2016 Knolly Warden Bike Check

My Knolly Warden frame is outfitted with the oh-so-beautiful Industry Nine Enduro wheelset, a Fox 36 RC2 fork, and of course a kickass Deity cockpit.

The typical trail bike features are all present: I'll be running the new 11-42 Shimano XT 1X11 drivetrain. Raceface Turbine cranks with a 32T NW ring (although that might get bumbed up to 34 or 36 for some races). A RockShox Reverb post. For the brakes I chose XT levers in order to get the I-Spec II compatibility I wanted to match the brake/shifter on the bars. I paired these with 4-piston Shimano Saint calipers and hoses to maintain good braking temperatures on sustained descents.

Suspension setup is a huge part of any ride, and just like everyone else, I've got my opinions about what's best for the trail. For starters, I like steep trails so I don't like steep head tube angles. I chose the slack setting on the Warden which leaves the front end at a 65.5 degree angle.

Also, I like a very progressive spring rate both up front and in back, so I reduce the hell out of any air volume that I can. 'Graceful' and 'smooth' are not words that anyone has ever used to describe my riding style, so when I'm charging in the rough stuff, I like to know that I've always got a little travel left when I need it. I cram all of the spacers I can into my Fox 36. For the Cane Creek Double Barrel, I made my own spacer out of some leftover tool drawer lining material. Simply remove the shock from the frame, slide the air can off, and cut a piece of the black rubbery stuff to fit just right in the air chamber.