AM Nicolai Ion G15 GPI
@Zaf will need some time alone with this article
www.pinkbike.com
Starling's New 170mm 29er With a Gearbox - Bespoked Show 2019 - Pinkbike
The Spur is one interesting machine, complete with a trigger shifter activated gearbox, big wheels, and lots of travel.
slider_phil
Likes Bikes and Dirt
Gearbox with a standard shifter? I'm listening...@Zaf will need some time alone with this article
Starling's New 170mm 29er With a Gearbox - Bespoked Show 2019 - Pinkbike
The Spur is one interesting machine, complete with a trigger shifter activated gearbox, big wheels, and lots of travel.
View attachment 352693
Not to mention it's looking dead sexy, steel, fits a drink bottle and the geometry looks pretty dialled.
discofrank
Likes Dirt
slider_phil
Likes Bikes and Dirt
444% is similar to an 11-42. But the jumps between gears might be a touch long. My E-Thirteen 11spd cassette has a 511% range but I've found I don't really need it. I either size my chainring for the 46t and never touch the 9t or vice versa.look up the effigear, its only 9 speedand 444%
my zerode takes a water bottle
I think something around 450% would be perfect, but with enough gears for finer jumps between ratios.
There are a couple of things that bother me about this.@Zaf will need some time alone with this article
Starling's New 170mm 29er With a Gearbox - Bespoked Show 2019 - Pinkbike
The Spur is one interesting machine, complete with a trigger shifter activated gearbox, big wheels, and lots of travel.
View attachment 352693
First some of the joins in the blockwork very nearly line up and the overlap isnt as it should be. That is a recipe for a wall failure. Secondly despite drainage being installed there is a stagnant wet area to the left, again this cannot be good for long term stability. And finally why the big wet patches on the blockwork? Is there an insidious drainage issue here? That bike could get crushed.
Ultra Lord
Beanie Fitment Specialist
You really have an eye for detail dont you dales
hifiandmtb
Sphincter beanie
That wall was built in 1334. It’s not falling on anything.
I like this one too:
www.pinkbike.com
The way they've packaged everything around the bottom bracket looks quite elegant, on the drive side anyway.
And they've included provision for carrying a bottle of baby formula, so a great bike for new parents!
First Look: Cavalerie's Blackbird Carbon Gearbox Bike - Garda Trentino 2019 - Pinkbike
The new Blackbird will be made from French carbon fiber, and uses a trigger shifter operated gearbox.
The way they've packaged everything around the bottom bracket looks quite elegant, on the drive side anyway.
And they've included provision for carrying a bottle of baby formula, so a great bike for new parents!
Zaf
Gearbox Frother
Frustrating to see how many people complain about the gripshifter on these bike articles. I haven't even bothered saying anything in the comments, but there's a really good reason it wasn't included in the "Bad stuff" about the bike, it simply isn't!
That bike does look beautifully well pacakaged though, can only agree with that!
My camera dispatch got delayed with the spare battery, I cancelled that part of the order and it's at the Alice Springs post office now. Won't be delivered until monday, but I'll hope to get some photos and review done next week some time.
That bike does look beautifully well pacakaged though, can only agree with that!
My camera dispatch got delayed with the spare battery, I cancelled that part of the order and it's at the Alice Springs post office now. Won't be delivered until monday, but I'll hope to get some photos and review done next week some time.
Oddjob
Wheel size expert
How would you know about gripshift, freaky single speed masochist dude?
Sent from my SM-G900I using Tapatalk
Zaf
Gearbox Frother
Alright guys, here is some more!
Quick note, the camera is very new, and still working out some of these features. I was trying to get the aperture a little lower, but it kept defaulting to 5.5, I'll read the manual some more and see what else I can do, but these are more than serviceable for now.
The Good
Let me get this one out of the way right from the start. The shifting on this bike is phenomenal once you get your head around the shifter. It is so good, it makes you a complete retard in your expectation with how a bike should shift going back to a derailleur system. It clicks and it's in gear, there is no time spent migrating a chain across a cassette, it clicks and it's in. You can't shift to an easier gear if there's load on the pedals, but to a heavier gear is no worries at all. I was caught out a few times in the first week having pedal load and needing a lower gear, but it hasn't happened since. It's a quick study, and then you learn little work around, because it's so easy to dump multiple gears you can just shift into a much easier gear and then switch to a heavier one if a pinch climb catches you. Little tricks in deadzones in your pedal stroke you can flick them through as you're putting power down seamlessly (it's THAT fast!).
The Gripshift V1 is a bit unsightly, and it's not helped that I was holding off trimming the cables awaiting the new v2 unit (still on it's way from Germany), but functionally it fits the bike. It's utility cannot be matched, and it's robust and direct in function. I honestly can't say enough how little an issue this ended up being, because it was also a legitimate concern going into the purchase. It's also worth noting that the indexing is not part of the shifter in the Pinion system, hence the two cable system for it to tension in both directions instead of having a big preload spring to index against. I have never made an unintentional shift on this bike.
The suspension is next on the praise, and I'm afraid my comments largely parrot that which you've come to expect from a gearbox bike. The sprung/unsprung ratio is a revelation in performance, there is nothing but a dull thud as it passes over terrain. It is just a whole other sensation how the rear wheel tracks. It's an extremely deep and supple feeling suspension, that is without equal (in my experience so far). Obviously, this comes with many traction benefits when the going gets rough, and coupled with the stability of the chassis it's a very confidence inspiring bike to be on. There is a lot of trust that it'll see you through anything.
The Selva is also an amazing bit of machinery also. There was a small teething issue which I believe stemmed from removing the air piston bath oil when installing the NeoPos, which led to a bit of stiction. I was under the impression the oil within the airchamber was primarily for volume reduction purposes prior to their NeoPos development, but it is in fact a crucial element to the smooth operation of the air spring assembly running smoothly. In any case, once this was resolved it was not only problem free but just an incredible fork. Not many that could probably keep up with the rear of the bike, but this one does admirably and will be rewarded with a loving service when then new shifter arrives.
If it wasn't mentioned in the Bad section earlier, it's been pretty much problem free, reliable, and loved. The DT Swiss EX471 rebuilt wheel hasn't missed a beat, tensions are as they were when it was first build and rolling true, the brakes feel great (they make a little bit of a chirp, got some Trickstuff pads coming to see if that changes that), the saddle and handlebars are comfortable, the Horizon pedals shrug off everything, clip in directly and even saved my arse on Black Slabbeth the other day when I chronically couldn't get my foot in the damned pedal and went down most of it unclipped.
I'll comment a little more on the realities of ownership in a later post.
Quick note, the camera is very new, and still working out some of these features. I was trying to get the aperture a little lower, but it kept defaulting to 5.5, I'll read the manual some more and see what else I can do, but these are more than serviceable for now.
The Good, The Bad and The Camera
The Good
Let me get this one out of the way right from the start. The shifting on this bike is phenomenal once you get your head around the shifter. It is so good, it makes you a complete retard in your expectation with how a bike should shift going back to a derailleur system. It clicks and it's in gear, there is no time spent migrating a chain across a cassette, it clicks and it's in. You can't shift to an easier gear if there's load on the pedals, but to a heavier gear is no worries at all. I was caught out a few times in the first week having pedal load and needing a lower gear, but it hasn't happened since. It's a quick study, and then you learn little work around, because it's so easy to dump multiple gears you can just shift into a much easier gear and then switch to a heavier one if a pinch climb catches you. Little tricks in deadzones in your pedal stroke you can flick them through as you're putting power down seamlessly (it's THAT fast!).
The suspension is next on the praise, and I'm afraid my comments largely parrot that which you've come to expect from a gearbox bike. The sprung/unsprung ratio is a revelation in performance, there is nothing but a dull thud as it passes over terrain. It is just a whole other sensation how the rear wheel tracks. It's an extremely deep and supple feeling suspension, that is without equal (in my experience so far). Obviously, this comes with many traction benefits when the going gets rough, and coupled with the stability of the chassis it's a very confidence inspiring bike to be on. There is a lot of trust that it'll see you through anything.
If it wasn't mentioned in the Bad section earlier, it's been pretty much problem free, reliable, and loved. The DT Swiss EX471 rebuilt wheel hasn't missed a beat, tensions are as they were when it was first build and rolling true, the brakes feel great (they make a little bit of a chirp, got some Trickstuff pads coming to see if that changes that), the saddle and handlebars are comfortable, the Horizon pedals shrug off everything, clip in directly and even saved my arse on Black Slabbeth the other day when I chronically couldn't get my foot in the damned pedal and went down most of it unclipped.
I'll comment a little more on the realities of ownership in a later post.
hifiandmtb
Sphincter beanie
I like how the Vivid rear damper is the most "mainstream" component on the whole bike. Congrats for breaking just about every mold!
mint355
Likes Dirt
Nah I'd say the specialized bottle cage is.....
Sent from my SM-G960F using Tapatalk
hifiandmtb
Sphincter beanie
It's a bit hard to look past the best bottlecage in the business though...
Oddjob
Wheel size expert
Ackland
Likes Bikes and Dirt
The Formula forks really are impressive with the amount of tuning that you can achieve.
They do take a bit of extra care to look after but many of us love some faffing time in the shed anyway.
Have you tried any of the custom compression curve CTS valves?
I'm waiting on the BOOST XC fork before investing in trying some out.
They do take a bit of extra care to look after but many of us love some faffing time in the shed anyway.
Have you tried any of the custom compression curve CTS valves?
I'm waiting on the BOOST XC fork before investing in trying some out.
Zaf
Gearbox Frother
It came with the blue installed, and a red one in the box. I have gotten along with the blue so well I haven't even bothered changing it. I think if I did I would want to go for the Orange or Green one in any case, as I'd be chasing a bit more low speed compression. But it's a hard thing to justify because of the whole "why mess with a good thing" mentality of where it is sitting at the moment.
I'm keen to see how it plays with some higher speed stuff. Pretty sure I can get some of that in on my road trip around to Newcastle in July.