Thoughts please, I think i might want one.
Transition Blindside
- Thread starter DirtyMike
- Start date
Get one.... I just built a 07 Preston and my next bike for sure is gonna be a Blind they rock bro hands down... Go for it 
Here's a picture if you haven't seen the new one
Yeah, i was just on there website. Just havent heard anything about how it ride Plushness ETC.
feel free to drop me a pm. my shop is a dealer, and i can prolly swing a deal if anyone is interested.
one of the guys at the shop just ordered one. its tittsy. nice plush->progressive feel. ramps up nicely.
one of the guys at the shop just ordered one. its tittsy. nice plush->progressive feel. ramps up nicely.
i actually im looking into one a wee bit as well, first impressions anyone who has ridden/owns one
it looks like a socom
Post up a report when you get a chance, I might be rocking a Blindside next season as well!not sure how it rides yet, I'll know this weekend though
All the snobby weight weenie types we have on boards will not be a fan of this bike but i think this will def be a favorite this year. Such a solid bike at a good price...I big bottlerocket would be a rock.
Love this thing.
Love this thing.
the white looks money. the raw, not so much.
regardless, the looks won't be an issue if the performance is (or isn't) there.
regardless, the looks won't be an issue if the performance is (or isn't) there.
I disagree, the white is a proven 9.313% faster in flat turns...It's all about ball bearings these days and the white has less friction on those surfaces.
My frame is supposed to show up tomorrow. Can't wait!!
I just have to come up with an excuse to leave work early.
BTW - getting the white with floater.
I just have to come up with an excuse to leave work early.
BTW - getting the white with floater.
I don't get it till i get home next week. Gonna be sick though.
Do it! I like mine, just cause it looks sexy, not sure how it rides yet, I'll know this weekend though
Nice!
What size is that Matt?
After getting my hands on one last night to play with, here are some initial thoughts.
First off....
WHY? WHY? WHY? did they clear coat the raw frames, if anyone wants to custom powercoat theirs, it will have to be fully striped first...
The sticker kit is a good idea, but poor in execution
The dropout system is cool, although the 135 vs 150 debate is raging fully at our LBS.
Craftsmanship looks ok, although a few of the welds on the one here are kind of sloppy compared to previous Transition frames.
It pedals pretty well with a TST-R on it, at least around the parking lot, it doesn't feel as "dead" as a Gran Mal in the rear end.
And my final thought... I got $10 on it that they break at that stupid curved seat tube/BB junction.... With the amount of broken Preston's (there is one Preston in the shop with 5 different cracks on the front trangle) and Dirtbag's at the seat tube/BB this year, I am guessing that the design is just going to amplify the problem.
Overall though, they look like nice bikes for the money. I am still up in the air about whether or not to buy one though.
First off....
WHY? WHY? WHY? did they clear coat the raw frames, if anyone wants to custom powercoat theirs, it will have to be fully striped first...
The sticker kit is a good idea, but poor in execution
The dropout system is cool, although the 135 vs 150 debate is raging fully at our LBS.
Craftsmanship looks ok, although a few of the welds on the one here are kind of sloppy compared to previous Transition frames.
It pedals pretty well with a TST-R on it, at least around the parking lot, it doesn't feel as "dead" as a Gran Mal in the rear end.
And my final thought... I got $10 on it that they break at that stupid curved seat tube/BB junction.... With the amount of broken Preston's (there is one Preston in the shop with 5 different cracks on the front trangle) and Dirtbag's at the seat tube/BB this year, I am guessing that the design is just going to amplify the problem.
Overall though, they look like nice bikes for the money. I am still up in the air about whether or not to buy one though.
Did a lot of preston's crack this year? This is the first I've heard of this problem???After getting my hands on one last night to play with, here are some initial thoughts.
First off....
WHY? WHY? WHY? did they clear coat the raw frames, if anyone wants to custom powercoat theirs, it will have to be fully striped first...
The sticker kit is a good idea, but poor in execution
The dropout system is cool, although the 135 vs 150 debate is raging fully at our LBS.
Craftsmanship looks ok, although a few of the welds on the one here are kind of sloppy compared to previous Transition frames.
It pedals pretty well with a TST-R on it, at least around the parking lot, it doesn't feel as "dead" as a Gran Mal in the rear end.
And my final thought... I got $10 on it that they break at that stupid curved seat tube/BB junction.... With the amount of broken Preston's (there is one Preston in the shop with 5 different cracks on the front trangle) and Dirtbag's at the seat tube/BB this year, I am guessing that the design is just going to amplify the problem.
Overall though, they look like nice bikes for the money. I am still up in the air about whether or not to buy one though.
Come on now...studies show that 67% of all statistics cited are made up on the spot with only 1 in 5 having any scientific studies to back them up...
But yeah, these look okay. Interested to see how they hold up.
I thought it was 78.2354%.
Yeah....me too. Haven't heard of anything like this....only thing I can remember is some early-run 03's had thinner tubing, but that got taken care of pretty quickly. Everything in Transitions lineup is pretty stout.....
Yeah, I have an 07 and the welds and tubing are top notch. Rode it lift served a couple weeks ago and the bike rails. hopefully not a problem on the 07's....
I don't personally know a ton of people riding new Preston's (I have an 06), but 3 I do know with 07's have all broken them. There are a ton of Transition Riders out here in AZ, lots of Gran Mals, lots of Dirtbags, lots of BottleRockets.
So far I havn't personally seen a broken BottleRocket, I have seen 2 broken Mal's and a 2 broken Dirtbag's along with the 3 Prestons and 1 Covert. The Mal's seem to break at the headtube, the Preston seems to break at the seatube/bb interface or the shock mounts and the Dirtbag's break the swing arm.
I sometime's think riding the lunar landscape here in AZ is harder than anywhere else on bikes, its non stop rocks and sand and after just a few days a bike looks beat and within a few months cracks start to show.
I would say just keep an eye on the following places:
Seat tube/ BB interface
Forward Shock Mounts
Underside of the top tube just behind the weld to the downtube
I am not saying they all do it, it just seems that I have been personally seeing more and more cracked 07 Transitions than previous years. I have had a total of 5 Transition frames and still love my 06 Preston and 07 Dirtbag every time I throw my leg over them, I just keep an eye on them after I broke my 05 Dirtbag.
All bikes break if you ride them hard enough
Well, No Blinside for me, Just picked up the Dirtbag, With DB rockers on it already for 500
hey,
all of the broken prestons I've seen were with people running 66's on them. not that you can't run that fork, but if you are seriously riding it like that, then maybe an all mountain trail bike isn't the frame for you.
there has only ever been 2 BR warrenties. on of the original ones cracked at the headtube after being ridden in the whistler bike park everyday for a long time. the other was a stripped thread in the swingarm.
I have seen a h-tube off a gran mal. owner admitted he 50'ed a BIG jump. he said any bike would have cracked on that one.
the old prestons and dirtbags did have a few problems. but TBC fixed the issue and got everyone taken care of. if anyone ever has a problem, give the boys a call. they'll get you hooked up.
the new bikes have been holding up really well, and worst comes to worst, you are still dealing with the best customer service in the industry.
I doub't the blindsides will have problems. they are stout, especially around that junction. a bunch of people have been riding the proto's for a long time now without any problems and the bent seat tube will be stronger than the prototype one. I know I'll rock one with full confidence.
I sometime's think riding the lunar landscape in AZ produces a bunch of hacks
(I kid, I kid)Kyle,
That's odd, I thought you guys marketed the Preston specifically as a short-travel freeride bike that can be used as a trail bike. In fact it seems that idea has been rather forcefully marketed, and that if you need a true trailbike, go Covert. (?)
yes you are right, it is marketed as such and it can be used for it. my PERSONAL thoughts are if you are needing a 7 inch fork on the front, maybe it isn't the bike for you.
right tool for the right job sort of thing. I guess I don't look at the preston as a whistler bike. but that's just me. I know kevin rides his up there every now and then, but I guess it depends on the type of rider you are.
Kyle,
I dont think the blindsides will have issues, Brad from Spectrum rode a proto blindside, if he didnt brake it, almost no one will, he rides the biggest stuff around, he is a VERY smooth rider, but he also goes bigger than 90 percent of riders out there
kyle rips as well
kyle rips as well
Hey Kyle - - I know I probably should be addressing this directly to Kevin, but I like picking on you :
Is there any talk of going to powder coat or a catalyst paint on the frames? It's not a big deal, but my knee-shin guards and a week of Whistler mud scratched the crap out of my beautiful shiny blue on my top tube. And since everyone knows that blue is the fastest color, I need every bit of it left on the bike
:Is there any talk of going to powder coat or a catalyst paint on the frames? It's not a big deal, but my knee-shin guards and a week of Whistler mud scratched the crap out of my beautiful shiny blue on my top tube. And since everyone knows that blue is the fastest color, I need every bit of it left on the bike
^^ haha, I doubt it. scratched bike = ridden bikes.
they arn't garage decorations
in all seriousness, I think that is one of the reasons they offer the raw option. I guess I've never really noticed any difference in their paint versus any other frame, but that's just me. I scratch everything
Kyle,
they arn't garage decorations
in all seriousness, I think that is one of the reasons they offer the raw option. I guess I've never really noticed any difference in their paint versus any other frame, but that's just me. I scratch everything
Kyle,
Kyle, you're right, all the broken Prestons I have seen have had 66's on them. Seems to be a common thread in them cracking. The headtube on the Mal I say was kind of odd, I am not sure the owner was giving the whole story on how it happened.hey,
all of the broken prestons I've seen were with people running 66's on them. not that you can't run that fork, but if you are seriously riding it like that, then maybe an all mountain trail bike isn't the frame for you.
there has only ever been 2 BR warrenties. on of the original ones cracked at the headtube after being ridden in the whistler bike park everyday for a long time. the other was a stripped thread in the swingarm.
I have seen a h-tube off a gran mal. owner admitted he 50'ed a BIG jump. he said any bike would have cracked on that one.
the old prestons and dirtbags did have a few problems. but TBC fixed the issue and got everyone taken care of. if anyone ever has a problem, give the boys a call. they'll get you hooked up.
the new bikes have been holding up really well, and worst comes to worst, you are still dealing with the best customer service in the industry.
I doub't the blindsides will have problems. they are stout, especially around that junction. a bunch of people have been riding the proto's for a long time now without any problems and the bent seat tube will be stronger than the prototype one. I know I'll rock one with full confidence.
I sometime's think riding the lunar landscape in AZ produces a bunch of hacks
Kyle,
My 07 Dirtbag has been holding up fine, and when I cracked my 05 Kevin had the replacement rear-end on my door the next day, so no questioning the CS from the boys, I am just curious as to how the Blindside will hold up in our "Hack Producing Lunar Landscape"
(Kidding) It just seem's a little less "stout" than the Gran Mal did.Any insight as to why the 135 rear end over the 150?
yea, why the 135? its one of the few things that put me off on that bike
What was it that he told you? See if it compares to what he told me.
Straight from their blog about the development of the Blindside:
"Interchangeable dropout system so you can use standard QR 10mm x 135mm wheels or 12mm x 135mm thru axle. We did this because we know many of us can blow through wheels so it is nice to be able to use a standard QR wheel from another bike when you need to and there are way more standard QR 135 wheels available."
Kyle lobbied mightily for thru-axle-only to retain lateral stiffness but I guess too many people clamored for the QR option.