Just over a year ago she bought be an Enigma Ego Ti frame for my 40th. She worked very hard to get it, for which I am eternally grateful. I built it up according to its intended application – basically an XT build with a 100mm SID RLT, AC wheels, Enigma Carbon and Thomson finishing kit.

But heres the crunch. Its very nice in the summer, smooth, quick and a joy to flick around and feels absolutely “right”. But in the winter in forest slop it feels like extra hard work over other bikes, a real slog. I’d swear the fork feels wooden, the grip (on Mud X) isn’t akin to other bikes – just really hard work to ride. I’d never change it, and so swapping for something else isn’t an option.

Why might this be? Geo? The fork? Any thoughts which might help?

Try a Change of tyres and service the forks before going crazy building a new bike.

Try some Beavers

Build yourself a single speed for the winter.
After all, you don’t want to trash the beautiful present she got you. 😀

So get another bike if you think it’s a bit shit.

uselesshippy – I have a shed-build SS – its just not sociable when riding in a group.

iolo – did you not see? It has sentimental value. And it isn’t shit in the right conditions, in fact its very good/fast. Its no compensator though, definately more XC race than all day social in the comfort stakes.

I didn’t mean to offend. My post should have said “get another bike for when this one is shit”

Well I could take the full suss out I s’pose… all that mud an all those bearings though…. 😐

Get the Turner you’ve been lusting after. With the bushings they make great winter bikes

You wont hurt her feelings should you decide to change the tyres would you? She’ll not even notice?

After all, you don’t want to trash the beautiful present she got you.

Actually you have a valid point here 😀

davosaurusrex – Member
Get the Turner you’ve been lusting after. With the bushings they make great winter bikes

I hate you…. then again the Yeti only has 2 at the bottom so….

Muss Ed – I like Nobby Nics on other bikes, could whack those on and try them through the slop (my FS copes fine with them all year) My MUD X’s do feel a bit plasticky… Other options for a compliant tyre? I tried a 2.4 RoRo and it just screwed the rebound on the fork TBH.

Get your wife to work a bit harder again for a bit so you can afford an enigma winter bike?

Think big is my advice.

Try specialized storms if you want a mud tyre, they’re far better than mud-x imho

No more mechanical thoughts, so we think its the tyres being a bit dull then?

uselesshippy – I have a shed-build SS – its just not sociable when riding in a group.

Since when has singlespeeding not been a sociable activity?

What you need is a fat bike

Get a 130mm Solo air Revelation, 50/60mm stem and 740mm+ bar.

It’d all rather upset the geometry of the frame JTL…

Rule #5.

I’ve an ageing 456 as a winter HT – it’s heavy & cumbersome all year round so I don’t notice it in the slop 🙂

I think I’ll put some Nic’s back on it and see how it rides with those to see if it is the tyres causing the issue, but I am thinking maybe I’ll not use it in the winter, I’ll just revert to the SS.

I may back off the Threshold on my fork to get some less HSC damping too, just to see if its the fork causing me issues, one step at a time though.

You’re in transition, give it a few weeks and you’ll acclimatise and get used to working harder. Nowt wrong with you’re bike you lucky man.