This is my new ride for 2008. I wanted to build a 7x7 Mini DHer and a do it all bike for the 08 season. Most of the races I attend during the race season you dont need a full on 8+ DHer. I took a stock Morewood Shova LT frame and changed it up a little. Stock rear shock is an 8.75 I to I and 2.75 stroke. Stock that =s 7.6 of rear travel and the GEO is 67d HA, 14.5 high BB, and a 72d ST angel. I wanted a slacker feel, a lower BB, and wanted the rear suspension to match up a little better with the RS Totem Air up front. So I decided to try a shorter I to I and shorter stroke rear shock. I put a DHX 5.0 Air 8.5 I to I with a 2.5 stroke on the frame. In result this is what I got.
Bike GEO and Specs:
7 of Rear suspension and 7 of Front Suspension
65 degree HT
22 True TT
14 High BB
44.5 Wheel Base
29 Stand Over
70 degree ST
Build:
Frame Morewood Shova LT Size Large
Rear Shock Fox DHX 5.0 Air
Fork Totem Air
Brakes Formula K24s 8 disc
Truvativ Stylo Cranks 175mm
E-13 LG1 with Taco
Thomson Stem and Seat Post
Azonic OutLaw Wheelset with Michelin Tires setup Tubeless
Bars Sunline V1s
Sram X9 shifter and X9 Mid Cage Derailleur
Sram 26-11 Road Cassette
Cane Creek Head Set
Forté Pro SLX Saddle
Weight? I am thinking its around 35lbs with All Mt Tires on it and 36lbs with DH Tires. I will truly know when I put it on a scale.
The Ride:
I took it on a local shuttle ride this past weekend to put so time on it. This bike is super fun to ride and rails!!!!! The 3 different shuttle runs we did had about everything you could throw at a DH bike. Things I was worried about was; 1: Is a 7er going to be enough, 2: Will it hold up to high speed runs, 3: How stable it would be, and 4: Being a SP design if there was going to be any brake jack? Well it exceeded my expectations and there was very little brake jack at all. The bike is super light and very easy to throw around, jumps as nice as any bike I have had in the past, and pedals really well up and downhill. I was also worried about the DHX air with all the negative feed back on the web. I will have to say it performed really well. It did take some time to set it up right, but almost feels as good as a coil shock. Time will tell if I run into any of the problems those have had in the past with that shock. I do plan to put a Cane Creek DB or the new Rock Shox Vivid shock on it with a TI spring for the 08 race season. For now the reason I am running air front and rear is so that I can set the bike up on the fly for all kinds of riding whether its Cross Country riding, Dirt Jumping, Shuttling, or DH racing. I will get to take it up to one of the best places to ride on the East Coast, Wind Rock TN in Nov. I will give another ride report then.
If you are thinking of building a 7 DHer or a do it all bike; I highly recommend the Morewood Shova LT and my build or a build much like it.
Thanks goes out to the below for helping me out with the build:
Richard, Patrick, and the Morewood crew for thier great sponsorship and helping get me back on the Morewood brand (By far the best service in the industry!!!!)
Michelin for taking care of me for the past 10+ years and making the best DH tires out there
Thomson for thier super light Stems and Seat Posts, plus taking care of me for the past 5 years
Azonic for hooking me up with a great wheelset and the past 10+ years of sponsorship
Sunline for their super light and cool bars, one of my new sponcors for 08
Bike GEO and Specs:
7 of Rear suspension and 7 of Front Suspension
65 degree HT
22 True TT
14 High BB
44.5 Wheel Base
29 Stand Over
70 degree ST
Build:
Frame Morewood Shova LT Size Large
Rear Shock Fox DHX 5.0 Air
Fork Totem Air
Brakes Formula K24s 8 disc
Truvativ Stylo Cranks 175mm
E-13 LG1 with Taco
Thomson Stem and Seat Post
Azonic OutLaw Wheelset with Michelin Tires setup Tubeless
Bars Sunline V1s
Sram X9 shifter and X9 Mid Cage Derailleur
Sram 26-11 Road Cassette
Cane Creek Head Set
Forté Pro SLX Saddle
Weight? I am thinking its around 35lbs with All Mt Tires on it and 36lbs with DH Tires. I will truly know when I put it on a scale.
The Ride:
I took it on a local shuttle ride this past weekend to put so time on it. This bike is super fun to ride and rails!!!!! The 3 different shuttle runs we did had about everything you could throw at a DH bike. Things I was worried about was; 1: Is a 7er going to be enough, 2: Will it hold up to high speed runs, 3: How stable it would be, and 4: Being a SP design if there was going to be any brake jack? Well it exceeded my expectations and there was very little brake jack at all. The bike is super light and very easy to throw around, jumps as nice as any bike I have had in the past, and pedals really well up and downhill. I was also worried about the DHX air with all the negative feed back on the web. I will have to say it performed really well. It did take some time to set it up right, but almost feels as good as a coil shock. Time will tell if I run into any of the problems those have had in the past with that shock. I do plan to put a Cane Creek DB or the new Rock Shox Vivid shock on it with a TI spring for the 08 race season. For now the reason I am running air front and rear is so that I can set the bike up on the fly for all kinds of riding whether its Cross Country riding, Dirt Jumping, Shuttling, or DH racing. I will get to take it up to one of the best places to ride on the East Coast, Wind Rock TN in Nov. I will give another ride report then.
If you are thinking of building a 7 DHer or a do it all bike; I highly recommend the Morewood Shova LT and my build or a build much like it.
Thanks goes out to the below for helping me out with the build:
Richard, Patrick, and the Morewood crew for thier great sponsorship and helping get me back on the Morewood brand (By far the best service in the industry!!!!)
Michelin for taking care of me for the past 10+ years and making the best DH tires out there
Thomson for thier super light Stems and Seat Posts, plus taking care of me for the past 5 years
Azonic for hooking me up with a great wheelset and the past 10+ years of sponsorship
Sunline for their super light and cool bars, one of my new sponcors for 08