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Thanks for the props, everyone, and an appreciation of the fact that we tried to be fair with this review.

whitehonky - just for clarification, I wasn't comparing the i950r with the LEV or inferring that they would behave the same way - just saying that it is the only KS product that I've tried. I didn't have problems with that post "back in the day", though - they crapped out less than a year ago.

No, I haven't ridden the LEV but I did spend time on a KS i950R, and it was terrible. Bought two posts, had cartridges fail on each twice, had major issues getting them replaced, and very poor performance even when the cartridges were working.

Some comments:
- no, the cleat doesn't seem to rub on the ground, but I haven't been walking on pavement
- I've worn shoes with Boa closures for a few years now, and haven't had any issues at all with buckles snagging or breaking. I have had to change the lace from time to time, as they do get kind of mangled and don't release easily after a while.
- I'm going to be riding these shoes in the winter with Gore-Tex sox, which is what I normally do. We'll see how they hold up to the wet.
- I'm using larger pedals with the Rimes (XTR Trail), which will also improve the feel. I'll get in a few rides with some race pedals before the test is over.

Dan and I are still testing. Planning on doing a review before the snow flies. I'm also running a set on a 29er. All has been good so far.

I also know that Easton has made incremental changes to the hubs as of mid- to late summer (will include the technical details in the full review - don't have them at this time), so any wheels that were made after that date should have addressed any concerns that people may have. Dan's got more miles on his than I have, and I know he's been quite happy with his.

Acadian - where'd you come from??? Bonjour, mon ami… ;) .

Doesn't look like they're making Enduros in XL for 2013. I guess tall people don't qualify for the dream.

Alex - they ARE making them, but they're not listed in the catalogue. I had this discussion with Specialized after the 2013 launch, and the CDN marketing manager said that they will be in stock.

You'll have to go through a Specialized dealer and place a special order.

syngltrkmnd - I agree on the gearing. I've spent time on 2 x 10 drivetrains on a few bikes over the last two or three years and I don't like them. I find that I spend way more time in the granny on a 2 x 10 than I do with a double and bashguard set up, because I can't spin a 38 / 36 up a long climb. I also dislike hitting the big ring on a 2 x 10 on trail debris.

I've set up my personal bike as a double and bashguard, with 24T / 34T rings and as 12-36 cassette and I really like that. It's much more useful, IMO.

I don't think that's really an issue with 29ers, though, it's a problem with the spec. And therein lies one of the larger issues with the bike biz - bikes are (usually) spec'd for the widest possible audience. That means they'll be good for some riding locales but not others. It affects everything from tires to stems to gearing combos. Hopefully, the product managers spec a bike with enough parts that work for the average consumer, but chances are you're going to have to change some stuff to optimize it for local trails. Tires and stems are an easy fix, cranksets not so much.

JCL - nope, don't have the bike. Left it with Giant after the one-day adventure.

wouldn't a shorter stem exacerbate the light front end problem for taller folks?

I found it hard to get far enough forward on the saddle on steep seated climbs, possibly in part because of the long stem. I'm thinking that a shorter stem would make that easier. That would allow me to get in a better position over the bike, and climb more effectively.

Tall person doesn't always mean long stem, either. I run a 75mm stem on my bikes, with the exception of the bike I used for BCBR.

It's all kind of speculation at this point, though, Todd. I just know that something wasn't right about the bike the way it was. And it's much easier to change the stem length than the seat angle. ;)

jmal - I haven't ridden either of those bikes. I have spent considerable time on the Rocky Element 950 (review pending - short version, liked the bike, didn't love the spec) and I own a custom spec Norco Shinobi 29er.

It's hard to really speak about limits or abilities after one ride on the Trance X 29er, but I'd say that this could be a very capable bike with the right tweaks for your riding area and style. I'm not certain how it would handle Shore XC riding (AM riding in most places), but the slacker head angle and longer wheelbase SHOULD make it very competent on AM rides.

For my riding style, I'd start by swapping the bars (which have a really weird feel to them), stem and seatpost. Yes, a Reberb would help deal with the offset of the Contact post, and give more travel. I have the Nobby Nic tires on my personal bike, so those would stay.

There's no reason why the Trance X 29er shouldn't be able to keep up to people on AM 26ers, and I suspect you'd actually be able to make up ground on them in certain sections of the trail.

Those Rime shoes look pretty hot. Might make a nice compromise between roadie race boots and the heavier sneaker style shoes (i.e. the awesome Shimano AM45s).

Alex - they're great shoes so far. I'm wearing a size 48, which fits like a 49 Shimano. They're light, stiff and have great traction on the sole. No wet rides so far, but good in the summer for sure.