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Letter of the Month
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Dear MBT:
I was reading your review on the Trek fuel EX-6 and you stated that for the money you have found other bike that out perform this one. Which other bikes did you find in the same class?
I'm getting ready to add a FS to my arsenal, but not looking to spend a lot of cash. I ride a lot of tight technical single track with moderately steep yet long climbs that lead to bombing descents. My alternate trails have 40-50 down hills that are nearly straight down followed by uphill sections that aren't a whole lot flatter.
I'm looking for a good climber with minimal pedal bob that can handle the steep descents without ghost shifting on me; maybe throw a few 6' drops onto transitions with a ton of flat trails between features. Componentry not a real big deal as I can always upgrade shifters, cranks etc at a later date.
I'm currently running a K-2 hardtail (don't laugh) with XTR v-brakes, rockshox dart-3 fork, truvativ psylo cranks with Crank Bros. Mallet C clipless pedals. XT front and rear derailiurs with shimano rapid fire shifters, Titec Hellbent OS stem and bars and getting ready to pick up a set of Sun rims.
Any suggestions would be helpful.
Thanks and Regards,
Mike Sullivan
Mike:
Indeed, the Trek Fuel EX-6 is an excellent selection for your jump into the world of dual suspension. For its $1400 MSRP, the only bikes that managed to one-up the EX-6’s spec sheet for a similar price were those that could only be ordered factory direct (Ibex, Woodstock, Kinley). As it stands, the Trek held up very well to our abuse and while we had some minor complaints, we did end the review by reminding readers that the same geometry numbers have gone on to earn industry-wide accolades on a majority of the upper-tier Fuel EX models, proving that individual component upgrades could potentially iron out the rough spots.
Even though you mentioned that components aren’t on your short list of concerns, here are the areas we would have eventually focused on to make the EX-6 a world-class bike.
Our test rider complaints basically boiled down to two major camps:
1) Nervousness during extended climbs
2) Tendency to wash out during aggressive cornering on flat terrain
We took a long hard look at the spec sheets of all nine of the Trek Fuel models in effort to establish a base of the component choices through the upper echelons of the product line. It turns out the engineers at Trek remedied the handling bugs of the lower-middle tier Fuels by slapping slightly longer travel rear ends (120 vs. 100mm) and adjustable travel forks on the pricier versions. The logic behind their spec changes was clearly to offer riders the ability to reduce the front suspension travel on flat ground (to take some of the rider weight off the rear) and to increase it on the fly for steep descents.
If money were no object, we would recommend upgrading to a Fox Talas RLC fork. However, there are much cheaper means of achieving the same type of weight distribution such as an adjustable seat-post or slightly longer stem.
To counter the tendency of washing out in turns, not only will adjusting the weight balance on the bike help you out, we suggest looking at a rubber upgrade as well. Bontrager's ACX tires are reasonably good all around models, but it's easy and cheap to upgrade those to some grippier treads. Kenda's Nevegal and Blue Groove, Hutchinson Spider, Tioga Extreme XC and Geax Sturdy offer great performance at reasonable prices. Your local terrain and trail conditions will dictate the best tire for you as well, so see what everyone else is riding and pick their brains a little bit too.
For making us think, we’re going to send you a $20 gift certificate to spend at Evomo. Go get yourself a kick ass shirt, and send us a snapshot of you rocking it out: www.evomo.com/
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Dear MBT:
I was seriously considering the Marin Quake 7.3 as my single choice bike for the gravity riding I like to do. A buddy of mine convinced me that the quad-link rear suspension design has many moving parts and thus requires more maintenance than some of the other single pivot models I am considering (Ventana El Cuervo and Santa Cruz Bullit). Is there truth to this concern your opinion?
Kris Olenburg
Kris,
Great question and definitely a good way to kick off the month’s column. Here’s the deal- there is certainly a kernel of truth buried in the idea that the more moving parts, the more pieces to maintain/ replace. The reality of course is that the Quake will likely demand very little (if any) additional maintenance over comparable downhill ridden bikes regardless of how many links, bearings, or pivots it may contain. What the Marin lacks in clean middle-of-the-frame looks, it makes up for with an amazingly active rear suspension that many bikes emulate but few duplicate. Of the other two models you mentioned, the spread of your interests is still fairly wide. The Ventana stunts the Marin’s 7.3 inches of travel by boasting an incredible nine inches of squish. Of course the progressive linkage means that while a single pivot drives the shock, it becomes incrementally stiffer as it moves through its travel thanks to linear changes in the leverage ratio. This frame would be your best bet for serious downhill competition usage. The Bullit is by far the most “playful” of your three choices and while some are enamored by its old school geometry numbers and simplicity in its design, this bike would be your best choice if you spend some of your gravity time pedaling or occasionally visit some trails. As it stands, think of the Ventana and Santa Cruz representing the two extremes and the Marin smack dab in the middle.
Dear MBT:
Had a Titus RX-1 that I pretty much adored but parted ways with (regretfully) for money toward school. With graduation quickly approaching, I am considering making the move on the much-hyped Pivot brand; probably the Mach-4. You guys occasionally mention the DW-link in your reviews and I’m wondering if that should be the deal-maker or breaker on the Pivot.
Kind Regards,
Ron Tannen
Rob,
For the record, we’ve yet to even receive a press kit on the new Pivot bikes so our collective knowledge on the subject is yet limited at best. However, having tested (and even owned personally) a few DW-link equipped bikes throughout recent seasons, we can speak intelligently on the effectiveness of the design. Many of our test riders swear by it as do hordes of satisfied Ibis Mojo owners. What makes the Pivot brand’s claim of revolutionizing the industry even slightly feasible doesn’t involve the concept of the DW-link specifically but rather the unique approach to clearance issues commonly associated with the design. These issues are addressed with a direct-mount front derailleur and extra wide bottom bracket shell. Whether or not this configuration manages to improve upon an already well-regarded design is yet to be seen. In the meantime, Pivot, if you are reading this: We would be interested in a press kit.
Dear MBT:
I know you guys must get a hundred “which bike should I buy?” questions every month so I won’t add to the problem. However, I’ve been giving a lot of thought to upgrading to the Ibis Mojo SL (from an Ellsworth Truth). I ride just about everything and wonder if I’m just bored and looking for a new toy with which to plop down that Economic Stimulus tax rebate. I figure this would be a good way to inject a little money back into the failing American economy.
Mike Strigler
Mike,
Well, questions like yours are always difficult if for nothing else, because they are very personal decisions that nobody else in the world is qualified to make on your behalf. That said we hold the Mojo SL in very high regard and quite frankly, would love to get a hold of one for testing purposes ourselves. If you feel there is a lot of life left in your Truth and that it handles the type of riding you enjoy, why send a loyal friend packing? Buying a new bike is the right idea for a whole plethora of reasons but typically boredom isn’t one of them. If it were our money (and just to be clear, our tax rebate checks were spent long before they were even issued) we would probably hold onto the Truth and purchase a Mojo frame with our tax return. This way we would still be out romping as usual, while slowly enjoying the carefully selected component build-up project of a great second bike.
Dear MBT:
Simple question for you. Kore bolt on grips- yay or nay?
Shaun M.
Shaun,
Yay if you commonly experience twisting grips while you ride. Perhaps a bit of overkill if you don’t. We asked around and found that our BMX-style urban rider friends were more impressed with them than our XC types. Then again we make it a common practice here at MBT to use hair spray when installing new grips when grip glue isn’t available so we’re probably not the best source for info on the subject. If you’re still torn, allow us to leave you with this: More leverage on one of the few areas where your body connects with the bike is almost always a good thing.
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Attention ASK MBT fans: You’ve always got questions and we like to think that we have the answers but now you could earn some swag just for putting our collective melons to the test. In each issue we will choose a winning question or comment to become Letter of the Month and send its author $20 toward the Evomo online store. What are you waiting for? Get hammering on those keyboards.
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