Range does seem suitable for what you are looking to do, but keep in mind for aggressive pedally enduro racing it probably isn’t the best choice. You will gain the traction you are seeking, as high pivot bikes are glued to the ground. Since you have the physical fitness, it should work for you. Don’t get me wrong, the bike pedals great, it just isn’t the out-of-the-saddle hammer and lively pop style of ride, but that’s what you have your Optic for.
Thanks for the advice, regarding the pedally enduros, I thought this would be the case from what I have read about the bike as its so heavy. As I mentioned as well I'm not racing to win so if it's not the best bike for a particular race I'm not worried at all.
You can probably tell I'm trying hard to justify buying this bike!
I have not ridden a range, but doesn't it handle better at higher speeds? You want to make sure you capable of riding fast enough to get the most out of the bike. Otherwise it may feel a little sloppy and slow.
I have not ridden a range, but doesn't it handle better at higher speeds? You want to make sure you capable of riding fast enough to get the most out of the bike. Otherwise it may feel a little sloppy and slow.
This is actually an excellent point.
So a quick question to the Range owners, is this bike only fun when pinning it down something steep? Sure there will be times when that is the case, but how much fun is the bike when you are NOT trying to go down a run at mach chicken?
Fellas, how often are you hitting the lower link on your range? Does it ever hang up on stuff?
I feel like I'm pretty close to snapping up a range, but I'm a bit paranoid about the lower link.
Almost never. Maybe a few times when I got the bike and was getting used to it but lately not at all. Mind you that’s with riding on the North Shore where it’s janky and there’s lots of opportunities to hit your BB.
Fellas, how often are you hitting the lower link on your range? Does it ever hang up on stuff?
I feel like I'm pretty close to snapping up a range, but I'm a bit paranoid about the lower link.
I’ve hit it twice in the last 2 months, it’s more of a tap/slight scrape on really steep rolls/slabs. I don’t think it’s an issue though as it didn’t feel like I would get hung up, just that bit of contact which reminded me that it’s there.
The replacement linkage protectors are pretty cheap and do a good job.
Recently I’ve cracked 2 frames in that downtube/bb area from rock related incidents - so maybe I’m being naive but it’s not a concern for me yet on this bike.
I have not ridden a range, but doesn't it handle better at higher speeds? You want to make sure you capable of riding fast enough to get the most out of the bike. Otherwise it may feel a little sloppy and slow.
This is actually an excellent point.
So a quick question to the Range owners, is this bike only fun when pinning it down something steep? Sure there will be times when that is the case, but how much fun is the bike when you are NOT trying to go down a run at mach chicken?
IMO, yes it’s only fun pinned. It has very little pop and absorbs everything. But pinned, yeah it’s amazing.
I have not ridden a range, but doesn't it handle better at higher speeds? You want to make sure you capable of riding fast enough to get the most out of the bike. Otherwise it may feel a little sloppy and slow.
This is actually an excellent point.
So a quick question to the Range owners, is this bike only fun when pinning it down something steep? Sure there will be times when that is the case, but how much fun is the bike when you are NOT trying to go down a run at mach chicken?
IMO, yes it’s only fun pinned. It has very little pop and absorbs everything. But pinned, yeah it’s amazing.
I disagree, I definitely do not have the skills to take this bike to its full potential but I still have a lot of fun every time I ride it.
Yeah I'm terrible at riding bikes but this compensates for a lot of my terrible-ness. I've also got bad joints so I'm going to ignore that get better on a low-travel bike thing. It's pretty muted on flow trails and easy stuff, but it's the only bike I have for everything from long XC days to season pass bike park stuff =S
I have not ridden a range, but doesn't it handle better at higher speeds? You want to make sure you capable of riding fast enough to get the most out of the bike. Otherwise it may feel a little sloppy and slow.
This is actually an excellent point.
So a quick question to the Range owners, is this bike only fun when pinning it down something steep? Sure there will be times when that is the case, but how much fun is the bike when you are NOT trying to go down a run at mach chicken?
IMO, yes it’s only fun pinned. It has very little pop and absorbs everything. But pinned, yeah it’s amazing.
Have you seen Bryn Atkinsons latest vid on Instagram? The bike can be “poppy” if you want it to be haha
So a quick question to the Range owners, is this bike only fun when pinning it down something steep? Sure there will be times when that is the case, but how much fun is the bike when you are NOT trying to go down a run at mach chicken?
IMO, yes it’s only fun pinned. It has very little pop and absorbs everything. But pinned, yeah it’s amazing.
Have you seen Bryn Atkinsons latest vid on Instagram? The bike can be “poppy” if you want it to be haha
No I haven’t seen the video of the sponsored rider marketing the product. Fact is, high pivot bikes, compared to all other suspension designs, lack pop and lose responsiveness due to chainstay growth under compression. If you disagree, that’s fine, enjoy your bike. The reason one buys a high pivot is for how it rolls over chunky terrain. Rearward axle path means it absorbs everything, including jumps. It’s much harder to get the front end up, because the bike is designed to keep pressure on the front tire, and keep the tires on the ground for ultimate traction, hence the coil shock.
Can you jump this bike, sure, but if you think you can get the same pop out of a Range as say a Spire, you haven’t ridden very many bikes. The Range is a really smooth ride because it dissipates energy. If you’re looking to ravage DH or completely numb the trail, Range is a good option. But if you are looking for versatility, there are better options.
I’m getting ready to build one of these up and am super excited! Been reading back through this thread to get ideas.
I’ve never really gotten along with any of the DHX2’s I’ve had in the past, and this might be a setup issue and I’ll start with the ride aligned settings to see if that helps. But I’m curious if anyone has actually tried an EXT in the frame? I know Norco says it won’t work, but I’ve seen pictures of a few other shocks that aren’t the approved Fox or RS coils. So I’m curious if anyone has actually tried it. Another option would be a Super Deluxe coil with Vorsprung’s mods, which I’ve liked in the past.
Anyway, any shock input would be much appreciated and I’ll post pics when it’s done! Gonna see if I can get it to 35-36 pounds with real tires.
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