DREAM BUILDS
Mike Grimwood's Forbidden Dreadnought
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Mike's Forbidden Dreadnought is one mean looking machine.
Stealth trail destroyer.
Hi Mike, Can you introduce yourself and your riding background?
I first started riding mountain bikes in the early 1990's, right around the time that the Panaracer Smoke came out (awesome at the time). I took a break for a while, then started riding again in '99 when freeride was all the rage. I was in Kelowna, which was a great place to learn how to ride off stunts and hit bigger things. I moved to Calgary for a while, then ended up in North Vancouver.
Tell us about your bike catalogue, the bikes you own and owned in the past. What stood out and why?
Well, that's a tough one. I've had the opportunity to ride a lot of bikes since in the past 20+ years. Highlights have included a 59 pound Banshee Scream (so stable and easy to jump), some Knollys, a Yeti SB150 (one of the better all around bikes I've ridden), Forbidden Druid (the secret sledgehammer), and an aluminum Specialized Stumpy EVO (highest smiles per dollar I've ever ridden). Lowlights include a recent e MTB (not my cup of tea), Yeti SB 5.5 (too linear), and a 2017 Specialized Enduro (too linear). My current bikes are the Forbidden Dreadnought and a Geometron G1. I'll talk about the Dreadnought below, but the G1 is awesome because it can be built however you want. Mine is currently set up with 460 mm chainstays, 495 mm reach, mullet and a 190 mm Boxxer. It's so much fun but handles the trails very differently to the Dreadnought.
Understated graphics.
A shock fit for a king.
Storia V3 ... better than V1 and V2 obviously.
How did you go about the Dreadnought build?
I had a couple of goals for this build. I wanted it to be less than 36 pounds and I wanted it to complement my G1. I'm 5' 8" (173 cm), but I went for a size large so it wasn't a massive size difference to the G1. Yes, it's a little less playful, but it feels safer (harder to go OTB). Some of the parts were taken off an old build, but most were new. I'm sure people will ask why I didn't go full XTR and that's because I couldn't find it (COVID); I bought what I could for the build. I had heard great things about the Era fork and I have wanted to try one since they came out. Yes, they are crazy expensive. And yes, it's awesome in so many ways. The big thing is that their base settings were bang on for me so I bolted on the fork, broke it in over one trail, and that's it. I like playing around with geometry, but I hate faffing with suspension. The other parts were chosen to survive the COVID bike boom (like the King hub and BB). I was happily surprised when I finished the build and weighed the bike at 34.8 pounds.
Can you share your settings?
21.5 psi front, 23.5 psi rear for wet days, 22 front, 24.5 rear for drier/faster days. Rear shock has a 300-lb spring which is just a hair soft for my 190 pound weight (86 kg) (but feels awesome) with the damper settings in the middle for all (not sure on the tune). The fork I'm running 70 psi in the + chamber and 110 in the ++ chamber. Again, running the exact recommended settings; HSC - LSC - R, 7 - 7 - 9 clicks from full closed.
Can't stop looking at this machined beauty.
300-lb spring for Mike.
Mike, why are you so hung up on mullets?
I love the traction of the big front wheel. And yes, a full 29 is probably faster. But early in my freeride 'career', I got pinned between the rear wheel and the seat. The seat broke off the seat rails and a seat rail went through two sides of my scrotum. So the more clearance I can get over the rear wheel, the better!
The secret sauce to Mike's love affair Mullet Link from Forbidden.
Designed to work with both the Druid and the Dreadnought, the Ziggy link allows for a 27.5" rear wheel without altering geometry.
Fighter jet cockpit.
A ride computer lets Mike know all the KOMs he has been crushing.
With the saddle down, This thing is a gigantic BMX.
Tell me about the missing lower chain guide. Any issues?
When I had the Druid, the extra friction due to the lower chain guide was really noticeable. Or at least it was in the stand, so it was in my head... The customer service with Forbidden was excellent so I knew that I wanted their bigger offering (especially since I could mullet it), so I was hoping I could run it without the lower guide to reduce some of the drag. So far, I haven't had any issues and for the intentions of the Dreadnought, it's pretty fast uphill.
The upper idler pulley with the integrated E-13 Chain keeper.
The chainguard needs a little help from tiny zip ties.
X...T...R...
Fast rolling Maxxis DHF for the rear end.
Traction Factory Assegai for the front.
Did this bike make you faster, more confident? or both?
Faster? I'm not sure. Confident, I think so. I love having the extra room over the rear wheel to move around and I like that the rear breaks traction before the front. It's a really comfortable bike to get loose (well, dad loose, not Remy loose...).
How did the RideWrap come about on this bike? and do you like it?
I bought the frame from Beaufort Cycles on the island, dealing with Ryan. He was very friendly and gave me updates to when I'd get the bike. So when he said he had RideWrap kits ready for the Dreadnought, I said yes. Ryan sorted out the install and it was awesome to just build the bike and ride and not worry about rub marks from heels, brakes cables, etc.
The RideWrap coverage is so good. This is matte on matte.
What you'd see if you had a rear view mirror on your bike.
What Mike gets to see each ride.
Sticky Renthal grips.
"One Up, One Down" lever.
Fool proof setup for the shifting.
Not much fiddling necessary with eh EXT suspension.
North Shore Woodwork finds its way to lots of places. DIY fender shims by Mike.
Cable rub eliminated with some carbon mastic tape.
From bike to bike to bike...Chris King stuff lives forever.
More King bling.
The powerhouse.
Real world clickbait. XTR shifts beautifully.
Oh hey Mike!!
| Brand/Model | Notes | |
|---|---|---|
| Frame | Forbidden Dreadnought, size L, with RideWrap tailored wrap package. | Ziggy Link for Safety Mullet setup (27.5" rear wheel) |
| Shock | EXT Storia V3 300 lb spring | 300 lb spring |
| Fork | EXT ERA | 170mm |
| Front Brake | Shimano XTR 4-piston | M9120 |
| Rear Brake | Shimano XT 4-piston | M8120 |
| Rotors | Formula | 203mm |
| Handlebar | OneUp 35 mm rise | 770mm wide |
| Stem | OneUp | 35mm |
| Grips | Renthal traction | Ultra Tacky |
| Shifter | Shimano XT | 12 Speed |
| Derailleur | Shimano XTR | 12 Speed |
| Chain | Shimano XT | 12 Speed |
| Cassette | Shimano XT 10-51 | 10-51 teeth |
| Cranks | Shimano XTR | 170mm |
| Chainring | Shimano XT | 30 tooth |
| Bottom Bracket | Chris King | black |
| Front Wheel | I9 hydra, Sapim CX Ray spokes, We Are One Faction | 29" |
| Rear Wheel | Chris King, DT swiss double butted spokes, We Are One Union | 27.5" |
| Tires | Maxxis EXO+ Assegai (front), Maxxis DHF (rear), both MaxxGrip | Cushcore XC inserts |
| Seatpost | OneUp Components | 180mm |
| Seat | Chromag Moon | Moon |
| Pedals | Shimano XTR | Trail Clipless |
A stunner of a build by one of the nicest guys around.
Comments
Graham Driedger
3 years ago
In mid-feb Mike and I crossed paths when he was riding up the Seymour road on his Nicolai, and I was walking down with a shovel after some digging. He stopped me to offer cash for doing trail maintenance - I had to defer, told him to send beers to the Honey Badger himself, or the NSMBA. This further perpetuates Deniz' description of Mike being one of the nicest guys around.
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Ddean
3 years ago
Id be interested in a ride review of the bigger locally made bikes: Dreadnaught, Chilcotin 167, Slayer, Titan...we have some beauties born around these parts.
NORTH SHORE BIG BIKE WARS
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Cooper Quinn
3 years ago
Aaaaahahhahahahaha I'd forgotten the scrotum story. Either that or my therapist helped me wipe it from memory.
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Deniz Merdano
3 years ago
Mike insisted we stimulate some therapist economy by including the story.
We need a Taj animation of it...
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grimwood
3 years ago
Ha! Yeah, not something I will soon forget. I'm not sure if you're aware, but it takes quite a bit of force to remove the seat rails from the seat... Needless to say, there was a large bruise in that area. It was like peeing with someone else's penis for a few weeks....
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gubbinalia
3 years ago
Shoot dang! Is NSMB only doing bike checks on murdered-out rigs with full EXT now?! :-) Kidding aside, this is truly one of the sexiest bikes ever to grace these fine pages. That matte CK hubset is especially pleasing to my eye. What a killer choice.
Mike, curious about your thoughts on choosing Faction vs. Union rims for this build? I've been running the Factions on my 115mm bike and thinking of getting a set for my Druid (love your description of that bike, "secret sledgehammer") or bumping up to a Union/Convert rear/front combo. The 27 iD Faction works nicely with a Dissector/DHRII combo at 2.4, but I'd assume it would round out a 2.5 more than one would like?
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AJ Barlas
3 years ago
We have a non-murdered out, non-EXT build coming up next! :)
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grimwood
3 years ago
The front wheel is from a previous build (the Druid). I know We Are One probably wouldn't recommend the Factions for a bike like this, but I had great luck with them on both my Druid and my SB150. I didn't get to try the Factions and Unions back to back, but man, the Factions felt fast. I'd get them again in a heartbeat. And I would have put a Faction in the back of this build if WR1 made them in 275.
I thought I wouldn't like the rounder profile of a 2.5 on the 27 mm rim vs the 30. But I had no issues with it (it wasn't crazy round). The big plus for me is that the CushCore XC seems to do much more on the narrow rim than the 30 mm.
As an aside, I know lots of the commenters here are raising eyebrows at my choice of inserts. While I'd like to try others, I had these ones in the garage and I love to see things get used. Plus, I've had nothing but positive experiences with CushCore (except removing a 6 month old tire with the Pro insert).
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Cr4w
3 years ago
Nice bike! Those shims - that's the stuff I come here for.
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grimwood
3 years ago
Thanks! I really like the clean look of the RRP bolt on guard vs 6 zip ties and tape. I needed the shim to get the front end of the guard off the tire. It doesn't look great, but it works.
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Jerry Willows
3 years ago
yeah Mike! sweet build.
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earle.b
3 years ago
Can I not pick the zip ties on the chainstay guard?
https://nsmb.com/media/images/DSC01823-denizmerdano-dreadnaught-dreamrides.original.jpg
Flush cutters needed here.
Great looking bike regardless.
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Deniz Merdano
3 years ago
Rest your eagle eyes Brian.
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earle.b
3 years ago
You need some flush cutters in your camera bag.
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grimwood
3 years ago
Damn, I was hoping no one would notice! But thanks for the reminder. I'll order some up.
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Velocipedestrian
3 years ago
Sorry Mike, I think you have your shifter / derailleur series back to front.
Sweet bike still.
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grimwood
3 years ago
BOC (because of COVID). I couldn't find a XTR shifter when building the bike. XTR derailleur was taken from a previous bike.
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Tremeer023
3 years ago
What a lovely bike. Nice work.
0.5 psi difference in front tyre pressure between wet and dry rides though - can you really tell the difference?
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mrbrett
3 years ago
Of course you can tell! Remember in Days of Thunder when Harry from the pit crew told Cole Trickle he had "matched perfect and staggered special" tires?
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grimwood
3 years ago
Ha!! Good point! In a blind test, I probably couldn't tell the difference, but in my head it's different. The placebo effect is very strong...
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Steven Hambleton
3 years ago
Bar clamp shifter and brake levers? Interesting!
Also, why a Maxxis EXO+ on the front but only EXO on the rear?
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grimwood
3 years ago
I don't really like the brake/shifter combo. Especially if I want to run separate brakes. But I also like that I can put the shifter exactly where I want.
I'm not a huge fan of the EXO+. I find I get fewer flats with EXO. But they only make the Assegai MaxxGrip in the EXO+ (for the lighter version). I run the DD Assegai's on my other bike.
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Steven Hambleton
3 years ago
That's interesting, I bought EXO+ because I thought it added puncture resistance over the EXO!
And totally agree on the i-spec whatever the latest flavour is..
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Onawalk
3 years ago
CushCore XC’s on a 30mm rim and 2.5 tires,
Please give me all the details. I’m currently putting on new boots, and am considering CushCore XC’s. I know the marketing jargon would lead me away from this, but I’m keen on the reduced weight penalty over the regular CushCore.
Anyone with ride reviews before I drop $250 Canuckistan bucks?
And the comment on more flats with EXO+, couple times I’ve heard this now, any further comment?
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grimwood
3 years ago
The front wheel is 27 mm wide (ID). And the CC XC works quite well in this case. If I could have bought a 27 mm wide rear, I would have. The CC XC on the 30 mm rim with the 2.5 tire works OK. The pro definitely provides more support and protection, but I wanted to keep an eye on weight for this build (my G1 is CC pro with DD tires). For me, the CC XC is just enough to get the performance benefit (vs running nothing with higher pressures). I haven't noticed the added weight to the wheels, but I really notice the added rolling resistance due to lower tire pressures on smooth surfaces (really pronounced on the road).
Maybe it's just bad luck with EXO+, but I feel it's due to the 120 TPI in the casing vs 60 TPI in the EXO. The EXO+ casing is noticably more supple. And at this carcass weight, this is a downside for me. Maybe because you can pinch it more easily? On the flip side, I like the DD vs the DH because it has a more flexible sidewall. Just my 2 cents.
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AJ Barlas
3 years ago
"I feel it's due to the 120 TPI in the casing vs 60 TPI in the EXO." I think you're onto it with this. TPI has a big effect IME too.
@Onawalk: I reviewed the XC insert in 2019. A note from my summary below but I'll also say that further experimentation with more rims/tires shows much of the bead seal I experienced while working on that review was thanks to the Spank wheels (maybe it's time for an update to that review). With looser-fitting rims, there's little bead hold provided by the XC insert. I've used it since with Super Gravity and DD tire carcasses purely for a tiny bit of rim protection but with my usual pressures, any lower and I damage the rim through the insert while losing support from the tire.
"…this smaller, lighter-weight version strikes a great balance for riders looking for rim/flat protection and firm hold for the tire bead. The trail damping effects are less than the original and I found I couldn’t lower my pressures the same amount but they still offer peace of mind on the trail."
https://nsmb.com/articles/cushcore-xc-tire-insert-review/
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Onawalk
3 years ago
My overall intent is to experience the dampening characteristics of the CushCore, while gaining some flat resistance on the rear. I run a DHR MaxxTerra EXO on the rear, and typically experience 4-6 tire deflating issues in a season. Admittedly, its a long season here in the Okanagan, and rocky trails mean by mid season my rear is fairly worn out.
The hope was that an EXO+ would help (I’m rethinking that now), but finding the “right” tire is a tougher chore these days.
So maybe a set of PRO CC’s, along with EXO is the way to roll....
Appreciate all the work/reviews you guys have done on inserts.
Be good to one another!
mrbrett
3 years ago
I remember seeing an interview with the Atherton's mechanic years ago, and he said for tubeless setups where they need a better bead-tire fit, he runs enough laps of tape around until it's the desired tightness. So, there's always that option to firm up the bead fit.
Onawalk
3 years ago
Cheers,
Appreciate the reply. Too many options and choices with tire carcasses, weights, inserts, blah, blah, blah.
And at $250 for a set of inserts, and $100 tires, not to mention a couple of hours work thrown in each time, experimenting becomes a little expensive, and tedious.
However, if I compare current riding to what it was like struggle-humping my 45lb Norco 6 to the top of hills, I’m incredibly spoiled, and content with what I’m running.
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grimwood
3 years ago
I’m going agree without Hollytron below. If you’re looking for damping, the the CC pro is the way to go.
I haven’t tried the Tannis inserts yet and I put the CC XC in because I had them. But I’ll disagree will IslandLife’s comment below. I’ve great experiences with the CC XC both in performance and flat protection and I’ve had my inserts for over 2 years. I typically ride over 150 days a year, so I’d say that pretty good longevity. However, I do agree that the pro I good to ride out on where the XC is probably a walk.
Hollytron
3 years ago
Unless you are really concerned about weight just get the CC pro inserts they are awesome especially if you dont run the icky sticky rubber (you wont need it). My 2 cents.
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AJ Barlas
3 years ago
Also worth considering is something else. Cam has been experimenting with every insert he can get his hands on and has had great experiences with the Tannus Armour Tubeless, as have other riders. He's also been impressed by a few others he's riding lately that are lighter than CC but offer great ride qualities too.
Tannus Armour Tubeless: https://nsmb.com/articles/tannus-armour-tubeless-inserts-tested/
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IslandLife
3 years ago
I used CushCore XC's, Pros and am now using Tannus Tubeless Armour. My opinions on the matter:
- CC XC's are just expensive rim protection. Think they do suit more of 2.1 (maybe 2.3?) trail bike tire, but in a 2.4 or 2.5 or larger there is very little to no support. Even the rim protection isn't at the level of the CC Pro or Tannus and gets cut up quite easily quite fast and you need a new set after a season of riding.
- CC Pro is fantastic but very heavy... especially in your rotating wheels. Loved them on the downs, hated them on the ups. Also, as much as you get used to installing them... it still sucks hard. Gets cut up after hard use but not as badly as the XC's... depending on how hard you ride and low you dare your PSI to go... you'll get a season to two out of them.
- Tannus Tubeless Armour... all the benefits of CC Pros with the weight of Cush Core XC's, plus: cheaper and much easier to install. The biggest benefit of the Tannus product that people are just starting to talk about now that they've been in the wild for a while, is durability. After 6 months on the each the CC XC and Pro, I had significant digs and cuts. So much, that I would probably think about replacing them every 12 to 18 months. 12 months into using Tannus and they somehow still look new. Will be interesting to see how long these things actually last. They are also so much easier to deal with. On my last install I just broke one bead and didn't even need to dump my sealant. Still more work than no insert at all, but much easier than CC Pros. The one downside is the "run-flat" ability. CC Pro's you can ride out on a flat pretty well, CC-XC and Tannus don't have that same ability.
- I am currently using EXO+ casings with them and have had good luck... I find the inserts work so well that this year I'm able to run a lighter wheel set than I normally would. Everything is working so well I'm going to try going down to EXO casing tires next to further lighten things up.
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Hollytron
3 years ago
Ive got the tannus on my squishy bike and agree with all of this its pretty sweet. I even got them inside some double downs, which is overkill but they are the tires I have for now. Although I did dent my rear rim with this set up, but I think its a crappy rim situation there. Probs some bad riding too. Cushcore does also include some high quality valves with their package but it seems Tannus has solved the cheap-light-durable equation and picked all three.
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Salespunk
3 years ago
I am running XC on both my Enduro and Evo with Pro on my eBike. Both setups have been solid so far. The XC setups are for "OH SH!T" moments knowing that I am giving up some protection for lighter weight.
I have run Pro on my other bikes for a while along with Rimpact as well. Really want to try the Tannus setup so will order that soon.
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IslandLife
3 years ago
I'm in the process of switching to bar clamp. Because I like my brakes quite flat and quite in-board, when I use the matchmaker set-up I can't get my shifters where I want them... they're too flat and too far in-board.
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Gbergevin
3 years ago
Awesome build. Also curious about the bar clamp shifter... I was thinking about making the switch from the ispec mount, because I can't seem to get my XT shifter rotated forward enough to avoid my thumb getting fatigued after 90 minutes or so.
Yes, thumb fatigue. Riding in your 30s, folks.
It's not a deal breaker, but for whatever reason I find Shimano 12s has something going on in the ergos that lead to my thumb and hand getting worn out on a ride. Never an issue with previous gen Shimano or SRAM.
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hotlapz
3 years ago
Shout out to the bike computer leash crew!
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grimwood
3 years ago
Having lost it a few times in crashes or chest to bar moments, I felt it was something I needed!
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AndrewR
3 years ago
I have found that I have less departure moments since mounting my Garmin 520 on a 76projects top tube mount (flat or flex depending on tube shape).
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Alex Durant
3 years ago
Any idea what kind of sag you're getting with that 300lb spring? I've got a Dread with the push 11-6, for my 185 pounds the recommended was 400lbs which felt too stiff, at 375lbs now and it feels great.
Also would love to hear some thoughts about the dread compared to the G1, I almost bought a g1 in the long wait for the dreadnought to be released.
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grimwood
3 years ago
I’m getting about 34% sag with the 300 (sitting on the saddle, not in attack position). I can bottom it out now, but with a 350, I could gas to flat all day and never bottom it. With the 300, I bottom maybe every 4th ride.
I have both bikes built up very differently, so it a bit hard to compare. The dread feels like an EWS race bike compared to the G1. But I imagine you could build the G1 close to that. But I haven’t tried (yet). I will report back when I get some time on the smaller G1. It’s going to tough though! That G1 is a great bike that is a pedallable DH bike!!
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delusional
3 years ago
Beautiful bike, but damn if I didn't get caught on the idea that we're celebrating sub 35lb for a pretty high end build like this, and with light tyres and xc inserts as well!
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Deniz Merdano
3 years ago
I am actually impressed considering my Druid weighs the same with an air shock and a lot less frame material.
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grimwood
3 years ago
Yeah, I hear you. But there's lot of bits that I like running to make my rides more fun. Lots of ways to build this lighter without breaking the bank. Air rear shock (-350 g), 36/Lyrik vs ERA (-200 g), change the grips, no inserts (300 g), etc.
With this build, I pedal it all day and still ride most of the trails/features.
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delusional
3 years ago
For sure, it looks like a super fun build! I think there's just part of me that still remembers riding everything on a ~28lb trail bike a handful of years ago, and cries out every time I have to turn my current bike uphill.
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delusional
3 years ago
This comment has been removed.
Pete Roggeman
3 years ago
Other way to think about it: modern trail bikes with setups like these are as capable as a DH bike from (5, 6, 7?) years ago - except way easier to pedal. Of course, a good trail bike can be built lighter and cheaper, but it won't hold up to the abuse or provide the same level of outright performance.
I've stopped weighing my bikes, because ultimately I pedal them up to enjoy the way down. Of course weight still matters, but performance > weight.
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delusional
3 years ago
Probably a good plan there. I think I'm hung up on this right now as I made the mistake of weighing my trail bike the other day, only to find it's north of 37lbs!
Still I'm surprised such a high end build is so heavy, mine is pretty budget and I think I can skim 2lb off pretty cheaply without compromising strength. So I guess I expected higher end builds with similar intentions to be down in the low 30s.
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Graham Driedger
3 years ago
There's so many practical additions to a bike which add weight. Let's face it, most of us, at least in locale of Shore, ride with some sort of bike mounted tool/pump, tube, computer, water bottle, tire insert. Everything adds up, but it's almost necessary to toss at least a few of those on the bike.
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Pete Roggeman
3 years ago
Every time T-Bone complains about bike weight I ask him if he's factoring in the weight of SWAT (storage, water, tools) and usually the answer is that he hasn't - which I'm sure is true for most. Stuff that used to weigh 2-5lbs on your back is now on your bike. System weight is the same, it's just that your bike weighs more, but that weight is lower now. We're still better off.
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Hollytron
3 years ago
Thats just it Pete. Just Stop Weighing Them. Are we planning on not riding our bikes if they come out too heavy?
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Jan
3 years ago
Thought I recognized you, but coulda sworn you were Öhlins G1 guy, not Boxxer G1 guy. I may be conflating the Seymour G1 populace. I was going to ask for a comparison of how the G1 compares to the Dreadnought, but from your G1 description it sounds like you've got it setup for DH duties.
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grimwood
3 years ago
Yep, that was me. I probably just had the Ohlins coil on that day. The SC fork makes climbing easier in the switch backs. But I go back and forth on DC vs SC.
I was thinking the same thing. How would the G1 ride with the same build as the Dreadnought. I imagine the weight is only going to be about a pound higher. When I get a chance to test it, I'll report back here (but it won't be anytime soon).
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MuscogeeMasher
3 years ago
Nice looking bike! Choice of Formula rotors is intriguing. We’re those just because you had them or there were availability issues or did you choose them for a specific reason?
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grimwood
3 years ago
I had them from some Formula brakes that I had. But I ended up liking them better. They seem to stay straight(er) better than the Shimano ones.
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The Chez
3 years ago
I agree about other brands. These days I would say I prefer Formula or Magura rotors way more than Shimano. Heck, I might even go for some turkey warblers over Shimano. They seem to overheat and warp more easily contrary to their claims. Sucks though as they look cooler than most.
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Mike Kittmer
3 years ago
Mike! Stoked to see this article and that you’re still riding! Hi from Kelowna.
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grimwood
3 years ago
Yep, still riding! Living pedaling distance to the trails helps a lot. Plus getting to ride year round helps too. Maybe we can get out for a rip next time I'm in Kelowna!
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Zayphod
3 years ago
Sweeeeeet build! I bet it rides like a magic carpet.
The chain looks... ugh, give it some love!
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grimwood
3 years ago
Ha! Yeah, Deniz's camera work is a bit too good... I even gave it a bath before the shoot. Normally, I'll gently spray off the dirt and let it dry in the garage. I like my bikes running well, but I also expect to get close to a month without having to do too much maintenance (I got 28 days on this bike before I needed to give it a little love). So, yeah, the chain doesn't look great. But this thing is meant to be ridden!!
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Deniz Merdano
3 years ago
I asked Mike to leave "some" grit on.
#dirtissexy
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Hollytron
3 years ago
I signed up for the trail bike fad a year or so back. I miss the mountain flattening power of a bike like this. Killer build!
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grimwood
3 years ago
To me, this IS a trail bike... But I think it really depends on where you live and the trails you have access to on a regular basis. I've also had trail bikes in the past, and I've always meant to go for an XC ride. But then I get out the door and say screw it, let's just winch and plummet!
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Endur-Bro
3 years ago
So a 1.75m person is able to ride a Large Dreadnaught and still run a proper length dropper post.
I have a G16 Mojo edition and have been Eyeing this frame. Lack of bike and parts availability is a real drag though.
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grimwood
3 years ago
To be fair, that's not high enough for me to pedal, hence the quick release. I'll raise the saddle another 40 mm or so to get to proper pedaling height. The 180 mm post is fine for rolling terrain, but if I'm going down something real, I'll drop it right out of the way. After getting used to the 210 mm droppers for the past couple of years, 180 seems like nothing....
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Endur-Bro
3 years ago
You likely have a longer inseam than I do then. My Longer (M) G16 I had to shorten my 9.8 FallLine 175 dropper. It was a hair too much at full extension. And the dropper collar was slammed to the post.
Anyway. Let’s get you all sciencey and swap the forks on this and the G1. A ride comparison for science.
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DobberDoo
3 years ago
Sweet build, I'm enjoying mine on the Shore as well! Curious as to how you decided on the 300lbs spring. Forbidden website would put you on a 400lbs spring using their EXT calculator, are their numbers off?? Just curious as I'm about 160lbs and used the calculator which gave me a 375lbs spring. I'm still tuning the bike and have been wondering if I should try a 350 but was surprised at how low you are to begin with! Thanks.
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grimwood
3 years ago
Part of it is experience with the Druid and with the G1. I ran a 320 lb spring (measured) on the Druid and I was pretty happy. At 350 I felt it was too stiff and the bike was too sporty for me. On my G1 I had a 400 lb spring then moved to 420. The G1 with the long dropouts has ~180 mm travel and a 65 mm stroke shock. The Dreadnought runs the same 65 mm stroke shock for 154 mm of travel. So I knew I had to change the rate a bit. Again, lots of this is personal preference and the exact trails you ride.
I'm getting the EXT re-tuned right now, so I may end up bumping the rate to 325, maybe even back to 350. But with the tune I had a 350 spring, I could gas-to-flat all day and never bottom it out. The progressive suspension is really noticeable in that regard. And I mean that in a good way.
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DobberDoo
3 years ago
Thanks for the info, super helpful. Without an o ring it's tricky to know how much travel I'm getting, the plastic disc seems useless in this regard. It feels stiff ATM and that's even with compression dialed all the way down. Are you dealing with Alba for your re-tune? I've been thinking of getting on touch with them to see if they have any helpful direction on this.
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grimwood
2 years, 4 months ago
A couple of updates for those that are looking at this article for Dreadnought setup advice. I ended up getting the rear shock re-tuned (less compression) and went to a 350 lb spring. I probably would have gone to a 375 if the rebound tune was a little slower. Eventually, I ended up back with the dual 29 set up. The mullet was great for ass to tire clearance, but that subtle lowering of the bottom bracket was the nail in the coffin. I know 5 mm doesn't like much, but it can be the difference between slamming the guide off a rock and clearing it...
I also ended up selling the EXT fork. The compression side was the best I've ever felt in any fork. However, when I had the rebound set to my liking, it would top out like crazy. Not when I was riding, but anytime I would pull just a little, it would top out. For me that was a deal breaker (however, I have heard they have updated things in that regard).
I also ran a Cascade Components link on it, but I'll add to the comments under Deniz's review.
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