New Transitions too slack?

[zion zig zag]

Haha, man nothing but Transition love for two years and then I buy one a week ago and the disillusionment starts in earnest. You guys suck.

[volklpowdermaniac]

I’m gonna replace my 5.5 with either Patrol or Nomad (or Megatower/Rallon if I stay 29) this thread is good reads

[kidwoo]

I can't figure out why they would do it. It doesn't make sense.

Santa cruz did much worse for far more years and the company blew up.

I mean it took transition over 10 years to realize that leverage curves even exist. They're at least ahead of santa cruz in that regard. Now they just need to figure out what those curves mean.

[shirk]

Santa cruz did much worse for far more years and the company blew up.

I mean it took transition over 10 years to realize that leverage curves even exist. They're at least ahead of santa cruz in that regard. Now they just need to figure out what those curves mean.

True.

The 2015 Patrol that is loaded in Linkage had a pretty good LR.

SC yeah that banana shaped thing they called a LR...how did become so popular with that crap?

[Andeh]

Haha, man nothing but Transition love for two years and then I buy one a week ago and the disillusionment starts in earnest. You guys suck.

They're still really good bikes. The geometry is excellent. Their warranty support is excellent. They don't have any stupid bullshit standards like SuperBoost+, PressFit, IS headsets, or 34.9 seatposts. Their prices are better than SC/Evil/Yeti/Ibis/Orbea/Specialized. Like I said, my only gripe is that the suspension only has like 10% progressivity vs. 20-25%, and even then it at least doesn't have any stupid big regressive points (like Ibis, or my previous Nomad 3).

I'm also probably being way pickier about my suspension than my skills warrant, due to being in kind of a biking funk due to several crashes about a month ago. I'm just trying to get things set up for maximum grip, hopefully increasing confidence, so that I start riding aggressively again.

It's nearly impossible to fix bad geometry on a frame. Suspension is a lot easier to tweak.

[Ted Striker]

Can't throw a rock in this town without hitting one.

That's partly because they're local, but mostly because they just plain work.

The 'net puts everything under a microscope.

[hick]

Can't throw a rock in this town without hitting one.

That's partly because they're local, but mostly because they just plain work.

The 'net puts everything under a microscope.

That last line is dead on. What a time to be alive. It’s a fucking bike. (Totally guiltily of over analyzing


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[kidwoo]

Can't throw a rock in this town without hitting one.

That's partly because they're local, but mostly because they just plain work.

The 'net puts everything under a microscope.

You know a guy named thad?

Tell him kidwoo said his tires suck. It will be worth the entertainment.

[volklpowdermaniac]

Have the new low shock SC fixed their LR issues?

[jdadour]

Talked to Transition guys yesterday about the Smuggler, and moving forward they will no longer be making it in an aluminum frame, only carbon. Im a bit new to the MTB scene, so trying to get a full grasp from the benefits of carbon. I dont really care about the weight savings, but does it really make for a more plush damp ride than aluminum? Anyone with experience on both frames that can comment? I've also seen claims that they last longer, and nowadays are actually stronger than aluminum. If all that is the case, seems worthwhile to throw down the extra money for carbon!

Also, if there is already a thread talking about carbon frames, please direct me to it. Thanks!

[Andeh]

NSMB compared identical Knolly Wardens (one carbon, one aluminum) here: https://nsmb.com/articles/duelling-k...inal-verdicts/

[jdadour]

NSMB compared identical Knolly Wardens (one carbon, one aluminum) here: https://nsmb.com/articles/duelling-k...inal-verdicts/

Perfect, thanks. That's EXACTLY what I wanted.

[Ted Striker]

You know a guy named thad?

Tell him kidwoo said his tires suck. It will be worth the entertainment.

Don't know him at all, but I've heard the name (from about 10ish years ago, if that sounds right?)

...and if I meet him, I will.

[adrenalated]

Haha, man nothing but Transition love for two years and then I buy one a week ago and the disillusionment starts in earnest. You guys suck.

I'm selling mine because kidwoo said the leverage ratio sucks. Clearly it's unrideable.

[kidwoo]

I'm selling mine because kidwoo said the leverage ratio sucks. Clearly it's unrideable.

Won't even get that thing out of the parking lot it's so bad. Pretty sure when you pedal it goes backwards.

[zion zig zag]

Some thoughts after first two rides on the Smuggler, coming off a 2015 Tallboy LTc.

My local test loop has two turns that have a steep, rocky entrance to slightly loose, moderately bermed corner. On the Tallboy I would set up by getting weight pretty far back for the steep part and then coming back to center for the turn. I need to (or can) stay forward on the Smuggler all the way through.

I don't notice tight, uphill switch backs to be any harder than the Tallboy, if anything, I had to shift my weight around less to make the turn without spinning out.

I've ridden this loop 15 times according to strava, uphill is a little over a mile and downhill is a little over a mile. My uphill time was 30 seconds slower than my average, but this is most likely fitness as I had surgery and haven't ridden for three weeks. Downhill time was 2nd best ever and probably 20 seconds faster than average, and it felt like a very average effort because I'm still sore from the foot surgery and I was riding with my dog.

Suspension is nearly dialed after today. I know it's highly personal, but I seem to always run less air pressure than recommended and run rebound a few clicks slower than Fox suggests for my weight. I'm guessing this is because they set it for people interested in jumps and I'm mostly interested in buttery smooth, high speed rocky/rooty sections.

X01 eagle seems loud and clanky compared to my 10 speed XT. Any shifting under the lightest load sounds like shit is coming apart. My kid that works at a bike shop said that's pretty normal for SRAM. Guide RSC brakes have more modulation that the XT's but I have to get used to that, I have a little panic when they don't bite hard right away.

All in all, pretty happy, I think this'll be a fun bike and I'm looking forward to some real rides.

[dfinn]

run rebound a few clicks slower than Fox suggests for my weight. I'm guessing this is because they set it for people interested in jumps and I'm mostly interested in buttery smooth, high speed rocky/rooty sections.

That's a bit backwards I think, generally faster rebound is better for high speed rough trail. It keeps the fork moving and working with the terrain.

[Dantheman]

That's a bit backwards I think, generally faster rebound is better for high speed rough trail. It keeps the fork moving and working with the terrain.

And rebound is dependent on air pressure, so if ZZZ is running less pressure than recommended he should need less rebound damping to get the same rebound speed/recovery, not more. I'm running the rebound wide open on my kid's bike because the shock only has 50 psi in it. Running too much/too slow rebound is one of the top ways people screw up their suspension setup (BT; DT). Rebound should be set just slow enough that it doesn't top out harshly and/or buck you off the bike, no slower. Maybe turn it down a couple clicks for smooth jump lines or low-speed technical jank.

[zion zig zag]

Hmmm, you're right that does seem backwards. The air pump/gauge I use is 20 years old, maybe it's wildly inaccurate?

It feels good, and I'm not blowing through travel. When I'm back to 100% the LBS said they'd let me use their shockwiz, it'll be interesting to see what it it says. In the meantime, I'll tinker.

[mcc98c]

Everything is fine with them.

[zion zig zag]

After further reflection (really more of an oh yeah, duh moment), I should probably turn LSR/HSR back to recommended setting and mess with LSC/HSC knobs a bit. Add a bit of LSC to avoid slow speed brake dive and less HSC for the butter smooth rocky sections?

[Dantheman]

Yeah, that's a good place to start.

[jdadour]

Any thoughts on using offset bushings or angleset to reduce head angle by a degree? Just got a 2019 Sentinel, and contemplating making it a touch steeper and testing it out.

[Andeh]

Ride it first for a while. I have never once said while riding mine, "gee, I wish this had a steeper HTA." Whereas on my Smuggler, I have wished it was slacker.

[toast2266]

After further reflection (really more of an oh yeah, duh moment), I should probably turn LSR/HSR back to recommended setting and mess with LSC/HSC knobs a bit. Add a bit of LSC to avoid slow speed brake dive and less HSC for the butter smooth rocky sections?

If the goal is smoothness through chunky rocks, and you're not having issues with blowing through your travel, I'd 1) reduce air pressure a smidge, 2) open up LSC most of the way, and 3) speed up LSR and HSR as much as you can deal with (HSR should probably be more open than LSR).

From there, dial in bigger hit performance and bottom out resistance with HSC. Add back in a bit of LSC if the bike feels unsupportive in the back or divey in the front. If it feels bucky through compressions, add a touch of HSR. If it's topping out, add LSR until it's not clunking.

Of course, don't do all of that stuff at once. One, or maybe two tweaks at a time. And put some stanchion lube on everything to make it feel buttery.