My new XC race rig

**VTskibum** · 08-31-2010, 07:43 AM

Agreed, although you know the weight weenies won't post pictures of the aftermath. I'm not convinced that any of them ride those bikes anyway.

**JeffreyJim** · 08-31-2010, 08:53 AM

That thing looks crazy fast.

I still say a suspension fork would be a wortwhile "extra few pounds" but other than that...damn.

**Tyrone Shoelaces** · 08-31-2010, 09:46 AM

Originally Posted by JeffreyJim

That thing looks crazy fast.

I still say a suspension fork would be a wortwhile "extra few pounds" but other than that...damn.

I agree. I am eventually going to put my Fox on there, but it needs some service, so while I'm taking care of that rigid it is. With a 15QR Fox F29, the weight will probably be hovering around 20 lbs (probably slightly more), but the control and fun factor will go way up.

I plan on using this rig for cyclocross racing too. Rigid fork will be used for that obviously. And I'll throw on some Stan's Raven 700x35 CX tires. I think that set-up will put the weight a hair below 17 lbs with basically thes same build as you see now.

also just switched out the Wolverine 2.2 in the front to a WeirWolf LT 2.55. Weight is a wash mostly and I think I will appreciate the added volume in front for the rigid.

**creaky fossil** · 08-31-2010, 10:40 AM

Originally Posted by Tyrone Shoelaces

speaking of weird. Some dude on MTBR (heh) built his up to 14 LBS (and he 's trying to knock it down even further). I can't imagine this thing weighing 4 pounds LESS. check out the microdrive..haha...

My Air 9 Carbon!!!! - Mountain Bike Forums

I don't know "mattkock" but I'd wager 12 dozen Krispy Kreme that he's a bike fetishist more than a bike rider. Probably has a lot of bikes that he's built as "projects" in order to weigh them, take digipics of them, post the digipics, get the desired e-responses, and then sold the bikes -- or if he's rich enough, stabled them in a huge bike storage place from which they get removed only for more picture-taking.

Yours, on the other hand, actually gets used.

**funkendrenchman** · 08-31-2010, 10:43 AM

Originally Posted by creaky fossil

I don't know "mattkock" but I'd wager 12 dozen Krispy Kreme that he's a bike fetishist more than a bike rider. Probably has a lot of bikes that he's built as "projects" in order to weigh them, take digipics of them, post the digipics, get the desired e-responses, and then sold the bikes -- or if he's rich enough, stabled them in a huge bike storage place from which they get removed only for more picture-taking.

Yours, on the other hand, actually gets used.

I don't know mattkock either, but I know mikekock pretty well.

**DAFTC** · 08-31-2010, 12:54 PM

Originally Posted by Tyrone Shoelaces

also just switched out the Wolverine 2.2 in the front to a WeirWolf LT 2.55. Weight is a wash mostly and I think I will appreciate the added volume in front for the rigid.

Been wondering how that tire would do in that fork. Be interested in your thoughts on whether there's much of a difference and generally how you like the combo...

**Tyrone Shoelaces** · 08-31-2010, 01:27 PM

Originally Posted by DAFTC

Been wondering how that tire would do in that fork. Be interested in your thoughts on whether there's much of a difference and generally how you like the combo...

I'll give you a little ride report in a few days. Riding it tonight on drinkin, err I mean riding clubs ride, and then a short local race on the set-up tomorrow night.

Here in the NorCal foothills, I don't need much in the way of soil piercing knobs, so the LT should ideal.

**Conundrum** · 08-31-2010, 01:34 PM

I really dig the LTs. Have them in the 26 version.

**DAFTC** · 08-31-2010, 01:58 PM

Yeah, I've heard mostly good things. Just curious how well that wide squish plays with a light stiff fork. Imagine fairly well...

Happy riding tonight - just remember not to put champagne in the camelbak...

**Tyrone Shoelaces** · 09-01-2010, 09:56 AM

Originally Posted by DAFTC

Yeah, I've heard mostly good things. Just curious how well that wide squish plays with a light stiff fork.

ok, rode about 20 miles or so last night on the carbon fork with WeirWolf LT 2.55. In short, it was a pretty phenomenal set-up for the type of trails near me. Smooth hard pack twisty fast fun single track where the most technical things you encounter are some sand in the corners this time of the year, and short rock gardens that can sometimes be boosted and cleared when at speed. And some stuttery, braking bumps in long extended drawn out corners. It's in these braking bumps where I noticed the added volume helping out with the chatter. Definitely gave me a little extra 'give' there.

I ran the LT tubeless and at about 29 - 30 psi. While a big improvement over the Wolverine for these type of trails, I could probably knock the psi down to 22 - 25 and improve the ride/grip even more. Have a short race tonight on trails that are much rockier (baby head, river bed type of loose rock scattered around and ruts), so I'll run the lower pressure for sure. Might even go as low as 20 psi but am little worried about burping (Crest rims...I weigh about 172 lbs.)

**frorider** · 09-01-2010, 12:15 PM

on my steel rigid bike (with Ti bars...they flex a bit, which helps) i've found the 2.35 rampage to cushion things pretty well, much better than a 2.25 ardent for example. i think the 2.35 rampage is similar casing volume to a so-called 2.55 WTB.

but the rolling resistance of the rampage is mediocre.

for a front tire on a 29er rigid or hardtail bike on tahoe trails, my favorite thus far is the much-lauded spec purgatory 2.4. i was skeptical about the hype, but damn, it does indeed combine great traction, biggish casing volume, and pretty low rolling resistance. much faster rolling than the rampage, but with better traction than a 2.25 ardent (which also has low rolling resistance). i've gone down to 25 psi for the front, but not lower. even at 25 it feels pretty cushy for my weight (195 nekkid).

on a side note, one of the fastest riders i've seen recently on the christmas valley low angle-but-rocky trail was rocking a 29er steel rigid SS.

**DAFTC** · 09-01-2010, 12:57 PM

Thanks you guys. Definitely sounds like my Ignitor may get relegated to backup duty soon...

**lph** · 09-01-2010, 05:46 PM

fro,

don't know if you have tried it, but I am SOLD on the Maxxis Advantage for a rear tire in tahoe. HUGE volume tire, great roller, decent grip on the climbs and corners really well. It is somewhat more square profile than the Spec Purgatory and not as drifty.
Ty, the Advantage is definitely another tire to consider when you need a little more bite and tread and lots of volume. It is VERY square, IMHO.

Of course this is a hijack as I have no idea if it comes in a 29er. Sorry.

**creaky fossil** · 09-01-2010, 11:18 PM

lph -- ADvantage doesn't come in 29" size but it is a great tire. Excellent rear tire -- best braking power and control I've ever experienced. Rolls okay too. Not super quick rolling, but compared to a Nevegal or Rampage or Minion DHR, it's fast.

**Dickeymotto** · 09-01-2010, 11:46 PM

Originally Posted by creaky fossil

lph -- ADvantage doesn't come in 29" size but it is a great tire. Excellent rear tire -- best braking power and control I've ever experienced. Rolls okay too. Not super quick rolling, but compared to a Nevegal or Rampage or Minion DHR, it's fast.

I've been thinking about these for my next tire. How does the 2.25 compare to the 2.35 Nevegal in terms of size? I'm running the Nev's now and hate how slow they are. How well do they grip loose/gravely stuff?

**Dhelihiker** · 09-03-2010, 11:46 AM

wow, I didnt know you could have a MTB that light. That is crazy. Good luck to your competitors.

**lph** · 09-04-2010, 03:13 PM

i have never mounted the 2.25. I can tell you the 2.4 on a 823 is bigger than a 2.7minion dhf on an 823 or 729. I think the 2.25 would be perfect as a rear tire and likely compare in size to a 2.3 nevegal. I think the advantage has alot of grip for a relatively low profile tire. not as much as a high roller when climbing on loose stuff, but plenty enough for me living in tahoe, where everything is pretty loose right now.

the advantage in a LUST would be sweet.

**frorider** · 10-15-2010, 09:36 PM

that mattkock guy from mtbr has gotten the bike weight to 13 lbs 15 oz....and more and more people are attesting to the fact that he does ride the bike, pretty hard (for a rigid).

i admit i can't quite wrap my head around mtn biking on a sub-14 lb bike...

**frorider** · 08-01-2011, 05:46 PM

hey Tyrone, saw you post on mtbr that your carbon frame cracked? what's the story?

**VTskibum** · 08-01-2011, 07:16 PM

Ouch that sucks... At least Niner has a great warranty

**Tyrone Shoelaces** · 08-01-2011, 07:57 PM

Originally Posted by frorider

hey Tyrone, saw you post on mtbr that your carbon frame cracked? what's the story?

Here is what I just posted "over there":

Niner Air 9 Carbon. Bottom bracket shell has a crack in it. I'm not a very big guy, (165 lbs now at race weight), but I strictly ride and race it as a single speed, and I wear through parts like crazy, ride it a ton (put over 800 miles on it in July alone) and have been known to snap crank arms, etc.

I'm not exactly sure if there is one specific instance like a rock or something jumping up and cracking it (crack is in the very bottom of the BB shell), but I was on a training ride and there was this insane creaking coming from down there. I thought it was odd because my EBB never ever even creaked, and this was LOUD. So after the ride, I flipped it over and found a hairline crack.

Bummed because I absolutely LOVE the bike.

However, the timing actually works out, because I got a hook-up with Indy Fab on a custom Ti frame and it will be here very very soon (..always wanted one, but could never afford). And because I love the A9C geometry so much, they are basically building me the same bike, but out of Ti, a 44mm internal diameter headtube so that I can run my tapered forks, 'rocker' style dropouts instead of an EBB for SS, and as stiff and strong as they can without adding too much weight as they know my riding style, what I'll be using it for (tons of SS racing), and that I'm hard on equipment.

After I spend some time on it, I should be able to give a nice comparison between carbon and Ti because the geometries will nearly be identical. Althought I suspect the Indy Fab will fit me better because they will make some small tweaks based on my measurements. Can't wait.

**kidwoo** · 08-01-2011, 08:09 PM

Originally Posted by frorider

that mattkock guy from mtbr has gotten the bike weight to 13 lbs 15 oz....and more and more people are attesting to the fact that he does ride the bike, pretty hard (for a rigid).

I wouldn't trust a god damn thing a guy that publicly posts a picture like that says.

**Dromond** · 08-02-2011, 11:20 AM

I just rode one of these at a demo in Bend last week. It was light and fast for sure, especially on the ridiculously smooth Bend trails. It seemed like a perfect race bike for that kind of terrain, but I didn't find it any more fun than my Anthem X2. I'm still not sold on the 29" wheel for pure enjoyment. The amount of traction was great but I missed the whippy feel of smaller wheels, ever on just easy singletrack riding.

Tyrone: did you use this bike with the rigid fork? I would imagine that your trails are pretty buff? I know that people do some insane rides/races on rigid forks but I have a hard time imagining that they are faster total-time-wise on anything but the smoothest trails/dirt roads.

P.S. Can you ride a fully rigid carbon mtn bike with baggy shorts? That just doesn't seem right.

**Tyrone Shoelaces** · 08-02-2011, 11:53 AM

Originally Posted by Dromond

Tyrone: did you use this bike with the rigid fork? I would imagine that your trails are pretty buff? I know that people do some insane rides/races on rigid forks but I have a hard time imagining that they are faster total-time-wise on anything but the smoothest trails/dirt roads.

yeah, I'd say I had the Niner rigid fork on it for about the first 4 or 5 months (primarily during the winter), and then put on a Fox 100mm Terralogic which is how it is currently set up. And yep, my local foothill trails are indeed pretty buff, so it is pretty easy to put on a rigid fork and forget about it. Especially if you match it up with something like the old WeirWolf LT 2.55 in front.