rusty904

Weirdly, I have both of these in the same configuration. XX! eagle shifter, T-type cassette and chain. I wanted the "ultimate" mechanical setup and high end eagle shifters can be had cheap these days. I also wanted the traditional adjustments paired up with the shift under load ability and durability of t-type. Unfortunately, neither is working out very well on my '25 Rocky mountain element. The madrone b-knuckle makes contact with the bottom of the Element's droupout causing missed shifts. The heavy spring tension and the element's sub optimal cable routing make the shifting force very high. The ratio I am still trying to get dialed. It likes the top and bottom of the cassette but ghost shifts constantly in the middle. The clutch feels almost non existent allowing a lot of chain slap and a few dropped chains which I hadn't experienced in years. I set up three other drivetrains this week for others. NOS mechanical X01 Eagle, used TRP Evo 12, and a Saint/Zee 10spd setup. All three dialed in with zero headaches. I really want to make the cool/boutique bits work but no such luck. Going to keep tinkering though.

Regular mud? Not ideal but sure. Wet NC red or gray clay? Hard no.

@nedersotan: Not a pro XC racer but I don't want downtube storage. It makes the bike heavier, uglier, and more expensive. I'd rather them optimize around svelter tubes and room for bigger bottles a la Rocky Mountain and Norco. Accessory bosses are lighter and cheaper and perform a similar function. On my Rocky Element I can carry two 950ml bottles. Tools goes in the headtube, flat kit bolts to the accessory boss, food goes in the top tube bag or a jersey pocket where I can actually get to it while riding. If I need anything beyond that, I'll need more water so I'll have a pack anyway. I don't want to have to remove a door and fish something out of a downtube in a race. I think they exist because it's something cool to demonstrate on the sales floor. I have downtube storage on two bikes and I don't think I've ever used it.

@mrmikebikes: Interesting, would've expected a heavier frame with the one pinkbike tested being a large with light wheels pushing 30lbs w/out pedals. Assuming you weighed with shock? Thanks for the numbers!

@cassinonorth: A gear strap or frame bag mounted to an accessory boss does everything in frame storage does but it's cheaper, lighter, quicker to access, and allows for a prettier bike without an ebike-sized downtube. I think it's a novelty with more drawbacks than benefits especially with a class of bike like this where weight is a factor. They did manage to make this bike heavy without downtube storage though. Tack on another 300g if they'd included it.

Annoying when they don't list a frame weight for this type of bike. Would imagine it's a decent chunk over 3kg. I too wish they had gone more XC, seems like a close overlap with the rascal. Also, the paint makes it look like an Intense IMO. On the plus side, no in frame storage and three sets of bosses is a win and the geo looks good.

Just dumb, engineering compromise that adds weight and cost and makes more regular bikes look like ebikes. Stuff in frame storage is difficult to access and too slow in a race situation. Most of the bikes that have this only have one bottle cage and/or room for just a small bottle. On just about any ride long enough to need whatever you keep in frame storage you are going to need more water than a bottle which means you'll have a pack anyway. Save the cost and the weight, give us svelter tubes and maybe 1 or two extra sets of bottle bosses for a pump and a gear strap. Job done.