cheers,

the bike is super planted. i couldnt get over how planted it is. the faster you go the more it works. its good on jumps and stuff but i dont hit massive stuff so i cant say what its like on drops etc.

lets just say it works really well, and its super light (6.8lbs for frame, axle, hardware and headset cups)

 man that is super light! im glad youre enjoying your ride, im in love with those bikes. if you may like, check my DHR on my profile, super good frame too, freaking low, long and slack, cant ride too slow or it does not do its job well, you have to push it and shred the shit out of it to get the bike to feel comfortable.

 Yes it is.

Could easily be a lot lighter with better tire choice/tubless and lighter pedals!

 its called a marsh guard, you can get them in various shapes from different brands. i paid about 8 euros in morzine. i ended up running 2 to protect the shock