my 96er single speed review and test

so since making my vassago bandersnatch a ridgid with the exotic carbon fiber forks. i had the fox f29 fork leftover. this jeson usa aluminum frame that i had running as a single speed has a steep head angle and made a great 96er conversion.

a spare edge carbon fiber wheel went along with the fox fork and "wala" a new monster is born.

wow...i mean WOW. what a difference. the old 26" wheel and fox talas fork with 150mm travel was just about the same handle bar height so the geo did not change much that way.

what did change was the character of the bike. lighter by three pounds, a 29er front wheel and more of a xc feel than a freeride one.

all of a sudden i can get up and over any rock/root. the front end is snappy and fast. faster reacting suspension and fun fun fun. really this bike is amazing now. it was so "ho-hum" before.

i also changed the easton50 flat bar to a fleagal flat wide sweeping bar. it helps with more torque and control that now are part of this bike. also my wrist are a little happier with the angle they are in.

currently i have a san marco revel saddle trying out. it feels devoid of padding. really just a leather covering, but the shape is the closest to what my butt likes so it is as comfy as my specialized rival that is 100grams heavier. it has these neat little vents that are suppose to cool your derriere, but it seems to be more of a cosmetic thing so far. i mean the vents are 1/2" big.


even on steep decents having this setup keeps me from feeling like i am going over the bars. the handle bars are set higher than my xc racing rigs, that coupled with the 29er front wheel makes this bike almost rock garden ready.
ok, well it still is a xc single speed and i will not be bombing down super crazy rocky stuff, but it feels comfortable enough to ride that stuff.

i have accidently come across a winning combination. this bike came together when one of my blog readers contacted me and gave me this free frame. with spare parts i had enough to make a single speed untill i could afford a 29er frame.
but now i am considering keeping this combination a little longer. it has downsides though. the rear tire does not bite the ground on steep climbs like a 29er. ummmm thats it. most other things are close enough for now.

i will be getting an eccentric bottom bracket, ebb, for this bike as it will eventually go on the 29er single speed. still considering the price point sette razzo, which is a inexpensive aluminum frame. or just go one of the top frames like a one9 niner frame.

Rode little cottonwood canyon temple quarry trail today

rode out from millcreek across wasatch to little cotton wood canyon. there were many roadies out today. slight headwind too.





the first part of the trail is thick and sandy. this really showed how far my cardio has sank as i muddled my way thru it.

then it gets to the hardpack with emmbedded rocks of varying sizes. i plowed foward standing on a 36x28 gear single speed style and it was ok. you really have to pick your lines or use body english at that speed or a big enough rock will stop you in your tracks.

yes there is snow at the top of this trail still. it starts off with a few patches easy to get around.

surprizingly there was very almost no mud. just the one part that always has a slight stream crossing the trail and its all sand there. the ground was tacky and hardpack

then some longer thicker ones. until it just gets to be all snow.