New Bike ?

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trob6
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New Bike ?

Post by trob6 »

Hello All
Just like to say hello and this is my first post and I am looking for some advice I am thinking about getting a new bike , I have a smithyframeworks hartail enduro bike which is brilliant for hammering down hills and the like but I have started the obsession that is bikepacking and racing and I love it so I want/need a lighter faster bike. I am currently obsessed with the sonder broken road and spoke to alpkit today and they can swap the suspension fork for a kenesis carbon fork and fit 29 inch wheels and change the bars for confusus ones for the stock price so the question is does anyone have one and how is it? They have them on demo in there Hatersage shop so I am going to give one a spin next month , it seems that in that trim it would be about 11kg ish which seems pretty good to me ( my bike is 13kg).

Thanks

Tim.
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middleagedmadness
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Re: New Bike ?

Post by middleagedmadness »

Welcome :-bd ,cant help as i ride a longitude which is nearly a portly as it's owner :wink:
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Charliecres
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Re: New Bike ?

Post by Charliecres »

Yes, welcome! All I can say is that a mate has a Broken Road, albeit with a suspension fork, and he’s very happy with it. He uses it for everything from blasting around the local twisty singletrack to trips away to real mountains. I don’t think you’ll go far wrong.
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macinblack
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Re: New Bike ?

Post by macinblack »

They are a lovely bike. Good for just about anything. I'm keeping the suspension fork on for now as I have a Longtude for keeping it rigid but will no doubt stick a Prong on at some point. I like to watch it at night whilst it sleeps.
Lazarus
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Re: New Bike ?

Post by Lazarus »

You sure you want a rigid fork?
None of my MTBs have them even the longtitude [ though I still have it]
IMHO no off road experience is made more fun by a rigid fork and the thought of riding one of those all day for multiple days fills me with dread.
YMMV but its not essential to ride rigid.
ScotRoutes
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Re: New Bike ?

Post by ScotRoutes »

My Pact Wildcat (think of it as the Broken Road prototype) has a choice of 29er or B+ wheels and rigid or 120mm forks. It mostly runs B+/rigid.
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trob6
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Re: New Bike ?

Post by trob6 »

Thanks for the replies , well I not sure about rigid as I've never had one but they seem lighter and faster ? so I thought I would give it a try then I would have the full set , full sus , hardtail and rigid and who doesnt want another bike.
The fork that alpkit would put on is a kenesis maxlight but I can find no reviews anywhere so does any have one they can tell me about?
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ScotRoutes
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Re: New Bike ?

Post by ScotRoutes »

Piemonster to the forum!!!!
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Charliecres
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Re: New Bike ?

Post by Charliecres »

Well I’m a big fan of rigid bikes, especially when loaded up. It’s a preference/feel thing. Not right for every ride but, like you say, it’s great to have a choice. :-bd
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Piemonster
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Re: New Bike ?

Post by Piemonster »

Hi, Broken Road owner here, version 1 not 2.

Fire away with any questions. I’ve the option of running it as a 29er or 650b+, flat bars of Jones H Bars, rigid carbon forks or Rebas.

I’ll just query the suggested Kinesis forks you mentioned, I think they might be a bit on the racey side for a bike of its type, by which I mean stiff, too stiff. I think the Travers Prongs might be a better bet?
Last edited by Piemonster on Wed Jul 24, 2019 6:52 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Piemonster
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Re: New Bike ?

Post by Piemonster »

Oh, and I definitely find it rides best in 650b+ mode over 29er. And I normally have the rigid forks on.
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Piemonster
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Re: New Bike ?

Post by Piemonster »

I like to watch it at night whilst it sleeps.
:lol:

And yeh, me too.
wriggles
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Re: New Bike ?

Post by wriggles »

I have a Broken Road. Put off buying one for 18 months as thought it wouldnt take bigger 29er tyres, but after chat with Rich discovered will take up to 2.6 x 29. 29er makes more sense for me at 6'2" but not tried with 650b plus. At some point I will try it though.

Built mine from frame up with existing parts. Using Fox 34 x 110 forks. Hope wheels with kinlin 30mm internal width rims. Have some rigid forks to try on it but not bothered fitting yet. Its become my goto bike in preference to my full suspension and gravel bikes. 29er hardtail has always been my favorite bike and after many, many bikes this is the best one yet. Surprisingly capable and the XL fits me really well. Brilliant bike.
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Piemonster
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Re: New Bike ?

Post by Piemonster »

How have you got on with the 2.6 x 29er option. I’m keen to try something similar at some point. Although I can get 3x29 up front if I had the rims for the task.
wriggles
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Re: New Bike ?

Post by wriggles »

Running 2.4 ardents on Kinlin TL-29 30mm internal width rims at the moment. I really like that set up. Not tried 2.6 yet. Waiting for some Mezcals or XR2s to come up cheap
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Piemonster
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Re: New Bike ?

Post by Piemonster »

I think I can squeeze 2.5 on to my current 29er wheels, but then I wouldn’t feet them on the full suspension bike.

Maybe a set of 35 to 40mm rims and some XT boost hubs are needed.
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trob6
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Re: New Bike ?

Post by trob6 »

Thanks all , I was looking at the prong and I agree I think it's a better bet too also it has bosses on for just in case.
I have asked alpkit for a price anyway with the kenesis fork and xo1 cranks but I could supply my own fork , so much to think about !
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Bearbonesnorm
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Re: New Bike ?

Post by Bearbonesnorm »

Prong is one of the nicest rigid forks I've ever ridden :grin:
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Piemonster
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Re: New Bike ?

Post by Piemonster »

Both myself and Scotroutes have eBay carbon forks. A cheaper way to try them out. I’ve been using Colin as a coal mine canary as I reckon his would snap before mine.
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Piemonster
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Re: New Bike ?

Post by Piemonster »

Ah, Boost Prong our of stock with eyelets.
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trob6
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Re: New Bike ?

Post by trob6 »

Well I spoke to Mr Prong today and the new batch of forks with bosses will be about a month and he was very helpful with his advice , he has done rolling resistance test and a 650b plus works best which I was surprised at as I thought 29 would be best so that has confused me even more , sometimes I wish I'd never started riding bikes lol
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Piemonster
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Re: New Bike ?

Post by Piemonster »

Oh, after pay day then 👍
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Escape Goat
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Re: New Bike ?

Post by Escape Goat »

I ride a Signa TI 29 x 2.6 ... part of me wishes I bought a broken road...Sonders are a very nice bike indeed. I'd say broken road with a boingy fork on and get some prongs as instructed :)
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trob6
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Re: New Bike ?

Post by trob6 »

yes I have considered buying it with the bouncer on but I already have a hardtail so I think the prong sounds like the winner .
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Piemonster
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Re: New Bike ?

Post by Piemonster »

Even though I have one downstairs

Photos needed obvs :-bd
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