Andy’s MTB

This was a fun build; I haven’t done a mountain bike in a while. Andy asked for an old-school rigid mountain bike, but designed around modern 29×2.4″ tires and boost spacing front and rear. The frame has a curved seattube for tire clearance, and a curved toptube merging into the seatstays for the aesthetic. Having the seatstays joining the toptube allows for tidy cable routing, with the derailleur cable running internally on the drive side, and the hydraulic hose on the non-drive.

A full Shimano XTR group takes care of the shifting and braking, and the popping purple paint is by Colorworks. The final weight came in at 20.7lbs.

I wanted to follow up with you after having spent some time getting to know the bike better. The intent of the bike was to link a series of forest roads with three trails systems. I typically ride the forest roads with my gravel bike, and my full suspension bikes to enjoy the singletrack. This past weekend, I was able to give it a proper shakedown ride. Due to the lower snowline, I wasn’t able to access higher elevation trails, but could link up two trail systems through a mix of forest roads and singletrack. The bike is just an absolute blast to ride!! I honestly can’t compare the sensation your bike gives me with anything else I’ve ridden. The geometry is very XC, which I’m getting reacquainted with, but it’s the ride quality that’s in a class of it’s own! The combination of light ride feel, nimbleness, and deflection properties is something else! The forest roads are a test of willpower on how fast I can attack each climb, and once I hit the singletrack, it’s hilariously fun whipping through corners and finding my lines through the technical sections. Every mile is treat to enjoy!

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