Reformed luddite

So, practically giving up on Mr. Chester in hopes of getting my 29'er singlespeed this year, I went out and bought a Rig on Saturday. Even did a fit kit to make sure it was set up correctly. Out of the box, it was pretty close. Upgraded the seatpost to Thomson and added my own saddle and pedals. Otherwise, the bike sits nearly bone stock.

My first real test ride was today, where I commuted to Stony Creek and back. Quick review -

The Pro's -

1) Handles surprisingly well. Negotiates singletrack well.
2) Longer footprint does wonders on braking bumps, riding through sand and roots/logpiles/rock gardens. The wheels keep you upright.
3) Once at speed, it keeps speed longer than my 26" wheeled bikes.
4) EBB setup great for changing tires / flats.

The Con's -

1) Tires suck. Horrible rolling resistance, felt like I was riding studded tires. Stock tires were Bontrager AC - B (2.2") with Kevlar bead. Based on research, will replace them with WTB Nano Raptors.
2) Gearing too low. 32x18 with 29 x 2.2" tires = 51.6 gear inches. Way lower than I'm used to (roughly 60-63").
3) EBB creaks under load. Need to retorque.


Gary Fisher Rig