Randoms II - Sedona MTB Festival 2024

Mar 10, 2024
by Mike Kazimer  

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Blue skies and perfect weather continued to be the theme for this year's Sedona MTB festival, and participants were making the most of it as they explored Sedona's technical trails. The riding here is pretty unique - even the downhills sometimes feel like they're going uphill, but it's a very entertaining challenge trying to find flow and not smack pedals. During the breaks from riding, there was no shortage of new product to check out, including a sneak peek at an updated Transition Spur and a crash sensor in Smith's helmets.

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A familiar looking helmet, soon to be available with a crash sensor.

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That larger-than-usual retention dial houses a crash sensor made by Aleck, a similar concept to the Angi sensor used by Specialized. The sensor is paired with a user's phone, and if an impact occurs a countdown timer appears on the app. If no action is taken before the end of the countdown a pre-determined list of contacts is alerted with the rider's location.

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A version of each of Smith's helmet models will be available with the sensor; it'll add $20 to the MSRP compared to the non-Aleck equipped versions.

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Privateer were showing off the new 141 and 161 models. The humped top tube still doesn't do it for me, but I appreciate the big bearings and external cable routing.

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Big bearings, and a flip chip for running a 29" or 27.5" rear wheel.
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The chainstay length is adjustable too.

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Privateer's DJ101 dirt jumper.

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That hump.

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Pearl Izumi's Summit Barrier jacket is even brighter in real life. It's windproof, with a PFC-free DWR coating to keep light precipitation at bay.

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More cowbell.

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Rocky Mountain had the recently released Instinct available for demo, allowing riders to see how the 140mm bike handled Sedona's chunky trails.

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We reviewed Gulo Composites' XC wheelset a few years ago, and were impressed by the weight and ride quality. The wheels use triaxially braided carbon fiber spokes that are made in-house in Brevard, North Carolina.

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Gulo's GME30 wheels have a 30mm internal width rim and weighs just 1455 grams - that's a very light weight for a trail / enduro wheelset.

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A purple Canfield Yelli Screamy waiting for a hardtail-curious rider to take it for a spin.

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This is Frankie. He's super friendly, and likes riding down steep trails in his owner Elliot's pack. (See, I don't hate all dogs.)

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Notice anything different about this Transition Spur? That's right, it now has a UDH swingarm that allows it to run SRAM Transmission. There are new colors, too - the white option shown, or purple.

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The bunnyhop contest drew a crowd, with the eventual winner clearing 40". He received a sweet jean vest for his efforts.

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Here's the crystal content you were all hoping for.

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Mike Levy looks a little different these days.



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Reviews and Tech Randoms Sedona Mtb Festival 2024


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104 Comments
  • 89 6
 No Privateer, just no. Dump the hump.
  • 13 0
 Reminds me of a Santa Cruz Jackal circa 2005. The hump makes a hell of an obstacle for no foot cans but I can’t deny I have a soft spot for Quasimodos.
  • 33 3
 Dump the hump and about 5-7lbs as well. No one wants a 40+ pound non-DH bike without a motor
  • 5 0
 Ventana Mountain Bikes has had the hump for close to twenty years. Dump the Hump
  • 13 0
 @Wolfman7: the only good hump ever done was the one from the first Nomad
  • 29 0
 It must be really demoralising to spend all the time on design, launch a new frame and then find out that everyone on the internet hates how it looks. But there's hope for Privateer! People kept buying Ibises, after all.
  • 3 0
 @PauRexs: Another solid hump
  • 3 0
 @Wolfman7: that was more of a natural organic S shape from the animal kingdom.. the best looking bike that one was silver polished
  • 10 1
 @boozed: the hump co es straight from addressing stress loads in a FEA model. It’s likely stronger and lighter than a gusseted straight tube.
Just looks shit. So they are function over form…
  • 5 1
 It makes me sad, when Privateer first came out I loved the brand ethos of a solid aluminum bike with great parts spec. for the money but man the new version looks so brutal especially in the larger sizes I’d be blown alway if they sell any of these! Manufacturers need to understand the importance of a bikes aesthetics.
  • 2 0
 @bbachmei: pretty sure primary members of the frame were always made from hollow tubes and not solid blocks of aluminum.

(I kid)
  • 2 2
 reminds me of when Homer Simpson designed a car for his brother...... awful, just awful.
  • 3 0
 @PauRexs: My buddy had the silver humpback Nomad when it first came out. That thing was beautiful. I had serious hump envy.
  • 1 0
 @Wolfman7: Yeahh I was lucky to own it too and straight win a dh mass start same first day on it ! Wink ... this has been the biggest game changing bike IMO!
  • 2 0
 @PauRexs: Agreed
  • 1 0
 @JosMaple: there's nothing light about this bike
  • 28 2
 Alright, stop what you're doin' 'cause I'm about to ruin The image and the style that you're used to I look funny, but yo, I'm making money...do the Humpty hump!
  • 7 0
 I'll drink all the Hennessey on your shelf...
  • 7 0
 I once got busy in a Burger King bathroom…
  • 16 0
 So is Levy an alien disguised as a human or a human disguised as an alien? I think we really need to get to the bottom of this.
  • 12 0
 That top photo looks like Acme country. Nothing new from them?
  • 28 0
 They’ve got some prototype anvils, but it’s still top secret stuff.
  • 3 0
 @mikekazimer: UDH compatible?
  • 1 0
 @mikekazimer: yikes
  • 1 2
 @mikekazimer: please tell
  • 11 0
 Levy looks the same to me...
  • 15 9
 I don't hate dogs per se, I just hate most of their stupid owners. Dogs are dogs after all. Never forget the taste of dogs%©t in my mouth and having it all up the front of me from lazy dog owner.
  • 28 0
 username checks out...
  • 45 38
 Who the **** hates dogs?!!
That’s the kind of thing you keep between you and your support group.
  • 112 9
 I dunno, plenty of dog owners are happy to tell you how much they hate cats, but in all the time I've been riding I've never had a cat try to bite me.
  • 33 7
 @commental: my own cats bites me all the time cause he doesn’t like how I’m petting him. Cats are monsters.
  • 22 5
 @commental: cats are evil, they come looking for pats and scratches and then 5 seconds later they've mauled your arm and face.
  • 21 2
 @commental: I've also never been cut off by a cat during a ride. Yet, I have been by dogs. . . and tourists. . . and children.
  • 33 7
 Out here in Bend there is a big trend of getting a “trail dog” and not putting in the work to train them. A friend of mine had a knee taken out that needed repaired, my wife’s been bitten twice, and my toddler knocked down once. For that, my wife hates dogs, and I don’t trust any of them I see.
  • 8 6
 @flipfantasia: ... and cats are not fun. Have you ever seen a trail cat following a mountain biker?
Pumas and cougars do so, but for some other reasons....
  • 10 1
 @intensemack10: maybe try petting differently? Haha
  • 17 35
flag Blownoutrides (Mar 10, 2024 at 10:20) (Below Threshold)
 Hard to trust people who don’t like dogs. It’s like they’re hiding something and they’re afraid the dog is going to find out.

Being afraid of dogs is different. That can be worked through, and it’s SO worth it. All the snuggles await.
  • 12 6
 @Blownoutrides: Personally I couldn't care less if you trust me or not and I've got nothing to hide (unless it's a sniffer dog).
  • 27 8
 I don't hate ALL dogs neither, but surely 95% of them, which falls squarely with the amount of dogs that can't be kept in control by their owners, who at the same time don't give a crap their dogs bother other people.

Also 2 fun facts:
-My sister saw lot of dog bites as ER nurse for 10 years, all of them by dogs that had never bitten before.
-You won't see a cop cat Wink
  • 3 0
 @samdeatley: Used to live there, you nailed it.
  • 31 1
 …You guys think dogs are bad, wait til you meet people
  • 12 4
 @samdeatley: that sounds like a people problem, as in too many people with dogs who won’t train them. Even a trained dog is too unpredictable to be around mountain bikes on frequently used trails.
  • 4 0
 @intensemack10: then maybe you should learn to pet him in a different way.
  • 26 4
 @commental:

Cats won't bark for six hours straight...for no good f#(+ing reason.
  • 8 0
 @iiman: I had dogs all my life until I developed an allergy to them- so I love dogs but can't really engage with them without getting reacted. So yes, I really hate when dog owners can't control their dogs, or just assume everybody loves their dog the way they do, and finds it acceptable that their dog jumps on strangers. I wish I could get another dog but it just can't happen, and having to pretend like I don't like dogs really sucks.
  • 2 0
 @CustardCountry: I love cats, but I'm with @intensemack10. Some cats just sucker you into thinking they like you, only to get satisfaction from seeing the shock on your face when they turn and bite you for no reason. It is what passes for fun in the cat world. And then the cycle starts all over again.
  • 1 1
 @flipfantasia: Right at least you know when a dogs gonna bite you.
  • 2 12
flag Blownoutrides (Mar 11, 2024 at 9:23) (Below Threshold)
 Hahaha all the triggered dog haters LMFAO
  • 2 12
flag Blownoutrides (Mar 11, 2024 at 9:29) (Below Threshold)
 @iiman: honestly, time to grow a pair and get over it. Being a grown man afraid of dogs is definitely harder on you than the process of working through it. Dogs are 100% worth it.
  • 3 0
 @Blownoutrides:

I was friends with a dog would put the fear _into_ a grown man. Most of us you'd classify as 'dog haters' actually hate the narcissistic fools who would treat a dog as an accessory. The dogs I've known and respected were animals in their own right, and had no need of validation from humans.
  • 6 0
 @Blownoutrides: actually your comment is just dumb because people can like or dislike any animals for any reason, obviously doesn't mean they're 'hiding something' which is really just a strange suggestion.

also you clearly don't understand trauma if you think something can be simply 'worked through'. some people have been seriously injured or killed by dog attacks and can rightfully have legitimate PTSD
  • 6 0
 @Blownoutrides: So we're triggered because we replied to a comment, but you're not triggered when you reply to a comment? LMFAO
  • 1 0
 @commental: Whoops sorry I got confused on who i was replying to!
  • 1 0
 @Blownoutrides: I see your reading comprehension skills are a bit lacking, honestly.
  • 4 0
 40" is a savage bunnyhop. That's really impressive. I assume that was not on a full suspension trail bike? Also great crystal content, Mike.
  • 15 0
 I was at the festival, he did it on a demo yeti sb135
  • 7 0
 @amaranth: Respect.
  • 4 0
 The bike engineers Bermuda triangle: water bottle/no water bottle, hump/no hump, standover/no standover...
  • 1 0
 Don't forget headset cable routing!
  • 3 1
 Actually thats how i've always viewed ML. The human skin was a costume to trick us and unfortunalty most of PB universe was duped into his trap. Gotta give it to those ET's.... they are crafty!
  • 3 0
 If you’re not going to be doing any climbing on a dirt jumper, angle the saddle with the top tube. Looks gash like that.
  • 4 0
 Gulo or Culo? Hard to tell from their logo.
  • 7 0
 Culo wheel with assegai tire. That’s the shit.
  • 3 0
 Gulo is a very Culo logo
  • 4 0
 If you need me, I’ll be at the oxygen bar…
  • 3 1
 40" bunny hop? Bah!

Anybody else old enough to remember Darrell "Big Bunny" Voss from the Klein days? I had a poster of him hopping over what looked like a 60" log!
  • 4 0
 Bartle Dew
  • 4 1
 wheres the purple spur?
  • 2 0
 The Spurple
  • 1 0
 Asking the important questions
  • 8 1
 So the old Spur has been out for 4 years and the only real update is the UDH? As a new-ish Gen 1 Spur owner, I hope this means there was little they really could have done to improve it. No new cable tourism, press fit bottom bracket, weight gain- somebody at Transition is paying attention. No need to make it into a bike it isn't supposed to be.

Then again, shorter cranks on Med- SM frames and a Cane Creek shock wouldn't be unappreciated updates.
  • 2 0
 really missed the match with those crystals...
  • 2 0
 The white looks hawt! Thinking of retiring my v1 druid for one.
  • 5 0
 @ATXZJ: You should,
I for one would love to hear that comparison.

I've been waffling between
New Optic
Druid V2
Smuggler
Spur

If either the Smuggler or Spur had a 275/29 chip, it would have been a slam dunk, actually, prolly not
  • 1 0
 @ATXZJ: I did exactly that - sold the OG Gloss Moss Druid and picked up a Spur last year. The Spur is a better climber on everything other than techy chunder and it's pinner on flats/rolling trail, but the Druid was so effing great on descents.
  • 2 0
 @revystoked: What are your favourite trails in Revvy?
We usually go 3-4 times a summer, and I love every minute of it.
I love the jank on Martha Creek DH, and we usually camp there, so it makes for a great day. Have breaky, shuttle to the top, rip some absolute jank, jump in the water, drink beer!

Theres some unreal steep stuff out towards another campground that we discovered last year, amazing!

I love a Flowdown winch and plummet, especially with those new, or just a bit more timid. So many side hits, and natural doubles its a jib fest!
  • 1 0
 @dcaf: Maybe there will be slightly different spec on non AXS builds? Looking at the site it does look like UDH/Transmission & new colors are the only new things. Wayback machine shows that the non UDH build was at $6,999 in December with a discount from MSRP $8,499. The UDH AXS build is now $7,899, so +$900 for Transmission and UDH frame, but $600 less than the 2023 MSRP perhaps.
  • 1 0
 @dcaf: Aah finally UDH.... took them a long time ... LOL
  • 1 0
 @onawalk: At Macpherson I usually ride Tantrum to the Beavers to Flowdown, or Tantrum - Richard Liqueur - Telemarkers - Black Forest - Ridgewalk - TNT - Root Canal. The Spur also does well on Sunnyside. If I go to Boulder or the resort I take the Dreadnought.

There are some hidden gems in the area for sure!
  • 1 0
 @revystoked: Sweet!
I have a Fugitive for the mellower stuff (Flowdown) and a Spire for Martha Creek, etc.

We did a helli drop from the top of Cartier couple years ago, absolutely epic!
Frisby has been on my list the last couple years, hoping this is the year!
  • 1 0
 @onawalk: I HIGHLY recommend doing Frisby out to Vistas and then riding UFC and Ultimate Frisby. The route is in Trailforks as The Full Teriyaki. It was a big day on the bike for me - 1100m climb and 1900m down.
  • 2 0
 @revystoked: BIG DAY!
Its on the list for this year!
  • 3 1
 RM Instinct is a homerun! Amazingly fun bike.
  • 2 0
 Sedona “The New Sea Otter”
  • 2 0
 Can't see the bend of my Ripley TT while riding it.

pets = good
  • 1 0
 Privateer shot themselves in the foot with this new bike. Too heavy and look horrendous. Thanks for narrowing my choices.
  • 1 0
 Is the crash sensor able to retrofit into existing Forefront 2 helmets? Asking for me.
  • 1 0
 I like big bearings and I cannot lie. You other riders can't deny.
  • 2 2
 Looks like Privateer need to work on cable routing and clamping as well as the hump. Just looks crude and amateur.
  • 2 2
 Pinkbike please implement slideshows horizontally for more pictures!
  • 3 5
 What’s the point of a pair of huge bearings on the rocker link if they are driven by components with normal size bearings? Oh wait, there’s no point at all.
  • 3 0
 Longer bearing life.
  • 10 0
 I'm gonna go out on a limb and guess that certain bearings in a suspension system get more side load than others based on their locations and the amount of leverage applied to them by other members of the suspension system and bike. And I'm gonna go out on another limb and wager that Privateer put bigger bearings in the highly leveraged parts of the suspension platform and smaller, lighter bearings in the lower leverage areas. Haven't viewed their FEA or testing, just a hunch.
  • 1 2
 Transition needs to make a or at least oil slick colored bike.
  • 2 0
 No. They need to bring back PBR wrapped bikes. Or specifically the PBR wrapped Bottlerocket.
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