Yep, I picked all the parts for this one based on my own preferences. As stated in the article, a lot of the parts have already been tested and reviewed here on the site, so it was really a case of what I wanted to ride for this one (lucky me!). The one exception is the fork, as it is brand new to us I had no prior experience to go off, but it made perfect sense to take this opportunity to review it. The tires are also new, but I have been running the gravity version on my big bike for a few months already and I'm very happy with them, so I'm again taking the opportunity to keep testing on this build (in the trail version).
As for the weight, I was clearly not going for a lightweight build. To start with, the frame is alloy. Brakes and cranks were not picked because they are light. The tires may have trail casings but they are still 1000 grams a piece, give or take. The wheels are sturdy and so are the pedals. There's plenty of sealant...it all adds up. It doesn't feel that heavy on the trail though... ;-)
Given that I already reviewed the carbon frame previously, this was a good opportunity to test the alloy. Also it somehow felt "right" for this project.
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