Once again it's that time of year when I start lusting over new bikes. This year it started with the search for a slacker 29er steel hardtail--I came up with the Transition TransAm29, which is a sweet 'looking' bike. I say that because I haven't yet the chance to ride one, as noone within 200mi has a demo...but the skyblue paintjob on a steel frame with a ride that has been described as 'damp' by those who have had chance to ride one, and with the slackness and capability of a longer-travel fork, just has me by the balls.
Worth mentioning is that Transition is based in the Seattle area, one of my favorite geographical areas....Lived there for a halfa year once, biked all over the area but wasn't yet but on the cusp of my mountain biking lifestyle.
And the dealer is at Chuck's Bikes, in Vermont , of course my all-time favorite place to be. The frame goes for 650, which wouldn't be too outta line if I stripped my Redline for it. Full bike with Fox 120, 2400....plus Thudbuster...
Moving on to more local offerings, Canton Velo let medemo a Niner Sir9 with gears. Truly a rigid 853 singlespeed, this one was built up with a Reba and SRAM drivetrain. Weighing a pound or two less than my current steed, and sporting lighter, less knobby Conti Race Kings run on tubeless Stans Crest rims, it did feel nicer. I used my Thudbuster as a control point. It was fast but not that much faster, and I was more over the bars than I like. The ECC BB would come in handy if I really wanted to go SS, but even if I did, I don't really like an ECC , as opposed to sliding drops. Not at all an engineer, but I 'think' the larger shell stiffens and weights up the frame too much.
Next I took out the Jet9 demo, also with a Reba, Stans more standard rim and SRAM X7 build including hubs, same tires as the Sir9. Wow, whatta difference! All my energy moved the bike forward. Very efficient design, and about the same weight or maybe even less than the Sir9! I had fun on it and brought it back, reluctantly, but the weather turning to rain and snow just wasn't conducive to riding for a few days.
Both Niners were for sale around the same price(2400-2500)....
So, when I got thinking about it and sliding the idea by the wife and kids, all that speed and efficiency didn't mean a thing, since I don't have any money to spend on a new bike. And all it would do would be to create more bike envy from my son, who apparently wears the same jeans(genes..), and that will only result in more 13 yo angst than I can handle right now.....
But, next chance I get, I'm doing a midnight run up to Morrisville to see about that Transition demo....
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