New Bike Day!

Lol! I know that third kid syndrome well!
Congrats to daughter and to you dad, heres to you and your kiddos creating some awesome mtb memories!!

 

Finally replacing my 2007 Bianchi Rita SS - behold the Spot Rocker!

 

That is one beautiful ride... With one jealousy inducing drive train.

 

Beautiful bike. I know I couldn't ride it, but I'm glad someone can. Congrats.

 

Those were on my short list at one point... enjoy!

 

I always thought a belt drive with a Rohloff or Nexus internal-gear hub would be a fun experiment...an expensive experiment.

 

Dismay my ass!!!!! Nice upgrade, Mike.

Great to hear from you. Be well and keep charging!

 

Sweet ride! Love the belt drive...

 

First post!! Welcome to the nut house @dssgaffler

 

..... more like new frame day.


Love at first sight/ride....



I bought myself a new toy (Revel Rascal Frame XL), and added some underused good parts.
Whet for a first ride this morning.
So much fun.

Spec:

• Frame – Revel Rascal 29″ 130mm Travel XL
• Fork – DVO Diamond boost @140.
• Shock – Rockshox Super Deluxe Ultimate
• Headset – CaneCreek 40-series IS42/IS52
• Wheels – Ibis 935 29″ Carbon Wheelset with Industry 9 hub set
• Tires – Maxxis 2.4 Rekon front, 2.35 Ikon back.
• Bar – One up 35x800
• Stem – Race Face Atlas 50
• Post – One up V2 - 170
• Saddle – Ergon SM10 Standard Black
• Shifter – SRAM XX1
• Brakes – SRAM Guide RS
• Rotors – Shimono 180mm
• Rear Derailleur – SRAM XX1
• Chain – SRAM XX1 Eagle
• Cassette – SRAM XX1 Eagle
• Crankset – SRAM XX1 Eagle Carbon DUB 1175mm 30t
• Bottom Bracket – SRAM DUB Threaded

 

Nice! Looks like one bike for all seasons. Change tires and it’s a different bike.

We are super high on mid-ish travel 29ers. They do everything so well.

But I wouldn’t part with the Why frame. : )

 

One of my buddies has the Rail. Plushest bike I've ever ridden going down.

 

Ordered a little something today. Should be in next week. New Bike Day for the second time in two months. Whatever will it be? Enquiring minds want to know!

Hint - not a Specialized. Not a hardtail. Not a Singlespeed.

 

Happy Christmas to you!

 

Looks fast standing still!

 

I stopped by Salt Cycles in Sandy UT when I was out there last week. The co-owner, EWS racer dude (Jason Hawkins) was very high on the Revel Rascal. I came in asking about the Yeti SB-150 and he steered me towards the Revel or the Ibis Ripmo.

He races for Pivot - and has a few Switchblades he is proud of. That shop has 100s of demo bikes of all the cool stuff! Swing by there if you are ever in the area. Even my wife said "that shop has a completely different vibe - like - they really know their Sh!t..."

But yeah - strong endorsement for Revel bikes.

 

What... and no Fox 36 either...?

 

Hmmmmm.....knowing you are a demo before you buy guy....that eliminates the Ripmo and Revel.

So it comes down to HT or MT.

Question comes down to if he can live with 160/140 or whether he wants to drag around 170/160 everywhere.

 

Fasten your seat belts, here we go again!

 

The only question is whether or not he will ever admit in public that the Megatower was just too much bike...

He's going to love his new Hightower!

 

Bingo

 

But you dint have to say all of that out loud.

 

Perhpaps I demo'd the Revel, the Ripmo and/or the SB 150 in Sandy UT last week?

I ordered a frame and shock, and am putting pieces and parts on it of my choosing.

 

Not a huge Fox fan. I finally figured out how to get my 36 almost as plush as my Marzocchi 350. The latest couple of Lyrics I demo'd were better than any Fox I demo'd (for my tastes). The Pike that was on the Tracer I demo'd for three days was also better than any Fox I demo'd. Not saying Fox are worse than RS, just that the RS were better for me on demo rides. Can't speak to longevity, serviceability or any such thing. The only Rock Shox I've owned (other than the Mag 20 in 1990) was a 2013 Boxxer WC air. It sucked.

 

FWIW, the Pike Ultimate is a 140, 150, 160 mm Lyrik RC2. They’re real, and they’re spectacular.

vvv That’s the magic, DebonAir spring...add the Charger II damper and it’s a Pike Ultimate. Or a shorty Lyrik.

 

Rock Shox stuff is easier to service in my limited experience. My 2018 Pike on the Hightower gave me fits for a long time. Installed a 150 air shaft before ever riding it but always struggled with a decent setup and never used more than 135 ish. Along came the 2019 debonair whatever airshafts that are all hollowed out and provide a bit larger negative air chamber so I bought one and installed a new set of the green SKF seals. Instant improvement with smaller bumps. Finally removed the remaining puck and kept reducing air pressure till I used full travel. I’ve finally settled on a magic setup that’s running drastically lower air pressure than recommend and might even run a more fluffy fork than @Mikie. I think the SKF green seals are the real magic.

 

Dolores? From an episode of Seinfeld....

 

Or maybe Dolores Claiborne...Stephen King.

 

The Megatower might be too much bike, but that's not the reason I didn't gel with it. The fit was spectacular, but it was LESS PLUSH than the Hightower I demo'd and less than my Tracer. I attribute it to the Fox Grip 2 fork and/or the carbon wheels. I didn't really get a chance to feel that it was "too much bike." But yeah, any 29er with those numbers is going to be too much bike for Maple Springs Motorway laps or Whiting-STT-Luge-Whiting.

 

I specifically meant too much bike for you and what you ride. It is significantly more bike than your Tracer, and probably closer to the capabilities of your last Santa Cruz.

There’s a reason the frame comes with down tube protection for riding on a shuttle...