Spot Ride Report

Had a chance to take the Spot out for a ride this weekend and here's the ride report:

Spring Creek Loop

Overall I'm very happy with this bike! It handles like I expected a 29er to - little sloppy in the tight stuff; smooth and stable over bumps and a solid climber. The bottom bracket must be farther forward, or the top tube is short, because I felt farther forward than I'm used to when standing up. 

Pros:

• The bike climbs very well
• When sitting, it has great, comfortable geometry
• Power transfer feels solid and efficient
• SRAM x-9 derailleur shifts very crisply
• Dura tires are really great; the round profile makes cornering easy and tight tread pattern makes rolling resistance lee-low
• about 2-1/2 pounds lighter than my Motobecane

Cons

• I felt a little too far forward on the downhills when standing
• 29" wheels are still a lot to muscle around in the tight stuff and felt flexy
• Chain guide isn't infallible. Proper chain length is as important as the guide

Unrelated ride notes:

broke a spoke

lost my vest
ran out of water

All in all, a pretty good ride! I'm really looking forward to putting some more miles on this bike!

Final rating: 4.5 apples out a possible 5