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ebruner Added a reply to Favorite current 150-160ish bikes
2/19/2026 9:43am I was shopping in the same bracket of bikes and ended up with a v4 hightower. I sorta hastily moved up my purchase timeline once the new colors were released... I really had a thing for the purple 2025' color way. So far, it's more then met my expectations and this iteration of VPP with significantly lower anti-squat has been...
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ebruner Added a reply to What are people's favorite true trail bikes in 2026?
2/17/2026 4:39pm You can get C framesets from Santa Cruz. I just bought a C level hightower 4 and I previously bought a C level nomad 6. They rarely discount frame only purchases however... the only place I've seen deep discounts on SC frames is from Jenson.
ebruner Added a reply to What are people's favorite true trail bikes in 2026?
2/17/2026 3:34pm Just to clarify, you're talking about the "Trance X Advanced". That bike is sold as a 29/29, 140/150 bike with a 52.5mm stroke shock. They used to sell an SX version of it, that was MX, 150/160 with a 55mm stroke shock. Probably one of the best giant bikes made in the last decade that they completely screwed up with...
ebruner Added a reply to What are people's favorite true trail bikes in 2026?
2/17/2026 12:39pm I spent a bunch of time demo'ing trail bikes over the last 6 months. A few impressions below, I'm 6'2" so a few of my impressions are driven off of that. -Tallboy is still the benchmark and nearly impossible to beat and the geometry has no surprises, nor weird steps between sizes. A platform that can punch above or below...
ebruner Added a reply to 2026 MTB Tech Rumors and Innovation - Longer and Slacker
2/17/2026 10:05am Pedal rumors aren't all that interesting... but I can't resist. Have you tried the new CL-MT001 shimano cleats? I'm not going to say that they provide exact crank brothers entry/exist vibes... but they are A LOT closer then the sh-51's were.
jazza_wil Liked a reply to forum topic 2026 MTB Tech Rumors and Innovation - Longer and Slacker
2/16/2026 8:26am
A mate of mine just got some of these for his mavens, seemed pretty happy after the first ride, and cheap. https://www.lizardskins.com/product-details?h=dsp-lever-grip-platinum-g…
This forum topic has 6923 replies.
Mat_Slow_Rider Liked a reply to forum topic 2026 MTB Tech Rumors and Innovation - Longer and Slacker
2/12/2026 9:24am
Opening the picture of the maven levers on the sram countdown, the file name is 'new_lever_blades'. Guess we're getting a longer lever for more leverage to overcome friction better and the gold swinglink that does that as well, can't see what else they'd change on the current blade since it feels good. I know p*nkb*ke posted a picture where booker had a different one on his brakes at hardline, but seems like this one's different.
This forum topic has 6923 replies.
ebruner Added a reply to Fox 36 dirt jumper conversion
2/11/2026 10:53am Fox uses a very insane thread spec and pitch on the air spring foot nut that you will not find a tap for. I went down this road many years ago, actually consulted steve from vorsprung and he happened to be in the middle of developing the secus. He shared with me that sourcing the tap for cutting the foot...
ebruner Added a reply to 2026 MTB Tech Rumors and Innovation - Longer and Slacker
2/11/2026 9:45am Did those nomad buyers pay full price and were they full bikes or frame only? My experience is that the kind of people that buy freeride/park bikes are industry adjacent or shredders that are very savvy with regards to buying things with a hookup or on deep discounts. I too bought a nomad 6... but for 1,900 dollars. No way...
ebruner Added a reply to Fox 36 dirt jumper conversion
2/11/2026 9:13am I was looking into the same thing while building a dirt jumper a few months ago. My first instinct, like yours was to turn to a 26" fox 36 and modify an air spring down to 100mm. Surprisingly, those were pretty hard to find in salvageable condition and by the time I fussed around with sourcing rebuild kits, messing with...
EBlackwell Liked a reply to forum topic Stem Length
2/10/2026 4:14pm
While stem length does impact steering feel a lot, I have always found that is of secondary importance to the ease of weighting the front wheel. Maybe I have a weird riding style or just a really strong preference for a lot of weight on the front wheel, but I find it tough to ride anything below a 45mm stem. 45mm feels like the best balance of steering feel to easy weight on the front. 50mm is good, but I find there’s a bit of an oversteer tendency. Under 45mm the steering feels good, but I struggle a bit with...
This forum topic has 91 replies.
ebruner Added a reply to Stem Length
2/10/2026 4:16pm I like this approach and concur. I typically try out 40-45-50mm stems on my bikes as I am setting them up and I'm looking for the same front/rear weight balance with regards to cornering that you are looking for. I feel like it's important to find what feels good, and then go one step beyond that to make sure that...
ebruner Added a reply to SRAM cassette loose on DTSWISS hub
2/10/2026 4:12pm There have been a few transmission cassettes with lateral runout. I had one that had shifting issues and it was warrantied by sram through my LBS.
ebruner Added a reply to Chainstay Gang - Mount up
2/9/2026 1:17pm Wait, does this mean you're supposed to pee at the clouds and yell into the wind? I myself like a 490-500 reach and a 455ish chainstay on a mixed wheel bike, and 450ish on a 29r.
ebruner Added a reply to Tire chat (nerds only)
2/9/2026 1:12pm Ah yes, the periodic table of continental tire skus. If there ever was evidence of how impossible it is to keep mtb consumers happy, it's the list of tire mfg skus.
ebruner Added a reply to Riding along the California Coast
2/9/2026 1:10pm Pretty much nailed it. I am basically a PO/Poodle Dog control lab rat as if I get within 5' of the stuff, I'm getting it. I do recall the days when I made the statement that "I'm immune to poison oak." Then I got it once about the size of a penny... then each time bigger/worse. I now keep a...
AndehM Liked a reply to forum topic Riding along the California Coast
2/9/2026 1:06pm
You don't need Tecnu for dealing with poison oak, Dawn dish soap works fine. I react strongly to PO, and shower with Dawn after digging. Moderate water temp (don't want hot as it causes pores to open up and let the urisol oil in), lather up starting with hands and wrists first, then working to any other possibly exposed areas (arms, lower legs/knees, waist, neckline, face). Wash all clothes separate from normal clothes on sanitary cycle with extra rinse. I've been digging a new trail that goes right down a ridgeline that is a literal poison oak forest, and as...
This forum topic has 23 replies.
ebruner Added a reply to 2026 Team Rumors
2/6/2026 2:10pm I was at the rolex 24 in 2019 when you guys got your first win. That was such an incredible year for the race, some of the heaviest hitting lineups at the rolex in the last 10 years were at their best that year. If I recall correctly, you guys were only a few places off of the overall podium...
ebruner Added a reply to 2026 MTB Tech Rumors and Innovation - Longer and Slacker
2/5/2026 10:19am Have you put any thought into an s5 norco revolver? I demo'd one from my lbs (s4 at my 6'2" size). They do have proper reach for us tall boys (ironic) and they actually ride a bit bigger then the reach figures suggest. It was honestly the most fun xc-race bike I've ridden in recent memory. Appropriate stack figures, super...
ebruner Added a reply to 2026 MTB Tech Rumors and Innovation - Longer and Slacker
2/4/2026 9:40am You would chose a horst tallboy over those bikes for the same reason you would currently chose a vpp tallboy over those bikes. Frame quality, ride feel and kinematics, frame stiffness/compliance tuning/feel, geo fit/dimensions, brand loyalty/identification, colors/industrial design, warranty support, LBS/retailer loyalty and support, etc. I have owned countless VPP santacruz bikes and I also own a horst link bullit...