Instead of a Reader’s Ride this week we bring you a rather OTT (or is it?) staff testbed bike.
Your Name
Benji Haworth
Bike
Cannondale Bad Habit frame, XL
Fork
Fox Podium 170mm. Set to recommended PSI. All damping dials set to middle, to begin with.
Shock
Fox Float X. 30% sag. All damping set to middle also.
Wheels
RaceFace Turbine 29 front, Arrow Carbon Hope Pro4 27.5 rear
Tyres
Kenda Pinner Pro front (25psi), Maxxis Forekaster rear (27psi). Cushcore XC insert in the the rear. Nutrak sealant (watered down a bit; more kefir than yoghurt).
Drivetrain
Shimano XT Di2. 165mm cranks. 32T chainring. 10-51T cassette.
Brakes
Shimano XTR with TRP rotors (203/203).
Cockpit
DMR Defy 35mm stem. DMR Sweeper 12° 35mm handlebars. Gusset Sleeper push-on grips.
Seatpost
PNW Loam 225mm dropper (30.9mm shimmed to 34.9mm). Ye olde Crankbrothers remote (still the best remote ever IME).
Saddle
WTB Rocket
Accessories
Fidlock bottle
Why this bike?
You mean, aside from the ‘Black with WOW colors’ paintjob? In all semi-seriousness, I’ve got this bike (frame) in for a couple of reasons. Partly to act as another test bed for the ‘TrailDuro’ typre of product we need to review. And partly (mainly) to deliberately challenge some of my assumptions about stuff. As a really expensive frame made out of carbon with hella short chainstays and mahaoosive (even for me) reach, it’s quite far from my usual vibe.
After one shakedown ride, I can confirm: this is a very surprising bike.
We need to see more of YOUR bikes!
We’ve rejigged the Reader’s Ride online form and pic uploader to make it clearer, quicker and simpler
We’ll be rewarding any submission published with a piece of STW merch. NB: they don’t have to be new bikes. Or expensive bikes. Or even clean bikes. We want to see real bikes from real riders
Check out all the previous Reader’s Rides
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Nah, not OTT. Great paint job. Up there with the purple-blue-glittery flip paint on the recent ‘not-bad’ Habit:
Out of interest – why go for an XL and make a comment about the mahoosive reach, then shove the saddle so far forwards?
Also on geometry, proportional geometry is the current new emperor’s clothes, so I’m keen to hear how you get on with the long reach + short chainstays.
Especially as I’ve just assembled a XL 29er hardtail with 500mm reach and 430mm chainstays.
huge reach (whether its a good idea or not with regards to downhill performance, TBC) necessitates a steeper effective seat angle to be able to pedal the thing when you’re on the bottom of the size range.
Tyres brands don’t match and needs yellow pedals and pink grips (or vice versa). Nice build otherwise.