that direction for 10 years.  But an ugly fall off a high skinny sent me to flats.  Vans with crappy pedals until I got Cullies.  Then five ten happened.  Impact low! Heavy as shit but no more pedal slip.  Heaven.  

I tried to go back to spd around 5 years ago and hated it.  I am slow going up anyway so don’t see much benefit of spd there.  For downs I like the heel down and ejectability of flats.

I am on 5:10 impact with one up and Scarab pedals ( diff bikes).  I have a pedal re-adjust move where if I roll over a steep bump I lean a touch forward which allows me feet to un weight enough to move my feet over the pedals.  I seem to get the feet back in the perfect place with this move.  But even if they are not in the right place, I know my feet will work because of the great grip. I can’t see going to anything else.

Have a couple year old jacket.  Looks the same but blue.  Yes it is heavy.  And it does not breath as well as other.  I use this jacket for truly shitty weather.  If I am pedalling up, I just keep the front entirely open.  Due to riding position no rain gets I anyway.  Pockets are awesome.  Have not torn the jacket despite a couple crashes.  Other than weight, I give this jacket full stars.  Especially give it is 1/3 the price of a 7mesh.

Great.  Thanks for the feedback.

Was wondering about the Boxxer combo and making it a real shuttle and park bike.  Not worried about length, most bikes for Dh are that long.  More worried about handling as compared to other 27.5 Dh bikes like the Transition TR11.  Any thoughts on that?

Yes, it sounds like the same issue.  different tune and internals, just won't work.

Hey Aj,

11/6 came off a 2018 Transition Patrol.  It would go on a 2020 Transition Scout running 150/160mm (62.5mm stroke w trunnion).  but unfortunately I just contacted Push and would need an all new shock.  crap.... so I have an extra 11/6 shock if anyone has a 2018 Patrol. 

Yes, about 2-3 months on the Shore (even less if i spend time in Squamish) in winter slop and the rear tire is worn down enough to warrant a new one (I am picky).  And Jerry is right that an 80% Maxxterra is probably better than a 50% Maxxgrip.  Hence the need to replace early, as that first 40% of the maxxgrip is better than maxxterra by a long shot.

Great article.  I have an 11/6 shock off my old bike that I really should send in to Push for re-tooling so that I can run it on my new bike.  This is good motivation to do that.  And being old as well I agree with the flatter brake alignment.  

And two thumbs up on the Dh casing Maxxis tires.  I run the dhf/dhr combo in summer, switching to the Assegai up front for winter.  And always maxxgrip year round for both tires.  Even if the rear wears out in two months.  Better than sliding with maxxterra tires.  I don’t know why I sometimes change tire brands as I always come back...

Great article.

That “issue” on the north shore rack is a Norco issue.  Not an issue because you put a Boxxer on a trail bike. Every Norco DH bike I know has difficulty on an NS rack.  You have to bend one of the tines on the rack to make it fit.  

The head tube is just that much bigger on Norco bikes making it hard to fit the rack tines in between the fork and head tube.

Not SantaCruz specific, but I now ride a large Transition Scout (27.5" wheels, 150/160 travel, 485 reach), 37mm offset fork, with a 40mm stem, and a 780mm bar.  I am 5'11" with a 31" inseam, and unlike Cam who is a waif (:)) I am a respectable 195lb (hahaha).  I could not imagine going back to even a 456 reach of my previous Patrol.  I ride same trails as Cam for the most part and love that I rarely feel that tippy OTB feeling.  The bike is plenty moveable in tight turns, steeps are awesome, in fact other than slightly less travel, the bikes seem very similar.  Given that I don't see how you would not go XL on the Nomad.

Good call on the Range as well as the fork upgrade.  I went through the same dilemma last summer.  I have a Dh bike for whistler and most of Cypress (cherry, sex girl, 5th as well as the east side trails) and I also had a Transition Patrol (medium frame) for Fromme and Seymour.  Could not decide what to get to replace the Patrol, which had many, many days on it.  

In he end I got a large Patrol aluminum frame (2017 vintage, not the new SBG 2018) and  built the bike up with new and old parts (sold the old patrol M bike complete).  The choice for me was perfect.  I got the longer reach and wheelbase by going up a size, but otherwise the bike is perfect.  

The Range has 10mm more travel in the front as well as 5mm more in the rear than the Patrol but otherwise very similar.  It should be a great choice.  Gotta love having the end of year deals at JH.

Cheers