skeptical dog is skepticalYetis for everyone!!!
150mm pike has the bike feeling a little slacker than the rental with the fox. Mountain Kings front and back, have worked well for me in the past.
My *New* New Bike Thread
- Thread starter Adventurous
- Start date
Well, if the dog approves, it has to be good. I noted a more slack angle on the small frame that I didn't notice as much on the large, I'll have to put more lean in my turns. What bar width did you choose? 780 is too wide for me.
This bar is 780, demo was 750. Going to give the longer one a shot and trim as needed.
750 on mine and it feels just about right. My Turner had a 780 on it and it felt like I was reaching a bit with my outer arm when cranking it over. We'll see how it works out.
Aight. One ride on the new steed, so here is the preliminary review/cliffnotes. Ride was 9.3 miles with 2K feet of climbing and some bomber descents. For those in the know we did Belcher -> Mustang -> Maverick -> Longhorn -> Whippletree -> Belcher.
- 30 x 10-42 in the back is the real deal. I see how with a little bit of fitness that combo could propel me anywhere up anything. Unfortunately a lack of fitness means I didn't just motor up the hill holding a conversation the whole way.
- 27.5" wheels rolled over stuff noticeably better I would say but I couldn't perceive any sort of detriment to acceleration or handling
- The bike is WAY more nimble. Steeper head angle + lighter weight = cornered like it was on rails.
- Still have to play with the suspension. I kept the fork in medium damping mode and the shock open but only achieved 3/4 travel through some decently rough sections. Suspension action on the trail was hard to describe, saying it was firm sounds like a knock, but it was firm and controlled. Didn't squat while pedaling, didn't get hung up on stuff, didn't blow through travel for larger compressions. It just worked and provided plenty of ramp-up without hitting the wall. Pretty much echo those comments on the Float 34 as well.
- Guide R brakes, even when not broken in, were extremely powerful.
- Pleasantly surprised by the Ardent/Ikon combo. Don't know if their EXO TR 3C features helped but they were not nearly the liability I was anticipating. Was at 30 psi up front and 35 psi out back so I wouldn't pinch flat. Gonna convert to tubeless here shortly once I decide if I want to keep the Ikon on there.
- Race Face Turbine dropper post worked flawlessly on ride one. We shall see about it's long term durability.
- Significantly easier to push up the hill which came in handy yesterday
- 30 x 10-42 in the back is the real deal. I see how with a little bit of fitness that combo could propel me anywhere up anything. Unfortunately a lack of fitness means I didn't just motor up the hill holding a conversation the whole way.
- 27.5" wheels rolled over stuff noticeably better I would say but I couldn't perceive any sort of detriment to acceleration or handling
- The bike is WAY more nimble. Steeper head angle + lighter weight = cornered like it was on rails.
- Still have to play with the suspension. I kept the fork in medium damping mode and the shock open but only achieved 3/4 travel through some decently rough sections. Suspension action on the trail was hard to describe, saying it was firm sounds like a knock, but it was firm and controlled. Didn't squat while pedaling, didn't get hung up on stuff, didn't blow through travel for larger compressions. It just worked and provided plenty of ramp-up without hitting the wall. Pretty much echo those comments on the Float 34 as well.
- Guide R brakes, even when not broken in, were extremely powerful.
- Pleasantly surprised by the Ardent/Ikon combo. Don't know if their EXO TR 3C features helped but they were not nearly the liability I was anticipating. Was at 30 psi up front and 35 psi out back so I wouldn't pinch flat. Gonna convert to tubeless here shortly once I decide if I want to keep the Ikon on there.
- Race Face Turbine dropper post worked flawlessly on ride one. We shall see about it's long term durability.
- Significantly easier to push up the hill which came in handy yesterday
Nice. I have a 32/42 and can manage all but one short climb around here. 1X is the way to go. I managed a bro jump with a kick yesterday...
Second ride in the books and I've already started making changes to adapt to what I want. So far:
- Ardent/Ikon combo was less than stellar in the loose over hard and chunky downhill single track whilst riding this morning. I had to sit back on the rear tire too much to get traction while climbing and even then spun out a few times. It's a fast rolling combo but I'd rather sacrifice a bit of rolling speed in the name of traction in all conditions
- After the first ride the handlebar did indeed feel a bit narrow. Whether it was because I've been on a 780 for the past few years or what, but it lent itself to a bit less leverage than I am used to.
- Boo to tubes. The positive to it coming setup with tubes is I didn't have to buy any for spares
- Front end was a bit light on the climbs as it was setup. Probably a combination of a much lighter front end than I am used to plus the spacers not being optimally arranged for being super duper excelsior
That being said, I have made the following changes in the name of getting things dialed:
1. Swapped out Race Face Evolve 750mm bar for a 785mm Race Face SixC carbon bar
2. Swapped out tires for a set of e13 TRS+ tires @Nick had in his garage. Tomorrow shall tell if those are indeed the tires for me.
3. Set tires up tubeless, cause, well, tubeless.
4. Swapped a 10mm spacer on top of the stem. We shall see on whether or not that'll keep the front adequately planted.
Initial ride impressions of a light, very very nimble bike still hold true. I'm finding I can change direction much quicker and have lost little or nothing when things are pointed downhill but have gained quite a bit of climbing prowess. Exactly what I was going for.
- Ardent/Ikon combo was less than stellar in the loose over hard and chunky downhill single track whilst riding this morning. I had to sit back on the rear tire too much to get traction while climbing and even then spun out a few times. It's a fast rolling combo but I'd rather sacrifice a bit of rolling speed in the name of traction in all conditions
- After the first ride the handlebar did indeed feel a bit narrow. Whether it was because I've been on a 780 for the past few years or what, but it lent itself to a bit less leverage than I am used to.
- Boo to tubes. The positive to it coming setup with tubes is I didn't have to buy any for spares
- Front end was a bit light on the climbs as it was setup. Probably a combination of a much lighter front end than I am used to plus the spacers not being optimally arranged for being super duper excelsior
That being said, I have made the following changes in the name of getting things dialed:
1. Swapped out Race Face Evolve 750mm bar for a 785mm Race Face SixC carbon bar
2. Swapped out tires for a set of e13 TRS+ tires @Nick had in his garage. Tomorrow shall tell if those are indeed the tires for me.
3. Set tires up tubeless, cause, well, tubeless.
4. Swapped a 10mm spacer on top of the stem. We shall see on whether or not that'll keep the front adequately planted.
Initial ride impressions of a light, very very nimble bike still hold true. I'm finding I can change direction much quicker and have lost little or nothing when things are pointed downhill but have gained quite a bit of climbing prowess. Exactly what I was going for.
20 miles with 2,300' of climbing in the books this morning with the aforementioned setup. Verdicts:
1. e13 TRS+ tires were amazing. Easily the best tires I've ridden (better than DHFs) in terms of grip but holy moly did they corner. Completely transformed the bike and I was able to rip downhills with way more confidence than I think I ever have. That being said, I think they are just about at the limits of how big a tire one can fit in this bike. It would appear that they grabbed a couple of rocks in the side knobs because I have a few semi-circular very light scratch marks on the seat-stay. Going to have to keep an eye on that and make sure it's not actually wheel flex sending the side knobs into the stay, though they don't appear to be rub like in nature like one would expect if it was the side knobs. Only noticed after the ride however when I got home, it was imperceptible during the ride.
2. Lower stem also was the ticket to keeping the front end down on climbs. That in combination with the extra grip afforded by the tires enabled me to transfer weight more over the front to ensure that stayed planted when things turned upwards. I did experience a bit of hand numbness though I am unsure of what to pin that on.
I don't know why Yeti specs the bike with the Ardent/Ikon combo because it really doesn't do the bike justice. With a proper set of tires on there traction while climbing was vastly improved and I was able to let loose on the downhills. Oh well, at this rate I will have a healthy selection of tires at my disposal to choose from. Mayhap I will try a Specialized Purgatory in the rear as I think the e13 is a bit larger than its 2.35" rating would indicate. Now to convince myself having mis-matched brand tires is okay...
1. e13 TRS+ tires were amazing. Easily the best tires I've ridden (better than DHFs) in terms of grip but holy moly did they corner. Completely transformed the bike and I was able to rip downhills with way more confidence than I think I ever have. That being said, I think they are just about at the limits of how big a tire one can fit in this bike. It would appear that they grabbed a couple of rocks in the side knobs because I have a few semi-circular very light scratch marks on the seat-stay. Going to have to keep an eye on that and make sure it's not actually wheel flex sending the side knobs into the stay, though they don't appear to be rub like in nature like one would expect if it was the side knobs. Only noticed after the ride however when I got home, it was imperceptible during the ride.
2. Lower stem also was the ticket to keeping the front end down on climbs. That in combination with the extra grip afforded by the tires enabled me to transfer weight more over the front to ensure that stayed planted when things turned upwards. I did experience a bit of hand numbness though I am unsure of what to pin that on.
I don't know why Yeti specs the bike with the Ardent/Ikon combo because it really doesn't do the bike justice. With a proper set of tires on there traction while climbing was vastly improved and I was able to let loose on the downhills. Oh well, at this rate I will have a healthy selection of tires at my disposal to choose from. Mayhap I will try a Specialized Purgatory in the rear as I think the e13 is a bit larger than its 2.35" rating would indicate. Now to convince myself having mis-matched brand tires is okay...
e13 front + a fast rolling well cornering rear (Slaughter, SS, Tomahawk, ...) == winning
For me, e13 in the rear == uber slow pedaling
Gonna have to give that a try. I'll swing by the shop this evening to pick up another bottle of Stans and see what they have.
I have a spare Minion SS in the garage if you want to try it.
Well that would be much appreciated if you aren't using it right now. Didn't you run that at one point? Impressions?
I tried it in a HRII/SS combo.
Much faster rolling obviously, descending wasn't an issue but the lack of traction while climbing in dry, loose conditions is a negative to me. Cornering was solid. I'd probably like it more if we had ANY moisture during the time I ran it.
Much faster rolling obviously, descending wasn't an issue but the lack of traction while climbing in dry, loose conditions is a negative to me. Cornering was solid. I'd probably like it more if we had ANY moisture during the time I ran it.
Put some protective tape on the inside of your stays for a little extra protection.
The worn out Rock Razor I've had on the rear of my bike for ages is just reaching a liability standpoint when I try to power up dust covered rocks. I've a Minion SS which will replace it for a few weeks while away in BC, but then I want something with knobs on that actually help give traction again (particularly when braking).
The worn out Rock Razor I've had on the rear of my bike for ages is just reaching a liability standpoint when I try to power up dust covered rocks. I've a Minion SS which will replace it for a few weeks while away in BC, but then I want something with knobs on that actually help give traction again (particularly when braking).
Well pooper. Stopped by the shop this evening to get some Stans and it just so happens that they had a Specialized Purgatory sitting on the clearance rack. Figured I'd roll the dice and give it a shot.
Unfortunately that will never happen because the tire is too loose on the rim and the bead keeps blowing off whenever I try to inflate it. I have fixed the dents in the sidewall (ruh roh, bad omen for the longevity of this wheelset) but it is now covered in goop and is probably not returnable. Blower, let's see what Specialized has to say.
Unfortunately that will never happen because the tire is too loose on the rim and the bead keeps blowing off whenever I try to inflate it. I have fixed the dents in the sidewall (ruh roh, bad omen for the longevity of this wheelset) but it is now covered in goop and is probably not returnable. Blower, let's see what Specialized has to say.
Been pretty happy with my setup. In soviet seattle dirt grips you and have few problems with my tire choice. Bike fit and balance feels great both up and downhill. 780mm bars don't feel too wide when things get tight but I don't feel like I have the same ability to quickly move my weight fore/aft like I have before, thinking the wide bars might be part of it.
Multiple injuries have limited movement in my wrists, the increased wrist angle required by the wider bars seem to have limited my upper body motion. Will cut down a little bit but I am pretty sure I will end up going to far.
Multiple injuries have limited movement in my wrists, the increased wrist angle required by the wider bars seem to have limited my upper body motion. Will cut down a little bit but I am pretty sure I will end up going to far.
I never understood the hard-on for the Ardents that people have. I always felt it was "hard" (even if the rubber was soft), didn't seem to have much grip for cornering or even braking, and about the only thing that seemed ok was the rolling resistance with the center knobs. Kind of the same with this Hans Dampf, I wanted to try it to see if there was anything to these. Nope, nothing special. It'll roll and "work", but you can do so much better IME.
And one ride in on a Specialized Slaughter GRID. As expected, it rolls pretty nicely with those big side knobs. It did fairly well traction wise on most obstacles and climbs with the exception of one very slick little rock up where it spun (if the black marks on the rock were any indication many other people did too). Got another chip in the paint on the seat stay from a rock getting stuck in the side knobs and freeing itself on the stay. Gonna put some clear nail polish on those and tape them to prevent serious damage. Otherwise I'm still enjoying the new bike and am becoming a lot more comfortable with it's handling.
Well given that my Yeti SB5 has now gone to bicycle heaven, part 2 of this thread will become my new new bike thread. We will see what kind of insurance payout I get, but unless Yeti and the bike shop are convinced to swing me some sort of great deal to replace my old bike I'm not sure I can make up the $2K difference to get back on a Yeti. Huge bummer, but it is what it is.
That being said I'm exploring some of my more budget less dentist friendly options again. Perhaps I will have to get some more saddle time on the Transitions as well as try out the SC Nomad and 5010. Word on the street is that the Nomad, much like the SB6, offers more travels with a slight weight penalty. Who knows, maybe their slacker head angle isn't as noticeable on sustained climbs.
What has changed in the past two weeks you say? I realized I was just being a little bitch. I ripped way harder on the SB5 than I thought I was capable of and was getting all kinds of me-rowdy. Perhaps there's hope left after all...
That being said I'm exploring some of my more budget less dentist friendly options again. Perhaps I will have to get some more saddle time on the Transitions as well as try out the SC Nomad and 5010. Word on the street is that the Nomad, much like the SB6, offers more travels with a slight weight penalty. Who knows, maybe their slacker head angle isn't as noticeable on sustained climbs.
What has changed in the past two weeks you say? I realized I was just being a little bitch. I ripped way harder on the SB5 than I thought I was capable of and was getting all kinds of me-rowdy. Perhaps there's hope left after all...
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Hmmmm... the SB6 is a lot of bike to pedal around and it's not as quick as the GT, the few minutes of super fun descending make it all worth while. I've become better at tight bermless switchbacks and can climb anything around here in trail mode. To my knowledge no one has ever complained about an extra inch...
Yep! I just pedaled around a Nomad and Bronson for comparison sake. They both felt remarkably the same. I didn't notice any sort of penalty with the Nomad in terms of handling or acceleration. A local guy has a great deal on a Medium Nomad, but I guess we shall see where I'm at once I have money in hand. That'll be the real decision maker.
make sure that wheatridge and yeti are aware that you can't replace your sb5c with another yeti.
i know, business is business, but this is a great case for doing a local customer a solid and making this work.
i know, business is business, but this is a great case for doing a local customer a solid and making this work.
They will most certainly have the opportunity to earn my dollars first and foremost. Both Yeti and Wheat Ridge have sympathized with my cause. Not to mention the SB5 was a killer bike and I still think it's nearly perfect for how I ride.
Someone decided they were much more deserving of my bike than I am. At least that's what I can surmise, he didn't give me much of an opportunity to ask before ripping it off of my truck and riding away.
Isn't $2K off of a used demo bike right at about market price? Sounds like a win-win.
Sorry man! Hopefully it works out in your favor in the end.
I did fart on the demo bike's saddle when I had it yesterday. That should knock at least $50 off right?
A few turds down the seat post hole should take care of the rest.
And still I wait. Insurance company says they'll be done with their thing on Monday.
At least I bought some pedals last night so I can get the old bike up and running again in the mean time.
At least I bought some pedals last night so I can get the old bike up and running again in the mean time.
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