Dammit’s adventures in mountain biking

The biggest reason is wanting to try something new, really.

Material preference? carbon/alu/steel/bamboo?

I can't recall how much travel the Pace has

I really think aluminium is king for hard tails. You really notice the weight saving

Amey recommends a Trek

Ask me how I know

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steel

dont be ridiculous

You can't deny it forever

Buying a Rohloff was only the beginning

I just close Nicolai and Pilot cycles browser tab forever, pinion with blue sid or NOTHING

I’m keeping the 529/steel hardtail as I think that’s an incredible bike which I don’t want to change.

The 295- I’d like it to have a bit more travel at the rear, be nice for it to have a progressive linkage, have a bit more tyre and heel clearance, and come with a longer rear brake hose sheath. Also some more clearance between the frame and the shock so I could have more options- a MegNeg aircan for my SDU for example.

I really like how it handles in the mullet configuration.

Ah 529/295 I got my numbers mixed up.
Buy the carbon Atherton coz reasons

The SCOR bikes look nice.
https://www.scor-mtb.com/scr_in_en/scor-mtb-bikes/scor-bikes-enduro.html

140 rear travel on the trail bike version and 160 on the enduro.

I think only the 160 version can be mullet’d though.

Forbidden Druid maybe worth a look. High pivot idler, 130 travel, can run mullet with a different link and uses a 210x55 shock.

https://www.forbiddenbike.com/products/druid-xt-complete

Their sales/customer service chap is, erm, very busy, based on my experience of trying to engage with them. Also, 29er.

Absolutely love the frames, the firm and so on - but if they won’t talk to you, it’s hard to buy a bike from them.

Also, even I have a vague limit on how ridiculous I’m prepared to be, and turning up in the “Fun” class on an Atherton may cross that line.

The shock on the Druid would be interchangeable with the collection of shocks that I’ve ended up with, so that’s useful info.

Cotic will sell you a mulleted RocketMax: https://www.cotic.co.uk/mullet/

Forbidden Druid

That looks like a lot of bike for only 130mm of travel

Yes, that had crossed my mind. Also, the Dreadnaught apparently has grown longer and slacker, which is potentially where the Druid will go when v2 is released - the XL Druid is closer to the L Pace RC295 in reach, for example.

Race day today, I did two runs of each stage, stopped to make coffee and switch from the high position to the low, then ran the stages again - I can reveal that slacker is faster. It's official - Science, bitches.

Yeah tbf it does look very chunky for a trail bike. I love the looks though.

I think Neil should just skip the trail bike part and go straight to a 160/170ish travel bike and be done with it.

I like how both the Scor and Druid you posted both appear to be near impossible to fit a shock measuring stick into

Use an air shock and shokwiz?

I really wanted to order one of them. But seeing it being left on there put me right off 😳

Less obsessive measuring of the sag would be preferable

Yeah tbf it does look very chunky for a trail bike. I love the looks though.

I think Neil should just skip the trail bike part and go straight to a 160/170ish travel bike and be done with it.

There's an "I don't know what I don't know" problem here, I know I enjoy my current 135 rear/150 front trail bike on the trails near me. I also really enjoy my hardtail with a 150mm fork on the same trails.

Would a Megaplower be a yawn-fest, unless I headed to the alps? I think so, but I've not ridden a bigger bike in the UK.

Maybe I should hire a Bronson. I do think the Forbidden bikes look very cool.

Or go for a test ride on a Geometron, where bike set up can be dialled in for you

I like how both the Scor and Druid you posted both appear to cost one meeeleon dollars

Bikes in 2022 init