RELEASE | EDITORIAL
We Are One Arrival Updates: UDH & Mullet Inserts
Pulling Teeth
So long folks! I'm leaving the bicycle industry for a career in dentistry. Bespoke, min-max, old-timey retro-dentistry to be more specific. Just me, my Knipex parallel pliers, a complete Park Tool pick UP-SET, plus a couple of quad-packs of Beere Brewing's Mental Floss to get us both in the mood for me fettling your chompers. We can skip over the finer details for now; all you really need to know is it's cash only and my unmarked white van comes to you. For convenience.
What's really exciting about my new gig though is the fleet of Kamloopsian super-bikes that I'm going to be ripping around on. All with identical builds aside from forks, shocks, and rubber. Arrival 130 for XC and fast trail riding, Arrival 152 for faster trail riding, and Arrival 170 - mulleted of course - for Enduro riding. My AXS battery charging rack is going to be more impressive than a Powerwall.
Make that my SRAM Transmission battery charging rack, now that the Arrival frames are Universal Derailleur Hanger (UDH) compatible!
Route cables, root canals. Mental Floss, dental floss. I'm feeling well-prepared for my new gig servicing your smile, not to mention the fresh fleet of bikes that comes with it.
Alright, hold your molars! Don't report me to Oral Health B.C. just yet. It's just my attempt at a little ice-breaking. I always get a little jittery when I'm reviewing luxury-level mountain bicycles. I've seen photos of myself riding the We Are One Arrival and I know that I look like f*cking Red Green driving a Bugatti. Every time I'm working on the Kamloops-made carbon coup I have to fight the urge to cover it in Gorilla Tape just to Andrew it up a bit.*
*TBF, there's very little Gorilla Tape on this custom-painted, one-off, tailor-made-to-Andrew frame! ;) Ed.
How about you go ahead and take your teeth to someone who knows a cuspid from a canine,* we go halfers on the Beeres, and I'll just ride a single We Are One Arrival, but with three sets of links and a few different forks. The We Are One Arrival will even be previously used. By me.
*apparently these are the same thing?
The real update here is that We Are One is joining every other manufacturer in running the SRAM Universal Derailleur Hanger (UDH).
Anyone who'd like to run a SRAM Transmission (T-Type) drivetrain on their Arrival 130, 152, or 170 will need a whole new rear end.
When I returned this rig, in October 2022, I didn't expect to find myself throwing a leg over it again. The crazy-fast Arrival 152 simply wasn't a bike for me: "Pump the bike, it shoots forward. Land a little drop, and it rockets forward. Slam a corner, it teleports forward."
To confirm fully, I understand my discomfort is not down to the bike, but rather the skills and trail reading of the rider. I don't have a go-fast bone in my body.
"In its stock guise, the Arrival 152 is not a good plunking mountain bike. It doesn't do casual riding and if you try to force it, the experience isn't something you'd find me willing to fork out 10K CAD to ride. I hit my chainring countless times but that's not because the bottom bracket is too low, it's because I was going much too slow. I'm out there trying to slowly pop over rock features and the We Are One is screaming at me to just hover above the ground."
Three setups to choose from - Arrival 130, 152, and 170. It's actually quite quick to swap links on the Arrival thanks to the tight tolerances for the frame and hardware.
The Arrival 152 uses a 55mm stroke shock and that can be rebuilt to a 50mm stroke shock for the Arrival 130. Unless the body is also replaced the sag gradients won't be accurate though.
I'm not going to be so bold as to announce that the Arrival is a 'coil bike' but I'll note that I prefer the Arrival 152 and the Arrival 170 with a coil shock. I'd love to try one on the Arrival 130.
Mullet Flip-Chip
In addition to running the UDH, the updated Arrival rear end has a mullet flip-chip. This really pisses on my breakfast cereal. I'm 100% all-in on mullet bikes. I love that We Are One has made this change. Compared to a dual-29" setup I feel like I suddenly know how to corner and at 5'9" I sometimes appreciate the extra tire clearance for my bottom.
What's my issue then? I love an improved chainline as much - and probably more - than the next person, but Super Boost-157 (SB-157) means that my mullet wheelset doesn't fit. I had heard a rumour from multiple channels that We Are One was switching to Boost-148 with the move to UDH but that isn't the case.
A flip-chip where the swingarm meets the upper linkage adds an element of 27" rear wheel compatibility that was previously only achieved by over-forking the Arrival (which is rated up to a 190mm fork).
Once the backend is bolted together the mullet flip-chip looks so clean. Everything bolts together snugly, which is what I expect given my past experiences with their high quality interfaces.
Next Impressions
This is an opportunity for me to look at a couple of different animals - I mean, Arrivals - and talk about the relative value of a bike that can be built into three unique platforms by swapping links, a shock, and fork travel. It's here that I'll briefly lament RockShox's decision to can the 170mm Lyrik air-spring option for the 2023 model. Otherwise, I could have run all three builds with the same fork.
I currently have the bike built up as a 170/170 rig and my first impressions are that this suits me much better. From the first pedal stroke I could tell that the 170mm guise of the Arrival still has all the climbing chops I need but instead of riding on the edge of my credit limit, it now has the amazing forgiveness of a taxpayer-funded bailout loan.
I called that in my review of the Arrival 152 SP1:
"Or, you could just go to an Arrival 170 upfront and save yourself from being weighed and measured by your own bicycle."
The hydraulic-bottom-out (HBO) adjuster on the Super Deluxe Ultimate coil shock inspired me to go anodized purple when personalizing the Arrival touch points.
These single-clamp Wolf Tooth Echo lock-on grips don't slip on the We Are One, Da Bar and they're very comfortable. A significant improvement over the SDG lock-on grip spec.
The Waveform pedals are keeping my feet in place. I don't love the stock SDG saddle but I've left it in place for now. Contact points are everything.
I have to acknowledge an oversight. I failed to put a stopwatch on how long it has taken me to jump from one build to another. That's to drop the wheels, drop the fork, swap the (now) split crown race, and swap both links and the shock. It's definitely less than half an hour. I can probably do it in fifteen minutes if I'm not enjoying a beer or iced coffee at the same time. I will update this when I swap from the Arrival 170 setup to the 130.
I haven't ridden the Arrival 130mm yet, but I'm going to swap the links and toss on the 140mm Manitou Mattoc 34 I'm reviewing tout de suite. Despite having not ridden it yet, the magic combo for creating value in my mind is to ignore the existence of the Arrival 152 and instead have a kit to run the Arrival as both a 130 and a 170mm bike. Maybe with two sets of wheels, although swapping tires isn't too difficult.
Swap some links, install a 170mm Zeb Ultimate, and plop in a RockShox Super Deluxe coil shock. I also need to either add inserts or run heavier-duty tires.
It's too bad that RockShox doesn't make a 170mm air spring for the 2023 Lyrik Ultimate. Otherwise, with quick air-shaft swaps, the same fork would be a strong performer on Arrival 130, 152, and 170.
The fresh Zeb came with this handy steerer tube cutting guide that was perfect for ignoring. I'm riding a size large frame with my steerer cut longer than the XL line so I have some room to play with bar height.
Is it just me, or is an Arrival 130 screaming for the Darczone over forking treatment? Maybe not the -2° Wolf Tooth GeoShift headset, although the Arrival frame does use a ZS44/ZS56 headtube.
Speaking in the common tongue - AKA Maxxis rubber - I'm thinking of a Forekaster rear and DHF front tire on the Arrival 130 and then a DHRII rear and Assegai front for the Arrival 170. The Arrival 170 deserves a DoubleDown casing and/or a tire insert at least for the rear tire.
I'm not swimming in rubber so I'll be making do with the stock tires off the Arrival 152. That means EXO+ casings and MaxxTerra rubber with a 2.4" DHRII out back and a 2.5" Assegai up front. With the confidence boost from the 170mm travel setup, I burped the rear tire badly on my first ride.
I've since installed CushCore's new Trail insert just in the back. The Trail model is meant to act more progressively than the Pro inserts I'm used to and also weighs closer to CC's XC inserts. More on the Trail inserts soon.
The We Are One Convergence rims are light enough and strong enough to suit the Arrival 130 as a trail bike and the Arrival 170 as an Enduro sled. But expect to swap rubber to optimize one set of wheels for both setups.
I'm not swimming in rubber, so I'll be running the EXO+ Maxxis MaxxTerra tires that came stock on the Arrival 152. Thus far, I've added a CushCore Trail insert to the rear.
More information on the Trail inserts soon. For now, I'll say that the installation is as easy as CushCore's XC inserts but with significantly more support for an extra 65 grams per wheel (29").
We Are One calls the Arrival 170 "a proven and unapologetic Enduro weapon that punches above its weight class." In their words, the Arrival 152 is "a non-compromising trail bike that provides the rider with confidence and inspires them to push the boundaries and explore new heights." About the Arrival 130 they say "If you're a rider looking fly up the climbs and demand a nimble, playful whip, enter here. [It's] designed for riders who value efficiency and want a bike that can handle ripping a descent."
It's pretty neat that all that separates these frames is a pair of aluminum links - also made in Kamloops - and a rear shock. Realistically even a rider who's handy at swapping air shafts is going to want two forks and maybe even two wheelsets. Still, considering price of superbikes these days, owning one Arrival that can easily be swapped between multiple use cases looks to be a much higher value than two or three different bikes. Especially with top-end T-Type drivetrains.
I'll be back to further this discussion once I have a suitable number of hours on both the 170 and 130 platforms, to add to my thoughts about the Arrival 152. In the meantime, you can order a fresh UDH/Mullet-compatible rear end and check out everything Arrival at We Are One Composites.
Height - Steve Buscemi-ish
Wait - Patiently
Ape Index - T-Rex
Age - The same as DOS
Favourite Trail(s) every week - Pipeline (thank you Ken!) to Lower Crippler (thank you Andy!)
Favourite Song(s) this week - I'm Your Man. Nick Cave (covering Leonard Cohen)
Favourite Colour - Cosmic Lilac
Bar Width - It depends
Reach & Stack & ETT - It depends
Crank Length - 175mm except when it's 170mm
Wheel Size - Hot For Mullets
Comments
Vik Banerjee
10 months ago
I'm not the target customer, but I'm glad folks are able to buy a quality Canadian made carbon FS frame. I wouldn't switch up my frame regularly, but I could see riding the bike in one configuration for a couple years and then trying a different one for a couple years. It's a relatively cheap way to spice up my riding without buying a whole new rig.
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Andrew Major
10 months ago
The possibility of playing with a variety of different setups absolutely adds long term value to me as well.
I’m very certainly not the target customer but I am enjoying the bike.
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Cr4w
10 months ago
Have you considered painting it lilac?
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Andrew Major
10 months ago
It’s not mine, it’s We Are One’s. Should they paint all their bikes Cosmic Lilac? It seems the obvious choice. Should they paint all their rims Cosmic Lilac? Again, I don’t see why not.
Then again, I also don’t know why they picked boring black as their standard hub colour when Industry Nine makes a stunning pink option?! Why not default to pink?! Everyone loves it.
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AndrewR
9 months, 4 weeks ago
Ah I don't like pink and the move to black was a reduce their stock management issues. I will upvote on Lilac (or pearlescent metallic violet!).
Black is also the most consistent ano 'colour' . Personally if we had to stop at one ano colour the the NS Billet pewter is the best to "not clash" with any colour bike.
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Andrew Major
9 months, 4 weeks ago
I was being cheeky, black is the obvious choice. But, actually, if a brand wants to do not-black the NSB Pewter is a wicked, neutral, option. Good call.
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Harris
10 months ago
It would be an aggressive option for the 130 setup, but a Mezzer Pro can be internally adjusted from 140mm-180mm. No extra parts, basic tools, one fork. The HBO would suit the feature of the Rockshox rear as well.
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Mammal
10 months ago
Andrew is definitely well-versed with the Mezzer.
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Andrew Major
10 months ago
Yep, Mezzer is a rad fork and would do the whole range. My Durolux would be perfect too, they’re adjustable down to 120mm with air shaft options just have to swap the head unit for the larger internal stanchion diameter.
I already had the Lyrik Ultimate 160mm that was on the Arrival 152, which is why I mentioned it’s too bad they don’t go up to 170mm anymore.
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Cee Cee
10 months ago
Under-forking is not a crime. Content!
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Andrew Major
10 months ago
I can't disagree. I love the 120mm 'Magic Toothpick' and it rides high in its travel as I set it up, so I could definitely try in on the A130.
But, I don't love super steep seat tube angles (SSSTA) so, for me, under-forking is very bicycle dependent.
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AndrewR
9 months, 4 weeks ago
It speaks to your min max but it is faster to just swap forks and a fair number of seal leaks are a result of cack handed fork lowers services so swapping the air spring just increases that 'risk'.
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Andrew Major
9 months, 4 weeks ago
If I was swapping regularly two forks makes the most sense. Both for ease and for application (much lighter 140mm fork). It was more from the perspective of testing these three setups it would be fun to have a fork that does all three.
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ohio
10 months ago
Can cover the range, but not a change I would want to make on a regular basis... I'd probably use it is as a way of testing out the short travel setup before shelling out for the proper fork and wheels, or just fully commiting to one setup.
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Andrew Major
10 months ago
I guess it depends how much I planned to use different setups? It’s all theoretical at this point, as I’d just pedal it around at 170mm.
But I imagine running a 150mm Lyrik with the 130mm back end as a daily driver trail bike and then bumping everything up to 170mm for Enduro racing or a bike park trip.
I’ll have more to say once I play with the shortest travel option. I’ve just been enjoying the 170mm for now.
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kamloops_rider
10 months ago
I have the 130 complete as seen on their site. It’s a beautiful bike but I’m slightly disappointed as my Stumpy Evo is about a quarter pound lighter and according to strava (I know, my life isn’t ruled by it though) it climbs faster than the 130. However, the 130 does feel very energetic and does feel more capable than 130mm would suggest but I’m finding I favour the Evo more.
Also, I have the XO transmission on another bike (Druid V2) and in my experience it doesn’t shift through the gears any better than XT, GX or GX AXS. I don’t have long term experience yet but it works extremely well - so does my 2 yr old XT drivetrain.
Not to be a downer though as I’ve spent the money and own these things so obviously I saw a reason to get them. I was just expecting some major, bike altering differences compared to my 2 season old Stumpy Evo and thought, “yes it’s nice and works well” but I don’t think that difference is big enough to justify the cost. Grass is always greener I suppose eh?
Look at me rambling on … I’m a fan of WA1 and that they continue to support their platform versus put out a new complete frame. Looking forward to the follow up posts on trying the other options out!
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Andrew Major
10 months ago
Have you played with the suspension on you A130 much in terms of sag? I’m planning to ride it first with a 140mm fork and then play with some options. I never found a point with the air shock that I was really stoked on the A152 so it’ll be an interesting process at least.
.
I’m genuinely surprised by your comment on T-Type though. I love Shimano LinkGlide, I appreciated AXS Eagle, but good & bad I find Transmission is a different animal - maybe because I’m trying to break it.
The other day, riding the Arrival, now T-Typed, up a steep rooted climb, out of the saddle, fully single-speeding it I decided to grab a couple-or-few gears under load just to see what would happen. It shifted. Bizarre. I wouldn’t consider trying that with any other drivetrain.
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kamloops_rider
10 months ago
I have played around with the sag. I found that it takes alot of pressure to reach the 20-25% sag recommended for the new RS SD. At 25% sag I can’t come close to using all of the travel so I’ve been slowly reducing pressure by 5psi increments. For reference I’m 195lbs and started with 250psi and now down to 240psi - probably go down a bit more as well. Also have HSC as light as possible. I’m not going large by any means but ride everything in the Kamloops area with exception to large gaps and drops. Also, the stock 170mm cranks do feel a bit long on the rocky, pedal bits.
I have read about the shifting under power for the transmission drivetrain but to be honest the sounds it makes when trying this sounds too similar to the old days of blowing a chain. So I haven’t gone ‘full in’ yet. Also all the years of biking and muscle memory have me trained to shift and lightened the torque on the pedals. So I haven’t tried to be rough on it yet but I can see where it will be good in that department.
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Andrew Major
10 months ago
I don’t want to say too much more, but I will say the harder you push through shifts on T-Type the smoother, quieter, and more exact it is - up and down the cassette.
I do find it a bit tricky to go back and forth between Transmission and any other drivetrains because of how different it is to optimize shifting.
I’m working on writing about my experience and it should be up this month.
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kamloops_rider
10 months ago
Good to know and I do need some more time on it for sure. Look forward to your write up
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Andrew Major
10 months ago
Interesting, thanks for the base settings! I’m going to start around 30% sag rear and go from there.
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kamloops_rider
10 months ago
Honestly I think that would be a good idea
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Andrew Major
10 months ago
I'm not 100% certain of the order of things, but I will be back with a piece specifically about the A130 vs. A170 at some point this summer and I'll discuss settings for certain.
I have a 140mm Manitou Mattoc that's RAD to run on the front end. I will likely over-fork it as well.
Suns_PSD
9 months, 3 weeks ago
Kamloops rider, thanks for sharing this info. I just sold my own SJEvo and it's a REALLY good bicycle so I continue to hold it up as my golden standard even though I've moved on to a Relay and have a new Smuggler on order as well.
The Arrival and the unusual rear sag specs have always baffled me. It's almost like a tester found the BB too low and the bike not pedaling well enough, so they just said 'add more air!'. It feels like a work around.
Was it intentional from the moment the bike was designed? I'd love to hear about this directly from WAO.
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Niels van Kampenhout
10 months ago
As an N=1 person I find this pretty intriguing. On the other hand, I'm not sure I could be bothered to swap out the link and shock often if the 170 pedals so well.
Looking forward to the follow-up article.
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Andrew Major
10 months ago
I’m keeping an open mind, but considering the other parts will be the same, and how well it pedals with the shock open, and there’s a lockout if I want it, I would just ride it as a 170mm if it weren’t for making content.
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Ride.DMC
10 months ago
I agree. I'd probably 170 it and forget it. But the fact that We Are One has leaned into this adjustability is just another reason to support the brand in my mind - I really like what they are doing there. I just can't afford any of their bikes, even though I think they're great value for the money.
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Andrew Major
10 months ago
My wife has a few pairs of leggings that are sewn in small batches in Vancouver and designed and supported in Squamish - the company is called Bewildher.
Your post reminded me of this graphic they made:
I’ve written about it, in my way, in the past and I wanted to say I appreciate very much the sentiment that something can cost a relatively large sum of money and be a good value.
(RIP Kitsbow)
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Metacomet
10 months ago
I personally quite dislike graphics like that, and they do more to steer me away from a company than towards one. So much virtue signaling and underlying hypocrisy. I mean, of course nobody wants clothes made unethically by indentured labor out of the cheapest possible radioactive plastic materials and run by greedy bigoted inhuman authoritarians. It reads to me more like "Start Asking: Am I a bad person? Am I a bad person? Am I a bad person? Oh I guess if I buy their stuff then I am a good person, and if I do not then I must be a bad person, and I'll also look like such a smart and good person for supporting them unlike all of the ignorant bad people supporting those other brands. That graphic literally tells me nothing about their product other than its expensive, and I guess I have to take their word on the other things? Maybe provide answers in-line? Also, you're in the textile fashion industry charging an absolute premium for a selfish luxury item that they will make sure to discount and deem outdated by our next season release. Really want to pick apart whether or not that is virtuous, end to end? You sell a product, maybe focus on that and let people make their own conclusions? I dunno. I just find that such an odd, unnecessary and off-putting marketing strategy that feels more like a form of propaganda.
When I see a company like WAO, I like that they focus on things that matter in a much more real and practical sense to the consumer/end user, and all of the actual ethical benefits that come along with it without trying to throw them in your face and look like virtuous saviors of high morality.
Where is it made: Here! By people that could be your neighbors!
Where do you source your materials: By the absolute best providers as close to home as possible!
How well is it made: Really, really, f'ing well! Guaranteed.
How long will it last: See previous questions and answers
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Andrew Major
10 months ago
To each their own certainly, but clothing is one of the most broken industry in the world in terms of the global disparities in quality of living, and wages, and I can feel the frustration of someone hearing all the time that their product is a ripoff when their margins are undoubtedly fractional compared to what companies making stuff in the world’s poorest countries and marketing/marking up the shit out of it.
We Are One is generally competing with countries that proportionally pay higher wages and have done well to dodge the global shipping cost inflation that brands shipping from Taiwan, or China, have been hit with. There’s a different level of pricing pressure compared to say NF sewing pants locally.
Anyway, not telling anyone what factors should play into their buying decisions, but I felt it was a worthy aside.
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Metacomet
10 months ago
I get it, and I'm not saying I even disagree with it at all, and that's kind of my point is that nobody really wants to disagree and be on the other side of that. I Love and support high quality domestically made products because I know what all of the other naturally occurring intrinsic benefits that come along with it. But virtue marketing is like green washing of the moral kind, but worse because its strictly emotionally based and extremely subjective. That campaign was all about acknowledging and responding to people complaining about their perceived high cost, but it didn't really do anything to even justify it.
In that campaign, they are justifying their cost through this logic: Our stuff is significantly more expensive because it's ethically made (how Exactly and compared to what Exactly?) made with sustainable materials (how Exactly and compared to what Exactly?) and because we want to donate to causes of our choosing but pass that expense on to the consumer (to what Exactly? because we may have different priorities when it comes to that, and why not just pass further savings on to the consumer, and maybe offer discounts to make them more affordable to people like seniors and active and retired service men/women?)
Like I said, its not that I am disagreeing with what they are doing, I'm just very skeptical of that style of marketing strategy and find it highly disingenuous.
Like NF, GG, WAO, wouldn't it be more appropriate and effective just say its made locally, to a much higher standard, and with the highest quality materials, and with other unique features you wont find elsewhere. At the end of the day they have to provide something unique enough to stand out AND justify their cost vs their competitors. To me, it seems a better strategy to focus on the quality and qualities of the product, not the quality of the marketing departments virtues.
Sorry for the sidebar. Just find it an interesting and thought provoking point of conversation.
Andrew Major
10 months ago
@Metacomet I don’t know if it’s having first seen the graphic in its content or just being able to taste the frustration of being told your product is too expensive all the time, but I feel commiserate with the tone.
I do appreciate your viewpoint though. Certainly if I’m ever in the position of selling locally made products it’s something I’d take into consideration with my tone/message.
At the same time, I think frustration is more human and lately - regardless of country of origin - I’ve been trying to buy more things (not that I buy a lot of things / enough things to influence outcomes) that are made and sold by humans. I actually read the ‘about’ sections on websites etc.
Imperfection has long had an appeal for me - hence, I suppose, a love of friction thumb shifting, single speeding, and rigid forks - and I find I’m seeking it out more and more.
Mammal
10 months ago
I look forward to the mode-comparisons, and I don't doubt that the 170 Mullet will suit your style more than the 152. My buddy received his this spring in 170 29er mode, and from his impressions, it doesn't seem to reflect the same shred-or-dead characteristics of the sportier 152.
I know you like your Mental Floss, I do too, but have you tried their most recent Smile and Nod? Amazingly good IPA with some pretty neat yeast science going on. Matt makes good things.
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Andrew Major
10 months ago
I have not tried Smile & Nod! Thanks.
The 170 is still firm and fast but so much more margin of error… it’s great fun. I’ve been riding it quite a bit as part of some other reviews I’m working on - no mulleting yet. Still have to try the 130.
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Dave Smith
10 months ago
I haven't once been tempted to upsize from the A152 mode - It rips. The new rear end and transmission will get bolted on as soon as I can get my hands on one.
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Jerry Willows
10 months ago
bikes are almost impossible to ride without the new AXS...
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Dave Smith
10 months ago
So many cables.
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Andrew Major
10 months ago
AXS is just old unrideable shit now isn’t it? I mean it’s basically just a wireless version of a cable drivetrain - you still have to learn how to shift!
Buy T-Type or you might as well just single-speed.
#JerryWillowsHatesMYBike
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AndrewR
9 months, 4 weeks ago
Too true
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Andrew Major
10 months ago
Interesting Dave, is your A152 air or coil shocked? I’ve yet to meet someone who’s ridden both and didn’t strongly prefer the A170. Still pedals awesome. Still goes fast. Just has a much greater margin of error.
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Cam McRae
10 months ago
I wholeheartedly agree with that assessment.
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Dave Smith
10 months ago
The RS SD Ultimate does the job. Holonko put in a strong recommendation and since he has one on most of this bikes I figured I'd be ok. haha.
I prefer a smaller, snappier cornering bike and find most 170 bikes a bit over-biked for how I ride these days. I still ride damn near everything, just a little more carefully.
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MTB_THETOWN
10 months ago
Unless I was living in a van or trying to convince my wife I only have one bike, by the time I have two forks, shocks and wheelets (including extra rotors and a cassette) I am looking for another frame.
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Andrew Major
10 months ago
I don’t disagree. Aside from the novelty and of course testing bikes, I think the real value would be realized by someone who’s moving to a place where the riding is more/less demanding or who trail rides most the year but spends a few weeks in the bike park.
Personally, I’d hang the spares on a hardtail frame that’s maximally inter-compatible.
I mean, it’s all just theorizing for fun anyways. My budget is more Rifty than Arrival and I try to be honest with myself and others about that.
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MTB_THETOWN
10 months ago
It definitely makes sense if you are moving and want to just update your bike for new terrain. Like if you live in Arkansas and get tired of hill biking and move to BC for some real mountains, you can turn your 130 trail bike to a 170 enduro sled.
Let's bet honest though, it's really about saving costs on molds. But at least they have the decency to pass those savings onto their customers if they decide they want a different bike.
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Andrew Major
10 months ago
100%. At least they’re not pretending they aren’t recycling frame members.
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Christian Strachan
10 months ago
Looking forward to hearing about the 130 configuration as there’s definitely a dearth of reviews/discussion of that.
And you also sparked in me a potential rabbit hole with the possibilities of the Arrival. On a Hightower V3 now that is way more capable than I’ll ever be, motors uphill well enough, but I’m usually overbiked. Those times when I’m not are sublime and not infrequent, but many rides, and when I’m feeling needy, I wish for a more playful low-mid-travel trail bike with a little more efficiency.
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Andrew Major
10 months ago
Cheers! Yeah, very little chatter even about the A130. I have some time set aside next week to swap some parts around so if I have any immediate revelations I’ll share them here.
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JT
10 months ago
Still one of the only carbon bikes I'd almost consider causing (financial) harm to my marriage over. It also reignites my curiosity about how many other companies bikes' are just a link and a shock away from being their longer/shorter travel versions. I am all about modularity/versatility where it makes sense, and it certainly seems like quite a few co's use the same main and sub frames between certain models, but scant few offer the parts to make the swap. The logic that it cuts down on bike sales seem fallacious, since most folx will likely opt for the longer or shorter end of the spectrum and live with it. But it would be k i l l e r to have a link and shock to set the bike up for the dirt you're riding that day, especially on road trips where space may be limited to a single bike.
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[email protected]
7 months, 1 week ago
I am having a tough time deciding between the 29er or MX version of the Arrival 170. I love that I can try both with one frame, but it will be at the cost of buying a second wheel with a superboost hub.
How have you found climbing and rolling over rooty stuff on Fromme/Seymour with the MX ?
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Andrew Major
7 months, 1 week ago
I haven’t ridden the Arrival as a mullet/mixed/max wheel bike and I don’t think I’ll have the chance. SB-157 is not present on either of my own bikes to steal a wheel.
But other bikes, I love mullets everywhere on the Shore, hardtail and especially FS. I’m 5’9”.
Hope that’s helpful!
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Chris Petsche
6 months ago
Maybe I've missed it, but what parts does one need to convert a 152 29er to a 170mm Mullet?
Another rear wheel
Longer travel fork
Link kit
shock (?) (or do the links take care of the added travel for the same stroke?)
I wonder if one could just over-fork the 152...
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