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2023 Mountain Biking

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Tom K.

Tom K.

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I’m in the mildly bored it’s time to be healed part of my journey.

Beats the heck out of the "shoot, this doesn't seem to be working" alternative.

Enjoy the ride back up the curve of health and fitness!

soon I can ride at midnight

You are clearly older than the median-aged Ski Talker! ;)
 

nay

dirt heel pusher
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My boredom and musings have finally led to procurement.

The Float X came off a Specialized so I’ll see what I think about the Rx Trail tune before the Evo eats it. Nice condition 2022 Fox 34 that happened to have a steerer tube cut to exactly my length and the same gold stickers as the shock.

Meant to be?
 

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Tom K.

Tom K.

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Meant to be?

Matchy matchy FTW!

I still think your approach is a bit like putting lipstick on a pig, but this from a guy that runs 1,500 g xc-ish wheels on his Slash...... :huh:

But at least they're 30 mm iw!
 
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nay

dirt heel pusher
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Matchy matchy FTW!

I still think your approach is a bit like putting lipstick on a pig, but this from a guy that runs 1,500 g xc-ish wheels on his Slash...... :huh:

But at least they're 30 mm iw!
That’s the interesting bit. The Stumpy Evo, when it was first released for 19/20, was pretty much right in line with where Transition was headed. At 495 reach (flip chip in high position), it sits between what most companies position now as L/XL.

I am 6’2”, decent ape index, and I found it to be a little long, probably because stack height is so low and I seem to be stuck right between L/XL for most bike current bike specs. 35mm rise bars, 32mm stem fixed my discomfort on the Evo. So I have a frame that fits me perfectly, is 1/2” lb heavier than a Spur frame but has the SWAT compartment, and will be spec’d like those bikes are spec’d. Rear travel is longer, but the base shock is only 210x50 so it’s never ridden like a longer travel bike.

Head angle is still slack (the current Evo has 3 degrees of adjustment to do the silliness I am doing here), but otherwise it doesn’t really look different than a current gen Stumpjumper that Spesh reoriented to “trail”.

My honest thought is I’ll either just like it full time on the 140mm Fox 34 or it won’t have made any real difference so why bother, but I figure I can sell the parts I bought and maybe lose $150 total. Buy a new bike and put yourself in a different no-man’s land and you eat thousands selling. It’s really all about the rear linkage, isn’t it?

Anyway, riddle me this. Fox says the axle to crown on the Fox 34 29 140mm is 547mm. Hayes says the axle to crown on the axle to crown on the Manitou Mezzer 27.5 170mm is 574mm. They look identical unless I am missing what “axle to crown means”. The extra length of the Mezzer is all below the axle.

571C5B79-DE73-4E36-A401-C09291352143.jpeg


I’m happy about this since Stack will stay up with the 140mm, but can’t really explain it.
 
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chris_the_wrench

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That manitou looks longer to me, but not sure if its almost 30mm longer(hard to tell from photo). Fork crown = that silver worn spot on the manitou
 

AmyPJ

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I really like my top fuel. Was thinking about swapping to a 130 fox34. How do you like the change?
I have the same question. I want more fork travel on my Top Fuel. It’s been mothballed since November but the 55 degree day this week made me yearn to ride! I know at the end of last riding season, I was wishing for a bit more plushness from the fork. I should probably start to figure out what I want to do.
 

Tytlynz64

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I have the same question. I want more fork travel on my Top Fuel. It’s been mothballed since November but the 55 degree day this week made me yearn to ride! I know at the end of last riding season, I was wishing for a bit more plushness from the fork. I should probably start to figure out what I want to do.
I have the stock SID on it now. Looking for more stack.
 
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Tom K.

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I have the same question. I want more fork travel on my Top Fuel. It’s been mothballed since November but the 55 degree day this week made me yearn to ride! I know at the end of last riding season, I was wishing for a bit more plushness from the fork. I should probably start to figure out what I want to do.

I love my Top Fuel with a 130 mm Fox 34 with the Grip1 damper.

It has lighter compression damping than a Grip2 or Fit4 when they are all in their fully open positions, giving a more plush ride.

I think this might suit your lighter weight very well.

Unrelated: Did I hear you guys might be swinging through Whitefish soon? If so, Mrs. K and I would love to take a few runs.
 
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AmyPJ

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I love my Top Fuel with a 140 mm Fox 34 with the Grip1 damper.

It has lighter compression damping than a Grip2 or Fit4 when they are all in their fully open positions, giving a more plush ride.

I think this might suit your lighter weight very well.

Unrelated: Did I hear you guys might be swinging through Whitefish soon? If so, Mrs. K and I would love to take a few runs.
Oh, so you have a 140mm on it? Mine comes stock with a 120. Either way, I want a 130 at least.

I canceled my trip--the airline kept changing my flights and I just don't have that flexible of a schedule with a kid still at home. Might be up this summer, though!
 
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Tom K.

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Oh, so you have a 140mm on it? Mine comes stock with a 120. Either way, I want a 130 at least.

Oops, typo (now fixed). I have a 130 and love the handling, and Trek must agree because they all come with 130s now.

I canceled my trip--the airline kept changing my flights and I just don't have that flexible of a schedule with a kid still at home. Might be up this summer, though!

Ah, bummer. If you make it up this summer we'll spin a few pedals!
 

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dirt heel pusher
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That manitou looks longer to me, but not sure if its almost 30mm longer(hard to tell from photo). Fork crown = that silver worn spot on the manitou
It’s an optical illusion in the side by side because of the Manitou’s rear arch - they are about identical. I’ll measure and see what’s what.
 
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nay

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I have the stock SID on it now. Looking for more stack.
Have you considered a higher rise handlebar? These shorter travel bikes often have 20mm rise XC type bars that are uncomfortable for longer trail riding. That seems to finally be changing and the more aggressive downcountry bikes are coming with non-XC bar geometry.

I mean, SID on a Spur is interesting and depending on your build spec you either get a 35mm bar or a 20mm bar. Getting 35mm just because you bought AXS is a big difference :huh:.
 

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dirt heel pusher
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I am still prosecuting this crown to axle height bit. Both forks measure 22”, with is 559mm and right in between the claimed crown to fork measurement for both. Be careful buying a fork to increase or lower stack because you might not be getting the result you want.

1544EE04-8099-4AAB-ACA0-4E9E3AEA8F1C.jpeg


70B64AAB-69BA-4A04-9B2A-028A8F203D38.jpeg


I’m pretty stoked because I did not want to lower my already low frame stack by reducing travel from 170 to 140, but this sure isn’t what published numbers told me. I do like the Fox design where there isn’t exposed fork below the axle for rock hits.
 

Tytlynz64

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Have you considered a higher rise handlebar? These shorter travel bikes often have 20mm rise XC type bars that are uncomfortable for longer trail riding. That seems to finally be changing and the more aggressive downcountry bikes are coming with non-XC bar geometry.

I mean, SID on a Spur is interesting and depending on your build spec you either get a 35mm bar or a 20mm bar. Getting 35mm just because you bought AXS is a big difference :huh:.
I have 70mm rise bars, spacers, a 23degree 75mm riser stem and still would like more. I may sell it it and get a Smuggler.
 

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dirt heel pusher
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I have 70mm rise bars, spacers, a 23degree 75mm riser stem and still would like more. I may sell it it and get a Smuggler.
Sounds like you‘ve gone past the point of adjustment, that’s a ton of rise. Just in looking around it seems like there is recognition that slack should not equal discomfort of low stack and that bikes are long enough to not need to be slung out over them while retaining downhill chops.
 
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Tom K.

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I was sick a over a week, my first ride in nearly two weeks was on Wednesday. Oh how the trails changed since my last time out, it's practically like a paved path through the woods this time of year until the sun hits it. Also, no lights required till almost 9pm! So exciting!

Nice!

We are kind of in between now. Fat biking is so-so, but no "real" mtb on offer yet.

So......occasional one hour road/gravel bike rides for now. Ugh.
 
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Tom K.

Tom K.

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Riding single track in winter is like riding miles long skinnys and sometimes you lose the front wheel off the edge and it's OTB time.

Cue Leon Russell's Tight Rope song!
 

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