Avid PNW mountain biker and OG customer checking in! Setup suggestions: Continue to try to get weight off your hands as long as it feels uncomfortable (higher rise bars / stem spacers / shorter stem). If you're comfortable, you'll bike more miles. If you find you're losing control/grip on your front wheel, you've gone too far. Your brake levers look like they are angled very downward. Some XC racers like this, but I'd try angling them more upward and see how that feels. It also looked like you are using two fingers to brake. I'd recommend trying to learn to brake with one finger (index) and tune your lever spacing accordingly if you're not already using one finger. For your build, I would imagine you would feel more comfortable and ride better with 760mm-780mm bars. I'm 5'8" and run 760mm, but I wouldn't go down narrower than 750mm. I love my OneUp carbon bar which flexes and dampens vibrations. For suspension setup, start with the recommended settings and then check out Fox's Dialed YT channel where Jordi has a video describing bracketing and setup. Components: The max drop you can get the Reverb AXS post in is 170mm. For someone 6'2", that will likely be too short. The Reverb post also requires a lot of maintenance (I have one). Check out OneUp's 200-210mm dropper. If you do go with the AXS dropper, stay on top of your service intervals! As others have said, you will probably enjoy the Rekons more on your Blur -- I would keep them. I'd save the Assegai/DHR-II for your Hightower or maybe choose a DHF/Dissector combination unless you're riding in loose/wet terrain. If you're looking for crazy light, strong wheels, check out Berd Wheels with Berd Spokes. You can get them with Industry9, Onyx (dead silent, my favorite, but they weigh more), or Berd Talon hubs. Maintenance: I'd recommend teaching yourself. The Park Tool Blue Book is an excellent printed reference and their YT channel is a gold mine of information. For suspension maintenance, Fox's Dialed YT channel has a good how-to on doing lower leg/lower air can service which is all you can do without compressed nitrogen (you send it to Fox or a suspension shop for the damper service). Ali Clarkson has a good YT on wheel building and wheel truing basics as does Park Tool. The SRAM T-Type transmission shouldn't need much tuning after initial setup. You will have to replace the chain/chainring/cassette eventually and those are things Park Tool tutorials can help you with (along with SRAM manuals for torque settings).

@158158cow

7 ай бұрын

+1 Onyx / Berd wheelset would be baller on this bike. Granted, Onyx classic hubs are a bit heavier (Vespers tend to break under heavy pedaling, I’ve read). But, totally robust and dead silent with Classic hubs. While I9 hubs are light, they are draggy. They also don’t have preload on the axles, so people report consuming bearings more quickly, even if angular contact bearings. +1 OneUp droppers are great for packaging considerations.

@ObsessedGarage

7 ай бұрын

Awesome info! Thanks!

I'm not a biking fellow but this is awesome! I lime that you take the OG passion into everything you do! Always looking to make something better and to the next level Be safe biking, enjoy ripping around the mountains!

Even though as an actual Tech I live by the notion that "ToolBoxes dont make you money", it is always nice to open a drawer and just having it completely locked-in, organized. More satisfaction than anything. Keep up the amazing content and I REALLY am looking forward to the new HQ build!!!

i’m honestly not even into bikes. nor am i even into mountain biking in no way shape or form. but tbh there’s something about seeing someone doing something they genuinely like doing. and still be willing to learn to improve his hobbies and interests.(through the comments) there’s not a lot of people on youtube who are like this anymore so thanks for the content homie! may not be the best spent money but, it’s all in the eyes of the beholder so good job!!

I have watched your channel way back when you had the M3, GT350, 911 etc. For some reason this is the only time your channel came across my algorithm. Lo and behold. Because of a bike since I like MTB as well. Nice Blur! Also, might I suggest the Pirelli Scorpion XC/RC tires in pro version if you want speed and grip. There’s also the Vittoria barzo and mescal combo.

I love my ESI XL Chunky grips! They absorb a good amount of vibrations and I like that they are thicker for bigger hands. I put them on both my Stumpy Evo and Orbea Rise. The only downside for me is they get dirty, but you can easily wash them with some product or power washer. Anyway, to each his own. Love the MTB content, Matt. Keep it up!

Don't listen to the haters. Part of the fun is pursuing light weight.

The Assegai/Minion DHR is an awesome tire combo for narly trails, but roll very slowly and are much heavier. The X country Rekons (assuming not the race versions) likely a much better choice for your central FL build. Put the others on the Hightower for Helen trails. And … surprised you didn’t check out Pivot bikes (out of Phoenix). Super high end and very anal attention to detail in their frames. Matches “you” much better than the more mainstream Santa Cruz stuff (though very nice as well).

@AddisonGallamore

7 ай бұрын

I drool over Pivot bikes... They are sweet.

@Doggepp

7 ай бұрын

Yeah putting essentially downhill thread tires on what is pretty much an XC bike is a bit strange, should have gone for a dissector or something up front, and a recon in the rear

@Schwabz33

7 ай бұрын

What’s makes Pivot outshine others? I took a look at the website.

@rroof

7 ай бұрын

@@Schwabz33 Much better attention to details, cabling, weight, etc. Design in house and can even head down there tomorrow and talk with group or test ride a bike right from the factory (though Santa Cruz out in CA does the same). Known more as a boutique brand in the MTB world that holds value and more in line with OG products/mission.

Cool bike build. I am your height 6'2 190, I usually push my seat all the way back on the rails with my phenom seat on my XC GIant Anthem advanced pro in large. My Giant weighs about 25lbs with pedals and no dropper. You can really go faster with the current tire setup and bang out some miles/cardio at higher cadence. Oh, that new drying aid is legit too!

Matt, I took 3 months and learned how to build my own bike frame up. I had never touched a MTB before and learned by just doing. I now have Hightower V2 that is mine. I ended up going with Topeak tools and feedback sports. Nothing like learning something new.

Matt great bike, hope you continue to post content about your biking adventures. Mountain biking is my favorite hobby. Interested to see how you find not having a dropper on steep declines. Good luck with the additional 20lbs weight loss. For what it’s worth you look pretty fit.

Same tire set up on my Trek 9.9👍love them

To align the caliper loosen the screws, pull the break lever and while its held tighten the bolts. Atleast for me this method has worked well

Matt, let me know how you like the carbon handlebar. I switched back to aluminum several years ago because I found the carbon handlebar was transmitting too much vibration and causing a lot of arm fatigue here in the Utah chunder.

I have the '22 Blue TR with the same spec level (pre-transmission AXS). I had problems with the stock Rekon Race tires blowing off of the rims under even modest pressure. I went with a set of Bontragers instead and they've performed even better with no issues and shaved a bit of weight. While I do have a set of flat pedals, I almost always stick with my egg beaters clipless. They're lighter and do a better job of getting my power to the ground for XC riding. I also found that the factory valve stems were rather delicate and opted for traditional brass. Those few grams are worth having them not break. I swapped my saddle for a narrow carbon version of the WTB Volt because it fits my sit bones better and shaves weight at the same time. I like having a dropper and am still running the OneUp. I like the OE flat bar, but I shaved an inch off of each side. I may trim a bit more, but it seems to work well thus far.

To set the headset spacers, you ideally want about a 5mm gap between the top of the headset to the top of the steerer tube. The top cap only needs a slight snug up, when the bike is on the stand slightly tipped forward, the front end should center itself again when you turn the handlebars left/right. Love the bike!

My new Orbea Wild came with the Assegai and DHR II combo (both DH casing, maxxgrip). It's definitely enduro-oriented. I've been running Assegai front and Aggressor rear tires for years on my regular bike (Megatower). But these are pretty much enduro bikes and they deal with the gnarly rocky trails here in Phoenix. If anything, these tires on a Blur are going to result in some pretty noticeable rolling resistance for the type of trails you ride. I'd think the Forekaster would be more what you're looking for.

@johnsyeats2044

7 ай бұрын

My Ibis Ripmo came with 2.5" Assegais front and rear. I found it super slow and draggy, just switching out the rear for a 2.4" Dissector made the world of difference. The bike feels much quicker to accelerate and maintains speed better, I actually had Strava personal bests everywhere on my local trails the very first time I ran the Dissector on the back. Matt's Blur would definitely feel a lot slower with an Assegai and Minion DHR compared to the Rekon Races. I used to have a Blur 4X when those were around, I ran 26x2.4" Schwalbe Racing Ralphs, and that thing was quick!

This is what i wanna get into. Thats a sweet bike.

I agree with the other tire comments. Keep the tires on the bike that are on it. Use the other ones for your North GA bike and they are still a bit overkill for here. When you want to ride the Dahlonega GA area specifically Bull/Jake mountain hit me up.

A good starting point for pressures on that suspension is body weight PSI rear and half body weight up front. Also, you'd feel less cramped in the cockpit if you pushed the seat backwards on the rails a bit more.

The fidlock bottles are awesome. I had one on my specialized downhill bike and it never once came off

leave the tires not because of weight but the rolling resistance will be way more enjoyable for the xc riding you're doing in florida. Also hit up calvin from park tool. He seems like the Bob ross of bike mechanics to me.

OneUp bars are oval-shaped and have built in compliance is what I run.. They also sell really nice tools that integrate inside the steer tube on top of the bike. I also use Erogon grips. The tires that you choose are way too heavy for your Florida riding, rotational weight will be felt at the outter circumference of the wheels so saving weight there is definitely a key. I use Onyx hubs that use a Sprague clutch mechanism that gives you instant engagement, and totally silent. They use a painted surface I have antifreeze green that looks exactly like antifreeze color.. Available in many colors. I have many bikes yeti SB 100 but now I’m on the ibis Ripley. I also love the absolute black, oval front chain ring allows you to get better traction and easier on my knees!! Mountain biking has changed my life!!

@ObsessedGarage

7 ай бұрын

Nice! Thanks for the input.

Bermpeak team up please!!!!

Those reserve wheels are very good wheels. I'm not sure what hubs you have on it. But maybe swap them to hydra. The engagement on those hubs are instant! 690 points of engagement. It will defenitely help with the xc rides and type of trails in Florida. I'm also a mountain biker and mechanic by trade. Love tinkering with things. And I've got in to MTB for a few years now and enjoy it. And of course the upgrading and tinkering is the best!

@ObsessedGarage

7 ай бұрын

Thanks for the tip

Your headset looks tight based on how your bars stay straight when you have the bike tilted back at 31:39. You need to add a headset spacer on top of that stem to properly tighten the headset bearings.

@aidm3462

7 ай бұрын

Looked to be overtightened when setting the preload, don't need to be that tight.

@ObsessedGarage

7 ай бұрын

Will do! Thanks for the advice.

@SuperBlaek

5 ай бұрын

Speaking from experience, unless you want to destroy your bearings , a spacer and lighter torque on the preload is a must

Here I thought this was going to be a Gee Milner dream build......i was wrong. Santa Cruz Blur is a great ride and has been a staple in Marin county

I run Rekon Race on my Tallboy CC V3 here In Pisgah. No issues ever. I wanted to get me a blur cc. Didn't like the colors for thos year. So I put my name down at the Hun for when the new ones come out in the next few months. Then, I accidentally stumbled upon the Cervelo ZFS-5 120. Got that indead.

I9’s are built for aggressive trail riding and jumping. They are warrantied for life I think. If you’re riding relatively flat trails and not trying to earn an Redbull sponsor, they might be overkill. Gee Milner has some excellent videos on KZread if you’re looking for the latest and greatest plus he’s a master tech and his video quality is fantastic. If your elbows still ache from your riding position after changing the bars, maybe consider a more slack geometry frame. Since you don’t have a lot of elevation to tackle, you could probably benefit from a bike with downhill characteristics. You may not be into jumping and hauling ass now, but the more you ride and the more you check out other places to ride, you’ll find yourself wanting to push harder. Great video as usual.

Matt you’re looking fantastic man.

@ObsessedGarage

7 ай бұрын

Thanks! I think I'm going to try out 200-205 and see how it feels.

Nice project! I built up a Blur 4 in the Spring of '23 and I am nearly 200 pounds at 6'1". I ride pretty hard in Colorado on aggressive "blue" trails on this bike. Here is some random feedback for you... regardless of how much you weigh it's always fun and noticeable to ride a light bike, especially light wheels and tires. That said I'd suggest you do some tire testing. Ride Rekon Race tires front and rear a while. Those are the tires Santa Cruz spec's on the bike in "TR" mode for a reason. Then I'd try a Rekon 2.40 on the front leaving the rear tire alone. If you feel the rear is sliding and moving around too much then try a Rekon 2.40 on the rear as well. Both of these tires are very predictable and easy to ride, not abruptly letting go when you don't expect it. Keep in mind that light XC bikes provide a special ride experience because they are light and quick to accelerate. Turning one into a trail bike ends up with a not so great XC bike nor a very good trail bike, IMHO. With your High Tower you don't need to sacrifice the Blur to ride more technical trails. I am riding an XL for the fit and longer wheelbase, making the bike slightly more stable and capable than it would in a Large. Like you said you are on the cusp of a L and XL. If I were riding an L I'd be even more likely to keep the tires light and quick handling to take advantage of the shorter wheel base. I'll also say kudos to you for ditching the dropper if you don't expect to need one. For your size I'd stick with 760mm wide bars and adjust the height and stem length for comfort like you are doing with the riser. If you do get onto more aggressive trails you'll find the 760's more stable, and your fit will more closely match your Hightower, which is a good thing for a number of reasons. Hope that helps... food for thought anyway. Thanks for sharing your video.

@ObsessedGarage

6 ай бұрын

Thanks for the input!

Love those USA MADE ODIs...generally speaking, obviously some preference, but they are normally turned about 90⁰ from where you set them.

I put Schwalbe Racing Ralph super ground on my Blur. Front and rear 2.35 and they are great. They're fast with tons of grip.

For that frame keep the lightweight rekon race tires, if you haven't tried yet the specialized fast trak tires are also super light and fast

The hydra hubs are great but instead of i9 wheels. Take a look at Berd Spokes they are super light weight poly spokes. You can get a full wheelset from them using the spokes.

I9 wheel sets are drool worthy. Hell of an upgrade

@SuperBlaek

5 ай бұрын

I9 wheel set yes , but there is alot of neg regarding hub failures . The enduro cups held here in Aus alpine , nearly everyone is on i9 wheel sets, i9 freewheel and xlr8 custom carbon ceramic driving hubs, they are about $5,500ea here in Aus. They take all your specs, provide the .fit from at least a 30km ride from compatibleyb computer it's insane

As someone that loves mountain biking..removing the dropper in my opinion seems like a giant step backwards. (Each to their own..) 1) It is a full suspension bike 2) you have gone for more aggressive tyres meaning you generally want more grip for more gnarly trails 3) a dropper allows you to have proper body position when climbing and decending 4) a dropper will also give you more cushion factor than any carbon post.. it might look cool without it..but being able to work on proper technique and quickly get the seat out of the way allows you to move the bike under you a heck of a lot more...it is the one item worth putting weight back into a bike.

@ObsessedGarage

7 ай бұрын

I've never one time felt the need to have the seat out of the way on the Santos trails. I prefer to remove the weight and get rid of the cable since it never gets used. I'll have one on my HighTower for the mountains.

Bike setup is all about personal preference and the riders size. I am 5’10” and my preferred bar width is 690mm. Cutting down my bars is the first mod I do after purchasing a new bike. While wider bars can make you feel more stable, they can also cause a lot of discomfort transferred into your shoulders, neck and upper arms. I would suspect a narrower bar will be more comfortable. I would recommend a real bike fit, one that’s 4+ hours long and not one of those 15-30 min jobs. Another thing to consider would be crank arm length. Yours are likely 175s or 172.5s. Given your height either may be ideal however it’s another part of the fit that’s important. As far as shedding weight goes, it’s cheaper to start with yourself as you have said. Beyond that its parts on the bike to change out. You have already done as much of this as possible or you already have the lightest top end components so from here on your gains (or rather weight dropped will be minimal). Wheels and tires are two spots where you can make up a lot of ground. I have ridden and raced Maxxis tires for the past 12 years. Assuming Florida is similar to my riding locations I would recommend Aspens, Ikon, or Ardent/Race or the Rekons. You give up a little in traction but gain a lot in less rolling resistance. Unless your form on the bike cornering at speed is suspect, the 3 tires above should have more than enough traction to keep you up right. I just recently switched over to Schwables Racing Ralph and Racing Ray setup to try something new. As far as wheels, don’t settle on buying a complete off the shelf package. There are wheel builders that can do anything you want and you end up with you best performing wheels customizing. Let’s start with Hubs; IMO the 2 best hubs on the Mtn bike market are Onyx hubs and the I9-Hydra. I own wheel-sets of each and the Onyx hands down is my favorite. It does have a slight weight penalty compared to the I9 however it’s not rotational weight. The hub is 100% quiet when free spooling, which I love, and has a significant difference in lack of resistance when free spooling. Meaning, your wheels will spin for a significantly longer time before it stops compared to the I9 or any other hub. This translates into quicker laps. Lots of coasting while mountain biking, unlike road riding. Any advantage is a plus. As far as “hoops” or rims go, there are a ton of manufacturers. Pick one that you like, has the internal dimensions for the tires you ride and build it up with your hub of choice (I recommend Onyx hubs once again). I am in the process of building up a set of Beast XS30 Hoops (out of Germany). They make some high end carbon lightweight rims. A couple of other rim manufacturers to consider would be ENVE, We Are One (Canada), and Nox Composites. Those Reserves aren’t terrible wheels. They have a lifetime warranty. However you can build up a better lighter, faster wheel. Someone mentioned above Berd. They make a synthetic “rope like” spoke. Very very lightweight build when using them. Kind of a different feel to the ride. More vibration absorption however a little less trail feedback. I have mixed feelings about them however it’s innovative and super lightweight. Good luck on the build.

@ObsessedGarage

7 ай бұрын

Awesome! Thanks for all the advice.

Lets get Matty into some Ohlin's suspension. Love my fox setup but been really looking at the Ohlin's 38 M.2 front fork for my 2022 Specialized Fuse Expert Hardtail. Recently switched my tire set up to Michelin Wild Enduro. So far great tire just like in the automotive space the design and overall look Michelin tires nothing comes close. It was between those or the minions. wanted to try something a little out of the norm.

Take a look at Berd Spokes they are super light weight poly spokes. You can get a full wheelset from them using the spokes.

Loving it!! I spent $$$ just to be cool. 😎

I run the Assegai+DHR II combo on my enduro bike. But putting what essentially is the same tire combo as downhill world cup racers run, on a XC/Downcountry bike, is very overkill and the bike will roll slow like a pig. You would be far better off with like a Forekaster/Dissector up front, and a regular Rekon in the back.

You could save a bit more weight by switching from the Santa Cruz reserve wheels/rims to bontrager kovee RSL. Santa Cruz with a DT Swiss 180 weigh almost 200g more than the bontrager with the DT Swiss 240 and rotating mass is where weight savings will really shine. Great setup either way.

Does anyone have any recs on their go to bike attire?

Love the bike!! Assegai is pronounced "Ass-eh-guy" It's MAxxis' grippiest tire which is definitely overkill for your Blur. Hopefully I win the dream garage and we can go ride local trails here in San Diego and show you my pride and joy Antidote Carbonjack custom painted in Nissan Bayside Blue and Midnight purple

Next time you're in Helen be sure to bring the bike up to Mulberry Gap near Elijay, GA.

@batchelorchiropracticroswe1370

3 ай бұрын

Yes, let’s ride!

setup looks good, nothing wrong with those tires for xc style riding, they are fast. im a big fan of the sworks fast trak/renegade for lightweight fast rolling xc if you ever want to try something else. only thing i would have to change is your garmin mount position. you have it so high up if you ever go over the bars and the bike flips its going to mangle the shit out of your garmin unit. also having it way out front is going to block your vision of your front tire contact patch which can be annoying on tech. i much prefer the mounts that come off of the steerer tube and float over your stem so it doesn't block your vision as much, or at the very least the adjustable angle ones so you can run it lower but still have the screen facing you. only other thing i would say is if you really want to save weight, you'd be better off getting a different frame, like an epic world cup, or something more focused strictly on weight than the blur. definitely a sweet build though, the new sram transmission is a m a z i n g

@ObsessedGarage

6 ай бұрын

I agree. I just got a K-Tech due to someone's recommendation.

Regarding wheels.............if you havent heard a set of i9's, I highly suggest finding someone with them. i9's are pretty loud. And if you dont like loud wheels, you wont like them. I have a set of DT350 hubs, and a set of Hope Pro hubs and the Hopes are loud. They're on a pretty loud bike to begin with, so it's not the biggest deal, but on a dialed in carbon bike (like my Santa Cruz 5010 with DT350's) with a good transmission, the loudest thing on it will be the tire noise and a bit of chain and brake noise here and there.

is it just me but the brakes need to be black not silver?

I think the “don’t ride the Assegai/DHR” combo on the Blur has been said enough, but I personally like the Rekon Front and Rekon Race Rear combo on my XC bike for when it’s setup for trail riding (basically when I’m not racing). My XC rides are typically 2-3000’ vert with 1000+’ steep descents that are probably more fun on a burlier trail bike like the Hightower (used to have one) or my current Yeti SB130, but these modern XC bikes can handle basically anything short of maybe dedicated jump lines. I also wouldn’t discount the dropper on flatter XC terrain. I’m constantly going up and down with the post to gain efficiency or get that extra room for weight shifts. Didn’t watch through the entire clip but if this is a dedicated XC bike a set of clipless pedals and shoes will help you power transfer pedal in proper circles than than stomping down off the time. Enjoy the ride!

@ObsessedGarage

3 ай бұрын

Yeah...I've been riding it for a few months now with the Rekon Race set-up. It's so darn fast that I've gotten used to dealing with the lack of traction in favor of rolling speed.

Use the aspens because the added rolling weight of the other tires will be noticeable

What happens if you dont own a garage?

We need an Berm Peak (Seth´s bike hack) / OG collab

KZread is a great school for bike mechanics. Learn your bikes. Brands and Parktool have great vids.

Maxxis hah I had their car tyres on my 2009 Vauxhall Astra. I had no idea they primarily made bike tyres back in the day 🤣 I feel enlightened

Curious to know if the garage give away only pertains to people who live outside of Florida when I’m only 40mins away from y’all. Clermont/minneola just incase y’all were wondering 😅

@ObsessedGarage

6 ай бұрын

Florida counts

On tires, for my terrain, I went Maxxis minion DHF in the front and Aggressor in the rear. Granted, I tend to air on the side of super stubby and heavy when it comes to tires because I'm partially in it for the workout, and I have a lot of loose sand and mud around here, but they worked great for me

@ObsessedGarage

6 ай бұрын

That’s a great point. I’m doing it for the workout!

With headset spacers, I leave ~3mm less of fork steer tube than my stack height with stem/spacers.

well, I am a bike mechanic and I would just love to get there and teach you some things, but I guess that coming there from italy would be a bit difficult, wouldn't it? anyways, love most of your videos, if not all of them, but I am really digging this bicycle content, it goes to show the importance of a well organized and tought garage and workspace even when working on something simpler such as a bike. also, little detail, but I would suggest putting at least one small spacer in between your stem and the headseat cap, especially when using carbon components, it lowers just ever so slightly your handlebars (around 1 mm lower) but it takes some of the load off of the carbon stem and helps with stability. And yes, it's not mandatory to put carbon paste on a stem but if you have it, it does not hurt to put some on, it can also help with static isolation as carbon components can suffer if sweat or salty moisture get in between the parts.

@ObsessedGarage

7 ай бұрын

I'll do that tonight. Thanks for the tips!

Normally not commenting on stuff but as you said "as light as possible" take a look at the German Brand "Tune", they manufacture extremely lightweight parts in the blackforest. For example their Seatclamps. Might not be everyones favouite brand and should always torqued down to said spec but loved their stuff since i started riding bikes. And if thats not enough, Trickstuff has prob. the best brakes to offer, expensive (we all know) but i have their Diretissima and had their "piccola" brakes, second are the said lightest brakes on the market and they run with mineral oil. Personal opinion are that the Pedals aren't that nice (all the CB Pedals i had, have started with bearing play after a few hours of use) but i loved my CanfieldBrothers Crampon Ultimate (couple gramms heavier and you might need new shins if you slip). If Mechanical questions are still up i'd be happy to help. Short lil addon: When putting new Spacers/Stem on, you should end up with the top of the steering tube at the upper Screw of the Stem (not below), or between upper screw and upper edge of the Stem. Otherwise you'll have a ton of play and might end in a damaged frame/fork not to talk about the damage done to yourself. If the Steeringtube is right in between while tightening the screw of the topcap you eliminate play. @22:55 the steeringtube seems to be right above the edge of the stem. Addon2: Carbonpaste on the Stem, Bar etc is okay, but not on bearings. But bearings should also only be lubricated and installed with approved grease for carbon. You'd put the Carbonpaste for example also on your the RS Reverb AXS on the Hightower. Just for my own OCD: TORQUE CARBON PARTS TO RECOMMENDED SPEC (seems like i wrote that to quick), """""HaNdTiGhT""""" as some stores do it is not good. To one of the first questions: Cutting down Bars shouldn't also be a problem, most of them (Enve for example) have even indicators for 780,760 etc. Only thing to have in mind is that the area in which you want to clamp in should be cleared. Some get a lil thicker the further mid you go and there you can't clamp down your Brakes.

@ObsessedGarage

7 ай бұрын

Awesome tips! Thanks for the input. This stuff really helps educate me!

Give the regular Rekon tires a try before you go any more aggressive. The tires you mentioned in this video will be MUCH slower rolling resistance.

Need the dropper on the blur! Yes to mods to make blur light as possible.

I’d look into Wera or even Abbey tools. Both of which are little more “on brand” for you vs. Park.

We should organize an OG Santos ride one day.

Set that DJI action cam up on the bike bro. We want footage of these treks. BTW if you hadn’t got a DJI Osmo Action 4 yet, GET IT. Light years ahead of GoPros.

Make a collab with Berm Peak. He's huge in the MTB youtube world. Honestly though bike stuff isn't hard until you want to tear down the suspension.

Try to adjust the brakes with this little "trick"...loosen the caliper mount and pull strongly the brake and hold it, then tighten up the caliper. it works for me very well and easy

@ObsessedGarage

7 ай бұрын

Smart!

Saddle looks high, did you bed in the brakes? Enjoy that ride!!!

@ObsessedGarage

7 ай бұрын

I think the saddle is good after riding a bit. I did bed them on the first ride last week.

Matt SPD pedals will change your riding experience. You will loose your weight in no time!

Time to switch to clipless shoes Matt, if you're using that bike for fitness, being able to pull up and push down on the pedal will be a game changer!

@ObsessedGarage

7 ай бұрын

Yeah...I rode clipless for a long time. I feel so much better riding flats. I get nasty hotspots and numbness with clipless pedals.

Your right grip is turned 90 degrees counter clockwise. The corner of the ODI logo with the notch in it should be pointed towards the right

@ObsessedGarage

7 ай бұрын

Eww... good call! Thanks.

Still have the YETI?

@ObsessedGarage

7 ай бұрын

I do!

As someone who has over 3,500 miles on the local trails this is cool to see. I didn't know there were so many variables and adjustments you could make on a bike. 🤔

Honestly I wouldn’t change the tires. If you need an Assegai/DHR II, you’re on the wrong bike to begin with. If the Rekon Race isn’t enough bite, try a regular Rekon. I run Rekons on my Canyon Spectral and I do a wide range of riding with them. Your riding is likely similar to my local stuff where the Rekon’s are at home and I’m riding too much bike. When I travel to somewhere the wheels leave the ground, I either switch to the Assegai/DHR II combo or just ride like I’m not glued to the dirt.

@AWD_DSM_FTW

6 ай бұрын

Oh and remember, you’re doing it for the workout so if you’re riding and finding that the workout is only from spinning the cranks, you’re not going fast enough 😉

@ObsessedGarage

6 ай бұрын

Yeah...I think you are right. I rode again this weekend with the Rekons. The bike is super fast.

@AWD_DSM_FTW

6 ай бұрын

@@ObsessedGarage it’s a trade off like anything else. I presume a lot of the trails you ride are going to be somewhat sandy/silty, so the rotating weight penalty will be rough. Doing it for the workout doesn’t mean you need to be slower. Just need to turn more laps!

I love my Bontrager XR4s

Collab with Seth from Berm Peak for learning bike mechanics. You could get an older bike and do maintenence/upgrades

Man it must be nice having money. I’m 67 and one day I’ll be there!😂

A pound of rolling weight is definitely not the same as a pound of body weight IMO. Its something I hear often but to me has never added up. Ive rode everything from XC tires to Enduro tires and the right ones for the job definitely matter.

@ObsessedGarage

7 ай бұрын

I 100% agree.

Centrifugal weight is much different. 1.5 lbs could mean a lot in the effort department...I'm not good enough at math to figure that part out

Industry Nine wheels are amazing, but for the type of riding you’re doing, they’re really unnecessary. Plus, the wheels you have on there now are very good as it is. You’re not likely going to notice any difference at all. If you’re trying to go fast, keep those tires. Less knobby equals less rolling resistance which is going to increase your speed.

Leave the tires , that’s too much tire for that bike .. the added grip you may get isn’t worth the sacrifice in rolling resistance

You should reach out to Seth Alvo with Berm Peak, maybe you two could do a collaboration and he could show you more about the bike.

would you consider a representative in Toronto Canada

The top cap bolt on the headset is mainly for setting bearing preload, not holding the forks in place. The stem bolts when torqued correctly will do that. There's no torque setting as such for the top cap but it doesn't need to be too tight. Nip it up until there's no movement or knocking in forks, then tighten the stem bolts. I test mine by holding the front brake and rocking the bike backwards and forwards. Once any play is gone I might give it another 1/8 turn. Park Tool videos are good for this sort of stuff: kzread.info/dash/bejne/hp2cpKyHnpOok84.html

Brother you have a whole Adam only think he probably cant teach you it is your gears

Lol God Bless You. But don't waste any money with goofy's things, one day may be missing. Only my opinion

Not many tools you need that you don’t already have. Park pedal tool is cool. Otherwise a Y wrench (4,5,6mm) does 90% of the work. Cassette and BB tool is handy, along with a wheel truing stand. Probably $600 all in on tools.

@ObsessedGarage

7 ай бұрын

Dang it! I want an entire arsenal of cool stuff. Ha, ha...

@bevans5611

7 ай бұрын

@@ObsessedGarage so much of it isn’t applicable to high end bikes. Cone wrenches (super thin open end wrenches) for adjusting hubs, cable tensioners, etc. Fox does make some really nice gold anodized aluminum sockets specifically for suspension work that won’t damage the finish on the fork and shock, those are worth checking out. If you want nostalgic cool, look up the Campagnolo Master Tool Kit.

Do a collaboration with Seth's bike hacks or the Park tool guys themselves.

Mattys test levels must be shooting up. He said shit instead of shoot.

@ObsessedGarage

7 ай бұрын

Ha, ha... I don't think I did.

I used to live in Santa Cruz.

removes dropper, puts on downhill tires

Annnnnd now I'm bike shopping.

No need to go to school for bikes, there are plenty of resources for working on them and learning online. Two youtube channels for mountain biking or just bike maintenance are Berm Peak (formerly Seth's bike hacks), and RJ the bike guy. I find bikes feel more stable and less twitchy with wider bars. But narrow bars were popular for a while.

@ObsessedGarage

7 ай бұрын

I find that the additional transfer into my elbows from wide bars offsets the benefit. They just don't feel right to me.

@lowerdfool

7 ай бұрын

@@ObsessedGarage you may still need to shorten that reach distance, if you are feeling it 8n your elbows. I rode a giant xtc 29er for years, and wasn't comfortable till all my weight was off my arms. Took a 2 inch riser bar, and 35mm stem to get comfortable. I think xc bikes just have a lot of reach compared to all mountain, enduro, etc.

@justinwebster7761

7 ай бұрын

​@ObsessedGarage it might help to bring the bars up a lil bit they look very low considering the seat height that should help take the stress off your elbows

This bloke books a month in advance to sleep with his boyfriend 😊

I would’ve only charged $300 to give you advice that would’ve saved the same weight. Use the restroom before each ride = same weight loss

I’ll bet a kid on a $50 schwinn blows by you and keeps on going

Can't help but feel that the bike looks too small for you when seeing you ride it at the end.

Why dosnt you make a trip to park tools HQ and made a video with Kevin and the guys down there

@ObsessedGarage

7 ай бұрын

Great idea!

@Juarally

6 ай бұрын

Park Tools is the Snap-On of bike tools, few things are good and the rest is ok

Onyx hubs…. Infinite engagement points and they are silent Fastest rolling hubs I’ve ever had and they will put your logo on them no extra charge Worth looking into, I can’t ride anything else

Do not do assegei/dhr on an xc blur. Those are way too slow for that kind of bike. You will hate it. Try the recon races. Much more appropriate for the riding you describe.