[Da Peach]

I've been reading up on the Transition Blindside and a recurring comment is the "super low" bottom bracket. I'm sure this is great on fast berms, but I'm worried it's going to kill me on a run like 5th Horseman with lots of steep choppy spots. The upside is that I've also read that it's a tough frame.

Any thoughts? I'm torn between ridiculously fancy DH race machines (I gotta source...) and a more robust bike that can handle my sloppy "fall off" and "crash" style of riding the Shore.

Anyone riding a Blindside on the Shore? I can't remember seeing any in my travels this season.

 

[MMike]

A fancy DH race bike....a single pivot....similar to one that Steve Peat rode.... that rhymes with....uhhh....oh. um gosh....hmmmm....

 

[Mike.rider]

The Blindside is low at 14.2 but it is completely manageable. I clipped a rock or two when I had my 170mm cranks but I switched to 165mm and it solved the issues entirely

 

[SteezyWeezy]

dh4life:beerjam:

 

[MinorThreat]

I'm at 13.75" with a zero-stack internal headset and 165s; but wish I had 160s. In fact, that's what these were supposed to be but ended up with 165s

I have had more pedal-strike issues than I did with my Gran Mal but not an unsettling amount.

 

[jon-boy]

Just don't pedal.

 

[MattP.]

When I was on a BS, it took some getting used, but eventually I grew on it. Never ridden on e on the shore though. FWIW, last time I was on Fromme, I saw 2 Blindsides.....

 

[Da Peach]

Man, now I'm back to considering a Demo 8... Red and white one. So slick.

 

[danielsapp414]

I had a demo, now i've got a blindside, It costs way less and rides way better. The bb is a tad lower but I still ride the shore with it, and squamish, and whistler, and every other trail around, so do several other people I know, with no problems at all it is all a matter of getting used to it. Everyone else I ride with that has ridden both say the blindside performs better, no questions. If you want to ride a straight line and monster truck stuff though, the demo might be a better choice. If you ride trails that have turns, i'd stay away from it.

 

[eknomf]

I strongly dislike the blindside for no particular reason but you will be fine with a low bb on the shore. You just have to be willing to use the bashguard a bit more and know when you can and can't pedal. I went from a really high bb on my last dh bike to a fairly low one and overall I prefer the low setup even for the tech stuff.

 

[Da Peach]

Well, I tried out a large BS (waaaay to big) in the parking lot back to back with the new Demo. Pretty hard to compare when one of the bikes is way too big. The Blindside felt super plush and the Demo felt stiffer. But of course that it all about setup. Which I would have to fiddle around with.

I dunno. They seem to be the exact same price for similar builds. The shop I'm talking to said they could get me a Blindside built up to try out in a medium. I can wait...

I can just imagine hurling myself down Empress on the Demo. It feels like that bike wants to go down super steep stuff and would be pretty forgiving.

I really don't know much about the Blindside, but a lot of folks who have them seem to absolutely love 'em. Plus, they look cool. I find the Demo looks pretty busy.

This is the one I was ogling yesterday:

This is the Blindside which has since been snapped up (sans basket care of Arkayne...)

 

[eknomf]

Do you live in vancouver BC? If so North Shore Bike shop has piles of Transitions and probably has a medium blindside built up. If I were to go with a Transition that's where I would get it.

 

[Da Peach]

Yep, I do. Don't know that shop. I'll look it up. Tanks mang.

 

[danielsapp414]

yeah check them out for sure, Matt will help you out. He's the man.

 

[MinorThreat]

White Blindsides are faster (and pretty to boot!)

[/IMG]

. . . and you're right: Larges are BIG. I'm 6'-1" and this is a Medium, which is perfect for me.

 

[ride4fun]

Nice bike - but it looks too clean

 

[MinorThreat]

^^ Haha! That's when the build was brand new this spring. It still cleans up pretty well, though.

 

[joelsman]

I like my blindside a lot too. with a zero stack headset and a boxxer my BB is at 13.75in. I run 170's and rarely clip my pedals, you have to learn how to ride a bike with a low BB.

 

[iridebikes]

White Blindsides are faster (and pretty to boot!)
. . . and you're right: Larges are BIG. I'm 6'-1" and this is a Medium, which is perfect for me.

Is that real gold leaf on the Transition stickers?

 

[MinorThreat]

Is that real gold leaf on the Transition stickers?

Florentine Swirl Gold faux-gold-leaf vehicle vinyl. The red is a thermally-bonded translucent red overprint that allows the swirl pattern to show through.

Kevin at Transition sent me the EPS file of the logo, which I opened in Illustrator to add the outline and drop-shadow, then had one of my vendors cut me a couple sets.

I was real close to doing real gold leaf but didn't want to mess with cutting frisket and digging out my lettering brushes to do the outline. Computer has made me lazy .

 

[SteezyWeezy]

ya those decals look fresh

 

[xjvince]

minor threat, is that an rst fork? hows it perform?

 

[MinorThreat]

I have been very happy with it. It does everything it's supposed to with few frills. 36mm stanchions make it stiff in all the right ways.

This is the fourth-generation of R1s I have had. Looking forward to the new '09 R1 Super - - it will be a semi-open oil bath (previous ones had a right-side cartridge rebound damper) that will have rebound and compression circuits. Top crown will also have drilling/tapping for a Boxxer bolt-pattern direct-mount stem.

 

[Da Peach]

Well, I finally made my decision. It is sweet. Set up for super plushy goodness.


Parking lot arrival

After a little muddy fun down Neds on Seymour

I plan to learn to bleed brakes. Not that I think I'll have to for a while, these things are awesome.

Soupy at the shop was a real artist with the stickers.

Floating brake and more sticker fun. Also my first ding on the pedal. I'll have to learn to get my feet up when they need to be. I'm told you could see the sparks coming off the pedal on impact...

Looks like the head angle is either a little slacker than they say, or my iPod's not calibrated quite right...

Great attention to detail from Soupy at the shop. Check out the end of my shifter cable:

Another view...

I loved it. Today's ride was awesome. Tomorrows will be better. Can't wait. Now to enjoy one of these:

 

[MMike]

It has a gamut right?

 

[Da Peach]

It has a gamut right?

I think it's a TBC actually. No marks that I can find.

It's toit like a tiger.

 

[MinorThreat]

Yeah, that's the TBC. Nice build!

 

[Da Peach]

Thanks mang.

Took it down Cypress yesterday. Damn that was slippery. I can wait to check out Whistler.

 

[bikerpunk98199]

Hey Peach, whats your bb sitting at?

 

[Da Peach]

About 13.75" to center of BB

 

[bikerpunk98199]

Holy crap, way lower and slacker than what is suppose to be the stock geo...

 

[Mike.rider]

Holy crap, way lower and slacker than what is suppose to be the stock geo...

not sure about the head angle but my BB is at 13.75 as well, the combo of the low boxxer and the zero stack headset drop it down

 

[racingsessions]

my session has a pretty low BB and this happened

 

[Da Peach]

Well, I'm really starting to dig my new ride. I am, however, beating the hell out of my pedals.

I've started to get my feel for delicate braking back. I think the floating rear brake adapter is actually pretty sweet. I'm cleaning sections of Cypress that I had no shot at at all last season. Traction festival!

Cleared sections on Sex Girl that sent my limping off last year. A little more confidence and I'll be clearing all the gaps. Just love it. Love it.