Ur, late reply to this, but its a really nice comfortable ride. I have destickered the wheels,ODI grips fitted, tubeless was easy, stripped the cranks and packed the BB30 bearings with Phils grease. Checked there is a drainage hole in there, as that’s what goosed the bearings in my Jekyll. Changed the saddle for a Charge spoon, which has saved 30 grms !! Ordered some carbon bars and changed the rear Sram 1030 cassette for an XT, which is 70 gr saving. Waiting on the bars, but currently is 25.9lb with pedals and rear guard. Riding the Robs was grippier than I expected. Never had any real sketchy moments , except where it was just sheer clay mud, which even a mud tyre would struggle, judging by my mates riding with theirs.
Not 100% Sram shifting happy. Shifters feel cramped and an upshift is silent and you cant tell how many you have done without looking back. Might ‘upgrade’ to XT at some point.
The lefty. I don’t notice anything wrong with the ride it creates. Very linear with its travel, silent and quite impressive. I haven’t set it up yet, just letting it run free to bed itself in. A mate bought a 2014 Specialized Crave Expert, at the same time, with Rebas on the front and he rode the Dale and was stunned at the way it worked. I ‘think’ he needs to fettle his forks, but in comparison, they were just terrible.
Avid brakes, I changed the pads to sintered clarks and they are not great in the wet. Howling, screaming and no real braking. I might buy some Uber pads and try those, although I am considering some Uber floating discs, as that might work better than the standard HS1 discs.
Overall, for my first 29 er and having been unwell for a while, which has hampered my riding and the 29 er to give me the incentive to get out. I do want to ride it over other bikes and I am looking forward to long day rides, which is what I bought it for and I am sure it will do that without any issue at all.
For the money, I am really happy and being £300 cheaper and an old model, compared to my mates Spesh, I feel its the better deal for me and a better chassis to upgrade.