New Bike: Knolly Chilcotin Build and First Ride Review

My new bike came in Wednesday and I can't be more excited. I bought a 2013 Knolly Chilcotin, Medium Frame. I had Wrench Science in Berkeley build it from the frame up. So here is the complete build:

Frame: Team Orange Chilcotin Frame (Med)
Drive Train: Shimano XT 2x10
Brakes: XT with Ice Tech Rotors, 205mm front, 180 mm rear
Fork: Rockshox Pike 160mm
Shock: Cane Creek DB Air: 160mm
Wheelset: Stans ZTR Flow EX
Hubs: Hope Evo Pro 2
Tires: Schwalbe Hans Dampf Trail Star compound (Tubeless)
Seatpost: KS Lev 120mm
Handlebars: RaceFace SixC
Stem: RaceFace Turbine 70mm
Grips: ODI Rouge clamp ons
Pedals: Xpedo Baldwins

Total Weight: 31 pounds on the dot

Frame is orange and I got everything in anodized blue I could.

So onto my first ride. I picked it up Wednesday afternoon but didn't get it our until Thursday afternoon. I wanted to take it easy and really get a feel for the bike so I went to China Camp. This is my go to trail when I want to get a quick workout or only have an hour to ride. It is also pretty tame and I knew it would give me the opportunity to get a feel for my new bike. This is something I recommend for even the most seasoned riders, whenever you get a new bike give yourself some time to learn it especially if you coming off another bike you had been riding for a long time. 

Onto my ride, I started my two mile pedal up and could tell a huge difference it the angle of the bike. The head angle on the Chilcotin is much steeper than on my old Sortie and the steering was different on switchbacks. Not bad different. My Sortie had a short front end and  a long back end. the Chili is opposite, longer front end and shorter rear end. When I say that I am referring to the head angle (rake) and the length of the chain stay, or from the crank to the rear axle. 

The patent four by four suspension gripped and made climbing easy, note I say easy, not fast, this bike as you can see is a more of and All Mountain bike, but even with its 31 beefy pounds and plush suspension the linkage didn't bob or take up my pedal strokes. I was very pleased. I am never in a race to the top, but I do like to push it going down and that is what this bike was made to do. 

Another difference that was noticeable at first was my top tube length, I could tell I was sitting more upright. I was used to more of a XC posture. At first it felt very awkward but I soon realized my lower back enjoyed this posture much better. 

By the time I got to the top it felt as if I had been riding the bike for a year. I started my decent and quickly realized I was on a completely different beast. This bike soaked up every bump and I had complete control, the wide handlebars and shorter stem made the steering responsive and the softer wider Hans Dampfs grabbed every corner and didn't let go. 

I am sure the experienced riders will read the above and know I am stating the obvious between my Sortie and this Chilcotin. They are completely different bikes. But what I want to point out is the fact that the Chilcotin even though it is an "All Mountain" style bike can be purchased by someone who had to pedal up, to have their fun going down. This can't be said about many All Mountain /Bike Park rides out there. 

All in all I am still learning the feel but this bike is amazing! I am not disappointed at all! I will continue to post reviews and I ride it more. As of now I completely recommend this bike for anyone looking to have a very high quality All Mountain bike that loves to be pointed downhill. 

Trail Review: China Camp, San Rafael CA.

Location: San Rafael, CA
Length: 10 Miles
Time Needed: 1 to 1.5 hours for average rider
Technical Rating: Beginner
Cost: $3

China Camp is located in San Rafael CA, it is the birthplace of my favorite hobby. China Camp is a perfect singletrack trail for those wanting to experience what mountain biking is really about. Its not technical but still offers a "real" climb and some fun downhill.

The start point for most is at the camping entrance, you can't miss the much hated kiosk (this is where you can purchase your pass). This is also where your climb starts and it ends 2.5 miles later at the 3rd bridge. This can be a pretty miserable climb for a beginner but there are lots of places to take a brake and take in the views. For the intermediate and above riders this climb can easily be done in one push. I personally used to stop about 4 times on the way up when I first started. I can now get the entire 10 mile loop done in less than an hour. Its all about building that endurance and this a great place to work on that.

Some riders think China Camp is to easy. I feel that it can be as easy or as hard as you want it to be. If you want a hard ride push yourself and try to get the entire loop done in less than 50 minutes.

This is a great place to see wildlife as well, on most trips you will see deer, turkey, rabbits, squirrels and other various birds and such.

There are also many hikers and it can get very busy on the weekends or late afternoons as this a great place for many riders to hit on the way home to get an hour workout in.

The normal direction is counterclockwise, but for a more challenging climb try it clockwise. Like mentioned before the first two miles is up then the rest is mostly down making it a ten mile loop. If you go clockwise you have more climbing but a fast short 2 mile downhill.

Look for future posts on the "backside" edition of China Camp.

Trail Review: Camp Tamarancho, Fairfax CA

Location: Fairfax, CA
Length: 10-12 miles
Time needed: 2 hours for average rider
Technical Rating: Intermediate
Cost: $5

Camp Tamaracho is a great singletrack loop in Marin County. It is actually on Boy Scout Property and a fee is required. You can get a one day pass online or at bike shops in Fairfax for $5. You can also get an annual pass for $35. Visit:

http://www.boyscouts-marin.org/tamarancho-biking/4023

The most common starting point is downtown Fairfax. You then make a short leg warming climb up Iron Springs Rd. When it turns to dirt you have about 1/2 mile to the Tamaracho sign and the beginning of Serpentine Trail. Take this switchback laden singletrack to the main loop intersection. Once there most traffic goes left making a clockwise loop. This isn't a rule but is preferred especially on weekends.

Tamarancho is a great place for people with a little experience and wanting to up their "technical riding". I have taken beginners here and they were able to ride but didn't have nearly as much fun as they were fighting the roots, rocks and switchbacks a lot. This is a nice ride for those who like to climb a little then go down a little, climb a little, go down a little.

There is also a very cool flow trail (pump track) about 6 miles into the ride. The locals have named it Endor and it is a very fun section for those of you who want to get a nice calf burning ride down a fast smooth track.

Tamarancho is on average a 2 hour ride for most but with a experienced group it can be done in a little over an hour, on the other hand if you take a beginner I have seen 3-4  hour rides take place. Many say this is the last "legal singletrack" in Marin, this is not true but it is some of the best.

I think the highlight for me is the different sections of Tamarancho almost feel like a different ride, one minute your going through rock gardens in the open and the next your in redwoods shredding singletrack.

There are other routes into Tamarancho that can make it a longer ride, if you come in through Whites Hill you can add about 5-10 miles to you ride.

2013 Diamondback Sortie Comp Review

As I mentioned before my first full suspension bike was my 2013 Diamondback Sortie Comp. I ordered it directly from Diamondback. I had read mixed reviews about it online and was up in the air about it for a while. I then decided to bite the bullet and order it, I read the component list (you can find it below) and thought that I couldn't find a better deal, the bang for my buck was much better than purchasing a Santa Cruz or Specialized (not that I would want to now but back then I thought they were the best of the best). 

So onto the reviews and upgrades. I received my bike in December of 2012 and took it to a local bike shop and had it put together and tuned, I was at China Camp the next day! I had ridden a few of my friends bikes and quickly realized that Diamondback had something going here that really worked well. My buddies StumpJumper had a lot more pedal bob and when climbing it was almost a must to lock out the rear shock. On my Sortie the shock was vertical and he knucklebox suspension was a lot lower, I was able to leave my Fox CTD in "trail" and climb with very little pedal bob. 

The downside to the Knucklebox is its weight, it is a big piece of metal, strong as Supermans elbow though. 

So overtime I started upgrading things here and there, my rear free hub failed after a year of riding so I upgraded to some CrankBrother Cobalt 2 wheels. These improved my climbing and overall weight a lot. 

My biggest weight cut came when I went to a 1x10 drive train. I removed the triple chainrings and put a RaceFace Narrow Wide 32t on. My climbing was miserable for awhile but I got used to it. After my wheels and drivetrain upgrade my bike weighed in at 30.6 lbs. Still pretty heavy for a XC/Trail bike.

When I purchased the RaceFace Narrow Wide I also upgraded to an XT Shadow Plus rear mech, a deraillure with a clutch is a must if you want to forgo the chain guide. 

I just sold this bike a few weeks ago and should be getting my new Knolly Chilcotin in a few days. I did like the Sortie but I felt I needed a little more for the riding I am doing now which is a lot of all mountain, with technical climbs and descent's. I was putting a lot of money into maintenance and not because of failure but because I was riding my bike very hard. 

I would recommend the Sortie Comp for anyone who in into Trail riding or looking for that first full suspension bike that doesn't want to break the bank but wants to get quality middle of the road components. The Sortie is a great mix for the person who wants a bike with more travel than a XC platform but isn't ready for that All Mountain beast yet. 

2013 Diamondback Sortie Comp Components

• Frame: Diamondback Sortie 6061-T6 Weapons Grade Aluminum with a hooded hydroformed top tube, formed down tube, 9mmx135mm vertical drop out and Knuckle Box Technology
• Rear Shock: Fox Float CTD, "LV" eyelet 200x57mm Air w/ rebound adj, Climb, Trail, Descend lever
• Fork: Fox 32 FLoat CTD Air, 140mm travel, open cartridge, with ext. rebound knob, 32mm Easton aluminum stanchions, magnesium lowers
• Headset: Zerostack, shallow steel cups, Loose ball bearing 1 1/8"
• Cranks: Shimano FCM552 Dyna-Sys 10spd Crankset w/Shimano outboard bearing BB w/ replaceable rings 24/32/42t
• Bottom Bracket: Shimano outboard bearing BB
• Front Derailleur: Shimano Deore dual pull, down swing, 34.9
• Rear Derailleur: Shimano XT SGS Shadow Type 10spd
• Shifter: Shimano Deore 10spd Rapidfire
• Cogset (Casset/Freewheel): Shimano HG62 10spd Cassette (11-36t)
• Chain: Shimano HG54 10spd
• Front Hub: 32h SL-6 Alloy w/ CNC Disc Mount
• Rear Hub: 32h SL-6 Alloy Cassette w/ CNC Disc mount
• Spokes: Black 14g Stainless Steel
• Rims: 32h SL-6 Doublewall Disc
• Tires: KENDA Slant 6 26x2.1
• Brakes: Shimano M455 Hydraulic Disc w/ 6-bolt, 180mm frt / 160mm rear Rotors
• Brake Levers: Shimano Deore M505 hydraulic brake levers w/reach adj and hinge clamp.
• Pedals: DB Toe Clip Compatible alloy
• Handlebar: DB Lazer Series 31.8mm low rise
• Grips: DB4L 135mm Kraton
• Stem: Easton EA50 31.8mm
• Seat: WTB Vigo Comp
• Seat Post: Easton EA50 Double bolt clamp 31.6mm