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SX Trail sizing...

rosenamedpoop

Turbo Monkey
Feb 27, 2004
1,284
0
just Santa Cruz...
Main question:

I'm 6'2" and mostly legs (with arms to match). I've ridden quite a few large sized trail bikes. I always feel a touch cramped on a large. If it fits, an SXt will be my next frame. What are your opinions on the large sizing?


Secondary question:

What are your general impressions of this frame? Also, little birdie says SXt revamp for 2013 due out soon?


Thanks :)
 

gemini2k

Turbo Monkey
Jul 31, 2005
3,526
117
San Francisco
Just be sure that you'll NEVER want to change your shock. My buddy found out the hard way recently that he is stuck with his van r forever. That being said, he's about 6'1" to 6'2" and loves his large. EVerything from XC to lift days.
 

rosenamedpoop

Turbo Monkey
Feb 27, 2004
1,284
0
just Santa Cruz...
Just be sure that you'll NEVER want to change your shock. My buddy found out the hard way recently that he is stuck with his van r forever. That being said, he's about 6'1" to 6'2" and loves his large. EVerything from XC to lift days.

yes... that pesky yoke. Fortunately, the frame kit comes with an RC4.
 

vikingboy

Monkey
Dec 15, 2009
212
2
Im 6'2 and ride a large SXT, I tried the medium but it was too short for me to feel comfortable on.

Changing shocks isnt a simple bolt on affair bit its pretty easy for machine shops to make the changes required to bolt pretty much anything up, CCDB, Stoys etc.
There's some details and pictures here of the mod's I did to mine.

http://forums.mtbr.com/specialized/vikingboys-2012-specialized-sx-trail-build-thread-750165.html

I dont think there are any changes to the SXT for 2013, I dont KNOW for sure but Spec seem to have three year life cycles on frames so would be 2014 I guessed for a new model.

Definitely an awesome bike though, very happy with mine.
 

boylagz

Monkey
Jul 12, 2011
558
61
SF bay area
Had a 2010 SXT for a good 5 seasons. Youll love that thing. Post 2010s have 10mm more travel, a lil slacker, longer, you'll love it. And at 6'2 you'd want a L. I was on a M and I'm around 5'10. Good luck! :D
 

rosenamedpoop

Turbo Monkey
Feb 27, 2004
1,284
0
just Santa Cruz...
Changing shocks isnt a simple bolt on affair bit its pretty easy for machine shops to make the changes required to bolt pretty much anything up, CCDB, Stoys etc.
There's some details and pictures here of the mod's I did to mine.

http://forums.mtbr.com/specialized/vikingboys-2012-specialized-sx-trail-build-thread-750165.html

I dont think there are any changes to the SXT for 2013, I dont KNOW for sure but Spec seem to have three year life cycles on frames so would be 2014 I guessed for a new model.

Definitely an awesome bike though, very happy with mine.


Great info in that thread, thanks.

It appears from your pics that a standard RC4 8.5" x 2.5" (I have one already)should bolt into the Spesh yoke, yes?
 

kidwoo

Artisanal Tweet Curator
Nice write-up, yours?

Yeah, definitely see the points on sizing.. stoked. About BB height, have you considered offset shock hardware?

Also, what about a dual crown on this frame?
Yeah.

Offset hardware would only work in the front because of that bolt through the eyelet deal in the back.

It wouldn't make enough of a change that I'm going to worry too much about it honestly. A dual crown fork would be fine. It's not like 7" bikes are new enough that it's never been done. It won't be a modern dh bike but it would work.
 

rosenamedpoop

Turbo Monkey
Feb 27, 2004
1,284
0
just Santa Cruz...
Yeah.

Offset hardware would only work in the front because of that bolt through the eyelet deal in the back.

It wouldn't make enough of a change that I'm going to worry too much about it honestly. A dual crown fork would be fine. It's not like 7" bikes are new enough that it's never been done. It won't be a modern dh bike but it would work.
Right, one offset piece would equate to about -.5* HA & .56" lower BB...

Do you know anyone who runs a dual crown on an SXt?
 

kidwoo

Artisanal Tweet Curator
Right, one offset piece would equate to about - .56" lower BB...
Wait what? You sure? Cuz That IS worth doing. Over half an inch? That seems kind of high considering how small of an offset you can get inside the eyelet with a decent sized bolt.

I don't know anyone personally running a dc fork on one but if I wanted to I wouldn't even think twice about it.
 

rosenamedpoop

Turbo Monkey
Feb 27, 2004
1,284
0
just Santa Cruz...
Wait what? You sure? Cuz That IS worth doing. Over half an inch? That seems kind of high considering how small of an offset you can get inside the eyelet with a decent sized bolt.

I don't know anyone personally running a dc fork on one but if I wanted to I wouldn't even think twice about it.

ooops... flipped one of my numerators, sorry :/

The BB drop will be .2" Not .56" Still worth it to me, especially with a low axle-to-crown dual crown and the stanchions lowered to minimum. I would guess .5" drop total between the two... (?)
 

boylagz

Monkey
Jul 12, 2011
558
61
SF bay area
I've run mine for the last couple months with a Boxxer WC and it's a totally different beast vs. say with a 180mm sc fork. Both would work amazing. A Boxxer has the same AC height as a Totem anyway, or 3mm more than a Zoki 66.
 

stefanjansch

Chimp
Jun 29, 2012
5
0
I've fitted a manitou revox pro in 216/70 mm to my 11 SX Trail, now with 200mm of rear wheel travel.
Also changed the Geo with a works components -1° Angle Set an offset bushing in front, to 64° HA and 346mm BB Height.
 

vikingboy

Monkey
Dec 15, 2009
212
2
Stoy is an superb shock, I put it ever so slightly on a higher pedestal than the CCDB due to a slight edge in composure/traction out of what I've been able to get out the CCDB. I also like the fact I could dial the stoy in over a weekend where as the CCDB has taken 2 years.....and I'm still tweaking! :-D
The stoy works well on the SXt, maybe due to its ability to ride high in its travel and preserve travel for when it's really needed but I thought your comments re the RC4 boost valve aiding the linear design of the frame were interesting and worth revisiting.
I've got minimum pressure in the boost valve and two turns out from full in (of four) to start with.

What sag were you running OOC?

Will report back tomorrow......
 

4130biker

PM me about Tantrum Cycles!
May 24, 2007
3,882
447
Kidwoo, thanks for the insight, I think my sxt is over sprung as a result of me trying to compensate for the linear traits of the frame. I've always learned to set sag, then everything else, but maybe that doesn't quite apply here? The small bump sensitivity on mine isn't great, so I'm going to crank that boost valve up and drop the spring rate to see what happens.
I was kind of disappointed since I thought the older generation 05-08, felt great for the small bump stuff.
 

kidwoo

Artisanal Tweet Curator
'proper sag' is just a starting point, nothing more.

It's one thing to sit there in your garage and go 'yup, there's that 35%' but it's something else entirely to maintain that average position while hitting things, pointed at an angle, at 15-30 mph if the bike is designed in such a way that accomplishing this becomes difficult with the way and what you ride. I could get 'correct sag™' with the shock wide open but once I started hitting things, the bike just hung out too deep into the travel too often. If you're not down with that on a frame like the SXT that wants to give it up really easily, you can either damp the hell out of it and rely on thresholds, or you can do tweaks like the one I did (and specialized did before I even got it) to get the ride you're after. But some people like really linear feeling suspension.....I just don't happen to be one of them, especially on more gravity oriented bikes. The good thing about a frame like this is that just with the stock shock, you can get a bunch of different options.
 

rosenamedpoop

Turbo Monkey
Feb 27, 2004
1,284
0
just Santa Cruz...
My two cents on DH/aggressive riding setup for an RC4:

-start with the bottom-out control dialed full in (max)
-150 psi in the boost
-both HS & LS compression full open
-rebound to taste

Add HS/LS comp incrementally if necessary, although I prefer the feel of full open at the dials and controlling damping more with the boost psi setting.

This may not be the best starting point for a very progressive frame design, but works well with linear/falling rate stuff. :)
 

boylagz

Monkey
Jul 12, 2011
558
61
SF bay area
^ Kinda similar here when I had mine sans the compression settings. BO half turn from fully closed, 160psi in the can, least lsc as I can handle and hsc around the mid, rebound a tad on the slower side ~10-11 clicks from fast.
 
Last edited:

Inclag

Turbo Monkey
Sep 9, 2001
2,750
439
MA
Main question:

I'm 6'2" and mostly legs (with arms to match). I've ridden quite a few large sized trail bikes. I always feel a touch cramped on a large. If it fits, an SXt will be my next frame. What are your opinions on the large sizing?


Secondary question:

What are your general impressions of this frame? Also, little birdie says SXt revamp for 2013 due out soon?


Thanks :)
 

toowacky

Monkey
Feb 20, 2010
200
4
Pac NW
Do you know anyone who runs a dual crown on an SXt?
Yep, love it, 09 w/ 09 Boxxer.
2009_SXT_boxxer.png

Single-ring, no climbing on it, a dedicated shuttle rig. Certainly not a plow bike, but a bit more nimble and a great local shuttle/park bike. I had the original Domain on it stretched to 180, but the A2C of the Boxxer is basically the same, and got a great deal, so on it went. No regrets.

Nice review, kidwoo-- you describe the SXT well, as compared to my impressions.