Pure XC

I have had the Camo Lunchbox for 15 months at this point. During this time I have experimented a bit with the build and I think I am getting it dialed in to where I want it.



I started out with a Gordo Wheelset, rear FR3 and Front Dissent tire. At one point I even put a coil rear shock on it and had the bike weighing ~16000 grams. The bike worked fine at that weight, but it seemed over built for my purposes: general and technical trail riding. I do no hucking and rare drops.

Here are the changes:

I saw no real value or change in performance with the coil, so I swapped back to air in the rear.

Swapped the Gordo wheelset for some 36 hole Flows. The Gordo's loose tire fit was annoying and I just flat out need a tubeless system that works. Flows fit that bill and saved a bit of weight in the process. They are not as burly or wide, but are plenty durable for how I ride. I have at least four Flow wheelsets and have nothing but good things to say about the rim.

 

Swapped the front Dissent for a front FR3. The Dissent was simply overkill for me, 300 extra rotating grams of overkill. I also have nothing but good things to say about Bontrager Team FR3 tires. They set up tubeless easily, have gobs of traction on rock and loose sandy conditions, are a reasonable weight, and extremely durable.

Finally and most recently, I swapped the 1 1/8 WB 150 fork for a tapered Reba 140 RLT Ti. This is the most dramatic of the changes from a geometry standpoint. I lost 15mm of A-C leading to a steeper HTA (69 degrees). BB dropped to 350mm. The front end lost another 3-400 grams as well. Teh end result of all these changes is a bike that weighs in the 14,500 gram range.

Overall I am pleased with the changes. The bike rides very nicely, there is no tendency for the front end to push. It requires a little more input on technical climbs, but nothing overwhelming. Descending is about the same as before. The longer fork was nicer for very steep rollers, but the Reba hasn't kept me from doing anything I like to do. At high speeds, The Reba is very nice. So nice that I notice the rear shock spiking a bit. It is a high compression model RP3, so I think the next thing is to get it tuned to a mid or low compression tune.




I do hit the ends of the cranks and pedals more with the lower BB which is a bit annoying.

I have half a mind to get some 5" rockers from Devin and lower the rear of the bike, slacken the HTA and see how it feels. I fear the the BB may be too low for our conditions, but you never know until you try:)

Soooo, if you have a Lunchbox and XC tendencies, don't be afraid to try a shorter fork, it rides great.