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This is what's right with The Industry®

norbar

KESSLER PROBLEM. Just cause
Jun 7, 2007
11,369
1,605
Warsaw :/
Cockpit positioning can make a MASSIVE difference. and in exactly the same way longer or shorter "stack" would.
Not negating that but the amount of spacers, stem and bar dimensions at least on paper seem fairly similar. So yes you can make a huge difference with those but if the stem is similar, the bar nearly the same then it wasn't a massively different cockpit unless I forgot they put a billion spacers under the stem on the rental
 

Gary

"S" is for "neo-luddite"
Aug 27, 2002
7,668
5,587
UK
amount of spacers, stem and bar dimensions at least on paper seem fairly similar.
Comparing and replicating those would give a completely different (control) position if the two bikes had differing "stack" measurements.
Infact. Almost every variable of geometry has some effect on others.
 

norbar

KESSLER PROBLEM. Just cause
Jun 7, 2007
11,369
1,605
Warsaw :/
Comparing and replicating those would give a completely different (control) position if the two bikes had differing "stack" measurements.
Infact. Almost every variable of geometry has some effect on others.
I get it and I agree with you gary but if the bars are nearly the same, stem is nearly the same then the only variables are frame geo and spacers.

ALso I'd not comment if the bikes drove slightly different but the differnce was massive. I felt horrible on the Ransom. I felt right at home at the Capra right from the start. The difference was massive but lets leave that topic. Maybe I had a shit week or something. All I remember is not liking the Ransom. Maybe the bike was simply a bit too low on the front end for the steeps and I had a shit week so I was grumpy. If others like it I'm fine with that. I didn't. I like my Capra. I like a few other bikes. Ransom is the only modern enduro bike I tried that really didn't work with me at all.
 

Gary

"S" is for "neo-luddite"
Aug 27, 2002
7,668
5,587
UK
First Capra I ever rode was a brand new 2017 but it felt so awful I handed it straight back and got back on my hardtail. All that was wrong with it was the tyres and suspension pressures. Next time I rode theat exact same bike was probably six months later when it had decent tyres (DHFs IIRC) fitted. Hit a few jumps n corners and liked it so much I bought the 2018 and stuck 26s on it. Still love it to this day.

Test rides can really only ever be as good/bad as their set-up. Or something... Mutter mutter..
 

norbar

KESSLER PROBLEM. Just cause
Jun 7, 2007
11,369
1,605
Warsaw :/
First Capra I ever rode was a brand new 2017 but it felt so awful I handed it straight back and got back on my hardtail. All that was wrong with it was the tyres and suspension pressures. Next time I rode theat exact same bike was probably six months later when it had decent tyres (DHFs IIRC) fitted. Hit a few jumps n corners and liked it so much I bought the 2018 and stuck 26s on it. Still love it to this day.

Test rides can really only ever be as good/bad as their set-up. Or something... Mutter mutter..
I get it. The issue is I had a very specific geometry problem with that scott even my guide noticed my body position was weird. The issue "the bike feels bad". The issue was I was too far foward and could not find a sweet spot on the steeps. I wasn't moving enough on the bike because I couldn't find a position on it that suited me. So strictly a geometry issue.
 

Leafy

Monkey
Sep 13, 2019
551
358
Ok now they just need support and sales of their suspension stuff in North America. I want to try the Nero coil pretty badly.
 

Gary

"S" is for "neo-luddite"
Aug 27, 2002
7,668
5,587
UK
MOAR than you could ever imagine from the safety of your Sweedish ivory tower. Or wherever the fuck it is you are.
 

HardtailHack

used an iron once
Jan 20, 2009
6,756
5,665
Ordered some hubs, the rear one came with the wrong driver, shoot off an email and get told to keep the driver I have and they'll send the other for free.
Solid service.
 

HardtailHack

used an iron once
Jan 20, 2009
6,756
5,665
you just got told it really costs them less than shipping
I got the hubs at maybe 25% off and they are helping me out without asking for picture proof or anything. Because of that I will buy something else from them.
The MicroSpline freehub is pretty pricy for a Novatec Premium hub, I think retail in the US was around $150.
Wholesale cost over here, I have no idea on that, but I'd assume more than $10.

I will also add my bike to your thread to have it judged, I think it will be almost Sandwich bike ugly.
 

HardtailHack

used an iron once
Jan 20, 2009
6,756
5,665
Can't remember what wheels I was looking at a while ago that used Factor hubs and I couldn't work out what they really were...

edit: Might have been the stock wheels on a Zerode Katipo
I doubt they sell many aftermarket because they are crazy money as Novatec is seen sorta like the Mongoose of the hub world.
Current RRP on the rear hub is 315 USD, you can get a Hadley for $120 more.
 

canadmos

Cake Tease
May 29, 2011
20,529
19,534
Canaderp
how much of this premium moniker is just marketing markup? hunt sells all their drivers for 34chf
The Hunt drivers look like any generic Novatec type one, so of course they are cheap.

They have an outstanding sustainability jargon page too - https://www.huntbikewheels.cc/pages/hunt-sustainability

I shall hide this, but Factor's distributer in the US is Bike Fetish. They list the msrp on their site, but if you can find the add to cart button, you can see the dealer cost. I emailed them and got one for this lower cost - I just told them that finding an alternative place to buy them seemed impossible.

1708608634921.png

Factor, which was a pretend American Brand, now they are just called Novatec Premium.
View attachment 208101
I've had these hubs since 2019ish and they've been solid so far. Changed the bearings about a year ago on the rear hub (front still feels smooth) and then switched the driver.

I have fantastic purple, though. :brows:
 

trib

not worthy of a Rux.
Jun 22, 2009
1,481
423
Barely part of “the industry” as we know it, but the Florida Swamp Fest BMX/skate festival is wrapping up and as always the footage is mad the gang of people who assemble there to ride are unhinged.

as mtb events go for bigger jumps, bigger tricks, it’s fun to watch people get weird in a swamp on the little bikes.
 

canadmos

Cake Tease
May 29, 2011
20,529
19,534
Canaderp
Submitted warranty request for my Fox X2 Performance shock.

They sent me back an X2 Factory and even moved the spacers over for me. Pretty sweet. They didn't even ask for proof of purchase.

 

vivisectxi

Monkey
Jan 14, 2021
476
582
yeast van
certainly can't fault the fox / RF warranty shop. had my x2 rebuilt 2x hassle free; 3rd time said i had enough of this shit (this was prior to the revamped x2) and they gave me a new DHX.
 

scrublover

Turbo Monkey
Sep 1, 2004
2,921
6,287

Bikael Molton

goofy for life
Jun 9, 2003
4,028
1,165
El Lay
Why do so many brands want to take the simplicity of a hardtail and tart it up with sliding or otherwise adjustable dropouts? That shit never stays tight in real world applications without a ton of fiddling and maintenance.

You chose to ride a primitive hardtail… there’s no performance gain from swapping back and forth from singlespeed or wheel size or rotor size or CS length or whatever. This is all internet mountainbiker BS for slow dudes averaging 3 rides per month.
 
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