From “I went for a ride here are some pictures” thread.
It’s a blast on the downhills! Just motors over stuff, and I love leaning it over in the bermed corners it’s just got so much traction. Dropper post lyfe is wonderful, 1x is working fine, wide bars are working well.
I’m struggling with some other things that I’m not sure if it’s just getting used to a new bike with a geometry that I’ve never ridden much, or if it’s more my particular style and terrain so I want to set the bike up differently. (maybe even outside the zone of what the bike was designed for).
Aside from wheel and tire size, a big difference with this new bike is the long wheelbase, long front-center, slack head tube, and lotsa wheel flop.
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Exiting corners, especially swoopy bermed corners, I often run a bit wide at the exit. I swear I’m through the corner fine but it’s like I stopped turning fraction too soon. I think part of this is where my center of gravity is on the bike, the long FC and slack HTA, and how my previous bike handled corners and I simply need to learn to corner differently. Like my butt feels like we’re around the bend but the front wheel is way out there just doing whatever it wants.
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Big wheel flop on even moderate uphill climbs is a major bummer. I feel like I’m putting way too much pressure on my hands and have to really take care to not let the front end wander all over.
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Wheel flop and long FC on walking-speed techy rock sections is annoying. Part of it is just getting used to the front tire being at obstacles a fraction sooner than my previous bike. But also that long FC and wheel flop mean making precise line adjustments seems trickier to keep the bike properly under me for slow speed balance.
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I feel like I REALLY have to lean the bike over hard to get it through corners. Thankfully the tires have plenty of grip and have been predictable and catch-able when they let go. But on tight trails my lean is limited by trees and stuff that stand on the inside of corners so it can feel tough to get the thing to start turning(see #1 about exiting wide this is all related I assume).
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Entry level bike has entry level suspension. I really need a rear shock with some position between open and full hard. Probably could use +10mm fork travel with a bit more adjustment. Right now it doesn’t feel balanced front/rear in terms of suspension performance. I’m also near the upper limit of weight for this bike which probably has a lot to do with it.
Overall the bike is awesome and as Trek’s cheapest full-sus bike it comes equipped with the right stuff to just ride right out of the box. I’m stoked to keep riding it and learn where it excels and where I need to re-learn some habits.