After much delay, we just got back from our first trip… and first ride on the new bike!
I couldn’t figure out the chainring issue so I had to swap out the Ultegra drivetrain for a 3x9 with bar-end shifters.
Overall impressions: we like it a lot. Compared to our old Burley, it’s much quieter, the drivetrain works much better, and my stoker says it’s much more comfortable (probably the eeSilk seatpost). For me it’s a little more comfortable too. It’s also stiffer—noticeable when climbing out of the saddle. I think it’s 10lbs lighter too. Overall we love it.
It feels very sturdy, which is unexpected because the breakaway clamps seem so insubstantial in your hand.
The most noticeable thing to me is the handling. The steering is so sluggish that I thought the headset was too tight! But no, I triple checked it. It just has very high trail. I’m sure I’ll get used to it but it’s pretty weird.
The disc brakes are interesting. They work great on flat surfaces, but the lack of a drum brake made descending a short, twisty, steep mountain a little sketchy. I didn’t ride the brakes but when we got to the bottom, I poured water on the 203mm rotors and it sizzled like a hot frying pan.
Overall we’re looking forward to many adventurous miles on it!