Book of Paul H

qclabrat

Well-Known Member
Is this a thing? What's the purpose of a 23 pound FS bike in the real world? Road riding? Gravel grinder? Allaire?
Isn't a downcountry bike just a modern geo bike which starts off as a super lite XC bike then you add in rowdy bits like bigger tires/rims and wider bars? Why would someone in NJ want it over a Tallboy or Horsethief? Not flaming the Blurs, Spearfishes, SB100 and 429s of this world, but do we really need another segment?
 

qclabrat

Well-Known Member
So what are the advantages/disadvantages of these two bikes with pretty much the same suspension travel:

Spearfish 27 lbs
Blur 23 lbs

Trying to decide on what bike to get next!
I've only demo'd the Blur and it's a fantastic bike, rides more like a 120 rear and with Reserve wheels so easy to pick lines. Have you ridden one yet?
Haven't spec'd out the Spearfish but what makes it weigh 4 pounds more? Does it not have a light fork like a WC or SC to start? Not sure I want either since I don't race
 

Steve Vai

Endurance Guy: Tolerates most of us.
I've only demo'd the Blur and it's a fantastic bike, rides more like a 120 rear and with Reserve wheels so easy to pick lines. Have you ridden one yet?
Haven't spec'd out the Spearfish but what makes it weigh 4 pounds more? Does it not have a light fork like a WC or SC to start? Not sure I want either since I don't race

Not comparing apples to apples. The Highest Spearfish build is GX Eagle. The frames are identical in weight.
 

rick81721

Lothar
I've only demo'd the Blur and it's a fantastic bike, rides more like a 120 rear and with Reserve wheels so easy to pick lines. Have you ridden one yet?
Haven't spec'd out the Spearfish but what makes it weigh 4 pounds more? Does it not have a light fork like a WC or SC to start? Not sure I want either since I don't race

Haven't ridden a blur yet, will at least tool around the parking lot when I get the seatpost replaced on the horsethief. Yeah don't know why the spearfish is 4 lbs heavier, it's about $1000 cheaper as well.
 

Steve Vai

Endurance Guy: Tolerates most of us.
So now I'm more confused - a spearfish with the same components as the blur would weigh 23 lbs? Takes me back to the first question.

It will be close. We'll see when I get the AXS group. Not that it matters, I just took a pile of KOMs away from some Cat1 Blur owners :)

Takes me back to what I said in my thread, weight is almost irrelevant. Ride quality, handling, and power transfer will have a much greater impact on speed than weight. Road bikes are a prime example. My 16 pound Tarmac Disc is faster than my 15 pound Defy was. Even climbing. Why? Because weight doesn't matter.
 

thegock

Well-Known Member
@Paul H

How bout some pix of the RDO? Like Pig My Pony...

DSC_8176-01.jpeg
 

rick81721

Lothar
It will be close. We'll see when I get the AXS group. Not that it matters, I just took a pile of KOMs away from some Cat1 Blur owners :)

Takes me back to what I said in my thread, weight is almost irrelevant. Ride quality, handling, and power transfer will have a much greater impact on speed than weight. Road bikes are a prime example. My 16 pound Tarmac Disc is faster than my 15 pound Defy was. Even climbing. Why? Because weight doesn't matter.

Ok now we are getting somewhere. So again to MY question regarding blur vs spearfish, how do the two compare -assuming same components - in terms of ride quality, handling and power transfer?
 

Magic

Formerly 1sh0t1b33r
Team MTBNJ Halter's
It will be close. We'll see when I get the AXS group. Not that it matters, I just took a pile of KOMs away from some Cat1 Blur owners :)

Takes me back to what I said in my thread, weight is almost irrelevant. Ride quality, handling, and power transfer will have a much greater impact on speed than weight. Road bikes are a prime example. My 16 pound Tarmac Disc is faster than my 15 pound Defy was. Even climbing. Why? Because weight doesn't matter.
Maybe you just felt good because new bike day, or you were being chased by a pissed off mountain lion, or you're stronger now than then. Try a Blur tomorrow and report back.
 

Steve Vai

Endurance Guy: Tolerates most of us.
Maybe you just felt good because new bike day, or you were being chased by a pissed off mountain lion, or you're stronger now than then. Try a Blur tomorrow and report back.

Possibly. But I took KOMs on different days. Yesterday I got 3rd overall on a road segment. Just trying to get the point across that weight has very little outcome on the end result yet it's one of the things most focus on. My Single-Speed is 20 pounds. Does that mean it's faster? No. Especially given the thread we're in consists of guys that could skip a trip or 4 to McDonald's this weight obsession is almost comical.
 

Steve Vai

Endurance Guy: Tolerates most of us.
Ok now we are getting somewhere. So again to MY question regarding blur vs spearfish, how do the two compare -assuming same components - in terms of ride quality, handling and power transfer?

This probably has a lot to do with how you put out power. I personally hate the way the VPP rides, they all feel slow to me. But I'm a masher and stand more than most so I rely on a more responsive suspension design to take advantage of that. Unless you get the Blur with the lockout thing.
 

rick81721

Lothar
This probably has a lot to do with how you put out power. I personally hate the way the VPP rides, they all feel slow to me. But I'm a masher and stand more than most so I rely on a more responsive suspension design to take advantage of that. Unless you get the Blur with the lockout thing.

Got it. So the bottom line seems to be demo and see which fits best with my "style".

Or just say screw it and buy a fatbike to have something totally different.
 

Mathers

Well-Known Member
Possibly. But I took KOMs on different days. Yesterday I got 3rd overall on a road segment. Just trying to get the point across that weight has very little outcome on the end result yet it's one of the things most focus on. My Single-Speed is 20 pounds. Does that mean it's faster? No. Especially given the thread we're in consists of guys that could skip a trip or 4 to McDonald's this weight obsession is almost comical.
?
 
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