Chromag Rootdown & Surface (and maybe Primer) Builds

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Chromag Rootdown & Surface (and maybe Primer) Builds
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flag rynee
Posted: Apr 21, 2021 at 4:16 Quote
mtnryder-co wrote:
rynee wrote:
mtnryder-co wrote:
We are both set uo with 29" wheels currently, 180mm fork on the Doc and 170mm on the Surface.


Wow, a Surface with a 170mm fork, does he use an angle headset?
The Doc for sure is in its natural habitat on that trail!
The Surface is mine and no angle set actually rides really well.... My buddy loves his Doc, even shines more on steeper terrain.


OH right, forgot about that, you mentioned previously already that it's your buddy who's on the hawk.
flag rynee
Posted: Apr 27, 2021 at 13:16 Quote
Took the hawk out for a ride on the weekend - mint conditions, excellent trail, the bike is a blast. Uphill, downhill, whatever - it never feels outgunned and is immensely confidence inspiring.
photo
It was the first time I rode the new (for me) Box Two Prime 9 drivetrain, which I really liked from the get go. No dropped chain, well spaced gears, distinct shifting performance, that's all I need.
flag scotteh
O+
Posted: Apr 30, 2021 at 17:50 Quote
Does anyone have ride time on a Surface Ti? Have the opportunity to pick one up for a smoking price, seriously tempted...paging @lance-h and @SC38!

Wondering if the Ti is all it's cracked up to be / worth the premium over steel. I have a Ti roadbike that I absolutely love, but I'm not sure if the ride quality would be as noticeable with 150mm of travel and 2.6" rubber involved.

Any quirks or drawbacks of the Ti Surface to be aware of? Seat tube is a little long for my taste but otherwise things look pretty spot on...
flag mtnryder-co
Posted: Apr 30, 2021 at 18:22 Quote
scotteh wrote:
Does anyone have ride time on a Surface Ti? Have the opportunity to pick one up for a smoking price, seriously tempted...paging @lance-h and @SC38!

Wondering if the Ti is all it's cracked up to be / worth the premium over steel. I have a Ti roadbike that I absolutely love, but I'm not sure if the ride quality would be as noticeable with 150mm of travel and 2.6" rubber involved.

Any quirks or drawbacks of the Ti Surface to be aware of? Seat tube is a little long for my taste but otherwise things look pretty spot on...
My buddy rides a Ti Surface, he also rides a steel Doctahawk, He loves both but claims the Ti Surface is superior in ride quality, definitely much more compliant than the Steel Chromag.I also ride A steel Surface and also ride a Ti Stanton Switchback., The ti is a night and day comparison over the steel Chromag...Love both though..Chromag steel frames are not the most compliant frames on earth but maybe some of the strongest..
flag soloknight6
Posted: Apr 30, 2021 at 19:03 Quote
Ive got a Ti doctahawk and a steel rootdown, the weight savings on the Ti frame are pretty substantial, enough to feel it on the climbs. As far as compliance goes, im not sure if I can comment, as the doctahawk and the rootdown are pretty different handling bikes.

I will say the Ti frame is super easy to clean, and you don't have to worry about damage to the frame if you drop it in the rocks haha.
flag mtnryder-co
Posted: Apr 30, 2021 at 19:16 Quote
I have to mention though that even though the Surface is the least aggressive geo of Chromag's line up it still feels completely at home on the steepest and gnarliest of terrain that I ride.
flag Pandalosi0
O+
Posted: Apr 30, 2021 at 21:02 Quote
soloknight6 wrote:
Ive got a Ti doctahawk and a steel rootdown, the weight savings on the Ti frame are pretty substantial, enough to feel it on the climbs. As far as compliance goes, im not sure if I can comment, as the doctahawk and the rootdown are pretty different handling bikes.

I will say the Ti frame is super easy to clean, and you don't have to worry about damage to the frame if you drop it in the rocks haha.

Ti Doctahawk?
flag Pandalosi0
O+
Posted: Apr 30, 2021 at 21:13 Quote
Where/how did you get a ti Doctahawk?
flag robbiekane
O+
Posted: Apr 30, 2021 at 21:20 Quote
photo

A little action shot on my doctahawk today
flag silaswp
Posted: May 1, 2021 at 7:31 Quote
robbiekane wrote:
photo

A little action shot on my doctahawk today

Warp speed!
flag rynee
Posted: May 1, 2021 at 8:27 Quote
scotteh wrote:
Does anyone have ride time on a Surface Ti? Have the opportunity to pick one up for a smoking price, seriously tempted...paging @lance-h and @SC38!

Wondering if the Ti is all it's cracked up to be / worth the premium over steel. I have a Ti roadbike that I absolutely love, but I'm not sure if the ride quality would be as noticeable with 150mm of travel and 2.6" rubber involved.

Any quirks or drawbacks of the Ti Surface to be aware of? Seat tube is a little long for my taste but otherwise things look pretty spot on...
I say go for it, I trust you won't regret it. I don't have a surface tu, but am basing my statement on my impressions below:

I have a steel honzo (2013 medium ),a Ti honzo (large) and a doctahawk in large. Of the three the ti honzo is the liveliest, even though it's set up with a 2°angle set, 150 mm fork and 29x2.6 tires. Titanium is really an amazing material.
The doc is a close second, it's amazing how well dialed the tubing and geo on that bike are, even with its super long reach, b+ minions and 180mm fork. It's also not noticeably heavy, given that it's steel. And it's amazingly confidence inspiring.
The old honzo kind of numbs down the ride feeling the most, even with 29x2.3 tires. I recon the tubing used in the early Honzos was not too sophisticated, and has been improved over the years.

Hope this helps
flag soloknight6
Posted: May 1, 2021 at 9:10 Quote
Pandalosi0 wrote:
Where/how did you get a ti Doctahawk?

I bought it from the pink bike classifieds some time ago. It was pretty much a one-off (I think the original owner has another one.) I was told, Chromag doesn't make a Ti Doctahawk officially.
flag jesse-effing-edwards
O+
Posted: May 1, 2021 at 9:11 Quote
I've a middle child in both steel and then ti. The ti felt down right springy, but the steel actually file more smooth. Ti lasts forever and weighs less. If it's a good deal and you love the geo no way you'll be sad. Pretty timeless bike.
flag rynee
Posted: May 1, 2021 at 9:21 Quote
soloknight6 wrote:
Pandalosi0 wrote:
Where/how did you get a ti Doctahawk?

I bought it from the pink bike classifieds some time ago. It was pretty much a one-off (I think the original owner has another one.) I was told, Chromag doesn't make a Ti Doctahawk officially.

That bike must be the pinnacle of shreddable hardtails! So sad that no production runs are planned.

You're riding it with a mezzer, right?

 


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