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Spitfire, Scout, Troy, etc

Dec 3, 2007
75
33
Pulled the trigger on the Spitfire through Dirt Merchant, only to have Ethan email me 30 minutes later saying the last large gunmetal frame was sold a couple hours earlier. Luckily, he has a few more en route and is discounting a Cane Creek headset for the delay.
Hopefully have the frame in my possession and built up in a couple weeks. Moving most everything over from my Bottlerocket including the unrideabru 26" wheels and nine speed drivetrain.
I appreciate all the feedback, informative and entertaining as usual.
Thanks.
 

jackalope

Mental acuity - 1%
Jan 9, 2004
7,610
5,925
in a single wide, cooking meth...
I think that's called crashing.
Nah, it's how you turn lemons in chicken shit water...or something along those lines. Anyway, you're supposed to come charging into a shitty hairpin switchback and initiate the earthbound kickout procedure to puff up some dirt on the downhill side of the trail. Then you awkwardly skid around the 180° turn and ride through your still airborne dirt shart. Pretty sure the Germans invented this move.
 

AngryMetalsmith

Business is good, thanks for asking
Jun 4, 2006
21,230
10,102
I have no idea where I am
Nah, it's how you turn lemons in chicken shit water...or something along those lines. Anyway, you're supposed to come charging into a shitty hairpin switchback and initiate the earthbound kickout procedure to puff up some dirt on the downhill side of the trail. Then you awkwardly skid around the 180° turn and ride through your still airborne dirt shart. Pretty sure the Germans invented this move.
This

Also quite easy to achieve unintentionally during record drought and leaves.
 

jonKranked

Detective Dookie
Nov 10, 2005
85,969
24,523
media blackout
Pulled the trigger on the Spitfire through Dirt Merchant, only to have Ethan email me 30 minutes later saying the last large gunmetal frame was sold a couple hours earlier. Luckily, he has a few more en route and is discounting a Cane Creek headset for the delay.
Hopefully have the frame in my possession and built up in a couple weeks. Moving most everything over from my Bottlerocket including the unrideabru 26" wheels and nine speed drivetrain.
I appreciate all the feedback, informative and entertaining as usual.
Thanks.
good choice. you won't be disappointed
 

saruti

Turbo Monkey
Oct 29, 2006
1,169
73
Israel
try to demo a Mondraker Foxy.
I rode the aluminium for a month. fox rear, Pike front. its a great bike. if I was looking for a 140mm bike. I would buy one.
 

djjohnr

Turbo Monkey
Apr 21, 2002
3,017
1,719
Northern California
what color is that ? and what travel fork did you use ?

, they suggest 140/160 which is a nice range option

, I was gonna pull the trigger on a 2017 frame but week 6 of off for medical issues so have to wait till tax season :)
It's a 2016 gun metal frame and the fork is currently set at 150mm.
 
Dec 3, 2007
75
33
The Troy replacement has arrived

Looks good. Wasn't sure about the red graphics, but they're starting to grow on me. Any idea on weight?
Hoping to see mine show up within the next couple weeks before the weather turns to complete shit here.
 

djjohnr

Turbo Monkey
Apr 21, 2002
3,017
1,719
Northern California
Looks good. Wasn't sure about the red graphics, but they're starting to grow on me. Any idea on weight?
Hoping to see mine show up within the next couple weeks before the weather turns to complete shit here.
Didn't weigh it. In hand it felt similar/slightly lighter then my medium '16 Troy frame.
 

djjohnr

Turbo Monkey
Apr 21, 2002
3,017
1,719
Northern California
I'll be interested in hearing what you think, the Troy is a helluva good bike.
Initial comparison points

- Stiffness is similar, I was expecting the Troy to be stiffer. I'm 185 lbs out of the shower right now.
- There's more pedal feedback
- It gets a little less hung up on square edge bumps
- There's more visual shock movement during standing pedaling, but it feels like it's putting power down a little better
- Like most mini-link bikes I've tried/owned it has a rearward initial feel to the travel where the rear wheel feels slighty disconnected
- Overall progressiveness with the stock shock (Monarch - standard can, not a Debonair) feels similar with a little less mid-stroke wallow

Since I'm going from a medium to a large I won't comment on geometry/handling other then I'm re-adjusting to longer chainstays. I have both the 650 and 26 dropouts and will be experimenting.
 

AngryMetalsmith

Business is good, thanks for asking
Jun 4, 2006
21,230
10,102
I have no idea where I am
It's only been noticeable pedaling over bumps. It's not bad (I've owned bikes with a lot more kickback) but it's there.
You might not have enough preload. Try adding air. Mine did that at first until I got the shock dialed.

Congrats on the Spitty. Now go try to stick your bar in the dirt through a berm.
 
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slyfink

Turbo Monkey
Sep 16, 2008
9,335
5,093
Ottawa, Canada
I assume that you mean that the BB height doesn't change if you go from 26" wheels and 26" dropouts to 650b wheels with 650b dropouts?
if it's length only, wouldn't that imply that the bb would actually rise with the 650b dropouts? (even if it's marginal)
 

bengxe

Monkey
Dec 19, 2011
211
30
upstate NY
BB height is no different with the 26" or 27.5" dropouts. If you look at their geo charts the BB height is about half an inch higher across the board with 650b wheels/ dropouts. This is why my rune still has 26" wheels.
 

amishmatt

Turbo Monkey
Sep 21, 2005
1,264
397
Lancaster, PA
if it's length only, wouldn't that imply that the bb would actually rise with the 650b dropouts? (even if it's marginal)
Correct. Which is why a 150mm fork makes sense on the older frames with 650b wheels. In the low setting with a 150 fork I'm still at a 13.5" BB height with 650b wheels. I definitely wouldn't want that any higher. The 2017 frames have geo optimized for 650b instead of 26. The way it should be :D.