Post your 29er!

H

Handles

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XT build has been discontinued according to dirtworks, so I went with the SLX which has the contis as standard. They are an excellent tire. I have found they roll really well on any surface and have plenty of grip..

Thinking about it now, I really should have brought the frame and built it up, cause I have upgrade fever like never before! Not that anything needs it, but you know....
 
Hugor

Hugor

Likes Dirt
Love the Fargo. Haven't seen one in the flesh but if its anything like all the other Salsas I've seen I bet she looks and rides pretty special.
 
C

charltons

Likes Bikes
Big top evaluation?

Pizzaz said:
Ta :)

Yeah, frame weight is probably the major negative - apart from the obvious boat anchor (powertap) theres not a lot on there left where you could save real weight unless you went down the Ti bolt kit, lightweight rotor etc path. I guess if you were building as a dedicated XC race bike (not endurance racing) then you could perhaps drop 500g by being more careful with parts (not including whatever you'd get by dropping the powertap) and choosing lighter but less durable wheels... but thats not what I do so...

Sad (well not really) to say but a 9.5kg 29er isn't in the ballpark for XC anymore :)

I will say that its a lot more lively than the 'dale... just whispers evil thoughts like 'go-on, huck off that little lip... you'll get it landed and turned in time...' lots of fun on a trail ride but perhaps not conducive to keeping skin at 3am!
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So what is the verdict on the Big top is it better than the dale? Will you ride it single speed as well? How did it absorb the course on the weekend - I noticed at least another one there as well.

Scott
 
Pizzaz

Pizzaz

Likes Dirt
charltons said:
So what is the verdict on the Big top is it better than the dale? Will you ride it single speed as well? How did it absorb the course on the weekend - I noticed at least another one there as well.

Scott
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The Big Top is... well... amazing. To be honest, if the circumstances had been different and I had time to make a considered choice and then wait for it then I wouldn't have looked at one at all. I'd crossed it off the list based on its weight, geometry (couldn't get my head around the short chainstay and relaxed head angle - thought it would steer like a bus) and also, my last dually was a Yeti (ASR alloy) and although I got some good results on it, never managed to get it dialed.

Well, sometimes 'stuff' forces you to make choices than you might not otherwise so I ended up with the Clown bike (affectionately known as Kinko...).

My initial comment after taking it for a spin around Manly Dam was that compared to the Yeti, my Cannondale was a roadie with big wheels... and I was (am) still a huge fan of the 'dale! The Yeti is a whole 'nother animal though - best way I can describe it is that the Big Top is 'playful' - we've all read the stuff that says that 29ers really suit 'wheels on the ground' riders... not this thing... point it at the slightest little trail bump and it just begs to be launched into the air!

Handling-wise it does remind me of riding an ASR - almost BMX-y in the way it can be thrown around but it does require a little more technique / concentration to climb... the short chainstay / slack steering combo means that you're sitting much more over the rear wheel than the Cannondale which plonks you almost dead center. As I got tired (say from about hour 6 on!) keeping it pointed in the right direction on the steep(ish) fireroad climbs just took a little more concentration than I'm used to.

But the trade off was a much more flickable bike... I'm not the greatest of technical riders (the numerous broken bones testify to that) but I was confident hitting the 'A' line through Pork Barrel all race and considering that I rode the bike all race - it was pretty comfortable (not sure any bike is going to be 'comfortable' after 24hrs, if there is I haven't found it!).

Spec-wise, XX is the shiz for 29ers. Running the Rotor Rings, I had a lowest ratio of 29 / 36 which was fine - on the few sighting laps I had I thought I'd be wishing for a triple on some sections but I solved this by adding a teaspoon of powdered concrete to my bidons and hardening the fs*k up! The XX spec Reba with the 20mm thru axel is fantastic - very progressive and very stiff - through the rough stuff the front wheel tracked nice and true - no pinging from rock to rock. Actually, its probably the most confidence-inspiring front end I've ridden.

Only real damage is the metal chainstay protector got torn off in pork barrel when I got a bit of chain suck early in the race which has scored the carbon and my rear wheel is slightly out of true - which is the Yeti's fault... it made me launch off one of those tabletops and cross it up (ok, I will accept some of the blame for not pulling it back straight on the landing but hey, I'd been riding for 23 hours and was a little tired!)

So, yeah... (in a camp voice) 'loved it loved it loved it' :):):)
 
spikenet

spikenet

Likes Dirt
Pizzaz said:
Spec-wise, XX is the shiz for 29ers. Running the Rotor Rings, I had a lowest ratio of 29 / 36 which was fine
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have you got a build blog about the drivechain? I'm very interested to hear your thoughts about the options and costs.
 
Pizzaz

Pizzaz

Likes Dirt
charltons said:
Do you think you will ride it ss at all?
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Maybe... problem is that when you run it singlespeed the chainstays go out to 17.9 cause of the way the conversion mounts... so you'd loose some of that 'snap'

Besides, if I converted it I'd have no excuse to buy that ti Moots or Lynskey I've been lusting after :)
 
A

auskonrad

Likes Dirt
IMG_4383.jpg

My (XL) Giant XTC-1 29er.

(mostly cosmetic) changes:

Ritchey WCS 10D 660mm handlebars
Jetblack bar ends
Ritchey WCS 110mm stem
Ritchey WCS seatpost
ZTR 355 29er rims with hope pro II hubs on both
SLX 11-32 cassette
Crossmark rear, Mountain king front (meh)

No idea on weight - but without the stock wheels, it so much lighter now - will be even more so when i ditch the tubes and get some lighter tyres.
 
R

Refreshinglygood

Likes Bikes and Dirt
Grover said:
I suppose this belongs in here as well. My first foray into big wheels ready to roll for the Yowie on Saturday. As an aside, I weighed the tyres when I took them off to do the tubeless conversion. Hutchinson Toro 29x2.15 Tubeless Ready were 715 and 718 grams. Aired up very easily with a bit of Spex in there.

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i'm really liking the look of these ones. What price are they running at??
 
hifiandmtb

hifiandmtb

Sphincter beanie
My new project...ticking along:







Thank you Star Enamellers - the paint is amazing. And thanks to Fast Signs for the decal.
 
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