snowsnake profile

Same problem here, basically, but sized down 4" in waist/inseam. It's completely absurd how frequently I end up in smalls/rocking an unfashionable flood.

Gore-Tex is massively overrated for most applications IMO. If you're looking for something breathable and not crinkly that you can actually afford to damage, most brands have a WPB that's better (say Patagonia's H2NO). If you really need to stay dry, rubberized raingear is still unbeatable.

I'm a little ashamed to say that every time I take a lap on my friend's XO T-type equipped Sentinel, I like it a little bit more. That said, my current GX AXS and X01 Eagle drivetrains are still performing perfectly, and I am much more excited to move on to 12 speed mechanical Apex XPLR on my gravel bike with some of my spending money, not to mention trying Berd Spokes, Hope brakes, or the Wolftooth dropper post. I suspect I won't be transitioning to transmission until they twist my arm.

I'm on flats on the Stumpy Evo and singlespeed hardtail, clips on the groad bike and the Izzo. For aggressive riding and hardtail stunting I like to be able to put a foot down/hit the eject button, and flats are easier on my knees.

Sorta necroing the comment thread here, but someone just pointed me to this article after I kind of had the opposite thing happen. At 6'1" on an XL Izzo, I got a bike fit and the fitter moved my cleats from under the fifth met head (basically right between your before/after pictures) to the classic ball-over-axle position - which made the bike feel unbalanced and uncomfortably long. Then, I bought an S5 Stumpjumper Evo (flats in the parking lot), put clipless pedals on it with the same shoes from the Izzo, and found it was again too long, until I put flats back on it. I grew up riding flats, so my inclination is the opposite of some - 5th met head over axle all the way.

I’ve been pretty delighted with my Stumpjumper Evo being as big as I ever need while still having decent trail manners. Here’s hoping that I get on as well with the SS Japhy, as I would love to confine the quiver to just those two rigs (plus necessary fat bike and all-road bike).

I'm sorta in a middle ground right now where AXS on a UDH is about as good as it gets. Heck, even the lowly mechanical XO1 on my Stumpjumper Evo is still shifting good as new after being laid down twice at low speed and once quite hard onto the driveside. I would really love to get the better spacing of the low cogs, but given the associated jump in weight,  it's quite likely I'll just pick up another GX AXS upgrade kit and call it good for now.

They must be joking with those head tube lengths.

I had an experience I really appreciated where I went into a bike shop deadset on dropping a couple Benjamins on a carbon seatpost for my all-road bike, but the salesperson pointed out my big ol 43mm tires and convinced me I wouldn’t feel the seat post material.

I was noting the other day that the aforementioned $1000 cranks seem like a bargain now that we also have $1500 cranks that will snap if you happen to pedal strike.

Posted by: AndrewMajor

Posted by: snowsnake

Posted by: AndrewMajor

Posted by: fartymarty

Looks like PNW have stock - I just need to fork out the £45

Much less expensive than a new post, and easy to install one's self. Assuming the post still runs tight, a bit of Slickoleum on the seal head at the same time and it'll feel decently close to new and it's a swap pretty much anyone can do. 

It's one challenge that comes up in talking to folks about a fully rebuildable option like a BikeYoke Revive. The full service (labour, seals, and material) is more expensive than chucking a new cartridge into a Wintek post, and it's not something that everyone is going to be comfortable tackling at home. The Revive is so smooth and something that will last years and years, but then the dropper post's only job is to make the seat go up and down so something that performs sweet-and-smooth may not be a priority.

That’s what has me going back and forth between a BYR and a Oneup for my 200+mm dropper for the SST.

OneUp has great after sale support, an extra size of pins (for when they get a lot of play), and replacement cartridges aren’t ridiculously expensive. They’re almost as short as the Resolve (essential matched) for the same drop and the quality/$ is solid. 

No matter what you do to a OneUp post it will never be as smooth as a BYR. I’ve worked on plenty of both. The only negative of the BYR is the height (above and below) for a given amount of travel, if clearance in either direction is an issue, and the additional cost. 

Have had quite a few friends and customer agonize over the choice. Not something you’re buying every year.

Yeah, I figure I’ll end up going with the BYR as I think the SST will be a long-time bike, if not a forever bike, and it’s got a short seat tube so clearing the 213 won’t be a problem.

I’m buying the bike I should have bought in 2022 - a REEB SST. I’ve been trying really hard to buy my existing Izzo or Stumpjumper Evo instead, but they invariably annoy me at one point or another during any given ride, so I’m consolidating. I used to think I could ride any frame if it had the right parts on it, but it turns out this bike captured my heart. 

The Fox 36, Super Deluxe Ultimate, and DT Swiss XMC 1200 wheels are coming outta the parts stash, but I’m very excited to be trying out Hope brakes on this rig for the first time.

Posted by: AndrewMajor

Posted by: fartymarty

Looks like PNW have stock - I just need to fork out the £45

Much less expensive than a new post, and easy to install one's self. Assuming the post still runs tight, a bit of Slickoleum on the seal head at the same time and it'll feel decently close to new and it's a swap pretty much anyone can do. 

It's one challenge that comes up in talking to folks about a fully rebuildable option like a BikeYoke Revive. The full service (labour, seals, and material) is more expensive than chucking a new cartridge into a Wintek post, and it's not something that everyone is going to be comfortable tackling at home. The Revive is so smooth and something that will last years and years, but then the dropper post's only job is to make the seat go up and down so something that performs sweet-and-smooth may not be a priority.

That’s what has me going back and forth between a BYR and a Oneup for my 200+mm dropper for the SST.

Posted by: heckler

https://na.tranzx.com/collections/service-parts/products/replacement-cartridges?variant=32036313661475

Snowsnake, read the reviews and decide if you will support your LBS or your HBS. (Home Bike Shop). I think I already know your answer.

Among other projects, I have fully disassembled an out of warrantee broken washing machine to replace a cracked drum mounting arm. It is well worth the effort and quite rewarding to fix instead of trash or pay someone to repair. Many parts are found online, or direct from the manufacturer.

Right to Repair affects many, and is supported (on paper at least) by highest levels of government.

https://ised-isde.canada.ca/site/competition-bureau-canada/en/how-we-foster-competition/education-and-outreach/learn-about-right-repair

frustratingly, the best LBS around here is the Tr*k store, and there’s one mechanic at the aforementioned shop who is good, and is helping me learn to rebuild the post. I do almost everything in the HBS when I can get away with it.

Posted If people can't be bothered to do the little things then it's going to be much harder to do the bigger things that require more effort anf have bigger costs. I see it all the time in the way people treat most things as disposable and think garbage just magically disappears once they put it in the bin.

One worker at my LBS has been trying to convince me that because it’s not that simple to replace the cartridge in my TranzX dropper post, and including labor the refresh will be nearly as expensive, I should just buy a new one, but I’m not having it. Why trash the post I have if it’s just a cartridge away from full functionality? I know cycling is far from environmentally friendly but I’m reusing and repairing anything I can.

I’ve also been really happy with the Dumond Tech lite stuff.

Posted by: trioofchaos

Posted by: trioofchaos

Posted by: snowsnake

Posted by: trioofchaos

Posted by: snowsnake

A good friend and I are both moving away from carbon mtbs, and after my extreme effusiveness on the subject, he will also be getting a REEB SST to complement our respective steel/titanium SS hardtails. Mine will be Purple Spectrolite, and he is planning to get his painted Cosmic Lilac in honor of Andrew’s bike and writings.

The SST is an excellent bike! I have been on mine for a little under a year. Excited to see some pics!

Based on the looks of your Primer, I would love to see your SST if you care to share some pictures.

Yes, I will get some up soon. It is in the City Lights color. I have been off the bike with a concussion for a couple of months so don't have any pics of it's current iteration. Been a slow recovery with no end in sight at the moment!

Here are a couple of pictures of the SST.

I really enjoy how it rides. I am coming from a Starling Murmur and appreciate the quicker handling for my tight and awEast Coast trails. I agree with what Marty was saying earlier on geo vs suspension. Much more comfortable when things get steep on the Chromag. Just have to go a little slower which is not a bad thing :)

That’s a rocking little build. Love the classy silver splashes. How do you like those Contis on there? They’re on my shortlist, but seem like they could potentially be a bit much on that bike.

Posted by: nothingfuture

Posted by: Blofeld

^^ That is a great colour! Thank you for sharing.

I haven’t ridden in New England but it looks like it would be awesome for hopping up and onto rock ledges and picking your way through derailleur-smasher boulders. I’m just curious, did you consider a higher BB at any point during the process?

You know, I just looked the color I spec'd with Walt up, and it's City Lights. HA!

I KNEW IT!

Posted by: velocipedestrian

Posted by: Blofeld

Posted by: fartymarty

Posted by: velocipedestrian

Perhaps the reason I hadn't got to this conclusion myself is my natural inclination to self limit speed, no matter the bike.

I'm not lucky enough to be able to self limit speed when the bike is begging to be pushed.

I feel like a blue flow trail is the worst for this kind of no-limit riding. There’s less challenge so you open up the speed and open yourself up to a big wreck.

However, if I’m riding a trail with drops or very slippery* tech, I find a longer travel bike offers much more safety than a hardtail or rigid. 

*I don’t ride wet conditions too often so take my opinion with a grain of salt here!

Yeah, smooth trails that beg for speed are the sneaky hazard. It's all buff flow until you hit a tree at 40km/h.

That and jumps that need max speed to clear are pretty much all we have here in town during the summer.  It’s infuriating.

Posted by: fartymarty

Posted by: velocipedestrian

Perhaps the reason I hadn't got to this conclusion myself is my natural inclination to self limit speed, no matter the bike.

I'm not lucky enough to be able to self limit speed when the bike is begging to be pushed.

This is one of the main reasons the Stumpjumper Evo is going away when the SST comes here. That thing has the potential to get me in biiiig trouble.

Posted by: nothingfuture

Sure, I can share. I don't have the SST yet (that'll be the late winter/early Spring), but the Walt is around:

https://flic.kr/p/2popz1P

It's changed a touch since that photo- Renthal Stem, different grips, flat pedals, bigger front brake rotor, but that'll get you the idea. It's on 27.5 x 2.8, with a 140mm fork. Spec is a mostly GX Eagle drivetrain (with XT cranks/bb), Deore Trail brakes (5130, maybe?), a Z2 fork, and some Stans wheels. Nothing too nuts, yet.

Geo is: STA 71.5, HTA 66.5, Reach 465 (60mm stem), Stack 666, BB drop 40, Front Center 786, CS 415, ST 450 (if you find your eyes twitching looking at these numbers, just remember this is built for slow-speed super techy New England jank riding. I don't have berms. Or long high speed descents. Or machine-built trails)

Color is black with holographic rainbow glitter- it's looks totally black in flat light, but in bright light it glitters and takes itself a little less seriously. There are, if you look closely, decals on the downtime. They're black vinyl, but they're that 3M stuff that's SUPER REFLECTIVE, so, again, in the right light the "Waltworks" is very, very bright.

I adore 27.5x2.8 for hardtails, especially on bermless natural trails. That color is very similar to prismatic powders' City Lights I think! Same as trio's SST. It looks great, and I do loving messing with the over-serious crowd.