Soul-Rider
Likes Dirt
Looks amazing. I love the near monochrome build with the raw frame. Actually, a raw frame with any build looks great!
Makes sense, it would be stiff laterally but flex up and down, like a spring. Very nice.I’ve read that those dropouts have flex engineered into them, as do the hollowed out sections at the top of the seat stays, to provide vertical compliance to the rear end while still maintaining lateral stiffness... or something like that.
Awesome build @Scotty675, make sure you wear a mask when riding it too. Not to be covid safe, but because you’ll be grinning so much you’ll want to keep the bugs off your teeth!
Don't, mustard is still good looking. No word of a lie, I walk into the garage every single day and just stare at it.Looks great, so jealous that mine isn't raw.
I'm interested to hear how much you notice the updated damper. It's probably the only thing that annoys me on mine, and they're stupid expensive to replace, presuming they're even in stock. Did you go RC2 or RCT3?Couple of small updates, new chromag stem and new 2.1 damper to install. @moorey owns the oven shot so I'll have the saw shot seeing as bike was at work today. Will be ride update soon.
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Time to get the paint stripper and pressure washer out. Your to can be raw. How are you liking the paradox.Looks great, so jealous that mine isn't raw.
Went rc3 cause they were in stock. Haven't fitted yet. Will update with ride report when done.I'm interested to hear how much you notice the updated damper. It's probably the only thing that annoys me on mine, and they're stupid expensive to replace, presuming they're even in stock. Did you go RC2 or RCT3?
Hope you don't mind if I throw my 2c in. In the last year have ridden a Revelation 35 with MC, same Revelation 35 with C2.1 RTC3, and most recently a Pike Ultimate with C2.1 RC2 (all with SKF seals). Whilst incremental, the improvement was definitely there. On flatter flowy trails there probably isn't much between them, but point down something rocky with repeated hits & the C2.1 is much more composed whereas the MC seemed to get overwhelmed and choppy. Between the RCT3 and RC2 I definitely prefer the latter, though i'm on the lighter side and the RCT3 had too much HSC out of the box. Being able to wind it back helped a good deal with getting a tune I was happy with.I'm interested to hear how much you notice the updated damper. It's probably the only thing that annoys me on mine, and they're stupid expensive to replace, presuming they're even in stock. Did you go RC2 or RCT3?
I've 3 Lyriks now, an older set with RCT3 which I really like, a new set of RC2 which I love only 2 rides in so it has yet to really open up. And then a New Select Plus and that damper leaves me wanting. It's just LSC and Rebound it doesn't seem to make any difference between full open or closed on the compression circuit. Rideable and supple, adjustable, no. Aside from with spacers / air.Hope you don't mind if I throw my 2c in. In the last year have ridden a Revelation 35 with MC, same Revelation 35 with C2.1 RTC3, and most recently a Pike Ultimate with C2.1 RC2 (all with SKF seals). Whilst incremental, the improvement was definitely there. On flatter flowy trails there probably isn't much between them, but point down something rocky with repeated hits & the C2.1 is much more composed whereas the MC seemed to get overwhelmed and choppy. Between the RCT3 and RC2 I definitely prefer the latter, though i'm on the lighter side and the RCT3 had too much HSC out of the box. Being able to wind it back helped a good deal with getting a tune I was happy with.
I sort of lost my way a bit when building it so it's not exactly what I set out to build. I find my Optic a bit of a slug when doing long rides because it is not a fast bike on the flat/up hills so I wanted to build a fast playful hardtail. Then I ruined that by putting a heavy set of wheels/tyres on it, but having said all that I actually find myself riding the Banshee more than the Optic particularly for rides over 30km. It is also faster down hills than a hard tail has any right to be and constantly makes you jump off every trail feature 'just because'.Time to get the paint stripper and pressure washer out. Your to can be raw. How are you liking the paradox.
Cerakote has some great metal colours, the H series is baked on and very durable. I have a .22 in the Titanium colour (on steel) and it looks like bead blasted stainlessMaybe I should get it vapour blasted then hard anodised.
Well thanks for nothing, now I've gone down the Cerakote rabbit hole....Cerakote has some great metal colours, the H series is baked on and very durable. I have a .22 in the Titanium colour (on steel) and it looks like bead blasted stainless
I'm loving this! And they ride beautifully on 160mm forks.Updated specs on first page. The paradox is getting a rebuild. Have gone Shimano 12 speed and loving it. Just fitted new mezzer pro and will be trying it at 160mm, also trying some formula cura 4s (it’s like they made them for this bike). Swapped a few bits on different bikes so wheels are an odd set at the moment. Front is a rotor hub, laced to dt xm421, rear is a cheap Shimano mt500 because I needed a microspline wheel quickly. I ordered a tairin shogun hub to try from Canada, already had a spare spank ozzy trail rim, because of what I thought would be a long wait time I bought the cheapest wheel I could. As my luck goes the hub turned up the same day the wheel did. Will build wheel soon. Long term wheels will be box components stealth (pre ordered but they can’t give me a definite date for manufacture of next batch) on spank vibracore rims. Won’t get to ride this for another week I recon as I’m waiting on matchmakers to run Shimano ev shifter and dropper lever. A couple of shitty photos but will get some better ones when it’s all back together.
I haven’t run shorter than 140. Started 140 then changed to 150, I enjoyed this thing more at 150 but that may have been a lot to do with the progression of the updated air spring. New fork feels even better on the bounce test with more support through mid stroke. That’s only with the technical bounce test though. I think it would ride fine at 120 for xcLooks epic. I’m interested in running one at 120mm - any experience in a shorter travel fork? Am after a more XC trail feel and only have a Hardtail Party video to go on, and he loved it.