There's going to be more than one..

The Reverend

Likes Bikes and Dirt
So, after getting patched up from a stupid crash with pretty gruesome effects, I'm back on the rig.

Fitness drops off quickly doesn't it?
I have been playing with setting on the coil and fork to get it where I want it. It's so very supple and smooth.

Whilst it pedals well, I find it takes a little energy to get moving. That might be Hope wheels, Tannus inserts, tyre choice, or just how I've set it up.

What didn't help is the mate I was riding with was on his hardtail (it was a mellow ride) so I was always going to feel it on the climbs.

Anyway, the overriding sensation is stability and smoothness. Choppy sections of trail I'd ride over are just removed. It's very interesting to ride and I need to try the Prime in comparison.

It's not as poppy (coil vs air) but every landing and rock garden is butter. You feel you can just hit everything so much harder.

Definitely an interesting and different ride to what I'm used to.
 

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Tubbsy

Packin' a small bird
Staff member
Interesting about the energy to get it moving - I don't find it a snappy accelerating bike, but there's a real sense of sustained momentum once up to speed which feels different to other bikes I've had.

I'm a bit undertyred because I'm still running a 2.35DHR/Minion SS combo off the Ripley which I'm about to remedy with a 2.6DHF/2.4Aggressor as I have a hard tail on the way for lighter duties.

Will be interesting to see how much effect that has on climbs. I certainly need more tyre on the descents; obstacles are arriving faster than they did...
 
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atty

Has excellent taste.
Whilst it pedals well, info find it takes a little energy to get moving. That might be Hope wheels, Tannus inserts, tyre choice, or just how I've set it up.
I've been considering the industry nine hubs, the quick engagement would favor the limited pedal kick back and may make the bike accelerate faster.

It's not as poppy (coil vs air) but every landing and rock garden is butter. You feel you can just hit everything so much harder.
What % sag have you landed on?
 

beeb

Dr. Beebenson, PhD HA, ST, Offset (hons)
I've been considering the industry nine hubs, the quick engagement would favor the limited pedal kick back and may make the bike accelerate faster.
Realistically it'll have almost no impact on acceleration as it's doubtful the couple of degrees extra movement in the Hope hubs have much bearing compared to the overall pedal-stroke. If you're talking about trying to ratchet up tech, quicker engagement will feel nicer, maybe help you get up stuff a bit easier from time to time - but punching out a few quick pedal-strokes to gain speed? Once a hub's engaged it's engaged... I've tried a few different hubs, and each time I go back to one of the bikes with Hopes it works fine. Bit harsher engaging, but perfectly functional.

TL;DR? If you want new hubs, buy new hubs! They're fun. :p
 

The Reverend

Likes Bikes and Dirt
I've been considering the industry nine hubs, the quick engagement would favor the limited pedal kick back and may make the bike accelerate faster.



What % sag have you landed on?
I've not even measured sag as it's a two person job and I need to coax the wife into the garage to measure the spring whilst I'm sat on it. It certainly doesn't feel too slack.

I'm riding 2.6" front and 2.4" rear and it might just be that and the Hope wheels. They're sturdy as, and strong but are pretty hefty.
 

The Reverend

Likes Bikes and Dirt
Interesting about the energy to get it moving - I don't find it a snappy accelerating bike, but there's a real sense of sustained momentum once up to speed which feels different to other bikes I've had.
This is what I'm finding. It's great at keeping speed but I need to get it there.

What didn't help is that I was undersprung on the fork so that made it more active than I need / prefer.

It'll take some fettling.
 

HamboCairns

Thanks for all the bananas
I always have a smirk for those whose new bikes are 'dialled in' after a ride around the carpark.
Yup, it's like people that do renovations the minute they step foot into a house. Unless it's falling down around your ears, live in it a while and work out what changes will make a real difference.
 

The Reverend

Likes Bikes and Dirt
I always have a smirk for those whose new bikes are 'dialled in' after a ride around the carpark.

It takes me months to get a bike where I like it, sometimes they never get there as was the case with my Hightower LT.
Yep, the car park bounce is nowhere near enough. It takes me ages and lots of back to back runs to get close...
 

The Reverend

Likes Bikes and Dirt
It's remarkable how long it takes to get bikes dialled in.

After about a month (with 3 weeks off due to my own stupidity) I feel like it's finally there or thereabouts.

I'd felt that
  1. The handling was nowhere near as stable / confident as I'd hoped,
  2. Pedaling, whilst composed, was a little lethargic, and
  3. The chain wasn't as silent as I prefer my bikes to be,
  4. It needed some tweaking to get the cockpit right.
It's my own fault in some ways. Whilst checking it could take 170mm up front, I'd not given enough thought to the A2C. On the Suntour Durolux RC2 36 it's longer than the Rockshox Lyrik or Fox 36..

So 170mm was actually close to >180mm / 185mm in terms of cockpit height.
That made it handle strangely, and on top of that, the riser bars meant not enough weight on the nose.

I'd also found it was a little slack. A clinometer saw the STA at <75° and the HTA at 63.5°.

I put the 160mm version of the same forks on and it steepened everything up by about .5°.
Additionally, I put low rise bars on and that made the bike handle considerably better. It also made a difference to the pedaling. So much so that I might put the 160mm Lyrik on as that's a shorter A2C by about 10mm or so.

The coil, whilst butter on descending can take some of the pep out of general trail pedalling. I've realised riding it everywhere in "descend" setting doesn't help. Trail is awesome for everywhere and some / most descents. If it's all out downhill then the coil is open.

Finally, whilst putting a bashguard on I thought would make sense, a lower chainguide is definitely the choice.

This morning's run on it had it feeling just peachy.
Smooth, composed, capable and decent pedaling too.

It just needed tweaking and a little patience.
 
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The Reverend

Likes Bikes and Dirt
That Durolux A2C caught me out with the Waltly, fortunately the design worked for 140mm to 150mm so the 140mm Durolux didn't need shortening.
I've put it (170mm version) on the Paradox for the moment but won't ride it until I get a 150mm airshaft for it. Even then it'll be a touch too long but I was running it at 160mm and loved every second on it.
 
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