[MMcG]

Hey all you Imperial Riders - especially those of you who ride one as your do it all bike - can you get a truly good full leg extension on your Imp that allows you to effectively climb up to get to the fun stuff and to use your Imp as a hardtail trailbike??

I'd love to see photos of Imps with their seatposts raised for this type of riding if any of you have them. Most of the photos I see of Imps show them with seatposts way down - as I realize that most of you mainly use your Imps for urban or FR or skateparks or as DH hardtails.

But I know there are a few of you out there who have or are using an Imperial as your one and only do it all bike right?

Any input would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks!!

Mark

 

[Toshi]

if you're normal height you won't be able to get full leg extension. i'm just shy of 5'8", 30" inseam and i can't get full leg extension...

 

[Guess?Who]

It's funny you posted this thread. I don't have an Imperial but I know what you are talking about. I have a Nicolai UFO which has an angled seatpost stay like an Imperial. I can even adjust the frame by lowering the BB height which can make it as slack. Slack isn't even the word, I also run 26"-24" with a 6" Sherman Breakout. This is a stupid set up for me because I like to put miles on my bike and I'm not doing DS slalom like I wanted too. I was thinking about swapping the frame for something else but money is a tight so I decided to improvise. I sold my 6" Breakout for a 90mm-130mm 1.5 Flick (huge improvement. I mostly keep it set at 90mm), I'm going to build up a 26" wheel when I decide which rim to choose and I also ordered a Thomson setback, yes setback seatpost which I will be running backwards to bring me closer to the cock pit. I expect the post sometime next week. I'll post pics and let you know how she rides.

 

[MMcG]

if you're normal height you won't be able to get full leg extension. i'm just shy of 5'8", 30" inseam and i can't get full leg extension...

I'm 5'9" tall with a 30" inseam.

 

[dump]

doc, soverign...

 

[Eurotrash]

I'm 5' 10 and can't get proper leg extension, the bike feels strange with the seat all the way out the back. Wouldn't stop me from buying it all over again though

 

[MMcG]

doc, soverign...

Yep I know, the Imp is being offered in a possible frame trade though.

 

[binary visions]

Hey Mark - didn't see the message you sent last night until this morning.

I'm using my Imperial for a do-it-all trail bike at the moment. It's actually a blast to ride for that purpose. However, it requires a slight shift in how you do things and you should take into consideration your riding purpose. For one, you can't sit down with a fully extended seatpost and pedal your way to the top - it's much more of a stand-and-hammer bike. Raising the seatpost gives you a nice stretched out riding position, but shifts your weight pretty far back.

I'm 5'9" with about a 30" inseam and can get decent leg extension but don't think that it'll feel like an XC bike with the seat raised high.

The Imperial is going to be much more geared towards a riding style where the climbs are not the point of the ride, but simply an obsticle to be overcome in an effort to go back down again. This is not an epic ride bike (though it could certainly be used as one, it's just not as adept at it as a purpose built XC/trail bike). Hard riding/downhill/urban is where this frame really shines.

 

[dw]

Hey Mark - didn't see the message you sent last night until this morning.

I'm using my Imperial for a do-it-all trail bike at the moment. It's actually a blast to ride for that purpose. However, it requires a slight shift in how you do things and you should take into consideration your riding purpose. For one, you can't sit down with a fully extended seatpost and pedal your way to the top - it's much more of a stand-and-hammer bike. Raising the seatpost gives you a nice stretched out riding position, but shifts your weight pretty far back.

I'm 5'9" with about a 30" inseam and can get decent leg extension but don't think that it'll feel like an XC bike with the seat raised high.

The Imperial is going to be much more geared towards a riding style where the climbs are not the point of the ride, but simply an obsticle to be overcome in an effort to go back down again. This is not an epic ride bike (though it could certainly be used as one, it's just not as adept at it as a purpose built XC/trail bike). Hard riding/downhill/urban is where this frame really shines.

couldnt have said it better!

 

[MMcG]

Thanks B_V!! Your post is very helpful. Seeing as how I plan to do a 24 hour race again and to hit the Kingdom Trails and other epic type riding destinations - ast tempting as it may be, I may have to pass on this trade offer. And man is is tempting.

 

[narlus]

yeah, i wouldn't use it as an all-purpose trail bike, but it sure is a fun toy to play around on.

 

[Tarpon]

I'm average height and get full pedal extension on my Imperial. Thing is, it's an Imperial SL so it has a normal seat tube angle (you don't get pushed way back when raising the post). The pedaling issue almost caused me to go with the Sinister Ridge but I was able to get hooked up with an SL instead (thanks John P).

 

[MMcG]

Yeah the SL definitely looks like the version of the Imp that lends itself to more trail friendliness.

 

[ssaddict]

you can always sell if it doesn't suit you right? :devil:

 

[DßR]

Does the SL have a derailleur hanger or the ability to run gears at all? The horizontal 14mm dropouts don't sound much like a normal mtb hub would fit? I dunno. Probably not all that trail-friendly IMHO.

I can get close to good leg extension (5'11") with a full-length Thomson but at that point you're so far over the rear axle that the front wheel just wants to loft itself. Stand and climb, don't sit.

 

[MMcG]

you can always sell if it doesn't suit you right? :devil:

Don't think I haven't already thought of that.

 

[MMcG]

Does the SL have a derailleur hanger or the ability to run gears at all? The horizontal 14mm dropouts don't sound much like a normal mtb hub would fit? I dunno. Probably not all that trail-friendly IMHO.

I can get close to good leg extension (5'11") with a full-length Thomson but at that point you're so far over the rear axle that the front wheel just wants to loft itself. Stand and climb, don't sit.

Didn't realize the SL had those differences. I thought it was essentially an Imp unchanged except for the Seat tube angle and seat tube length.

Pics of your Imperial??

 

[narlus]

btw, jerseydave rides in/near the kingdom trails on an imperial and from the vids i've seen doesn't seem to hold him back. but, it would definitely not be my first choice, and i think he was saying that a sinister ridge would have probably been a better choice for him.

there is a good overlay posted by dw between the imp and DOC and tehre is less geometry difference than i thought.

http://www.ridemonkey.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=68338

 

[MMcG]

I've decided to pass on this trade and on the Imperial for now - since I'll be gaining some "Rhythm" so to speak in a 8 or 9 days.

so if anyone is looking for an Imperial - Dan up in VT is looking to trade his Imp frame for a trail bike of sorts.

http://www.ridemonkey.com/forums/showthread.php?t=100809

Just thought I'd pass that along as an RM public service announcement.

 

[ssaddict]

Does the SL have a derailleur hanger or the ability to run gears at all? The horizontal 14mm dropouts don't sound much like a normal mtb hub would fit? I dunno. Probably not all that trail-friendly IMHO.

I can get close to good leg extension (5'11") with a full-length Thomson but at that point you're so far over the rear axle that the front wheel just wants to loft itself. Stand and climb, don't sit.

yeah, i'll run gears just fine and 10, 12, or 14mm axle's work

 

[Tarpon]

Does the SL have a derailleur hanger or the ability to run gears at all? The horizontal 14mm dropouts don't sound much like a normal mtb hub would fit? I dunno. Probably not all that trail-friendly IMHO.

I can get close to good leg extension (5'11") with a full-length Thomson but at that point you're so far over the rear axle that the front wheel just wants to loft itself. Stand and climb, don't sit.

THe SL has a 14mm vertical dropout, and yes it can run gears. Evil makes adapters for other axles diameters. I'm using a 10mm thru axle with sleeves to get the OD to 14mm.