Guerilla Gravity

Discussion in 'Bike Reviews' started by herzalot, Jun 25, 2018.


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  1. Sassyquatch

    Sassyquatch Well-Known Member

    Name:
    Sam

    FWIW, my Waltworks 29+ FS has 425mm stays (along with a 530mm reach), and I love it...super maneuverable/poppy but still stable with the really long front.
     
    Danmtchl, mike, Cyclotourist and 2 others like this.
  2. buggravy

    buggravy iMTB Addict

    Location:
    Calabasas
    Name:
    Matt
    Current Bike:
    Transition Sentinel
    You got it :thumbsup:
     
    Danmtchl, Sassyquatch, mike and 4 others like this.
  3. buggravy

    buggravy iMTB Addict

    Location:
    Calabasas
    Name:
    Matt
    Current Bike:
    Transition Sentinel
    At long last, she's here, and ready to ride (well, mostly - more in a sec). Trail Pistol(a), Ride 1+ build, Size 3 short, 140/130. With all the time that elapsed between order and delivery I made a LOT of changes, so it's really somewhere in between the R1 and Race build. Sweet mother of pearl is it beautiful. So stoked with how the build came out. Geometry wise initial pedaling around the neighborhood feels very familiar, and comparable to my Medium Smash. Fully decked out with pedals, sealant, etc, it's 31.2 lbs, or exactly 2lbs lighter than my Smash. Should have been (and may still be) another pound lighter, but GG accidentally sent it with the wrong tires mounted up. I'd ordered Rekon 2.4s, but I ended up with DHRII 2.4 and DHF 2.5. GG is sending the correct tires, and I get to keep these, so depending on how I feel about these they may stay on the TP, or may get swapped over to the Smash. Went to a flat street in the neighborhood to bed the brakes in, and coming up hill on the way back the chain was slipping quite a bit in several gears. Will check B limit later and hopefully get it trail worthy for the planned shakedown ride tomorrow. But for now, pics.....

    D4B506B2-6DB5-4027-AFE9-1113AEC101FD.jpeg

    57E99B4A-F7AD-4808-9FF8-22C006692215.jpeg

    916D4973-3F8F-442F-9C7D-69B78A198611.jpeg

    3F55D234-D072-45D9-8D11-A264619F3607.jpeg
     
  4. mike

    mike iMTB Hooligan

    Location:
    Western US
    Name:
    Mike O
    Current Bike:
    HT, FS
    Daaamn...could be fun!!!!!!!!!!! You went all out, Matt. Congrats on that beaut! With room to grow :thumbsup:.

    I'll admit I got a smile seeing a weld on your "carbon bike." :D;)

    Ride and dish!!!!!!!!
     
    Voodoo Tom, Faust29, Danmtchl and 5 others like this.
  5. Danimal

    Danimal iMTB Addict

    Location:
    Mission Viejo
    Name:
    Dan
    Current Bike:
    Epic Evo
    Damn she's nice!
    Must admit I've been waiting to see these pics. The green looks good on frame and spokes!
     
    Faust29, Voodoo Tom, Danmtchl and 5 others like this.
  6. buggravy

    buggravy iMTB Addict

    Location:
    Calabasas
    Name:
    Matt
    Current Bike:
    Transition Sentinel
    Thanks brotha. You're largely responsible for starting this madness.
     
    Faust29, Voodoo Tom, Danmtchl and 4 others like this.
  7. buggravy

    buggravy iMTB Addict

    Location:
    Calabasas
    Name:
    Matt
    Current Bike:
    Transition Sentinel
    Thanks! The spokes were a roll of the dice. Didn't want it to be TOO blingy, but I think with the black thrown in it keeps it at least somewhat subdued. Without the option to get a bright blue bike, I had to do something.
     
  8. Voodoo Tom

    Voodoo Tom MTB Addict

    Location:
    Castaic
    Name:
    Tom Kokkinakis
    Current Bike:
    Mango one, black one, Ti one
    Congrats, that is just plain bad ass looking:thumbsup:... Just screaming for some DVO hardware though:Roflmao...
     
    Faust29, Danmtchl, mtnbikej and 4 others like this.
  9. Runs with Scissors

    Runs with Scissors iMTB Hooligan

    Location:
    West Anaheim
    Name:
    Mark Whitaker
    Current Bike:
    Giant XTC with pedals

    It's....clean. There's something wrong here.
     
    Faust29, Voodoo Tom, Danmtchl and 3 others like this.
  10. buggravy

    buggravy iMTB Addict

    Location:
    Calabasas
    Name:
    Matt
    Current Bike:
    Transition Sentinel
    Clean as she’ll ever be. Will fix that tomorrow.

    Also, B gap was out by just over a mm. Now it is not. Party time.
     
  11. mike

    mike iMTB Hooligan

    Location:
    Western US
    Name:
    Mike O
    Current Bike:
    HT, FS
    If fun and fitness results, I'll take my full share of that blame. And I suspect they will... :):thumbsup:

    Have fun tomorrow, be safe. Jot down some initial impressions if and when you can – TIA. AYE!!!!!!!!!!!
     
  12. mtnbikej

    mtnbikej J-Zilla

    Location:
    Orange
    Name:
    J
    Current Bike:
    SC Chameleon SS, SC Hightower
    Nicely done.....I like it....mostly.

    I know the headtube looks funky because of the adjustment....but it just makes it look like the fork is so undersized for the bike.

    Otherwise, go get'r dirty.
     
    mtbMike, Sassyquatch, Faust29 and 5 others like this.
  13. mike

    mike iMTB Hooligan

    Location:
    Western US
    Name:
    Mike O
    Current Bike:
    HT, FS
    What might seem like a minus – the aesthetics – is a revolutionary fitting and performance adjustment. Like you don't know... :geek:

    I found that I've kept wanting larger bikes as my skills progressed, and I think that many riders have been or are on that path (point of diminishing returns notwithstanding). At least if you start short you can grow it. Now I don't want any larger a bike than I have, but if I was to get a C GG, I'd be able to use a size 3 on the short setting for All Around, and long for Full Throttle. That is a super cool prospect, especially for riders who strive to be one-bike owners.

    If it proves to be bomber (no reason to believe it's not), I don't see it as anything but gorgeous. :p:thumbsup:
     
  14. Danimal

    Danimal iMTB Addict

    Location:
    Mission Viejo
    Name:
    Dan
    Current Bike:
    Epic Evo
    Sassyquatch, mike and herzalot like this.
  15. buggravy

    buggravy iMTB Addict

    Location:
    Calabasas
    Name:
    Matt
    Current Bike:
    Transition Sentinel
    Great. A lot like my Smash. A lot. Differences were subtle, and also a bit surprising. About to start cooking dinner, but will riff on this more a bit later.
     
  16. buggravy

    buggravy iMTB Addict

    Location:
    Calabasas
    Name:
    Matt
    Current Bike:
    Transition Sentinel
    Ok, so conclusions on Trail Pistola vs. Smash, and/or lack there of. This was an interesting ride. I rode a loop that I'm mostly very familiar with to see how it would stack up against the Smash. Long slog of a climb up to a mostly downhill single track that I'm all about, and that also represents the pinnacle of my current ability. The adjustment from Smash to TP was pretty nonexistent, as it instantly felt very familiar. Almost too familiar. I'm sure a more skilled rider in more varied terrain would feel bigger differences, but for me they were very nuanced. When I ordered the TP I did so thinking/hoping it might be a bit more efficient on the long slog type climbs. Not that the Smash does a poor job at those. Quite the contrary actually, but I'll take all the help I can get. In short, I couldn't perceive any advantage that the TP had here. Maybe any advantage it might have had was negated by the rolling resistance and rotating mass of the heavier and wider tires currently fitted to the TP. In all honesty I was a bit bummed for the first half + of the ride (slog from Las Virgenes to and then up Palo Comado), simply because it felt almost identical to the Smash and this is specifically where I was hoping it would shine. Things changed, though not dramatically, when I turned on to Sheep Corral. I was a bit surprised that the TP climbed noticeably better on the techy punchy type climbs. Not sure if that was due to the bike itself, the points of engagement deal with the I9 hubs, or simply because of the brand new and slightly wider rear tire than I've been on. I suspect the latter played a large part. Where it really surprised me was that I liked it more on the techy chunky descents than the Smash. It just felt more composed and intuitive. I have a feeling that this says less about the bike, and more about me needing to spend more time getting my suspension settings dialed on the Smash. Or maybe I just prefer the feel of an air shock over a coil. But yeah, overall it was really very very similar to the Smash. Surprisingly similar in the areas where I thought it would be better, and better in the areas that I thought it would be comparable, or maybe slightly less adept.

    It will be interesting to see what the next couple months bring. Probably shouldn't judge things based on one ride, and maybe I shouldn't judge them against each other at all, but if they prove to be as similar as they felt today I feel like it would be hard to justify keeping both. If I had to pick one right this sec, it would be a tough call. In some ways I give the reluctant nod to the TP. But I feel like I'm still crushing harder on the Smash. Maybe my alloy Smash with carbon bars, better wheels, and an air shock is the solution to the problem that doesn't exist. I dunno. More to be revealed.
     
  17. mike

    mike iMTB Hooligan

    Location:
    Western US
    Name:
    Mike O
    Current Bike:
    HT, FS
    Thanks for taking the time to put this down, Matt. Sounds positive so far. Enjoy further comparisons! :thumbsup: I'll keep eyes out for more of your feedback. Cheers!
     
  18. herzalot

    herzalot iMTB Hooligan

    Location:
    Laguna Beach
    Name:
    Chris
    Current Bike:
    2020 Revel Rail,Yeti SB 130 LR
    Very honest first impressions. Sometimes we can convince ourselves that there are dramatic differences between pieces of equipment built for the same job. Maybe it's marketing, maybe it's obsession. I am sure you have had the same feeling when trying slightly different snowboards built for roughly the same purpose. Or surfboards. It's just that bikes are waaaaay more expensive.

    Ultimately, I imagine you will keep one and sell the other. However, not until you've experimented with a lighter setup on the Smash and a lighter set of tires for the TPa. Enjoy the journey.
     
    Faust29, DangerDirtyD, mike and 2 others like this.
  19. knucklebuster

    knucklebuster Well-Known Member

    Location:
    34.2295° N, 117.2257° W
    Name:
    Dave
    Current Bike:
    Guerrilla Gravity Megatrail
    I've been meaning to do a follow-up on my (recently new to me) alloy Megatrail, since I've now been able to give it a good workout on a variety of ride/trail types. I had it for 3 weeks when in early April I had an issue with the fork, so sending it off for service put it out of commission for about three weeks. In the meantime I was back on the old bike, a Canfield The One which is a DH/Enduro cross, before enduro was a thing. Emphasis of the Canfield is strongly on the DH, it's heavy, but actually pedals ok.

    But the MegaTrail pedals so much better and is 2-3 pounds lighter. I've also gotten into better shape from riding more thanks partly to the new bike excitement. At this point I feel fairly confident doing longer (but still, mere mortal) rides that I really struggled to do a few months ago. I'm still slow climbing, but I can do them for the most part. So in this sense the MT has really opened up some things for me, and helps me feel fresher for the downhills after a big climb or two.

    A mention of Trail mode vs. Gravity mode when climbing... either works for me, partly because either mode is quite a bit better climbing than the old bike. I think it's mostly the leverage curve, more support in the first half of travel than the old bike, more anti-squat I guess. Gravity mode gets low and slack, but not as low and slack as my old bike. So the MT in Gravity really isn't bad pedaling at all compared to the old Canfield. For longer or steeper climbs, I've been putting the MT in Trail mode, a little quicker handling, less steering wander on steep stuff, and don't have to pay as much attention to avoid pedal strikes.

    Going in the down direction, I struggle to describe it, it just works. Seems GG found a balance of geo, travel and dynamics that's hard for me to find faults with (in fairness, I'd guess many modern bikes have found that magic too). My old bike was no slouch, but preferred to go straight and run over things. The MT is more nimble and precise, but still stable on fast stuff, the shorter chainstays let you toss the back end around or just pivot off the corner on the rear tire. The longer reach seems to put me in a good position for confidence on steep rollers and even some occasional drops and hucks (which in the past I've been dead set against).

    Since i got the MRP Ribbon fork serviced, it has been great on the steep big bump stuff, lots of support but still sucking up the big hits. I still feel some harshness on the fast stutter stuff, but some recent air spring and ramp/LSC tweaking and a new set of ODI Roque grips have made it much more tolerable. It could also have to do with the 35mm clamp alloy bars, they seem much stiffer than my old 31.4 carbon ones.

    Enough of the words, I need to get ready for a ride tomorrow :) Hoping I'll be able to join in on some more group rides with this better all around bike:thumbsup:
     
  20. herzalot

    herzalot iMTB Hooligan

    Location:
    Laguna Beach
    Name:
    Chris
    Current Bike:
    2020 Revel Rail,Yeti SB 130 LR
    Thanks for the report. I can hear the stoke - and I appreciate the patience to not just do the typical "I bought it, so I love it" review. :thumbsup:
     
  21. knucklebuster

    knucklebuster Well-Known Member

    Location:
    34.2295° N, 117.2257° W
    Name:
    Dave
    Current Bike:
    Guerrilla Gravity Megatrail
    Thanks Herz, I think of your super detailed reviews with all the nuances and minutia, and mine sounds like "it works for me, I like it". Reviewing bikes and bike stuff is hard! (for me anyway).
     
  22. mike

    mike iMTB Hooligan

    Location:
    Western US
    Name:
    Mike O
    Current Bike:
    HT, FS
    Thanks for putting it down, Dave. Really glad to hear the wrinkles were worth ironing out. Sounds like you got/are getting pretty close to what you were seeking. Hoping it gets only better. :thumbsup:

    I’ll be stoked to ride with you when the blue moon rises. :)
     
  23. Danimal

    Danimal iMTB Addict

    Location:
    Mission Viejo
    Name:
    Dan
    Current Bike:
    Epic Evo
    Received a long awaited email today...:thumbsup:
    "Prepare to be stoked: your order has shipped"
     
    Faust29, Cyclotourist, Redman and 4 others like this.
  24. buggravy

    buggravy iMTB Addict

    Location:
    Calabasas
    Name:
    Matt
    Current Bike:
    Transition Sentinel
    Awww yeah, that’s a glorious email to receive. Stoked for you.
     
    mike, Faust29, mtnbikej and 1 other person like this.
  25. Danimal

    Danimal iMTB Addict

    Location:
    Mission Viejo
    Name:
    Dan
    Current Bike:
    Epic Evo
  26. herzalot

    herzalot iMTB Hooligan

    Location:
    Laguna Beach
    Name:
    Chris
    Current Bike:
    2020 Revel Rail,Yeti SB 130 LR
    Yay! Your custom $6000 t-shirt arrived!

    I hope it fits well and brings you years of joy!
     
    mike, Grego, Faust29 and 2 others like this.
  27. buggravy

    buggravy iMTB Addict

    Location:
    Calabasas
    Name:
    Matt
    Current Bike:
    Transition Sentinel
    Ahem.
     
    mike, Cyclotourist and Faust29 like this.
  28. Danimal

    Danimal iMTB Addict

    Location:
    Mission Viejo
    Name:
    Dan
    Current Bike:
    Epic Evo
    Bwahahaha

    Did a maiden voyage today. . Report coming soon!!
    Short version, I'm a happy boy
     
  29. Grego

    Grego iMTB Addict

    Location:
    Fullerton
    Name:
    joe
    Current Bike:
    WFO9

     
    mike, herzalot, mtnbikej and 2 others like this.
  30. Danimal

    Danimal iMTB Addict

    Location:
    Mission Viejo
    Name:
    Dan
    Current Bike:
    Epic Evo
    Yeah, @Grego nailed it, Happy boy!

    After almost 6 months of waiting the Brown Summer Santa finally delivered my new steed. A Carbon Guerrilla Gravity Trail Pistol, with Red Hot zoom decals and certainly more bells and whistles than I deserve. Really must say in all that time I almost canceled a couple times, made a few changes in the parts spec, went from Trial Pistol to Pistola and back, then finally figured WTH stay the Tail Pistol spec.

    I chose the Rockshox squishy parts this time around. Have had enough issues with FOX figured I'd give it a shot. With a 130 Pike upfront I can change to 140 with a simple airshaft, I like that!

    They shipped it with the newest Shimano 8120 XT 4 piston brakes, which was a pleasant surprise as the brakes only came out a few days before they finished the bike. :thumbsup: And drivetrain, Shimano 12 speed! so guess I'm the Beta tester now :).

    First impressions were this bike looks really nice, but big! After tweaking everything to fit, it's good, no to big for sure. Hopped on for a spin around the parking lot. oohhhh...this is fast. :sneaky:

    Hit my old faithful whiting for first run early the next morning. Yep, bikes quick. Feels good, and the Rekon 29 2.4s have traction for days......
    Suspension was set up as they recommended for sag, and I set all the adjustments to middle positions as a starting point. Fork feels great, probably the best I can ever remember having. Rear is was nice but a little pop-ish compared to my 150 travel 27.5 which was expected. I worked on the rebound today and it felt really good after some adjustment. Only in Crush mode so far, will try Plush after I do a few rides.

    The bars are 780, I'm coming from 720. All the bikes from size 1-4 come with 780s o_O which is odd I think.
    I will ride the them for a while to get a feel, but most likely will cut to 750/760.

    The bike this is replacing is just over 5 years old now, and like used cars with 150k on the odometer, it works but is a little tired. So now a new bike is like a new sports car. It works, feels tight, new and will take just a little getting used to.
    I'm extremely satisfied, and am looking forward to riding this Pistol into the ground! Damn...it likes to go fast!

    And @herzalot the T-shirt was only $2200.00 :whistling:

    #RideGG :thumbsup:

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As a former Amazon Associate I continue to get screwed trying to stay qualified as an Amazon Affiliate. So I quit!


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