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John’s Moots Womble 29er Hardtail Updates: Chris King Fusion Fiber MTN30 Wheels and the New Rock Shox Pike Ultimate

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John’s Moots Womble 29er Hardtail Updates: Chris King Fusion Fiber MTN30 Wheels and the New Rock Shox Pike Ultimate

I’ve been privileged to throw my leg around many fine bicycles, and two years ago, when I got to review a Moots Womble, I fell in love. It’s incredibly light and capable, but, most importantly, it pedals pleasantly whether you’re climbing or descending. It’s the bike I ride the most here in Santa Fe, and while it often gets in over its head, so to speak, I find it capable enough for a proper all-mountain experience. I’ve climbed with it from town to our towers (12,500′) and took it right back down the guts of the Rocky Mountains on a long, 15-mile singletrack descent. It’s taken me across the Uncompahgre Plateau and all over Northern New Mexico. While it only has a 140mm travel fork, it’s honed my riding skills to where I feel like I’ve mastered this titanium chassis. Yet, I’m not opposed to upgrades or using this trusty bike as a lab rat for product tests.

Over the past few months, I’ve been giving two new products a proper thrashin’ from New Mexico to Montana, so let’s see what I think about the Chris King FusionFiber Wheels and the new RockShox Pike Ultimate below.

Whisky Parts Co. No.9 Monster Cross MCX Fork

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Whisky Parts Co. No.9 Monster Cross MCX Fork

Whisky’s latest fork is their No.9 MCX “monster cross” fork which brings extra-wide tires, 700c x 51 mm or 650b x 61 mm (that’s 2.4”), to your corresponding frame. So how is this different than a MTB fork? Well, the MCX has a 415 mm axle-to-crown, minimizing the geometry effects. It’s also got 51 mm of offset, improving toe clearance with large tires or fenders. The MCX is within the Whisky CX fork family, with a 12 mm thru axle, and flat-mount brakes. There are also three-Pack mounts, dynamo cable routing, and fender mounts (700c x 45 mm tire clearance with fender) which add versatility for bikepacking and gravel riders.

MSRP $520.00

ENVE Issues a Recall for their Tapered Road 2.0 Disc Forks

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ENVE Issues a Recall for their Tapered Road 2.0 Disc Forks

Sometimes technological advances hit a few bumps in the road. That’s the case for ENVE at the moment. They just issued a recall for their Tapered Road 2.0 Disc Forks, claiming up to 600 could be affected by a stress riser forming above the disc mount on the left leg of the fork. So far, a few have cracked, but no injuries have been reported. To see if your fork is part of this recall, head to Bicycle Retailer.

ENVE Hucks their Rigid MTB Fork into Stores

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ENVE Hucks their Rigid MTB Fork into Stores

Hell yes. If you’re looking for a way to lighten up your hardtail for expedition-style riding, check out the ENVE rigid 29’r fork. When my hardtail shows up, I’ll be trying one of these out for sure.

I love the removable mud fender and adjustable rake.

Wheel size: 29″
Weight: 711g w/fender, 686g w/clasps
Adjustable rake: 44, 52
Axle to crown: 470mm (44 rake), 472mm (52 rake)
Tire clearance: 88mm (3.46
Steerer: 1.125″ to 1.5″ tapered
Steerer length: 300mm
Rotor size: 160 or 180mm
Axle: ENVE 15mm thru

Order now at your local ENVE dealer and see more information at ENVE.

Radar

Rock Shox: Introducing the RS-1 Fork

Out of all the new tech we got to ride in Moab at SRAM’s Trail House, the RS-1 was my favorite. Later this week I’ll go into a more in-depth review, but for now, check out this press-release on this innovative suspension system:

“When it came time to best our XC platform, it meant reevaluating every element that defines the most winning XC fork in world cup history. A ruthless approach to material optimization, an ultra efficient energy saving lockout and quite possibly the world’s lightest air spring – all designed to enable riders to find their next line.

The outcome was something unexpected. A fork that ushers in a new-generation philosophy to XC rider efficiency, packaged in a chassis design never before seen by RockShox. RS-1 harnesses 25 years of creativity, refinement, and the courage to tackle the biggest engineering challenge of mountain bike suspension to date: the inverted chassis.”