Gear for Enduro 2.0

[Captain Fastbastard Mayhem]

Just came back from maiden ride following a small upgrade to my lyrik: the new 2018 air-spring. It damnwell works! Fork loaded with 3 tokens and air pressure around 95psi for some context.

 

Off the bat, a stationary pump of the felt seemed to suggest the initial travel was easier to initiate. Out on the trail, that initial increase in plushness was confirmed when a lot of the trail chatter I've previously felt, was very much subdued. Consequently, you go quite a bit faster as the bikes handling feels more controlled.

 

Ever since the new rockshox internals were announced along with the new lyrik, pike and boxxer, I've been vacillating between air spring only, and a full internals upgrade, including the charger 2 damper. Rider reviews indicated not much tangible improvements via the charger 2 upgrade, but all reviews of the air spring only upgrade were very positive. It's legit.

 

Lank cheap upgrade (<R1k), so great value for money. Shout out to East City Cycles for procuring and fitting.

Or, you could go the way I did. Add 1kg and get the best small bump and compression damping ever. Buuuut I don't think a lot of people would do that. 

 

2009 66  Marzo FTMFW

[Rigardt@Scott]

Or, you could go the way I did. Add 1kg and get the best small bump and compression damping ever. Buuuut I don't think a lot of people would do that.

 

2009 66 Marzo FTMFW

But does that come in 29"?

[Capricorn]

Or, you could go the way I did. Add 1kg and get the best small bump and compression damping ever. Buuuut I don't think a lot of people would do that. 

 

2009 66  Marzo FTMFW

unless you've actually ridden the new lyriks, your statement is hopeful at best

Against a shorter travel Pike, i wouldn't disagree with you, especially if someone gave me back my 66 bomber. But the extra travel on the lyrik does help a lot. note: referring to ride experiece wrt heavier riders. the new air spring is one of the best value for money upgrades in a damn long while.

[Duane_Bosch]

Or, you could go the way I did. Add 1kg and get the best small bump and compression damping ever. Buuuut I don't think a lot of people would do that. 

 

2009 66  Marzo FTMFW

You mean 1.6kg?

[Captain Fastbastard Mayhem]

You mean 1.6kg?

Nope. It's 2.9kg. Above a Pike / Lyrik that's ~800g.

 

And yeah, Cap - I can believe that. Funny that it's taken this long for the air forks to catch up to a 10yo coil fork. ????

[Duane_Bosch]

Nope. It's 2.9kg. Above a Pike / Lyrik that's ~800g.

 

And yeah, Cap - I can believe that. Funny that it's taken this long for the air forks to catch up to a 10yo coil fork.

My bad. I thought it was 1.6kg.

 

It's interesting to see how people are "aiming" their bike builds in this "enduro" segment. You're obviously going for a big hit bike with the big fork, coil and big brakes when then others are going for almost a xc type spec.

[PhilipV]

Nope. It's 2.9kg. Above a Pike / Lyrik that's ~800g.

 

And yeah, Cap - I can believe that. Funny that it's taken this long for the air forks to catch up to a 10yo coil fork. ????

That Marzocchi is a marvel of it's time,

While the modern forks are only now catching up in ride feel (not all of them are there yet,) the newer forks are ahead in other areas. Ie weight.

An ideal fork would have the small bump munchies of your 66, have ramp control and travel adjust like the Ribbon, weigh as little as a 34, and be as stiff as a Lyrik.

 

Personally I'd rather have my Pike that weighs 1.8k, as it lives on a bike that I go out on big days with. The Dual Position air means I can pick travel for the piece of trail I'm riding or to drop the bikes front to make climbing easier.

 

I think it is a case of picking your battles. But as Capricorn is showing, the lines are becoming blurred.

[Duane_Bosch]

I'm not one to punt the gear that I have and I've got it on test so technically I don't own one of these yet. And saddles are highly personal. BUT!

 

This saddle is the best saddle I've EVER used. Did 105km on the roadie yesterday and my backside isn't even remotely sore today. Nothing. As soon as I have the cash (It's been an expensive month) I'm getting one for the roadie and one for the Jeffsy.

 

I think as MTB guys we tend to focus on suspension and braking (Well I do) but you spend 90% of your time on your arse on the saddle. It may as well be a good one. This is their take on the Spez Power saddle. And the guys that have those swear by them.

 

Edited September 17, 2018 by Duane_Bosch

[Captain Fastbastard Mayhem]

My bad. I thought it was 1.6kg.

 

It's interesting to see how people are "aiming" their bike builds in this "enduro" segment. You're obviously going for a big hit bike with the big fork, coil and big brakes when then others are going for almost a xc type spec.

Yeah, man. I figure that I want it to be tough AF, cos I ride like an idiot. And not a talented one, either! Plus, I have more weight to lose on my own body than on the bike, and the weight on my body is a shitton cheaper to lose as well!

 

Anyway. This is she, at the moment. Ready for Ezel. 

[Captain Fastbastard Mayhem]

I'm not one to punt the gear that I have and I've got it on test so technically I don't own one of these yet. And saddles are highly personal. BUT!

 

This saddle is the best saddle I've EVER used. Did 105km on the roadie yesterday and my backside isn't even remotely sore today. Nothing. As soon as I have the cash (It's been an expensive month) I'm getting one for the roadie and one for the Jeffsy.

 

I think as MTB guys we tend to focus on suspension and braking (Well I do) but you spend 90% of your time on your arse on the saddle. It may as well be a good one. This is their take on the Spez Power saddle. And the guys that have those swear by them.

 

SAN MARCO-Shortfit-Dynamic-Open-2018-nero_3396.jpg

Dude, a comfortable saddle is key. Had that Fizik on there, but it just didn't gel with my rear end, so I switched back to the WTB, which is suiting me just fine. 

 

Most comfortable saddle I've ridden on to date has been this one. Selle Italia Superflow. Was on Iwan's old Ibis. Then, this cheap job, from Dartmoor. Was on my old reign x when it got nicked. 

 

[Duane_Bosch]

What's that shock on there? And what rear tire?

 

Dirt bikes like to be clean!

 

Interesting to see the bottle EASILY fitting in to the frame. Mine took a bottle but I put velcro on the bottom side of the top tube cos the bottle used to rattle against the top tube. Drove me NUTS!

Edited September 17, 2018 by Duane_Bosch

[PhilipV]

My bad. I thought it was 1.6kg.

 

It's interesting to see how people are "aiming" their bike builds in this "enduro" segment. You're obviously going for a big hit bike with the big fork, coil and big brakes when then others are going for almost a xc type spec.

True. I think "Enduro" is pretty wide ito what bike you need to race it with.

 

You see it in the EWS races as well. People racing 140mm bikes next to others racing 170mm bikes.

Same endgoal, different strong points.

[stefmeister]

That Marzocchi is a marvel of it's time,

While the modern forks are only now catching up in ride feel (not all of them are there yet,) the newer forks are ahead in other areas. Ie weight.

An ideal fork would have the small bump munchies of your 66, have ramp control and travel adjust like the Ribbon, weigh as little as a 34, and be as stiff as a Lyrik.

 

Personally I'd rather have my Pike that weighs 1.8k, as it lives on a bike that I go out on big days with. The Dual Position air means I can pick travel for the piece of trail I'm riding or to drop the bikes front to make climbing easier.

 

I think it is a case of picking your battles. But as Capricorn is showing, the lines are becoming blurred.

 

That dual position Pike works nicely. Definitely something I'd consider on a bike like the new Stumpy ST, to have a nippy playful bike on mellower trails, or raise the travel when you're going to hit some steeper gradients.

 

True. I think "Enduro" is pretty wide ito what bike you need to race it with.

 

You see it in the EWS races as well. People racing 140mm bikes next to others racing 170mm bikes.

Same endgoal, different strong points.

 

It's like a reverse mullet. Business at the back, party at the front.

I think it's also got to do with having fresher legs, and a more responsive bike when you have a lot of pedal sections, and having a burly front end to take care of most of the impact.

[Captain Fastbastard Mayhem]

What's that shock on there? And what rear tire?

 

Dirt bikes like to be clean!

 

Interesting to see the bottle EASILY fitting in to the frame. Mine took a bottle but I put velcro on the bottom side of the top tube cos the bottle used to rattle against the top tube. Drove me NUTS!

CCDB Inline Coil CS. Just put it on, and sprayed the coil orange (didn't cure lekker, will have to re-do it / touch it up in the future)

 

Tyre is a 2.6 Slaughter GRID. Love that thing. Only time I've wished for more tyre is in the Glen after it'd rained a crapload and we were riding it in the rain as well. That, and Status Quo in Jonkers, again after a massive rain. 

[Captain Fastbastard Mayhem]

Oh, and I keep the drivetrain and suspension clean. The rest can be brushed off. This was after a "broduro" on TM when it was just crazy muddy. Haven't cleaned it since as I've been away and not riding as much as I'd want to. 

[Eddy Gordo]