Transition 'Budgie' Smuggler

Tubbsy

Tubbsy

Packin' a small bird
Staff member
Smug1.jpg

Smug2.jpg

Frame - NOS 2018 Transition Smuggler, XL, Carbon
Rear shock - Fox DPS
Front shock/fork - 140mm 2017 Fox 34, Vorsprung Fractive & Luftkappe
Handlebars - SQlab 3OX 45mm
Stem - Deity
Headset - Wolftooth Premium
Grips - SQlab 711
Saddle - WTB
Seatpost - Bikeyoke 185
Front brake - Magura MT Trail SL 4 piston
Rear brake - Magura MT Trail SL 2 piston
Rotors - XTR
Cranks - XTR
Chainguide - Wolftooth Gnarwolf
Chain - XTR
Pedals - XT
Rear derailleur - XTR
Rear shifter - XTR
Cassette - XTR
Front hub - DT350
Rear hub - DT350
Front rim - Wheelworks FLITE Carbon
Rear rim - Wheelworks FLITE Carbon
Tyres - DHF/Agressor
Total weight - 13kg

I'd had the idea percolating away for a year or two to add a snappy trail bike to the fleet. Something to fit between my Deviate Highlander and Banshee Paradox. The Highlander is fast in a straight line but not the most nimble feeling bike. If you're not feeling fit and energetic and JRA it can feel a bit flat. I've heard it said that high-pivot designs can feel like you're riding with a flat rear tyre. I think that may be over-stating things, but it does take a bit of 'feel' out of mellower trails.

I love the poppy, agile handling of the Paradox with its dinky short stays, and it actually is a very nicely damped hardtail. But still a hardtail. So the hunt started for a short to mid-travel FS bike. I considered all kinds of things from the burlier XC end to lighter weight 140mm type bikes. There are just so many cool bikes out there these days, but I really didn't fancy dropping $5-6k on the latest and greatest bling frames.

Supersports had a couple of older frames going (relatively) cheap, and so the old Smuggler was ordered. Thanks @xero!

The build went relatively smoothly, apart from the most frustrating internal routing battle I've experienced. Had to employ the vacuum cleaner and thread for the chain stay and random kitchen implements for the downtube. Disappointingly Transition don't accommodate our moto brake set up, so I have some slightly awkward routing and a frame protection sticker make the front of the bike look neater. I have a feeling that some time with a 3D printer might make it possible to run the brake line through the downtube and out the RHS port up the top - but that's for another year..

I was hoping to fit a longer dropper, but my 210 Bikeyoke was a tad too long. Will live with 185 for now unless there's some goldilocks short insertion post I'm not aware of. The post slipped into the frame a bit when I took it out for these pics which is why it looks like it's inserted as low as you'd want.

The finished build felt a little stouter than the small parrot I expected, given the spec - Transition clearly don't hold back on their layups... so much so that I decided to weigh the bikes which I don't normally bother doing. Came in at 13kg on the nose, which is realistically pretty light. But the Highlander, with alloy wheelset, heftier tyres, Mezzer, longer dropper etc etc surprisingly weighed in at only 14.7. Nevertheless they should ride quite differently which was the main point of the exercise.

Looking forward to seeing what this little beast will be like out on the trail soon.
 
Tubbsy

Tubbsy

Packin' a small bird
Staff member
beeb said:
When's the ride report? :p
Click to expand...
After I've done up the seat collar and the, er, rather too loose stem to steerer bolts that gave me a nice surprise on the ride back down the hill. Feels like a fairly 'active' climber which improved with the compression lever in the firm setting - but time to figure all that out. Definitely feels agile so far.
 
beeb

beeb

Dr. Beebenson, PhD HA, ST, Offset (hons)
S

shiny

Go-go-gadget-wrist-thingy
Looks awesome @Tubbsy - 14.7kg for the Highlander mine is a large and tips in at 16kg. Unless my Ali Express scales are wrong.

Look forward to ride report. :cool:
 
Tubbsy

Tubbsy

Packin' a small bird
Staff member
shiny said:
14.7kg for the Highlander mine is a large and tips in at 16kg. Unless my Ali Express scales are wrong.
Click to expand...
I was surprised too, assumed it was over 15 for sure.

Caveat, I used the ‘stand on the bathroom scales with and without bike’ technique, so numbers could feasibly be off. Not by much I reckon though. The highlander’s a surprisingly light frame given how chunky it looks.
 
S

shiny

Go-go-gadget-wrist-thingy
Tubbsy said:
I was surprised too, assumed it was over 15 for sure.

Caveat, I used the ‘stand on the bathroom scales with and without bike’ technique, so numbers could feasibly be off. Not by much I reckon though. The highlander’s a surprisingly light frame given how chunky it looks.
Click to expand...
Hmm. My frame was 3.4kg. Perhaps mine got the Friday arvo layup.

Anyway a Kashima rear shock and a change of valve caps to be all matchy matchy. ;)
 
Jpez

Jpez

Down on the left!
Tubbsy said:
I was surprised too, assumed it was over 15 for sure.

Caveat, I used the ‘stand on the bathroom scales with and without bike’ technique, so numbers could feasibly be off. Not by much I reckon though. The highlander’s a surprisingly light frame given how chunky it looks.
Click to expand...
My highlander was 17kg. Pretty porky for a trail bike. maybe yours must have some hidden drillium or your early production frame had a lighter lay up or something.
 
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