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.