Initial impressions" First of all, what a great bike!!! I'm coming off of a 29er hardtail so it is a lot different. It weighs 25 lbs where as the HT weighed 22. Can't really say a feel a huge weight difference in the bike but the FS is a smoother bike. The HT is more playful and you can throw it around if you need to. The FS is a bike that you ride and steer, not flip it around but it's still fast! If you know anything about cars i would equate these two bikes as if you were comparing a BMW to an Audi. The BMW has a stiffer suspension and a ride that allows you to feel the road more. The Audi is more luxurious and insulates you more from the road. Both are sporty and capable cars though!
So the M06 specifically. There is a lot to get used although all good! I like the slack headtube. Combined with the short chainstays it turns really well but different. It's almost like driving a vehicle with 4 wheel steering. As you enter the turn, especially a tight switchback, you feel like there's no way you're going to make the turn. Then when you approach the apex, the rear end comes right around as if someone one was steering it. That's what i mean when i say it feels like it has 4 wheel steering. The front steers a little slower than the rear. Just something to be aware of. It soaks up all the bumps without feeling mushy. When you take a big hit you can feel the seatstays spring back as the shock wants to bottom out giving you a little bounce back from the drop. Not throwing you off but just enough spring back to help the shock rebound. I like the feeling! It has been a very easy bike to ride. It feels natural, almost a part of me. I don't have to think about how to ride it. I just follow the trail and react and the bike does what i want it to. All i can say is......very natural!
Small bump compliance is very good! I can now pedal through rooty and rocky sections that i used to coast through. Rear grip is very good. I run tubeless tires with 26-27lbs in the rear. I'm still dialing in the shock and have sent it out to be tuned. From the factory the compression is spot on but the rebound needed just a little tweak to make it perfect for myself and the bike. Those who have not experienced X-Fusion products, don't let the price fool you. They are great components. I've been extremely pleased with them.
As far as suspension bob goes, i haven't noticed any at all! Now, i am using an oval chainring and i know it's not going to take out all the bob but so far bob has not been an issue. When i ride on pavement you can hear the cadence of what you think would be bob but when you look at the shock, nothing is moving. Again, could be the oval chainring is helping. Who knows. One thing i can say about the oval chairing is that it definitely helps on the upstroke. I try to concentrate on an even circular pedal motion and the oval chainring gives me more power on the upstroke for sure. We'll see what the long term affects are.
It's been raining here all week so trails are closed. Looks like in a few days i'll be able to ride again and see what she can do! So far i have been very happy with the bike. It does everything i wanted it to do and does it well. It feels stable and sturdy underneath me and it is fast!! Just what the doctor ordered
