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New "trail bike" for 2016 thread

djjohnr

Turbo Monkey
Apr 21, 2002
3,012
1,704
Northern California
Busted out a bunch of laps this morning

Early impressions-

  • They nailed the rear suspension. Feels bottomless without getting harsh deep in the travel. Loading up the rear is like pulling back on a wind up toy, unloading out of corners induces hoots and motorcycle noises. If I didn't know the amount of travel I'd think it was 160mm, and I never think that about a bike.
  • It's super poppy off lips.
  • Pedals well, very consistent sitting or standing with the shock wide open. Not as immediate as the SB-75 it's replacing, but very good.
  • Very maneuverable, it'll be great on tight trails. Not as super stable at speed as the SB-75 was.
  • The frame of mind this thing puts me in when riding is like I'm on an '03 RFX/Titus Quasimoto. It makes me want to go look for hucks to flat and fat trail gaps. My brain does not think trail bike when I'm riding this thing.
 
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ZHendo

Turbo Monkey
Oct 29, 2006
1,661
147
PNW
Busted out a bunch of laps this morning

Early impressions-

  • They nailed the rear suspension. Feels bottomless without getting harsh deep in the travel. Loading up the rear is like pulling back on a wind up toy, unloading out of corners induces hoots and motorcycle noises. If I didn't know the amount of travel I'd think it was 160mm, and I never think that about a bike.
  • It's super poppy off lips.
  • Pedals well, very consistent sitting or standing with the shock wide open. Not quite as immediate as the SB-75 it's replacing, but very good.
  • Very maneuverable, it'll be great on tight trails. Not as super stable at speed as the SB-75 was.
  • The frame of mind this thing puts me in when riding is like I'm on an '03 RFX/Titus Quasimoto. It makes me want to go look for hucks to flat and fat trail gaps. My brain does not think trail bike when I'm riding this thing.
My wallet is trembling in fear as I read this
 

Jm_

sled dog's bollocks
Jan 14, 2002
18,978
9,638
AK
Here it is, few small things to still take care of and I won't be able to ride it until spring anyway.
01b35b55cc3bb346cab785e61a9a6fe97c7f4176b9.jpg
01875ab11e5380881f63f87e533ed97960386ac3f2.jpg
 

Jm_

sled dog's bollocks
Jan 14, 2002
18,978
9,638
AK
The cable routing seems pretty clean on it. Have you gotten the rear suspension into the ballpark yet? Does it seem fairly easy to tune? What size is it?
Large. I won't be able to test it really until the spring, mainly due to all the ice here in the winter, I'd have to get some studded tires for it. My last ride had a monarch, so I'm pretty familiar with it. I have to work on the seatpost cable though, it interferes with the linkage and I'm not sure how to run it right now. Otherwise cables are easy to run because external. Otherwise, as others have said, pictures don't do the frame justice, it's super beefy/massive.
 

StiHacka

Compensating for something
Jan 4, 2013
21,560
12,505
In hell. Welcome!
I really like the RFX on paper. Things that made me go with the Balance: 1/2" shorter chainstays, threaded BB, too many DW-link bikes in my past but mainly $ vs $$$ in favor of the Balance. I am gonna miss the weight benefits of the carbon frame tho.
 

wydopen

Turbo Monkey
Jan 16, 2005
1,229
60
805
Still on the Megatrail but Ive updated a few parts recently..
150mm reverb
760mm fatbar lites :brows:
Tioga Spyder saddle
stealth hubs on a flow ex rear and a wtb kom i25 in the front
Funn mamba pedals
right now Im running a shorty/minion ss combo which is pretty badass I must say
Going to put a Lyrik Dpa on there and it should be dialed for another couple years

mega2016.jpg
mega16.jpg
82eb6ffe-cd99-4781-a0db-ef40942d07eb.jpg
81bacbe7-9779-4734-8d6f-579429fbebed.jpg
f679c4de-cc45-4222-b655-5116063134f1.jpg
5bfd0bc1-013a-4a8e-9566-d63b03d5ab46.jpg
 

dump

Turbo Monkey
Oct 12, 2001
8,213
4,463
please report back on those stealth hubs... very interested in real-world experience.
 

dump

Turbo Monkey
Oct 12, 2001
8,213
4,463
Really only interested if i rarely have to touch it, like with my 10yr+ old hugi/dtswiss.
 

jackalope

Mental acuity - 1%
Jan 9, 2004
7,606
5,917
in a single wide, cooking meth...
Still on the Megatrail but Ive updated a few parts recently..
150mm reverb
760mm fatbar lites :brows:
Tioga Spyder saddle
stealth hubs on a flow ex rear and a wtb kom i25 in the front
Funn mamba pedals
right now Im running a shorty/minion ss combo which is pretty badass I must say
Going to put a Lyrik Dpa on there and it should be dialed for another couple years

View attachment 121506
Rad as eff, but I think North Shore Billet or someone needs to make a special California edition warning bell.
 

wydopen

Turbo Monkey
Jan 16, 2005
1,229
60
805
please report back on those stealth hubs... very interested in real-world experience.
I've been on them for awhile now (about a year) and they are solid..The rear hub is the s4 which was still a prototype at the time I put it on to do durability testing..I've done allot of climbing with it and haven't touched it...We dont get sloppy mud here though....Once you ride instant engagement you will never be able to ride a regular hub again...thing rolls so fast too...I wrote a review on vitalmtb you can read
 

dump

Turbo Monkey
Oct 12, 2001
8,213
4,463
I've been on them for awhile now (about a year) and they are solid..The rear hub is the s4 which was still a prototype at the time I put it on to do durability testing..I've done allot of climbing with it and haven't touched it...We dont get sloppy mud here though....Once you ride instant engagement you will never be able to ride a regular hub again...thing rolls so fast too...I wrote a review on vitalmtb you can read
Cool... I'll have to give it a closer look... thanks.
 

Kanye West

220# bag of hacktastic
Aug 31, 2006
3,741
473
Well, I was implying that I bought a new husqvarna for my trail bike instead of a miami vice nomad, both costing about the same, at least when the nomad first came out
Disgusting, isn't it?

That a 501 or a 350? Either way, badass bikes. Feel like they should be illegal every time I ride my friends Husky 501. Keep forgetting it has a plate and I'm not breaking the law by riding it on the street.
 

Dirk77

Monkey
Feb 15, 2014
233
48
Sum Sick bikes up in here!

new wheelset, drive train, dropper, seat

Dt Swiss 350/ex471 wheels that jenson has on sale right now. I got them for 425 a month ago.
X01 cassette/shifter, X1 derailer
150mm reverb
Sdg fly ti - eBay

I think I'll put a fox X2 on it when I pay this other shiz off.

Best bike I ever rode, hands down! ;)
 
Disgusting, isn't it?

That a 501 or a 350? Either way, badass bikes. Feel like they should be illegal every time I ride my friends Husky 501. Keep forgetting it has a plate and I'm not breaking the law by riding it on the street.
Tree Fiddy. Could have gone either way and been very happy, but I figure revving it to the moon is more the kind of rider I aspire to be. It's a spaceship on singletrack, absurdly easy to ride. The ultimate poaching tool!
 

1soulrider

Monkey
Apr 16, 2002
436
10
nor cal
Tree Fiddy. Could have gone either way and been very happy, but I figure revving it to the moon is more the kind of rider I aspire to be. It's a spaceship on singletrack, absurdly easy to ride. The ultimate poaching tool!
Nice '16 350. I got one too, and yeah. Way too much fun, like hours of non stop dh riding every time I take it into the woods.