Looks great. I'm interested to hear your impressions on the ride. In particular, how does it climb and how good/bad in the pedal bob under power?
...how good/bad in the pedal bob under power?
This is definitely a worry for us hardtails guys
Okay after a few rides with the rear sag just below 25% with low rebound. Here are my impressions.
Me: 175lb 5'10
Bike: Trail oriented build, Just under 26lb, Medium SL frame
Feels very planted and fast on flow trails. It handles small rock feilds so well you can stay focused on the next turn. The light weight and 29in wheels carries momentum up hill easily. I almost crash on the low angle ups by taking turns too fast. I have zero pedal bob when sitting. Minor pedal bob happens doing powerful standing up climbs but, it is far from an annoyance.
On more technical trails with big rocks everywhere the bike gets push around a bit. The slack front really helps and doesn't have any pedal bob ever (unlike the stumpjumper new evo I tried). I specifically noticed the amazing slack front on very steep and rocky areas. The set back stance makes me feel very secure and gives me the confidence to navigate techinical areas with speed. While this bike isn't as equipped for downhill as some of the higher travel trail bikes I have tried(Pivot 429 comes to mind), it is super fun and capable.
This is an amazing bike for anyone trying to get a more capable XC bike with solid trail performance. I don't see any downsides to the modern geometry. For me in Colorado, this bike will make an excellent jack of all trades