My bike diary
- Thread starter crank1979
- Start date
crank1979
Likes Bikes and Dirt
Thanks mate. I'll have to show you and the others around my local some day. I haven't ridden it myself for nearly two months now and the withdrawl symptoms are showing.Good read
And while i am in the spirit of sorting out the rear shocks, I ordered a set of RWC bearings for the rear shocks on the Firebird and Mach 5.
crank1979
Likes Bikes and Dirt
Firebird & Mach 5 reviews
Pivot Firebird Review (compared to my old Nomad [specs])...
My original plan when i bought the Firebird was that i was buying it while it was still a pretty much unknown qunatity. If i didn't like it i figured there'd be someone out there who would want one and i'd sell it and buy a Nomad 2.
Pedalling
Excellent. I loved the pedalling performance of my Nomad and the Firebird was instantly better. The bottom bracket is slightly higher so i'm not bashing the cranks as much. It feels more eficient. The bike just moves along without feeling like i'm wasting any energy. I like to have my suspension set up fairly soft in the front and rear and while the fork bobs when standing, the rear still feels like it's not wasting any energy. I can't feel any pedal feedback in the big (36T) ring but can feel some in the granny (22T) an 4th in the back. That's the only gear combination I can feel it in and it is not as bad as it was on the Nomad which had it through a few gears in the granny ring.
Handling
I liked the handling on my Nomad but it always felt a little sluggish. The head angle on the Firebird is a little steeper and i love the handling. Riding the same tracks the Firebird is much easier to get through the same corners. It's not twitchy and i've never found myself wishing for a slacker head angle like the Nomad. The seat angle also feels more upright and it was easier to position myself over the cranks compared to the Nomad where i always felt a little behind the cranks. When i did get the Nomad pedalling position sorted out i felt a little bit too far forward over the bars so it was a bit of a compromise with positioning myself on the bike. It was the correct size frame too. On the Firebird i just feel centred properly.
Climbing
It's a mountain goat. Seated climbing is great, but when i need to get off the seat to get up something technical it just digs in and up i go. Someone with no experience on a Pivot told me they were getting a reputation or having the rear wheel lose traction on climbs. I definitely find the opposite of this and have not been able to find anything on the net about it. It climbs better through technical stuff than the Nomad and i think this is because of the livelier feel from the frame geometry and also the significantly reduced bob from the suspension. Smooth fireroad climbs are easy. No ProPedal needed.
Suspension Performance
Obviously summed up a bit above. Small bump compliance is on par with my Nomad. To get the Nomad how i wanted it i went from a Float R to a DHX-C then to a CCDB. I've never felt either bike bottom out after a big (for me) hit or from stuffing something up. From the marks on the rubber bumper I have obviously bottomed the Nomad but i never felt any harshness or thought "geez i've hit that hard and bottomed out". Same thing with the Firebird. With the forks it's different and i could tell when i've reached the end of the travel on both bikes.
I've had a bit of a play on the Nomad 2 and the small bump compliance on it isn't as good as the Firebird. We even put my CCDB on it and it still wasn't as good. This and the pedalling performance are the things that put me off the Nomad 2 but i think if i'd bought that instead of the Firebird I would still be a happy mtber. Braking never seemed to affect the suspension on either bike.
Things i'd change
I'm playing with rear shocks because the ISX-6 has had brilliant reviews on the net and i always wanted to tr one on my Nomad. It just came up at a price that was too good to refuse. I always wanted the CCDB on the Firebird because it made such a significant difference on the Nomad. If it can make that degree of difference on the Firebird then i don't know how anything else out there will come close to it's performance, although the DHX Air has been a brilliant shock on this bike with none of the mid stroke wallow that seem to plague the Nomad with this shock.
Parts wise i'm getting annoyed at how many rear derailleurs i'm destroying the last year or so. 3 x X9 and 1 x X0. All my fault but the X0 i don't know what i hit to snap the carbon outer cage and two of the X9s i think should not have been damaged after a very small hit. I think i'll be trying Saint shifters and rear derailleur but i'm holding out to see if it is going to be released in a 10 speed version.
Additional Stuff
I should have mentioned the wheelbase, or particularly the chainstay length. The Firebird is much easier to lift the front of compared to the Nomad. I'm not sure how much difference the 4mm longer length on the Nomad really makes but i really had to work to manual through dips and the like on the Nomad. Mine was a 2006 model Nomad and i'm pretty sure there were a few revisions to the geometry and features of the Nomad 1 before version 2 came out.
The geometry of the Firebird compared to the Nomad 2 look pretty similar. I ride a small in Pivot's sizing and a medium with SC. The top tube length is only about 5mm shorter on the Firebird. The bottom bracket height is 5mm taller on the Nomad 2 and the head tube height about 13mm taller. Head tube and seat tube angles are pretty much the same. I haven't spent enough time on the Nomad 2 to see how much difference these minor geometry difference make but i know that for the way i ride i made the right choice in suspension systems.
Pivot Mach 5 review (compared to my 3.5" Anthem)
Pedalling
Again, excellent. Where the Anthem sometimes felt sluggish the pedalling performance on the Mach 5 feels very lively. Same as with the Firebird, I wanted a higher bottom bracket than what the Anthem had and the Mach 5 matched up well with this requirement. Where i haed pedalling the Anthem aroiund Appin, the Mach 5 is much easier. Same as with the Anthem, i like to run the rear suspension at the firmer end of the manufacturers recommendations with the fork a little softer in comparison. There is minimal bob when standing, the rear, like the cliche says, jumps forward. I don't feel any pedal feedback in any gear combination with this bike, but i bnever did with the Anthem either. Even without considering the extra travel i get on the Mach 5, for me it is a better pedalling bike in all situations than the 3.5" Anthem.
Handling
Safe and predictable. It corners a bit better than the Anthem but that is the only real difference in handling. I really liked the Anthem with 100mm Rebas. The Mach 5 with 150mm Float RLCs feels the same but with more travel. At speed the Mach 5 is a little easier to control but again it's only a little bit. I ran a shorter stem on my Anthem though. a 70mm stem compard to a 90mm on the Mach 5. I tried the 70mm on the Mach 5 but hated it. The longer stem on the Anthem made it too twitchy for me.
Climbing
This is probably the biggest difference. It's not the same mountain goat that the Firebird is. For my intended use (XC) it performs almost flawlessly. Seated or standing fireroad climbing is brilliant. It's very efficient. Technical climbing is it's only shortfall for me and mainly because i don't just bash through stuff on the Mach 5 like i do on the Firebird. Super steep technical bits that the Firebird gets up can be a challenge on the Mach 5 because the front end will wander. This is only noticeable on my local track unfortunately. Every other track i've ridden it on (and there's a few listed on Trailflix!) i've not encountered the same wandering feel. Steep fireroads aren't a problem because they generaly aren't that technical. Back to climbing being the biggest difference between the Anthem and Mach 5... When climbing on the Anthem i would sometimes feel like the rear end was falling behind. It felt slow, i'd bash the cranks on rocks and it just didin't grip as well. I don;t get this feeling or those symptoms with the Mach 5. No ProPedal needed on the Mach 5 either.
Suspension Performance
Again, summed up a bit above. Small bump compliance is better than the Anthem. Where i would use ProPedal on the Anthem i never use it on the Mach 5. I've experiemented with using it on stretches of road and don't really feel a significant difference between using it or not unless i stand up to get up a hill. Even then it's not usually worth the effort to reach down and flick the lever. As with the Firebird and Nomad, i can't tell when i've bottomed the rear on the Anthem or Mach 5. Descending at speed feels great on both bikes but is a little more comfortable on the Mach 5. The forks are stiffer on the Mach 5 but you'd hope so with the 15QR. That said i never really felt the 9mm quick release axle RS Rebas were flexy and they definitely felt stiffer than the Marzocchi AM1 SLs i have on another bike with a 20mm axle. Braking never seemed to affect the suspension on either bike.
Things i'd change
Besides making it lighter with something like XTR wheels, different seatpost, stem ,etc there's nothing practcial i'd change on the Mach 5. I'm not a fan of travel adjustable forks so i wouldn't bother with them. I'm getting a set of needle bearings for the rear shock. They've had good reviews and i you have suspension you might as well get it performing as good as it can. I don't the bearings making the suspension performance worse, but if nothing changes then at least they'll look cool! I don't ride the Mach 5 in stuff as rough and rocky as i do the Firebird so i'm happy to keep going with SRAM on this bike.
I think that's about it.
Specs for both are here.
Pivot Firebird Review (compared to my old Nomad [specs])...
My original plan when i bought the Firebird was that i was buying it while it was still a pretty much unknown qunatity. If i didn't like it i figured there'd be someone out there who would want one and i'd sell it and buy a Nomad 2.
Pedalling
Excellent. I loved the pedalling performance of my Nomad and the Firebird was instantly better. The bottom bracket is slightly higher so i'm not bashing the cranks as much. It feels more eficient. The bike just moves along without feeling like i'm wasting any energy. I like to have my suspension set up fairly soft in the front and rear and while the fork bobs when standing, the rear still feels like it's not wasting any energy. I can't feel any pedal feedback in the big (36T) ring but can feel some in the granny (22T) an 4th in the back. That's the only gear combination I can feel it in and it is not as bad as it was on the Nomad which had it through a few gears in the granny ring.
Handling
I liked the handling on my Nomad but it always felt a little sluggish. The head angle on the Firebird is a little steeper and i love the handling. Riding the same tracks the Firebird is much easier to get through the same corners. It's not twitchy and i've never found myself wishing for a slacker head angle like the Nomad. The seat angle also feels more upright and it was easier to position myself over the cranks compared to the Nomad where i always felt a little behind the cranks. When i did get the Nomad pedalling position sorted out i felt a little bit too far forward over the bars so it was a bit of a compromise with positioning myself on the bike. It was the correct size frame too. On the Firebird i just feel centred properly.
Climbing
It's a mountain goat. Seated climbing is great, but when i need to get off the seat to get up something technical it just digs in and up i go. Someone with no experience on a Pivot told me they were getting a reputation or having the rear wheel lose traction on climbs. I definitely find the opposite of this and have not been able to find anything on the net about it. It climbs better through technical stuff than the Nomad and i think this is because of the livelier feel from the frame geometry and also the significantly reduced bob from the suspension. Smooth fireroad climbs are easy. No ProPedal needed.
Suspension Performance
Obviously summed up a bit above. Small bump compliance is on par with my Nomad. To get the Nomad how i wanted it i went from a Float R to a DHX-C then to a CCDB. I've never felt either bike bottom out after a big (for me) hit or from stuffing something up. From the marks on the rubber bumper I have obviously bottomed the Nomad but i never felt any harshness or thought "geez i've hit that hard and bottomed out". Same thing with the Firebird. With the forks it's different and i could tell when i've reached the end of the travel on both bikes.
I've had a bit of a play on the Nomad 2 and the small bump compliance on it isn't as good as the Firebird. We even put my CCDB on it and it still wasn't as good. This and the pedalling performance are the things that put me off the Nomad 2 but i think if i'd bought that instead of the Firebird I would still be a happy mtber. Braking never seemed to affect the suspension on either bike.
Things i'd change
I'm playing with rear shocks because the ISX-6 has had brilliant reviews on the net and i always wanted to tr one on my Nomad. It just came up at a price that was too good to refuse. I always wanted the CCDB on the Firebird because it made such a significant difference on the Nomad. If it can make that degree of difference on the Firebird then i don't know how anything else out there will come close to it's performance, although the DHX Air has been a brilliant shock on this bike with none of the mid stroke wallow that seem to plague the Nomad with this shock.
Parts wise i'm getting annoyed at how many rear derailleurs i'm destroying the last year or so. 3 x X9 and 1 x X0. All my fault but the X0 i don't know what i hit to snap the carbon outer cage and two of the X9s i think should not have been damaged after a very small hit. I think i'll be trying Saint shifters and rear derailleur but i'm holding out to see if it is going to be released in a 10 speed version.
Additional Stuff
I should have mentioned the wheelbase, or particularly the chainstay length. The Firebird is much easier to lift the front of compared to the Nomad. I'm not sure how much difference the 4mm longer length on the Nomad really makes but i really had to work to manual through dips and the like on the Nomad. Mine was a 2006 model Nomad and i'm pretty sure there were a few revisions to the geometry and features of the Nomad 1 before version 2 came out.
The geometry of the Firebird compared to the Nomad 2 look pretty similar. I ride a small in Pivot's sizing and a medium with SC. The top tube length is only about 5mm shorter on the Firebird. The bottom bracket height is 5mm taller on the Nomad 2 and the head tube height about 13mm taller. Head tube and seat tube angles are pretty much the same. I haven't spent enough time on the Nomad 2 to see how much difference these minor geometry difference make but i know that for the way i ride i made the right choice in suspension systems.
Pivot Mach 5 review (compared to my 3.5" Anthem)
Pedalling
Again, excellent. Where the Anthem sometimes felt sluggish the pedalling performance on the Mach 5 feels very lively. Same as with the Firebird, I wanted a higher bottom bracket than what the Anthem had and the Mach 5 matched up well with this requirement. Where i haed pedalling the Anthem aroiund Appin, the Mach 5 is much easier. Same as with the Anthem, i like to run the rear suspension at the firmer end of the manufacturers recommendations with the fork a little softer in comparison. There is minimal bob when standing, the rear, like the cliche says, jumps forward. I don't feel any pedal feedback in any gear combination with this bike, but i bnever did with the Anthem either. Even without considering the extra travel i get on the Mach 5, for me it is a better pedalling bike in all situations than the 3.5" Anthem.
Handling
Safe and predictable. It corners a bit better than the Anthem but that is the only real difference in handling. I really liked the Anthem with 100mm Rebas. The Mach 5 with 150mm Float RLCs feels the same but with more travel. At speed the Mach 5 is a little easier to control but again it's only a little bit. I ran a shorter stem on my Anthem though. a 70mm stem compard to a 90mm on the Mach 5. I tried the 70mm on the Mach 5 but hated it. The longer stem on the Anthem made it too twitchy for me.
Climbing
This is probably the biggest difference. It's not the same mountain goat that the Firebird is. For my intended use (XC) it performs almost flawlessly. Seated or standing fireroad climbing is brilliant. It's very efficient. Technical climbing is it's only shortfall for me and mainly because i don't just bash through stuff on the Mach 5 like i do on the Firebird. Super steep technical bits that the Firebird gets up can be a challenge on the Mach 5 because the front end will wander. This is only noticeable on my local track unfortunately. Every other track i've ridden it on (and there's a few listed on Trailflix!) i've not encountered the same wandering feel. Steep fireroads aren't a problem because they generaly aren't that technical. Back to climbing being the biggest difference between the Anthem and Mach 5... When climbing on the Anthem i would sometimes feel like the rear end was falling behind. It felt slow, i'd bash the cranks on rocks and it just didin't grip as well. I don;t get this feeling or those symptoms with the Mach 5. No ProPedal needed on the Mach 5 either.
Suspension Performance
Again, summed up a bit above. Small bump compliance is better than the Anthem. Where i would use ProPedal on the Anthem i never use it on the Mach 5. I've experiemented with using it on stretches of road and don't really feel a significant difference between using it or not unless i stand up to get up a hill. Even then it's not usually worth the effort to reach down and flick the lever. As with the Firebird and Nomad, i can't tell when i've bottomed the rear on the Anthem or Mach 5. Descending at speed feels great on both bikes but is a little more comfortable on the Mach 5. The forks are stiffer on the Mach 5 but you'd hope so with the 15QR. That said i never really felt the 9mm quick release axle RS Rebas were flexy and they definitely felt stiffer than the Marzocchi AM1 SLs i have on another bike with a 20mm axle. Braking never seemed to affect the suspension on either bike.
Things i'd change
Besides making it lighter with something like XTR wheels, different seatpost, stem ,etc there's nothing practcial i'd change on the Mach 5. I'm not a fan of travel adjustable forks so i wouldn't bother with them. I'm getting a set of needle bearings for the rear shock. They've had good reviews and i you have suspension you might as well get it performing as good as it can. I don't the bearings making the suspension performance worse, but if nothing changes then at least they'll look cool! I don't ride the Mach 5 in stuff as rough and rocky as i do the Firebird so i'm happy to keep going with SRAM on this bike.
I think that's about it.
Last edited:
crank1979
Likes Bikes and Dirt
I took the Firebird out to Appin this morning because i'm familiar with the track so it makes setting up the rear shock easier. I set everything back to the Cane Creek factory settings and worked from there. After the first climb i opened up the LSR and LSC by one click and opened the HSR by 1/4 turn. About three quarters of the way around the track i opened the LSC by another two clicks and opened the HSC by 1/4 turn. By the time i'd reached the carpark i'd decided to open the LSR and LSC by another click so i did that when i got home.
On the track the Firebird felt better than it did when equipped with the DHX Air. Not overwhelmingly so, but still better. No pedal bob, no chain pull in any gears unlike the DHX Air where i could feel it in granny and 4th. Climbing was good, descending was good, square edge hits were good, it was basically all good. The real difference feels in how the travel is used. I never thought that the DHX Air on the Firebird suffered from the dreaded mid stroke wallow, but maybe it did a little bit. The CCDB seems to sit a bit firmer mid stroke. I couldn't quantify how much difference the needle roller bearings made but the suspension action was very smooth.
I stopped at Phantom Cycles on the way home and tested out the 10 speed XT stuff and have pretty much decided that it's the way to go on the Firebird. So i'll run and XT derailleur and shifter, 11-36 cassette and a single 34 tooth chainring on the front.
I'll test out the Mach 5 tomorrow.
On the track the Firebird felt better than it did when equipped with the DHX Air. Not overwhelmingly so, but still better. No pedal bob, no chain pull in any gears unlike the DHX Air where i could feel it in granny and 4th. Climbing was good, descending was good, square edge hits were good, it was basically all good. The real difference feels in how the travel is used. I never thought that the DHX Air on the Firebird suffered from the dreaded mid stroke wallow, but maybe it did a little bit. The CCDB seems to sit a bit firmer mid stroke. I couldn't quantify how much difference the needle roller bearings made but the suspension action was very smooth.
I stopped at Phantom Cycles on the way home and tested out the 10 speed XT stuff and have pretty much decided that it's the way to go on the Firebird. So i'll run and XT derailleur and shifter, 11-36 cassette and a single 34 tooth chainring on the front.
I'll test out the Mach 5 tomorrow.
crank1979
Likes Bikes and Dirt
I tested the new needle roller bearings on the Pivot Mach 5 today and the rear definitely felt a lot more plush. Pedalling performance, climbing, standing and mashing all performed as the bike had before, but the quality of the travel was a bit more supple. It was a very nice feeling that i didn't expect based on the carpark test where it appeared there was no difference at all.
I was able to swap bikes with a mate who had just bought a new Trek EX9.9, the carbon frame model with ABP. His comments were tell the story a bit better but i thought that the small bump compliance of the Trek wasn't anywhere near as good as on my Mach 5 or Anthem. Square edged hits, small to medium size were a weak area for the Trek as you pretty much felt everything. Seated pedalling performance was good but the rear bobbed a lot when standing. My mates thoughts on the Mach 5 were that it surges forward more with each pedal stroke compared to his Trek and the supension performance was so much smoother and he couldn't believe that it could be that smooth and feel that fast at the same time. He expected it to bob or suck energy away from each pedal stroke but it just didn't do it or give the sensation that it was happening.
I was able to swap bikes with a mate who had just bought a new Trek EX9.9, the carbon frame model with ABP. His comments were tell the story a bit better but i thought that the small bump compliance of the Trek wasn't anywhere near as good as on my Mach 5 or Anthem. Square edged hits, small to medium size were a weak area for the Trek as you pretty much felt everything. Seated pedalling performance was good but the rear bobbed a lot when standing. My mates thoughts on the Mach 5 were that it surges forward more with each pedal stroke compared to his Trek and the supension performance was so much smoother and he couldn't believe that it could be that smooth and feel that fast at the same time. He expected it to bob or suck energy away from each pedal stroke but it just didn't do it or give the sensation that it was happening.
crank1979
Likes Bikes and Dirt
I tested the Mach 5 with the needle bearing set on a completely new track yesterday. The track itself was very smooth with lots of little jumps and pumping sections. The Mach 5 felt very plush but the rear didn't blow though the travel any more than expected through some 'g-out' type stuff. Overall i think the bearings are a worthwhile upgrade but they aren't going to magically transform the rear on the Mach 5. There is a noticeable benefit when riding along a relatively smooth section with small bumps. I am running the low volume RP23 though.
crank1979
Likes Bikes and Dirt
Initial impression from 25km around my local...
The LG1+ chainguide is very quiet and seems to work. My local is a bit more technical than Appin where I dropped the chain off the front with the long cage X9 rear derailleur (never had it happen with the medium cage X0) and I didn't have any problems. So thumbs up for the chainguide.
The gears changed nicely. They don't have that same positive click as the SRAM stuff but they do feel very refined. I haven't liked Shimano mtb stuff for a few years because the shfting has felt too soft/smooth for me but the 10speed XT feels a bit closer to X9/X0 shifting.
The XT shifter itself doesn't feel as nice as an X0 shifter. The upshifts have a longer throw, especially if I want to shift two easier gears at once. Downshifts are good, but I just can't get the dual release paddle in the right position. I'm not used to shifting with my index finger and loved the dual thumb shifting of SRAM as soon as I tried it so I can't see myself going back to that way of shifting but I always hit the edge of the XT paddle with my thumb instead of the flat section of it.
The ratios are fine with the 34 tooth front ring and the 11-36 cassette. I got up all of the little pinch climbs that I could get up before. I'm not convinced I couldn't have achieved the same thing just by going 1 x 9 with a 32 tooth chainring and 11-34 cassette. If I did it again I'd just go 1 x 9.
The LG1+ chainguide is very quiet and seems to work. My local is a bit more technical than Appin where I dropped the chain off the front with the long cage X9 rear derailleur (never had it happen with the medium cage X0) and I didn't have any problems. So thumbs up for the chainguide.
The gears changed nicely. They don't have that same positive click as the SRAM stuff but they do feel very refined. I haven't liked Shimano mtb stuff for a few years because the shfting has felt too soft/smooth for me but the 10speed XT feels a bit closer to X9/X0 shifting.
The XT shifter itself doesn't feel as nice as an X0 shifter. The upshifts have a longer throw, especially if I want to shift two easier gears at once. Downshifts are good, but I just can't get the dual release paddle in the right position. I'm not used to shifting with my index finger and loved the dual thumb shifting of SRAM as soon as I tried it so I can't see myself going back to that way of shifting but I always hit the edge of the XT paddle with my thumb instead of the flat section of it.
The ratios are fine with the 34 tooth front ring and the 11-36 cassette. I got up all of the little pinch climbs that I could get up before. I'm not convinced I couldn't have achieved the same thing just by going 1 x 9 with a 32 tooth chainring and 11-34 cassette. If I did it again I'd just go 1 x 9.
crank1979
Likes Bikes and Dirt
Second ride report. Rode The Kessel Run so gear changes a plenty and a bit of bash guard testing...
The bash guard works. I didn't hit anything hard. No bent ISCG tabs so I'm happy.
The gears work too, although the Shimano ergonomics still aren't great for me and I'm not convinced the 10 speed set up is any better than a 1 x 9 set up. I never thought 'wow, I'm glad I have that extra gear' at any stage of the rides today and I've never thought 'geez, the cassette ratios are spread a bit wide on this 11-34 9 speed cassette'.
The Firebird went brilliantly. It's been a little while since I've ridden it. I've been giving more time to the FSSS and the Mach 5, but the Firebird is by far the most fun bike I have. A bit of fiddling with the fork settings and the unbalanced feeling between front an rear suspension has disappeared. The CCDB is dialed in and the rear feels amazing. It soaks up everything, big and small, and also pops off stuff better han the DHX Air. the aluminium link looks a lot better than the carbon one with the anodising removed from the raised edges.
The bash guard works. I didn't hit anything hard. No bent ISCG tabs so I'm happy.
The gears work too, although the Shimano ergonomics still aren't great for me and I'm not convinced the 10 speed set up is any better than a 1 x 9 set up. I never thought 'wow, I'm glad I have that extra gear' at any stage of the rides today and I've never thought 'geez, the cassette ratios are spread a bit wide on this 11-34 9 speed cassette'.
The Firebird went brilliantly. It's been a little while since I've ridden it. I've been giving more time to the FSSS and the Mach 5, but the Firebird is by far the most fun bike I have. A bit of fiddling with the fork settings and the unbalanced feeling between front an rear suspension has disappeared. The CCDB is dialed in and the rear feels amazing. It soaks up everything, big and small, and also pops off stuff better han the DHX Air. the aluminium link looks a lot better than the carbon one with the anodising removed from the raised edges.
crank1979
Likes Bikes and Dirt
Anthem ride report - 22/36 front, 11-34 cassette.
As a singlespeed running 32 front and 18 rear I loved the Anthem. The gears are the only change from the SS set up.
Running gears on it again seems to demonstrate how much better the Pivot Mach 5 and Firebird pedal. The suspension just feels dead with gears whereas when it was SS it was just fun. Probably because I was never getting up to speeds that would overwhelm the rear suspension. The gears all work fine. It's a new rear derailleur. I had a few teething problems on it's first outing but fixed that by tweaking the cable tension within a kilometer.
I really like the geometry with the 130mm fork but the front to rear balance is way off. Running a bit more preload in the fork doesn't sort it out and running the rear softer doesn't either. It's just not made to run the way I want it to. Climbing, turns, smooth descending are all good, but hit a series of bumps or a few bigger ones on a descent and the unbalanced suspension really shows. I've tried putting a bit more weight on the front but that just results in sore wrists. So the geometry wants me to let fly (at my speed anyway!) but the rear suspension doesn't like it. Another positive though is the raised bottom bracket means I hit the pedals much less.
Overall, it'll do for trailer pulling duties. It's not light, but when the trail isn't too rough it's okay to ride. Being spoilt by brilliant riding Pivots really makes me regret riding anything that isn't as good. I had hoped that I might use it to go for a quick blast close to home but unless I have to I really don't want to ride it and it doesn't make sense to have a really good bike for just hauling a trailer.
As a singlespeed running 32 front and 18 rear I loved the Anthem. The gears are the only change from the SS set up.
Running gears on it again seems to demonstrate how much better the Pivot Mach 5 and Firebird pedal. The suspension just feels dead with gears whereas when it was SS it was just fun. Probably because I was never getting up to speeds that would overwhelm the rear suspension. The gears all work fine. It's a new rear derailleur. I had a few teething problems on it's first outing but fixed that by tweaking the cable tension within a kilometer.
I really like the geometry with the 130mm fork but the front to rear balance is way off. Running a bit more preload in the fork doesn't sort it out and running the rear softer doesn't either. It's just not made to run the way I want it to. Climbing, turns, smooth descending are all good, but hit a series of bumps or a few bigger ones on a descent and the unbalanced suspension really shows. I've tried putting a bit more weight on the front but that just results in sore wrists. So the geometry wants me to let fly (at my speed anyway!) but the rear suspension doesn't like it. Another positive though is the raised bottom bracket means I hit the pedals much less.
Overall, it'll do for trailer pulling duties. It's not light, but when the trail isn't too rough it's okay to ride. Being spoilt by brilliant riding Pivots really makes me regret riding anything that isn't as good. I had hoped that I might use it to go for a quick blast close to home but unless I have to I really don't want to ride it and it doesn't make sense to have a really good bike for just hauling a trailer.
crank1979
Likes Bikes and Dirt
Here are the pictures of the the racks I made up to hold the tools more securely on the Bob trailer.
I also changed the stem and rear skewer on the Devinici Magma to make it the trailer bike instead of the Giant Anthem, which I've converted back to singlespeed.
The rack colour was dictated by what I had in the shed. Screws,nuts, washers and bolts are all stainless steel or zinc coated.
I'm thinking of using old tubes as tie-downs instead of the occy straps I've got there and havingtwo bits per tool so I can remove each tool individually if needed instead of undoing them all like I have to do now.
I also changed the stem and rear skewer on the Devinici Magma to make it the trailer bike instead of the Giant Anthem, which I've converted back to singlespeed.
The rack colour was dictated by what I had in the shed. Screws,nuts, washers and bolts are all stainless steel or zinc coated.
I'm thinking of using old tubes as tie-downs instead of the occy straps I've got there and havingtwo bits per tool so I can remove each tool individually if needed instead of undoing them all like I have to do now.
Last edited:
crank1979
Likes Bikes and Dirt
Thanks. Sounds good. I'm on holidays from Friday too. I'd like to get out and do a tidy up first but there are a few guys who might come out for a ride. How about between Xmas and NY? Or after NY?