The bike is doing well since its upgrading. It is very light, easily maneuverable, and rolls over big roots and even small to mid steps as advertised. One of the features I like best is the light weight front end. The upgrades, including the very light Reba fork, the super-light stem, spinergy wheels, and ti handlebar have made it very easy to pull up and over high steps and mid-size logs, even from a relative stand still.
I found myself in a position last week on a trail that I was riding for the first time, where I suddenly came upon a very large step that I did not see until the last minute because of a blind curve. I was already slowed by large roots leading up the step. Once I saw the step, knowing that I was at a near stall, I almost unclipped and changed my approach. Instead, though, I merely pulled up hard on the front end and really cranked down on the pedals and easily got up and over the step. My heart was beating pretty quickly, but it all turned out well.
I have no regrets with the Moto frame, tires or wheels or anything else for that matter. I recently, accidentally purchased a Fox F29 fork off of Ebay. I may switch it out with the Reba, although I hate to do it because the Reba has performed so well and it is lighter than the Fox. Still, though, many rave about the Fox so I really do want to try it. The version I purchased offers 80mm of travel, but I may choose to extend that to 100mm by doing it myself. Right now I have both forks advertised on Craigslist and we'll see which one sells first.
Other than that, just doing a lot of riding and trying to do new things and get better. I have a long, organized road ride coming up soon, so I may have to sit the mt. bike down for a couple weeks to train up for that.
Tuesday, July 13, 2010
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Thanks for sharing your experience - I just got a Fantom 29 in black and have been thinking about various upgrades. Just ordered a Race Face Deus XC stem from JensonUSA, mostly b/c the stock one is really steep and heavy and the Race Face was 80% off. I also love the bike's geometry and the way it rides. Great deal. Did you switch to your Fox fork?
ReplyDeleteYour blog is great. Any advice on learning a bit more about tinkering around with stuff? It's taken me a few days to get my BB5's dialed in; I spend 40 minutes to no avail and the LBS mechanic takes 2 minutes and solves the problem. I'd like to get proficient with dialing in my derailleurs, basic adjustment/maintenance stuff.
BTW what is the exact weight after all your upgrades?
ReplyDeleteThanks