[DirtyMike]

So, I have some time on the Blindside now, thought I would go ahead and drop a reveiw.

First off let me start by saying this is my first truly DH bike I have owned.

Ok, first impression was Damn it looks good, clean, and simple. Foundmyself a tad short on cash during the build so I had to look to save some cash, Found a 5th element shock brand new for 25 bucks from Santa Cruz, used a fair share of the parts from the Dirtbag, and added some new goodies to the mix as well. I have been riding it as much as I can this year, as much as I can without pissing off the wife and doctors that is. I would have dropped a reveiw sooner, but I lost quite a bit of ride time this year due to my incedent with my wrist.

So hereis the bike build.

Blindside, large
07 66 rc2
5thelement shock
x9 drive train
hussefelt cranks/teamBB
Shimano 545 pedals
Transition revolution wheelset<hand built by myself>
Race face Diabolus Bars and stem, Evolve seatpost
THE ti rail seat
ODI rogue grips
Hayes Stroker trail V8 brakes
E13 SrS<only way to go>
2.5 Chunder SX front and rear
12/26 Sram971 cassette
13.7 in bb
65 Dgree HTA

As it sits now, with the tire and tube swap this year, It is sitting right at 42.9 by the shop scale, Never in my life did I intend to build a bike this light, although I am sure not dissapointed. I know I can shave quite a bit of weight out of this bike, but I like the build, and I trust it to hold together underneath my 245 lb self.

Geo feels great, its low, its slack, its stiff. It has defently been confidence inspiring this year, and I have found myself going bigger and faster on trails I have been riding for many years, also trying lines I never would have tried in the past as well. The bike pedals awesome, I get great feedback from the trail, and I can know the tires are where I want them. The rear shock took some time to break in as was expected, but now that it is, and its dialed in, it works really well. I can only imagine how much better the bike will be when I finally blow the shock up and either replace it with something more updated, or send it to Avy for an upgrade.

Its not as plush as the dirtbag was over the hi speed rough stuff, but its defenetly faster. I can feel the brake stutter alot more on this bike. No I dont have the floating brake on it, I am pretty lite on teh back brakes, I jsut dont see a need for My riding to add the extra weight there.


Even with the 36-12/26 combo I find myself being able to push the pedals on this bike alot further than you would expect, I climb the local trails further than I ever did on the Dirtbag, and the older KHS<which was meant for climing>

When practicing for my third race this year, the bike decided I was riding a bit over my head, and allowed me to break my wrist, the only trouble I had after that was a broken pull lever, and a bent hanger, I do wish the hanger was a bit stronger, but alas, there has to be something on the bike I dont like. I will add the PC job to the dislikes list, its pretty weak in comprasion to other PC jobs out there, seems to chip pretty easy. Fixed that on mine with some 3m sticky vinyl.


So, some gratiutious shots of the bike for anyone who has not seen them.

Gotta love the velcro padding

ANd some in use shots

A very big thanks to Mike and Cam at Transition for setting me up with the frame, I couldnt to deal with better guys. Thanks to E13 for hookin it up once again with a wonderfull product that stands tough day after day, Also a BIG thanks toe EVS for the hook up on the chest protection that saved my ribcage this year.

I cant wait to get out and ride more.

 

[joelsman]

funny you don't think the suspension is as good over high speed rough, I think its just as good, but I have a better rear shock(vivid). I agree the blindside rips. corners great, jumps great too.

 

[mattmatt86]

aren't they dropping the Blindside from their lineup?

 

[joelsman]

no, transition is not dropping the blindside is a fr/dh bike, the new bike, the tr450, is a pure dh bike.

 

[dhzion]

aren't they dropping the Blindside from their lineup?

Pretty sure they're keeping it but venturing into the full on World Cup market with the prototype. At least I hope so, I want one this fall/winter.

 

[mattmatt86]

Sweet, the new frame and Geo definitely made it seem a lot more like a Pure Bred DH sled. Cool to see they are keeping the Blindside around.

 

[cableguy]

allowed me to break my wrist

Scaphoid or another bone? How long did it take to heal? Surgery?

 

[dhzion]

Scaphoid or another bone? How long did it take to heal? Surgery?

If that's a scaphoid cast I'm pissed, mine was horrid, I could barely pinch stuff between the top half of my first two fingers.

 

[DirtyMike]

funny you don't think the suspension is as good over high speed rough, I think its just as good, but I have a better rear shock(vivid). I agree the blindside rips. corners great, jumps great too.

Did not say it was not as good, Its not as plush. I think the Blindside sticks to the trail better, its just a bit rougher




I still cant wait to set the specs of the new Transition DH bike next to the specs for the Blindside to see just how different the Geo's are.

 

[DirtyMike]

Scaphoid or another bone? How long did it take to heal? Surgery?

Radial Distal, cast for just over two weeks, splint and wraps for another month. No surgery, but they did use a Sonogram before setting the cast to make sure the nerve wasnt pinched in the crack, the whole reason why I had a cast at all.

 

[manhattanprjkt83]

I think the original intent for the blindside was to be a race bike, but with the new proto i cant see transition keeping the geo the same on the blindside unless they want to keep it as a budget race sled. I could see them changing up the blindside a bit with more of a FR bias and marketing the new proto as the end all dh ride.

just my thoughts, i have a blindside and love it, no complaints except the bb is so low i have been clipping pedals in corners but that is a good thing in some sit. When the TR comes out i'll prob be on that, it's to juicy.

 

[DirtyMike]

Yeah the BB is way lower than I expected. Love how it rails the corners.

 

[Da Peach]

Nice.

I like mine too. It was great at Whistler the other day, but on occasion I find it to be a little low and slack for the Shore. My pedals are beat to Hell. But I'll get used to it eventually and hopefully clean up my act.

 

[nmpearson]

I could be wrong, but when i've talked to transition about it...they really never intended it to be a dh race bike but people did well on it. they really did want to make it as an ultimate FR bike. The bb to me did seem a tad low, but i got used to it really quickly. yeah i really feel i t's a better bike over rough stuff than the dirtbag and i went right off the dirtbag onto the blindside. you should try a better rear shock and you'll see it

 

[Summit]

Mine was a killer race sled, took 2nd in sport at snowshoe last year with it. Dug the bike but I had to consolidate the quiver and am now using my Demo 7 as my race bike for 09. The floating brake is incredibly good if you're getting a stiffening rear under braking.

 

[DirtyMike]

Nice.

I like mine too. It was great at Whistler the other day, but on occasion I find it to be a little low and slack for the Shore. My pedals are beat to Hell. But I'll get used to it eventually and hopefully clean up my act.

Bastard, I want to take mine to whistler in a bad way.

I could be wrong, but when i've talked to transition about it...they really never intended it to be a dh race bike but people did well on it. they really did want to make it as an ultimate FR bike. The bb to me did seem a tad low, but i got used to it really quickly. yeah i really feel i t's a better bike over rough stuff than the dirtbag and i went right off the dirtbag onto the blindside. you should try a better rear shock and you'll see it

It Handles WAY better than the Dirtbag at speed, I just cant see it as the Ultimate Freeride bike though, just a little too slack, and a little too low. I belive it to be a great Downhill bike, just not a worldcup bike, although I belive it will hold its own on a world cup course. I know they didnt intend for it to be a DH race sled, just happened that it worked out that way.

As far as my rear shock, mine works fine, I am comparing the feel I have while taking into account the shock difference, I know I had a Romic before, and I know I have a platform style shock now. Like I said, the Dirtbag is Naturally plush, the Blindside a bit less plush, But handles and tracks MUCH better. Defently can tell a difference in teh 5th over time as it has broken in. I am planning on sending it to Avy or Cortina when I am done killing it as it is. Im not confusing a lack of small bump comliance from a shock in how plush a bike itself can be. I am also thinking of maybe calling Roger up at Romic, Maybe sweettalking him into possibly hookin it up with a new Romic!!!!

I also belive the new bike is Defently intended as a DH race sled, possibly to start hitting the world cup scene. I sure hope so anyways.

Mine was a killer race sled, took 2nd in sport at snowshoe last year with it. Dug the bike but I had to consolidate the quiver and am now using my Demo 7 as my race bike for 09. The floating brake is incredibly good if you're getting a stiffening rear under braking.

I dont really notice stiffening in the rear under braking, Im pretty lite on teh rear brakes. But keep talking, I am thinking of giving the floater a try. Possibly someone in the Socal area has one setup on there I can give it a shot.

 

[Da Peach]

I've got the floating brake on mine. Makes changing a tube a bit of a PITA, but worth it on the steep bumpy insanity that is on the Shore.

 

[go-ride.com]

The blindside has a pretty low pivot and a low BB, so there will not be much brake squat due to the fairly forward wheel path. A floating brake would be a small improvement while in braking bumps, but will also cause the bike to handle more front heavy when braking in the steeps or when setting up for corners.

Having tested many different shocks including a number that have custom valved for myself I believe your Progressive is the root of your braking and bump complaints. When you are up and riding again find a friend with a Roco WC to try on your bike and I bet your problems will be much less.

 

[DirtyMike]

Ok, Couple people have said the same thing....Let me try to say this very clearly, I am not complaining of Brake stutter or brake bumps. I know the diffrence between brake inducing stutter, and a bish that just isnt quite as plush.

On the same note, Scott you made a great point about the blindside having quite a low pivot, so I can say I probably wont be getting a floater to go with. As far as going with a Roco, I had an experience involving a Roco, and Marz CS<which I wont get into here, I will PM if you really want to know> that will keep me from running a Roco. I will say for sure, when the shock was new, there was a defenet stiction and stutter coming from that, now that it is broken in, it is much smoother.