|   So I took out SC' loaner Blur | JimC.
Mar 12, 2003 6:28 PM | | in Vancouver in 100mm of rain. *squish*
Here's my very quick email to SC.
Hope it helps someone, Jim
The frame was a medium, I need a large. The bike has a SIDxc 80mm? fork, it's too flexy; and the brakes are Avid 5 Vbrakes, which barely worked on steeps in today's rain, discs are a must.
All that said, the bike I found didn't climb well, the cockpit was too small for me, by friend's FSR was much better just due to setup. (We both have Bullits too)
The bike descends with the confidence of a Bullit, it's very smooth, I liked it a lot. Beat the pants off the FSR which had the back end hop around a lot.
If I could suggest anything to help you and my kind LBS that loaned me the Blur, it would be to keep the medium frame, put on some discs that modulate well, like maybe Marta or Hope, and find a stem that adjusts, maybe the Syntace? That way the cockpit could be adjustable a bit? Personally a layback post was needed, but that's just me.
The bike's climbing and related bob was bad IMHO: the AVA I couldn't adjust the lower ring (seized) and didn't want to force it. I had bob in the back, but my spinning sucks after years of mashing on flat pedals ;P
The fork: put on at least a Fox or a Marzocchi, the RS SIDxc detracts from the bike's performance.
Of course this advice isn't needed as I know you sell all you make, but it's a very difficult decision on a costly bike, and what I learned today is that fit on the Blur is not easy at best.
It's a great bike, I'm saving up now.
(Large frame, Talas fork, Marta or Hope brakes, and tell Fox to put some setup stuff on their site for the AVA, sheesh!)
I'm no engineer/designer, but a progressive shock from anybody in back would make me happier, but I have no clue as to whether the AVA was set right or not. All I could adjust was the air pressure. Hey, Progessive makes a nice air shock, hmn.....
Cheers, Jim |
| Why is your search exclusive to the Blur Jim? | CTRider
Mar 12, 2003 6:44 PM | | You have a lot of not so great comments about the bike (or is it just with the components that come with the frame that didn't impress such as the forks, brakes and shock?)?
I know you are a huge fan of SC rigs, but why not give a few other brands at least a try or chance? Or can't you find any other shops to let you demo other rigs?
It sounds like you are in search of a Trail bike that can do XC, so others like the HH 100x, A Switchblade, A Belair, a 2Step, a Turner Burner, or even an XCE if you could find one, a Foes FXR, etc. etc. come to mind. Any thoughts on giving other makes and models a go before totally commiting to a Blur?
You have to save for the Blur anyway, might as well give some other brands a shot while saving right? It certainly wouldn't be a painful process.
Now I'm not saying take as long as I did, because I'm the first to admit that I took forever, but why not weigh your options while you accumulate your savings?
Cheers,
Mark (who's Belair should arrive by Monday or Tuesday of next week if not sooner!!!) |
| many many reasons | JimC.
Mar 12, 2003 6:55 PM | | 'Or can't you find any other shops to let you demo other rigs? '
>> Nope. Parking-lot-only tests. bletch!
The parts spec on the loaner Blur was so poor it's really hard to rate the ride. I'm a fan of SC becaue the bikes they make work so well on wet and mud. They take years of beatings per ride and never fail. (me)
I'm searching for the magic bike and thought the Blur might fit the bill. Prolly if I work out and lose 20lb, I'll simply keep the bullit. Oh, and 20 years off the old @$$.
After today's ride, I found and bought a new Super T fork, so savings for an XC bike are now about $1K in the hole, ulp.
Good luck with the Bellair, Jim |
| A New Super T!! | CTRider
Mar 12, 2003 7:06 PM | | Wow! Now you'll be going bigger on your Bullit! What is all that Vancouver rain doing to you Jim? ;-) Just kidding.
I understand your reasons behind Santa Cruz and the Blur and perhaps by the time you are ready, you won't have to wait for ages to get a Large, they'll be some new spanky Fox Fork to slap on front (perhaps with Elliptical Stanchions now that Mario Galasso formerly from Cannondale - and shortly with his own company NthDegree - will be on board at Fox), and a new air version of Progressive's 5th element. In fact, the Blur could have all of it's bugs (if you wanna call em bugs) completely worked out when you are ready. Unless you just end up continuing to go Bigger instead! LOL
Thanks, I can't wait to get the Belair! A 2Step DH should be arriving at my door a couple weeks later as well!! The first run sold completely out. The Belair will be my bike to ride the crap out of (No pun intended Tscheezy!) and the 2Step DH will be my Demo/loaner rig.
Let us know how that Bullit rides with the new Super T. And posts some pics of you in action riding it if you can.
Cheers,
Mark |
| Hog Mud | Wasatch Walt
Mar 12, 2003 10:29 PM | | I wouldn't buy a Blur if I lived in Mudville. I own a Blur, but I live in Utah. But we had a little spring mud last Sunday, and that rear end packed up in about three seconds flat. There aint no room around that rear tire. The mud pinched in around the "seatstays" the rear brakes, and the seatstay arch, and that was all she wrote.
Also, I think the Blur climbs great, no shortage of supersteep stuff here, and that front end stays down, and that rear end digs in like a shovel. |
| It might be fine Walt | JimC.
Mar 12, 2003 11:33 PM | | even in mud, ours is pure organic crud like needles and leaves and typical rainforest crud. No clay etc. But I did notice that back arch, pretty tight.
The Blur I borrowed had a cockpit all wrong to let me climb, but the bike handled quite well considering. It really isn't fair of me to say it doesn't climb well, but rather, the setup on the loaner prevented me from finding out the real truth, and I am disappointed.
But at least I got my butt on one on a trail, way better than what a lot of folks get to do!
cheers, Jim |
| yep the science of mud | Wasatch Walt
Mar 13, 2003 7:07 AM | | around here I think (guess) it is smectite rich (swelling clay) with low organic content. Sticks to everything. good thing it's dry most often; fifth year of drought.
another 2-3 hour great ride on the blur yesterday; wow, I love that bike already, for me; it's incredibly comfy,
I'm adjusting to the low BB ..... starting to anticipate and avoid the pedal smacks. I think that low slung BB does help handling, but it is quite low. |
| Low BB? | JimC.
Mar 13, 2003 7:28 AM | | being used to a Bullit with a bashring/chain tenshioner & a high BB, it was *fun* when I dug the big ring into a log and the bike stopped dead, and me on clipless for the 1st time in 2 years.
Kinda like when a dog on a yard leash runs out of rope while chasing a cat. Only my n^ts took the hit :o\
I spent years learing how to ride clipless in technical, and forgot all I learned.
I wish that loaner was set up like your bike, I bet it would have been totally different.
But it was fun to try it, Jim |
| Sounds like you needed a cup instead of body armor! | CTRider
Mar 13, 2003 7:54 AM | | Taking one to the cahones! OUch! Made me cringe just reading about it.
Snowing here in CT again! Will it ever end! FOCK!
Oh well at least I get to go home early to pick up my son Liam since school is closing early today. Too bad I wasn't going home early to ride though.....and I don't even have a MTB video to put into the DVD player......damn!
Cheers!
Mark |
| Hog Mud | Jester-rider
Mar 14, 2003 8:39 PM | | If you are in a clay-based thick mud - it will pack up. Most bikes will. The rear triangle seems to mate best with a 2.1 without a ton of room to spare. That being said, I live in OR - yeah, it's muddy here, but I've had no problems with mudpack. |
| A New Super T!! | GeoffW
Mar 14, 2003 2:34 PM | | I can now see why the 2Step DH sold out. I bought a new 2step in December and finally gave it a test ride a couple weeks ago and all I can say is this will be a fun year. The bike has surprised the $hit outta me with zero for bob thus far. Compression seems to play a huge factor in this design. Overall, super well built, over built IMO, but well built. The only prob I had was I do not feel that Balfa cut my BB long enough. I had to sand down some of my BB shell to make everything fit properly. I'm anxious to hear your thoughts on the DH though, looks to be sweet! |
| Did you deflate the shock first | Sunny
Mar 13, 2003 11:36 AM | | before turning the AVA adjuster ring? |
| Nope | JimC.
Mar 13, 2003 6:01 PM | | 1) no instruction with demo bike
2) Nothing on the Fox site for setup.
As I said before, disappointing.
Jim |
| nothing climbs well in the rain | derby
Mar 13, 2003 12:03 PM | | The main thing for climbing ease is a seat position that puts the rider's gravity well forward of the rear axle and over the pedals without having to lean far forward, so gravity helps rider pedaling input. I suggest you don't use a layback seat post for a climbing bike. Some bikes with slacker seatpost angles need to have the seats adjusted forward on the seat rails. The layback seated position in your case is also exaggerating bob. Choppy pedaling doesn't cause excessive bob on this bike as it does on less efficient suspension designs. Too tall or too rearward of a riding position does.
Sounds like you need a large size to avoid the need for a layback post or a awkwardly long stem to fit comfortably.
- ray |
| Yep, you're right | JimC.
Mar 13, 2003 6:04 PM | | the forward poistion feels foreign to me after years of short stems and FR bikes. So to repeat...I was disappointed in the setup, it almost guaranteed a weird ride experience. But the bike does feel like if its tuned in, it would deliver; it feels solid, no flex, and pointed downhill it was decidedly non-XC...no twitch at all, straight shooter.
thanks ray, Jim |
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