Testing all the new stuff (long gear review)

As some of you may recall , some scummy rat-boy recently stole my
Titus Loco Moto, which I have been told has probably been sent to
China to be used to deliver chickens or something.
While I battled with the insurance company I looked into a replacement
and decided to go with a brand that is available in Hong Kong ,rather
than buy direct from the U.S again.
Of the locally available choices the Foes FXR seemed closest to what I
wanted so I took a test ride on one of our favourite trails.
The test bike was built up using the most expensive kit I had ever
ridden, and most of it was stuff I wanted to avoid for as long as
possible.
So we had A Curnutt Ti shock, the first SPV shock I had ridden, Dual
Control Levers, that were fitted front brake on the left U.S
(wrong)style, a reverse rise rear derailleur,super spendy Maverick
upside down Forks, tubeless tires, The new XT discs and my pet peeve a
Crossmax on the back.

now, one at a time.
Tubeless tires. I got up in the morning and they needed inflating. I
was on the ferry going over to the trail and they nedded inflating
again, on the way home, they needed inflating. Apparently they weren't
punctured they just do that.Oh yeah, and I carried a tube in case I
got a flat.
Conclusion, they dont work very well and are therefore pointless.

Maverick fork. An upside down 6 inch travel monocoque air fork that
weighs something like 3 1/2 pounds or there abouts. I costs HK$8000
here, thats a little over a thousand U.S.$ complete with a 24mm
through axle hub and fitted stem.
To be fair , the stem was too short for Xc, so the bike felt a bit
light at the front but it certainly didn't feel like a six inch fork.
Unfortunately it didn't work like a six inch fork either. It worked
like a very expensive 3 inch air fork with too much air in it, i.e
harsh spikes. I gradully let air out untill it started to move
properly and then all of a sudden it was blowing all the travel riding
over a twig.Reinflate and repeat untill bored. Stiff though.The 4 inch
travel limit didnt seem to work either, as it kept creeping back to
six inches.
Conclusion. If you want want a very light six inch fork that thinks
it's a three inch fork, and want to look like a downhiller so much
it's worth a grand, these are for you, although, yes, they are very
stiff.

Dual control. putting aside the fact that the brakes were back to
front this was my first try of dual control. They look very bulky and
fragile and when you first grab them it feels like they're broken as
they flop all over the place. The reverse rise rear derailleur is
totally counter intuitive as you cant rapidly dump a load of gears to
get over an unexpected obstacle or if you run out of puff on a hill.
Also I found you have to move your hand position a lot more to brake
and change gear than with triggers.An unexpexted annoyance was if you
turn your bike upside down to work on the drivetrain it's really hard
to change gears.It also means you have to use Shimano disc brakes.
Conclusion. Why?

XT discs. These are the new one piece calipers, and the front brake
faded 100% on a fast descent. Upon getting home I found a strange
crispy ,bubbly ,black substance around the edge of the disc. I suppose
it used to be the pad.
Conclusion, they are a bunch of arse.

Crossmax, they're not that light, not that strong, you're in trouble
if you break one and they're very expensive, but it lasted the ride.
Still tubeless though.

Foes FXR. When you sit on it for the first time it feels like the
shock has packed up, as it sags an inch or so into its travel very
easily. It pedalled very well uphill and as I was looking down while
pedalling it didn't move the slightest bit. Contrary to what I had
been told it also pedalled well out of the saddle.
The bike definitely wants to stay on the ground and it's harder to hop
if you like preloading the suspension.The rear end is very stiff,
something I liked about my old loco moto.It also pedalled smoothly up
small flights of rocky steps which we have a lot of here.
Conclusion.Its a decent ,flashy looking frame that could use some
de-stickering and it rides very well. Theres no way on gods earth that
this frame weighs 6.7 pounds thoughas they claim. It's an absolute
lie. More like 8.7 lbs. I'll buy one though as it should build up into
a 30lbish 5" trail bike that can take a bit of a leathering.

Those dual control levers though, man they really stink.

cheers
Gaz

"gazzer" wrote in message
m...
As some of you may recall , some scummy rat-boy recently stole my
Titus Loco Moto, which I have been told has probably been sent to
China to be used to deliver chickens or something.
While I battled with the insurance company I looked into a replacement
and decided to go with a brand that is available in Hong Kong ,rather
than buy direct from the U.S again.

Snip review stuff

Those dual control levers though, man they really stink.

cheers
Gaz

Nice review, although most of it was expected...

Steve.

gazzer wrote:
snip
snip

I feel I need to speak up on behalf of dual controllevers. Once you get used
to them they do not stink at all. They are absolutely perfect and I would
not even consider going back. I have the XTR version but I don't think that
changes anything except the price we pay. It's more like how you grip them.
Try using your middle finger for shifting both up and down. Hold your index
finger in the little hook on the inside. When shifting with the middle
finger you press with the index finger to keep from applying power to the
brakes.

Check out Shimanos Video clips at
http://xtr.shimano.com
Click to "shifting" and "video" and you'll see a few examples of how the
fingers can move on the levers. Also notice that the levers are mounted far
away, maybe an inch or more, from the rubber grips. Mine wasn't mounted like
that out of the shop and it felt really cramped and uncomfortable until I
moved them out. Next time I had the bike at my LBS they moved them back and
I will never take it there again ;(

I was also reluctant to go with the Low Normal derailleur in the rear, but
after discussing this in wreck dot tech and especially after people like
Sheldon Brown advised me to, I did. Now that I am used to it I don't regret
it at all. I have no problem downshifting four or five gears for instance. I
click five times faster than I pedal the fractional revolution that is
needed to lift the chain. In the beginning I missed on occasion but lately I
haven't missed a gearchange.
My XTR brakes came with two sets of pads, one harder and one softer. Make
sure you get yours mounted with the right pads or go for Koolstops even.

My tubeless UST tires do not leak as much air as yours. I pump them every
time I take a ride and that's it. If I forget to I'll just have say 30 psi
instead of the 40 psi I often run. No big deal

--
Perre

You have to be smarter than a robot to reply.

I feel I need to speak up on behalf of dual controllevers. Once you get used
to them they do not stink at all. They are absolutely perfect and I would
not even consider going back. I have the XTR version but I don't think that
changes anything except the price we pay. It's more like how you grip them.
Try using your middle finger for shifting both up and down. Hold your index
finger in the little hook on the inside. When shifting with the middle
finger you press with the index finger to keep from applying power to the
brakes.

Check out Shimanos Video clips at

LOL,QED.

cheers
Gaz