any updates on the Hugene ride experience. also how did you size these things - any change up to 'normal'?
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any updates on the Hugene ride experience. also how did you size these things - any change up to 'normal'?
I'm still psyched on mine. It seems like kind of the perfect "aggressive trail bike." It's respectably light, and it does a great job on climbs of balancing efficiency and traction. It's not an enduro sled on the way down, but it's entirely competent. It pops better than it plows, but it's not a mess when things get rough. It's reasonably stable at speed but still manages tighter, techier stuff ok.Quote:
Originally Posted by wendigo
I'm a fan of the long-ish rear end; it corners nicely and doesn't feel unplayful to me. I also like that the BB isn't crazy low - a bit better for pedaling through rocky areas.
For sizing, I (5'9" with long arms and long legs) went with a large. I'm pretty happy with that, although if the seat tube was a smidge steeper (and the top tube a smidge shorter) I wouldn't argue.
My only real complaint so far is that the rear end is kinda flexy. I think that's a product of a fairly light frame with a dual link suspension and really long seat stays. It doesn't really present a problem in terms of the ride, but I regularly buzz the tire on the seatstay in hard corners (even though there's pretty good clearance). Other minor quibbles are that the little cable bungs at the frame ports are fairly useless, the saddle isn't my personal cup of tea, and the handlebar is uncomfortably stiff.
School me on sizing.
My old bike was a 2017 Patrol ("Large", 457mm reach), so I'm coming off of dated geometry. The bike felt fine to me seated/pedaling, but could feel small descending. Sometimes felt like it had small sweet spot on steeper/rougher trails. Would sometimes get comments that it looked small for me.
I'm 6'1" and have always ridden "Larges." I'm looking at a Norco Sight, and their size chart is an outlier compared to other bikes I've considered. I'm firmly an XL (515mm reach) by Norco's rec, and usually in the middle of the L range by most others (~480-485mm). I've parking lot pedaled a S3 GG Smash (481mm), and an XL Spire (510mm) - both felt fine, no revelations either way. Most internet info seems to point to people my size being happy on the XL Sight, the numbers just look huge. Help bring my puzzling/decision paralysis to an end please.
I don't find assessing reach in a parking lot test to be particularly beneficial. Not to say reach doesn't matter (because it does), but a flat parking lot just doesn't lend itself to showing the differences. Kind of like trying to assess head angle differences in a parking lot - you can kind of feel the difference, but you're not gonna know which one you like better until you ride it on real trails.Quote:
Originally Posted by North
An easier parking lot geo test is top tube length. Long reach numbers stretch the bike out, so the keep the top tube from getting crazy long, brands have steepened the seat tube angles. But some bikes have steeper SA's than others. If the seated position is too stretched out, it can get pretty uncomfortable on long climbs. And if you're super stretched out while seated, that's noticeable in a parking lot.
Geo preferences also depends a lot on how long your arms and legs are relative to your height. I (5'9" with long arms and legs) happily ride a large norco range and definitely wouldn't want to size down. I was also happy on an s3 GG smash. Unless you have especially short arms or legs for your height, I would think you'd want to be on an xl norco / s4 GG.
heh - this discussion is going in a helpful direction.
mrs and i ride the same size bike (men's medium) for vastly different reasons.
i'm 5.10 w long arms and legs
she is 5.8 with a long torso (taller than me when seated), short legs - she didn't like cycling until we correctly sized a bike for her, now she loves it.
was trying to figure out the hugene for her - looking for lots of standover, tall stack, average reach. figure if it doesn't fit her then it is mine, but i'm happy with my gg trail pistola and more interested in swapping out her bike (giant trance advanced pro 29 1)
Wendigo, where are you located? I *should* have a size run of Hugenes in 2-3 weeks. I’m in the Boulder area (Niwot), you’re welcome to come check them out.
FWIW - My newer than yours Patrol (MD, 450mm reach) and my Optic (MD, 450mm reach) have similar numbers overall. If anything the Norco should feel bigger (longer top tube) but in reality it feels slightly smaller. Norco thinks I should be on a large, I'm happy with the medium but I feel like on a longer travel bike like the Sight or Range I'd want to go large.Quote:
Originally Posted by North
I'm starting to believe that bike geo numbers are like ski boot flex numbers and companies just make them up.
Some company's numbers are definitely way off. I've measured a few bikes that aren't even remotely close to the published geo chart. Some are pretty accurate though.Quote:
Originally Posted by adrenalated
I’m 6’4”, normally proportioned, and riding an XL Optic. I personally would be happy if the frame was a little bigger overall - I’ve lengthened the stem 10mm, higher rise bars, and have the saddle pushed back a little.Quote:
Originally Posted by North
So for my preferences, it seems like the Norco sizing recs are spot on, since they put me at the top of the height range for an XL.
Quote:
Originally Posted by toast2266
Gracias amigos. Exactly the feedback I was looking for. XL smash wagon en route.Quote:
Originally Posted by J. Barron DeJong
New entry in the market by Marin in the mid-upper $4000s. https://www.marinbikes.com/bikes/202...specifications
Seems like a good price for the spec. Does seem to be a study in contradictions though.
Coil shock and 203rotors/XT 4-pistons with only 125mm travel. Not enough travel to keep up with bigger bikes but also seems like it’ll be pretty hefty and overbuilt for the travel it does have.
It's actually an appealing looking build to me, but I'd want to tie the spring rate on the coil to my weight and not the bike size. I'd hope there'd be some flexibility there.Quote:
Originally Posted by Falcon3
Wonder if they'll come out with a similar Alpine Trail build. Seems like that would be less contradictory.
I have the trail 7 and upgraded to a coil shock and better brakes, and I love it.
Other than the coil shock, those are the same features as my Optic, and I love my bike.Quote:
Originally Posted by Falcon3
I'm also loving my Optic and the overall aggressive spec, and I also love the coil shock on my Patrol, but I absolutely would not want a coil on my Optic.Quote:
Originally Posted by J. Barron DeJong
Apparently I haven’t looked at Marin for a bit, the Alpine Trail carbon 2 looks perfect. $4500! 150/160 carbon frame with a Fox38/DPx2 and SLx/XT parts? Damn.Quote:
Originally Posted by bonewrenched
Great modern geo too, looks very similar to a Sentinel on HT and ST angles. If it can handle a long dropper I’m putting this toward the top of my “Next Bike” list.
I ran a coil on a trail pistol for a bit. It was kinda dumb in a fun way. I bet that Marin is also dumb in a fun way.
Who has spent time on a Knolly Fugitive? Curious about the differences between the previous LT version and the current version.
I have no need for a coil on my Optic, but assuming the progression on the linkage of the Marin is sufficient - and eyeballing it, it looks fairly progressive - I think it would ride perfectly well.Quote:
Originally Posted by adrenalated
Given the short travel, I’m not sure the weight penalty of the coil is necessarily worth it, but that wouldn’t be enough to steer me away from the Marin if I liked the rest of the package for my needs.
Are y'all sitting down? You should sit down for this.
Happy birthday to me! (It's not my birthday)
New-to-me bike day!
Revel Rascal in the house!Attachment 420374
Hell yeah, congrats! Prepare for your mind to be blown.Quote:
Originally Posted by Danno
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Congrats
Yes dude! Congrats. It’s such a great bike.
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Welcome to the new age. Go get loose!
That looks really fun, congrats man
'Bout fkn time Danno, congrats!
You even have a enduro fender on it, how's your quiver of flatbrims looking?
Looks flexy.
Just rode Hall Ranch.Quote:
Originally Posted by Danno
Attachment 420793
Surprising find today:
https://www.jensonusa.com/Ibis-Ripmo...Coil-Bike-2021
Ripmo AF with DVO coil suspension and GX is 10% off, in stock in all sizes. Hard to find a more capable trail bike/light enduro for $4200. Yeah the coils are heavy but the DVO coils have some awesome reviews.
All Ibis AF bikes are 25% off, per a sale from Ibis that started today. Not sure if that also applies to frames.
Just bought a Ripley AF SLX for Mrs C from Jenson - $3225 + $75 shipping. Got the last one in stock in her size.
That is a hell of a deal. Looks like 1 large GX Ripmo AF left. Quite tempting. Actually the coil GX is 33% off. Wow.Quote:
Originally Posted by El Chupacabra
A sale like that sounds like a revised ripmo AF will be dropping in a few weeks.
Thats a great deal. Any idea what a small would weigh? Looking for a bike for my daughter.Quote:
Originally Posted by El Chupacabra
Jenson sent an email this morning saying they're doing a gift card sale / promotion - - depending on how much you spend on the frame or bike, they give you an e gift card in mid August. Messaged their customer service, and my Ripley order from yesterday qualifies!
So on top of that 25% sale, I get a $250 gift card. Excellent.
Other retailers are running it too--some builds have more sizes available at Backcountry.
Fanatik has some Ripley AFs left:
https://www.fanatikbike.com/products...39301195104302
(and a Large NGX)
That GX build is insane. Onyx fork, RSC brakes, Carbon bars, bikeyoke dropper for $3400?! Considering buying it, riding it for a year, then transferring everything to a carbon Sentinel frame once I have a little more in the bike fund. Damn.
I saw a Kona Hei Hei for a pretty good deal in Squamish. Is this the thread in which to post it?
Well I pulled the trigger on a Ripmo AF with JadeX coil from the Jenson sale. Total delivered cost is under $3300 plus a $250 gift card to spend on consumables. She will be a heavy beast but I’m no featherweight easier and I like a little meat on my women.
I prefer Shimano stuff and already have most of an SLX/XT group with 4-pots so I’ll be taking off the RSCs, GX group, and BikeYoke and flipping them to bring the cost down even further.
Pretty stoked once I got over the anxiety of buying a new bike. My current (and first) MTB I bought in early 2019 as a used demo 2017 model, and I’ve upgraded/replaced every single component except the frame. But I think I’ve outgrown it and it never fit 100% anyway.
Man I was waffling and now they're sold out at Jenson. Probably for the best though. I'm also not a SRAM guy, but also don't have another kit sitting around to swap. I was also looking for a large and a medium would have been a compromise. But damn was the price soooo sweet.
Check Pro Bike Supply. I just ordered a Ripley AF for my daughter - same promotional price, not sure what sizes are avail. I've ordered two bikes from them in the past with great experiences.Quote:
Originally Posted by thejongiest