Proutster's New Reign

Proutster
Proutster Posts: 785
edited March 2014 in Your mountain bikes
Here's a quick taster pic or two of my new baby, more & full specs to follow:

2013-11-19101236_zps894d4979.jpg

2013-11-19101322_zps0a6ded8c.jpg

And sandwiched in between his bigger and smaller brothers - pity that the Trance has to go, to make room, but that's life - it's been emotional :D

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Comments

  • Bit of a chavvy move buying an AMG merc then buying the matching plates just in case anyone's eyesight is so bad they miss all the AMG badges Mercedes provide you with. I do hope that's not the replacement for your Landy.
  • DodgeT
    DodgeT Posts: 2,255
    Nice, that came quick!
    First outing sat?
  • Bit of a chavvy move buying an AMG merc then buying the matching plates just in case anyone's eyesight is so bad they miss all the AMG badges Mercedes provide you with. I do hope that's not the replacement for your Landy.

    Nowt to do with me mate, I've still got the Gaylander. Must've been some posh bloke popping to the gun shop on the corner - not surprisingly the police do a pretty quick turnout when that alarm goes off....
  • DodgeT wrote:
    Nice, that came quick!
    First outing sat?

    Yes, just over a week from France.

    Unfortunately not, I've got to heli-tape the frame and swap over lots of bits first. So Saturday will probably be the last trip out for the Trance :(
  • "Black and yellow, black and yellow"

    Yeah, uh huh, you know what it is
    Everything I do, I do it big
    Yeah, uh huh, screamin' that's nothin'
    When I pulled off the lot, that's stuntin'

    Reppin' my town when you see me
    You know everything
    Black and yellow, black and yellow
    Black and yellow, black and yellow

    Actually it's lime green :wink:
  • Just finished stripping the bike down ready for heli-taping and then swapping lots of bits from my Trance.

    Before I did that, I couldn't resist popping the Pikes onto it to see how it looks - ignore the steerer, that'll be sorted when I build it up properly. Anyway, here are some before and afters:

    Firstly with the 150mm Revelations:

    2013-11-18191458_zpsb24b39ca.jpg

    And then with the Dual Position Air Pikes set at 160mm:

    2013-11-22191719_zps594b6d1d.jpg

    2013-11-22191831_zps2ffe4ea3.jpg

    Pretty pleased with the look, the 35mm stantions on the Pikes look so much better than the 32mm Revelations - every time I see a bike with 32mm forks at 150mm they look noodly!!

    Heli-taping to be done on Sunday (out for a last ride on the Trance in The Peaks tomorrow :D ) then to start building it back up.
  • CitizenLee
    CitizenLee Posts: 2,227
    Looking good mate, and great upgrade from the Trance!

    Jealous of those Pikes! :mrgreen:
    Current:
    NukeProof Mega FR 2012
    Cube NuRoad 2018
    Previous:
    2015 Genesis CdF 10, 2014 Cube Hyde Race, 2012 NS Traffic, 2007 Specialized SX Trail, 2005 Specialized Demo 8
  • CitizenLee wrote:
    Looking good mate, and great upgrade from the Trance!

    Jealous of those Pikes! :mrgreen:

    Cheers mate.

    I'll take some in-progress pics tonight and post them up.

    It'll be interesting to see the weight when finished as an initial weigh-in, as it was when I received it, was 31.25lbs without pedals on my super-accurate £5 EBay special fishing scales. The Trance, before I stripped it and swapped bits over was 32.5lbs...
  • CitizenLee
    CitizenLee Posts: 2,227
    Proutster wrote:
    CitizenLee wrote:
    Looking good mate, and great upgrade from the Trance!

    Jealous of those Pikes! :mrgreen:

    Cheers mate.

    I'll take some in-progress pics tonight and post them up.

    It'll be interesting to see the weight when finished as an initial weigh-in, as it was when I received it, was 31.25lbs without pedals on my super-accurate £5 EBay special fishing scales. The Trance, before I stripped it and swapped bits over was 32.5lbs...

    Yeah, will be good to see some more pics! Will be interesting to see how it measures up against the Trance too. I'm anxious to see if my Mega will be lighter or heavier than my old SX Trail.
    Current:
    NukeProof Mega FR 2012
    Cube NuRoad 2018
    Previous:
    2015 Genesis CdF 10, 2014 Cube Hyde Race, 2012 NS Traffic, 2007 Specialized SX Trail, 2005 Specialized Demo 8
  • rockmonkeysc
    rockmonkeysc Posts: 14,774
    Very nice. I always wished I had got one of these instead of the Reign X.
    Good ride and absolutely bomb proof.
  • pesky_jones
    pesky_jones Posts: 2,890
    Whats the difference between the dual posistion and the rct3s? apart from the colour
  • lawman
    lawman Posts: 6,868
    Whats the difference between the dual posistion and the rct3s? apart from the colour

    Dual position is the air spring, it has two settings, 160 or 120 iirc. Other option is fixed travel solo air, neither is better or worse, but given I never used the travel adjust on an old set of forks I had I'd always go solo air. RCT3 is the top of the range damper, the other option is RC which is less adjustable but both use the charger cartridge afaik.
  • lawman wrote:
    Whats the difference between the dual posistion and the rct3s? apart from the colour

    Dual position is the air spring, it has two settings, 160 or 120 iirc. Other option is fixed travel solo air, neither is better or worse, but given I never used the travel adjust on an old set of forks I had I'd always go solo air. RCT3 is the top of the range damper, the other option is RC which is less adjustable but both use the charger cartridge afaik.

    Mine are RCT3 Dual Position Airs - 160mm & 130mm - feel very plush when just sat on the bike. Need to get them set-up properly for sag tonight and then see how they are on tomorrow night's ride.
  • rockmonkeysc
    rockmonkeysc Posts: 14,774
    I have dual position solo air revs. I can only get them set nicely in one position or the other. Not as good as the old u-turn travel adjust.
  • pesky_jones
    pesky_jones Posts: 2,890
    I have dual position solo air revs. I can only get them set nicely in one position or the other. Not as good as the old u-turn travel adjust.

    Think Ive got them as well. you manually turn the dial to wind it down to 120 from 150? Rockshox rev rlts? remote lockout.

    They feel a bit flimsy tbh might get some pikes.
  • I have dual position solo air revs. I can only get them set nicely in one position or the other. Not as good as the old u-turn travel adjust.

    Think Ive got them as well. you manually turn the dial to wind it down to 120 from 150? Rockshox rev rlts? remote lockout.

    They feel a bit flimsy tbh might get some pikes.

    I used to have some Sektor U-Turns and these seem a lot better than that endless winding on the U-turn, simply a quarter of a turn then either lift up on the forks (to extend from 130 to 160mm) or push down (to go from 160 to 130mm) and jobs a good un.

    Apparently, from reading the mtbr forum, there's no effect on the damping either - some people are running the dual position airs all of the time at 130mm to suit their frame.

    First ride tomorrow will tell.....
  • rockmonkeysc
    rockmonkeysc Posts: 14,774
    It's not a problem if you always run them in one position or the other but if you regularly adjust them there is a noticable damping change between the two positions.
    I'm planning on replacing mine with Pikes next year for a bit more stiffness.
  • Here it is at the end of last night's fettling and before tonight's:

    2013-12-02175017_zpse978c3b9.jpg
  • Proutster
    Proutster Posts: 785
    edited December 2013
    All finished!!

    It was a late night, but got everything done and it's now on the back of the car ready for tonight's shake-down ride :D:D

    PB290179_zps0b5b15f6.jpg

    PB290180_zps752e64d5.jpg

    Weight - according to my cheapo, £5 EBay-special fishing scales, is 31.8lb / 14.42Kg.

    Not bad as the Trance - with the same wheels & tyres, bars & controls, cranks & pedals, Reverb - was 31.5lb. So I've gone to 160mm at the front, 35mm stantions, 150mm at the rear for an extra 0.3lb!

    Full Spec (in case anyone's interested) is:

    Frame: Giant Reign 2013, Aluxx (Aluminium)
    Rear Shock: Rockshox Monarch RL High Volume Rear Shock, 150mm travel
    Forks: Rockshox Pike RCT3 Dual Position Air, 160mm/130mm
    Bars: Answer Pro-taper DH, 780mm
    Stem: Gusset Staff, 50mm
    Headset: FSA
    Grips: Lizard Skin Peaty Lock-ons

    Front Brake: Formula RX
    Front disc: 203mm
    Rear Brake: Formula RX
    Rear Disc: 180mm

    Front Shifter: SRAM X5
    Front Mech: SRAM X7 Direct Mount
    Rear Shifter: Shimano XT
    Rear Mech: Shimano SLX Shadow Plus, Medium Cage (GS)
    Chain Device: MRP 2X

    Seat: Giant Performance Trail
    Seat Post: Rockshox Reverb, 125mm rise

    Cranks: Shimano SLX
    Chainring(s): Shimano SLX, 26/38
    Pedals: Superstar Nano Flats

    Wheels: Superstar AM-490 on Superstar Switch Hubs
    Front Tyre: Maxxis Swampthing, Wire-bead, Single-Ply, Supertacky, 2.35"
    Back Tyre: Kenda Excavator, Kevlar-bead, DTC, 2.35"
  • rockmonkeysc
    rockmonkeysc Posts: 14,774
    That's a good weight for a big bike and you have a strong build as well. Should be a good ride.
  • Love the look of those pikes.

    Just a shame there 15mm axle only 20mm or nothing for me.
  • CitizenLee
    CitizenLee Posts: 2,227
    Those wheels are the icing on the cake Proutster!
    Love the look of those pikes.

    Just a shame there 15mm axle only 20mm or nothing for me.

    Due to non-convertible hubs or just preference?
    Current:
    NukeProof Mega FR 2012
    Cube NuRoad 2018
    Previous:
    2015 Genesis CdF 10, 2014 Cube Hyde Race, 2012 NS Traffic, 2007 Specialized SX Trail, 2005 Specialized Demo 8
  • Just been out for a shake-down ride and I farkin love it!!

    The forks are super plush but have a bottomless feel, used all but about 20mm of travel on some pretty steep stuff and the whole bike felt superb.

    Patting my own back, I'm also pretty pleased with my spannering - not a rattle, squeak or owt. Gears indexed perfectly etc. god I'm good :wink:

    Out again tomorrow evening, around The Goyt Valley - bring it on!
  • CitizenLee
    CitizenLee Posts: 2,227
    Proutster wrote:
    Just been out for a shake-down ride and I farkin love it!!

    The forks are super plush but have a bottomless feel, used all but about 20mm of travel on some pretty steep stuff and the whole bike felt superb.

    Patting my own back, I'm also pretty pleased with my spannering - not a rattle, squeak or owt. Gears indexed perfectly etc. god I'm good :wink:

    Out again tomorrow evening, around The Goyt Valley - bring it on!

    Dirty pics or it didn't happen :lol:
    Current:
    NukeProof Mega FR 2012
    Cube NuRoad 2018
    Previous:
    2015 Genesis CdF 10, 2014 Cube Hyde Race, 2012 NS Traffic, 2007 Specialized SX Trail, 2005 Specialized Demo 8
  • CitizenLee wrote:
    Proutster wrote:
    Just been out for a shake-down ride and I farkin love it!!

    The forks are super plush but have a bottomless feel, used all but about 20mm of travel on some pretty steep stuff and the whole bike felt superb.

    Patting my own back, I'm also pretty pleased with my spannering - not a rattle, squeak or owt. Gears indexed perfectly etc. god I'm good :wink:

    Out again tomorrow evening, around The Goyt Valley - bring it on!

    Dirty pics or it didn't happen :lol:

    Sorry, as it's my new toy I showed it some love and gave it a rinse straight after the ride - will try to remember tomorrow :D
  • lawman
    lawman Posts: 6,868
    Love the look of those pikes.

    Just a shame there 15mm axle only 20mm or nothing for me.

    Seems silly to discount them on the axle alone, I bet in a blind test you wouldn't be able to tell which axle it had.
  • lawman wrote:
    Love the look of those pikes.

    Just a shame there 15mm axle only 20mm or nothing for me.

    Seems silly to discount them on the axle alone, I bet in a blind test you wouldn't be able to tell which axle it had.

    I'd agree - on a long, steep descent on the edge of The Peaks last night that had intermittent boulders varying from 6" to 24" randomly placed on it, I was able to either pick my way through the rocks, plough through them or hop off them and the fork / axle / wheel felt as stiff as the Boxxers (with 20mm axle) on my Mondraker Summum DH bike.

    But perhaps I'm a pussy that rides slowly?

    I'm lucky though, all of my front wheels are convertible to whatever axle I need (Superstar Switch FTW!) - perhaps that's why they're no good for Thewaylander?

    For the cost of a new hub and a front wheel re-build, it would be worth it - I've heard nothing but good things from everyone that has the Pikes, including me :D
  • angry_bird
    angry_bird Posts: 3,786
    Very nice :D
  • Very nice. I think I need to have a go on some pikes.