The Rig Rides Again

Fogerson

Former Resident Nerd
So I, more or less jokingly, mention to Sean (anrothar) that I'm watching ebay for single speed 29ers. Next thing I know, he offers me a good deal on his '07 Rig...and I bought it.

So why did I do it?

A) It was a good deal and an economical way to try the 29er/ss thing out.
B) I'd upgraded everything on my Spot, built Timmy a new bike, and I needed something to spend money on.
C) I like the idea of having something simple and relatively inexpensive in my quiver for when I go on vacation and camping this summer. The thought of leaving my 5-spot at a camp site, even with a big ol' chain on it, doesn't make me warm and fuzzy.
D) If I buy Sean's bike, I'll ride the rocks at Mahlon like Sean. After all, it is 90% bike, right?
E) I simply have a disease.
F) I will be assimilated. Turns out resistance is futile.

Eh, who cares...it is another toy in my basement.

So, I tore her down to her frame and built her back up...used some stock parts, used some parts I had laying around, and even bought a new part or two (okay, cranks and grips). She weighs in at a not-to-bad 26 pounds with pedals, pump, water bottle cage, everything.

So will Tim fall in love with the 29 inch wheels? Will he find his head doesn't hurt as much contemplating all those gears? Will he wonder why he is riding a bike all the time that, in total, cost less than the brakes and cranks on his 5-spot? Will he love the 29 inch wheels, hate the SS, miss the FS, and strip the Spot and build a Sultan? Tune in tomorrow for the next episode of "as the hub turns"...

Stay tuned...maiden voyage should happen this week!

Tim
 

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Norm

Mayor McCheese
Team MTBNJ Halter's
Good for you dude! The only thing I want to know is if gravity works the same way on both your bikes.
 

Fogerson

Former Resident Nerd
Good for you dude! The only thing I want to know is if gravity works the same way on both your bikes.

Heh, heh, I hope it is much weaker on the Rig. At least it is less distance to the ground with the Rig (see pic) when I do my, now infamous, gravity checks at NJ's parks.
 

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Fogerson

Former Resident Nerd
Nice score, Tim. How does it fit? Oh yeah, it IS 90 % bike, right...

Seems to fit fine. Stand over is less than the Spot and with a 100mm stem it is about the same seat post to bar distance as the Spot with it's 120 mm stem. In fact, it was pretty easy to get everything adjusted to the same dimensions as the Spot.

It will be a very interesting ride up at MD with it. I know with my 1993 M2 FS Stumpjumper, I felt pretty beat up after a ride up there. The 5-spot, as long as I'm not gravity checking that day, I feel fine. 'Wonder where between the two this thing will land...
 

Fogerson

Former Resident Nerd
Thanks guys.

Now I just have to decide how many rides (in a row) to do on it before riding the Turner again. 'Need to make sure I've adjusted to it before I render judgement...

Walter...my Turner doesn't "look" worried...
 

axcxnj

Hipster Keys
very nice!
im looking to get a rig around the end of the summer...looking fowards to hearing feedback on it
 

J-Dro

Well-Known Member
I have a 29er SS and a 26" 5-spot too and they both get plenty of saddle time. The bike I ride on any given day is usually dictated by the place I'm heading to. A few parks, like say Chimney Rock, is a coin toss. I say ride em both.
 

jdog

Shop: Halter's Cycles
Shop Keep
Don't forget a rotor Q-Ring.

These are priceless on a SS.

Really.

J_
 

Norm

Mayor McCheese
Team MTBNJ Halter's
I put it on my bike. I don't know if it helps or not but I never need to shift to the small chairing up front.

It makes sense in theory.
 

Fogerson

Former Resident Nerd
Maiden voyage is complete!

All,

Took a run up to MD this AM on the Rig. It was great! Not so much because of the Rig, but because I'm having a "good" day...I feel good and wasn't having the recovery problems I've been having more and more (see my Celiac's thread for the 411 on that).

Okay, back to the Rig (warning: nothing new or insightful is following wrt to 29ers or SSs)...
  • The best thing about this SS is it is sooo quiet. Tire noise and me breathing. That's it. No chains slapping, dérailleurs popping, suspension squishing. It is unbelievably nice. I may not fall in love with the SS as my "primary" ride, but this fact alone will likely have me keeping the Rig around (and configured as a SS vs 1x9 w/hone hub & derailleur).
  • It is all true, those 29 inch wheels freakin' roll. Starting a descent I was pretty shocked at the rate of acceleration. So much so, I'm gonna' check the Chris Kings on the Spot to see if the bearing preload is too tight.
  • In the rocks, the 29 inchers feel pretty good too. For the most part, it seems as though all one has to do is put some power to the cranks and pull back on the bars a bit and it just plows right though. I didn't do some of the nastier stuff at MD as I'm still a little timid (and healing). The thing I noticed the most is the tail doesn't get bucked around as much as the last 26" hard tail I rode up there. For a hard tail in the bumpy stuff it is pretty damn stable.
  • I did like the quiet of the SS, but there were times I was yearning for my 11-34 and a derailleur. Though, it has the same gearing that was on it when I bought it from Sean...I didn't even count how many teeth are on the rear cog. I think if I went up a tooth or two, it'll be a little bit more livable for me at MD. Some experimentation is required...
  • I did miss the FS on the Turner. Though the Rig doesn't buck around as much as my old M2 Stumpjumper, it is certainly a rougher ride than the Turner. Though, I'll admit, I did enjoy getting my butt off the saddle way more that I do on the Turner (which is never). Things were better later in the ride when I started getting back in the habit of standing...
  • The Avid Juicy Carbon on the front and BB7 on the back work okay, but they're nowhere near the Formula's on the Turner...if I find myself riding the Rig a lot, I'll have to fix that...not gonna' put "The Ones" on it, but maybe a nice set of K18s...
  • Threw some cheapo Sette grips on it as I wait for my freakin' Ergons to get here. They aren't exactly "snug"...so that was interesting.
  • The new Evolve XC SS cranks are very nice. Not the lightest thing going, but seem nice and stiff.
Well, after one ride I'm certainly not a convert, yet. I can say that I do see why some folks get assimilated into the 29er/SS Borg. 'Not sure it will go that far with me, but after today I could definitely see this bike becoming a permanent part of my quiver.

Tim
 

Fogerson

Former Resident Nerd
I did like the quiet of the SS, but there were times I was yearning for my 11-34 and a derailleur. Though, it has the same gearing that was on it when I bought it from Sean...I didn't even count how many teeth are on the rear cog. I think if I went up a tooth or two, it'll be a little bit more livable for me at MD. Some experimentation is required...

:hysterica:hysterica

Okay, so I counted and I'm already geared at 32/20...'guess I should probably just ride...more...

Tim
 

walter

Fourth Party
The 32/20 should be good for MD, anywhere with some good flatness and you're probably going to spin your legs right off your body.
 

Fogerson

Former Resident Nerd
The 32/20 should be good for MD, anywhere with some good flatness and you're probably going to spin your legs right off your body.

Thanks. I do have a 18t & 19t that Sean gave me...so if I go somewhere flat I'm gtg...well, once I get a spanner wrench, that is...
 
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