fjohn860
Alice in diaperland
Frame - 2018 Transition Smuggler Alloy Large w/custom chain-slap protector (EPDM squares underneath 50mm heat shrink) and crud flap.
Rear shock - SR Suntour TriAir 3CR 210x50 (replaced the standard RS Deluxe RT)
Front shock/fork - 150mm Rockshox Revelation 35mm w/DIY DSD Runt (JBAC), with a Charger RC damper in place of the MOCO thingy.
Handlebars - Renthal Fatbars alloy 35mm clamp, 40mm rise
Stem - Raceface Aeffect R 40mm
Headset - FSA No. 57E
Grips - Deity Supracush
Saddle - WTB Volt Comp
Seatpost - Raceface Aeffect 150mm
Front brake - Tektro HD-M745
Rear brake - Tektro HD-M745
Rotors - Hope 200mm (thanks @beeb)
Cranks - Raceface Aeffect
Chainguide - None
Chain - KMC X11ER
Pedals - Crank Brothers Stamp 1's w/M3x12mm "pins"
Rear derailleur - NX
Rear shifter - NX w/DIY matchmaker
Cassette - NX 11 speed
Front hub - Novatec
Rear hub - Novatec
Front rim - WTB STP i29
Rear rim - WTB STP i29
Front tyre - Maxxis DHR2 WT 2.4
Rear tyre - Schwalbe Rock Razor 2.35 (soon to be WTB Trail Boss 2.4)
Tubes - One strapped to the frame
Total weight - Approximately 7.5 times lighter than me.
A different beast
I've had this Smuggler for a couple of years now. It replaced a 26in '08 Giant Reign X1 (had it for 11yrs) and is my first 29er. It has been an eye opener as to how far geometry has come over the years and is more capable as a trail bike than the Reign and much faster. I can still vividly remember my first trail ride on it and how I nearly rode straight over the back of a berm into the trees because the 29er wheels really like going straight. It was a totally different sensation to the 26in wheels. I just told myself I needed to "turn it like you mean it!"
Air spring virgin
This was my first bike with air sprung suspension (also has more adjustments than the Reign had) and took me a lot of time and learning to get it set up relatively well. Still, I found it difficult to get a really good setup with the RS Deluxe RT, so 10 months down the track I swapped it out for a SR Suntour TriAir. Even in the early stages of setup the TriAir felt amazing. The breakaway force required to get this shock moving is very "coil like" for want of a better term.
The Revelations took a lot more fettling to get to an acceptable level of performance. They were very harsh out of the box but did improve somewhat with an early lower leg service with low friction dust wipers. But the quest for good performing forks didn't end there. A Charger RC damper came up for sale on RB so I snapped that up (thanks @Kerplunk). I'm a simple man and wanted a simple damper (just not MOCO simple
). Nearly there but I was still looking for a bit more. A month or so of ideas and designs rattling around in my head and an evening or 3 on the lathe and I had my own "DSD Runt" for the air spring.
It was real close to a nice fork now "but what about those lower leg bushes..?
Queue logging some more lathe time to make a bush burnishing tool. Another lower leg service, a bush burnish and an air spring swap to the latest Debonair spring and the final pieces of the air fork puzzle were finally in place.
Playful wagon wheels
Despite the 29" wheels I find this bike is super playful on trail, easy to switch lines and launch off natural features (my favourite type of "jumps")
Climbs well for a weighty trail bike, I never bother with the climb switch.
Future mods
Never had a mullet (neither haircut or bike) and have been curious about a mullet Smuggler (Smugglet
).This year (work bonus FTW) I plan to buy a second air shock with a longer eye-to-eye and stroke allowing for more rear travel (approx. 138mm) and a 27.5 rear wheel (courtesy of @beeb's bicycle parts emporium) to bring the geo back close to standard.
Other "future mods" will be just replacement parts as I break stuff.
It sure isn't a super flashy specced bike, but works really well.
