Richie Rude's Racing a 29er at the Aspen EWS 28

OMG

Jared Graves switched a while back and it hasn't worked out for him.

Why not just run a 170mm fork?

That was my 1st thought...anyway SICK looking bike!

As the article says - Fox doesn't have a 29er 170mm fork yet. Bushing overlap would be a bit thin even if they did manufacture an air piston for the race guys. Basically, it'd be a full custom fork.

That said, I bet it'd work just fine...but yeah, you know how engineers get when it comes to being cowboy*

(*doesn't apply to David Camp)

That make sense, thanks for explanation Jeff.

If you bet it would work fine to run the fork at 170mm of travel, maybe you can tell Fox you'll cover any possible warranty costs of worn out bushings, and then they might release it.

...and I stand to benefit how exactly?

I still stand by what I said. Especially considering most riders run 15-25% sag.

Not enough bushing overlap for RR. He'd fold it on the first turn with his savage attack. Animal!

29" DH casing tires with Cushcore: heaviest enduro tire setup of all time?

in the words of Kai... smash SMASH SA-MASH!

looks at tires...wait those say exo...

EXO DH casing...

i was unaware that existed.

The DH Casing is 2x ply. It's legit. I have a set. 1295g ea. Good thing he has huge legs to sprint outta corner with...

...and he still flatted. Wow.

I was wrong. Maxxis website says the 29" DH tires weigh less than the 27.5" due to wire beads. This is not the heaviest enduro tire set up of all time. I learn something new every day.

29" DHF DH casing: 1295g; 29" cushcore: 248g. That's 1543g, plus sealant in there. Freakin beast.

Plus, say, his wheelset has to be around what? 1800 grams? So that's 1500+1500+1800= 4800 over TEN POUNDS in wheels and tires! CRUSHER!

At 30psi and likely a Cush Core insert, check out the crosshatching on the rear tire sidewall of Rude's Yeti a few shots down. I'm surprised he hasn't been running DH casings all along.

http://reviews.mtbr.com/fastest-bikes-from-winter-park-big-mountain-enduro

So basically, single-crown DH racing. Got it.

Oh that thing his teammate has been doing the entire season?

What size?

Large

I ran 2.5 dhf f/r on my carbon hoop'd 5.5 and the side knobs were pulling in to the rear triangle. Too much for regular riding or too soft of a wheel build?

A little rub isn't the end of the world. That said, a slightly stiffer wheel would help. And yeah, I'd say for "regular riding" its too much. I swapped from 2.5 DHFs this weekend to an Aggressor Double Down out back and found my rolling speed did improve...(this was at a race)

Love the aggressor out back! Chomping at the bit for the 2.5 to be released so I can try that in the rear.

I'd be happy with a 29x2.4 Aggressor