Just bought the SLX Carbon on the crazy sale for $2200 for my wife to replace her 2015 Kona Process 134, local XC and Pisgah rides with occasional bike parks. Hoping it pedals pretty well on the mellow XC stuff we ride during the week here in NC.
@RootsRocksRaffi2 күн бұрын
@@AUSTIN_RIDES it’s a deal that’s hard to pass up! Will be curious to hear how she likes it!
@dalefrolander35833 күн бұрын
What do you like it better as a blackthorn or Cassidy? I can get either for the same price.
@RootsRocksRaffi3 күн бұрын
Yeah the prices right now are nuts! For 95% of my riding which involves punchy tech, some steep rollers, moderate drops the blackthorn is more than enough bike and handles better than the Cassidy at non-bike-park speeds. If I spent a lot of time at parks, the Cassidy is great with the higher stack, slacker head angle, extra suspension…. Blackthorn is still plenty of bike for moderate park trails but if you’re trying to smash through things at higher speeds the Cassidy would be nice
@alexdavies33574 күн бұрын
Thanks for the review! Appreciate your comparison to the ripmo as that’s the other bike I’m mainly considering right now.
@RootsRocksRaffi4 күн бұрын
For sure - I will say the V3 ripmo sounds like it solves some of the downsides. BUUUUUUT the blackthorn is on a pretty insane sale at the moment- might be releasing new versions soon?
@philbarbetta121320 күн бұрын
Where was the campground you stayed at? Was it private or a state campground?
@RootsRocksRaffi20 күн бұрын
It was Mashomouquet Campground in Pomfret Center, CT
@philbarbetta121320 күн бұрын
@@RootsRocksRaffi awesome!! Thanks…looked like a great place!
@RootsRocksRaffi20 күн бұрын
@@philbarbetta1213 it was pretty cool to have it to ourselves - I think it may have been the first weekend they were open for the season. It's also right next to an awesome network of mountain biking trails
@Paul-gy7dn26 күн бұрын
My local has one for 1899 I tried today, feels good, tbh don’t really need a mountain bike per-say cause I’m gonna be riding trails and pavement. Tried a cutthroat but it just doesn’t feel as smooth even when riding on pavement. What you think?
@RootsRocksRaffi26 күн бұрын
I think it would be a bit much for flat trails & pavement - too heavy and squishy. You might be better off with something in between like a hardtail mountain bike (Salsa has the Rangefinder and Timberjack - for example)
@camelloface26 күн бұрын
Surf city, wicked hard
@philsorrentino352428 күн бұрын
Wow, its 1999 again
@MooseyMTBАй бұрын
Is sidewinder still a public trail?
@RootsRocksRaffiАй бұрын
Yep! Sidewinder isn’t in the areas that were cut off from access
@edwardmorton7246Ай бұрын
How long is this trail?
@RootsRocksRaffiАй бұрын
Sidewinder is quite short but the system of trails is huge!
@edwardmorton7246Ай бұрын
@@RootsRocksRaffi Thanks!
@theamaniafunkster2648Ай бұрын
Amazing what a strong group of riders!!!
@Busby7744Ай бұрын
Do you find you need to change your chain length when swapping between the two?
@RootsRocksRaffiАй бұрын
@@Busby7744 nope! The chainstay length doesn’t change between the blackthorn and the Cassidy
@micahreece7381Ай бұрын
Cool rocks!
@MylifeisamazingFormykidsАй бұрын
💯
@philsorrentino3524Ай бұрын
I laughed as I went over it today, pulled over and texted the group. I knew it was you Peej.
@StephensMTBАй бұрын
Awesome I’ll have to check it out! Looking great🔥🔥
@trungnguyenquang9734Ай бұрын
Where is this??
@refaellistmanАй бұрын
There’s a new trail at NEMBA Vietnam called 207
@philsorrentino35242 ай бұрын
2 demerits for not spinning that wheel after cleaning
@RootsRocksRaffi2 ай бұрын
Fair. I did but it didn’t make the video cut :(
@Zentinel_852 ай бұрын
I don’t carry patches, I carry 2 new tubes always.
@Toolazytothinkofagoodhandle2 ай бұрын
Tubeless tires are awesome get your local shop to tape your rims for tubeless sealant and put orange seal in it. It had glitter that clogs holes when sealant is pushed thru. Used to recommend it to every mtb racer when I worked at a bike shop
@refaellistman2 ай бұрын
Hehe I’ve worked in shops as well and agree - this is orange sealant and I swear by it. I got a snakebite pinch and the hole by the bead didn’t like the patch plug I used. All fixed meow
@ronbaker26732 ай бұрын
Kind of surprised they still have inflatable tires nowadays
@refaellistman2 ай бұрын
Can’t wait for airless tires - but weight and adjustability and price are pretty big constraints
@joestraitiff75772 ай бұрын
I’d like to think the C2C sand prepared you for this run
@RootsRocksRaffi2 ай бұрын
I guess every ride is training for something in the future
@joestraitiff75772 ай бұрын
@@RootsRocksRaffi woaaahhhh 💫
@phoenixmaloney66332 ай бұрын
Push it ya self lazy as
@AlexM-xb3cz2 ай бұрын
You can still push it yourself 🤦♂️
@RootsRocksRaffi2 ай бұрын
Just having a little fun here, friend :)
@philsorrentino35242 ай бұрын
Almost Doug ish emissions
@RootsRocksRaffi2 ай бұрын
😂😂😂
@florazolin8492 ай бұрын
Uh oh, what happened?
@RootsRocksRaffi2 ай бұрын
A pedal fell off 😅
@HolisticClips2 ай бұрын
left foot on right pedal, kick like a scooter all the way home lol
@RootsRocksRaffi2 ай бұрын
I’d say it was 50/50 that and jogging hehe
@kevinballou78222 ай бұрын
Could you still have used the other pedal?
@RootsRocksRaffi2 ай бұрын
😂 I wish. The splines on the crank got stripped so couldn’t put it back together on the trail. Was my own fault - long story short I lent the preload cap to a buddy and knew it was at higher risk for coming loose but forgot to check before this ride.
@kevinballou78222 ай бұрын
@@RootsRocksRaffi Ah, that'll do it. Whenever I've done stuff like that I just take a 7-gear mongoose up and down. Hasn't failed me in years.
@florazolin8492 ай бұрын
OMG….. amazing
@adjosa53732 ай бұрын
Nice!
@MILTONATOR2 ай бұрын
“Slightly awkward angle” 🫣😂 great video man. Informative 🤙
@RootsRocksRaffi2 ай бұрын
Hehe thanks! It is what is is, and glad it was informative 😎
@philsorrentino35242 ай бұрын
wooooooooooooo
@RootsRocksRaffi2 ай бұрын
Kikaw!! Call him Doug the torturer
@kitkat123262 ай бұрын
Smooth. Love it :)
@mistersneakypants32343 ай бұрын
Can't say I've ever seen that happen before
@RootsRocksRaffi3 ай бұрын
Would you believe this is the second time it’s happened to me? Once in the head mountain biking in Utah
@youssef89483 ай бұрын
@@RootsRocksRaffiyeah i would believe it, yellow jackets are the BIGGEST assholes on planet earth by far, they will die happy as long as they sting something on the way out
@mistersneakypants32343 ай бұрын
@@RootsRocksRaffi note to self; don't mountain bike in Utah...
@brandonbeard84883 ай бұрын
Straight to the chest huh............ Ya I think it was personal 😂😂😂
@RootsRocksRaffi3 ай бұрын
That’s the only explanation
@waldowsxxghostxx85773 ай бұрын
Are their sliding dropouts on the rear wheel allowing 27.5”/29” wheel?
@RootsRocksRaffi3 ай бұрын
They don't use sliding dropouts, but according to Salsa's site, you can run 27.5+ wheels (2.8"-3" tires) and they recommend using the "high" setting on the flip chip.
@Adi-DevRudra3 ай бұрын
Is that the Salsa Everything on your bars?
@RootsRocksRaffi3 ай бұрын
You betcha! It’s actually the only piece of gear that I still run from my first bikepacking trip ~ 5 years ago. I moved the original side loading dry bag onto the rear rack and bought the top loading bag for the front.
@Legrascestlavie883 ай бұрын
Put more weight on the front, less on the back;) you'll thk me later
@smoko71133 ай бұрын
What happens if he wants to brake fast? 🔁
@Legrascestlavie883 ай бұрын
@@smoko7113 @smoko7113 nothing, basically best way to go about it is to put attachmets on the side of the front fork, and attach long stuff like tent along. 60% front 40% rear is best. Problem with loadig the back to much (especially back past the wheel axle which creates overhanging weight) is that it makes the front too light and you have problems steering and braking.. especially going up and when the road is wet ;)
@RootsRocksRaffi3 ай бұрын
Thanks for the tip! I’ve ridden setups before where the weight was too rear biased and I agree it rode like garbage. This setup seems to have enough on the front to keep handling smooth and the front planted on any climb - the limiting factor becomes my legs not looping out 😂. For bigger trips the fork is where I would add further storage. I do like having a somewhat lighter front end when the trip includes more technical riding to help keep the front more manageable
@Legrascestlavie883 ай бұрын
@@RootsRocksRaffiwhat trips have u done allready? U do offroad?
@RootsRocksRaffi3 ай бұрын
@@Legrascestlavie88 I prefer to keep it as much unpaved as possible - from full on singletrack to gravel. I use the wheels shown here for more gravel oriented trips and a more aggressive set of MTB wheels for mountain biking trips. I’ve done trips in Manistee, MI; Vermont; Massachusetts, and a bigger six-day loop from Bentonville. I think it all adds up to 30+ days of trips.
@hdjono33513 ай бұрын
Good setup! How far are you planning to go?
@RootsRocksRaffi3 ай бұрын
Thanks! This was for a 2-day, 1-nighter 55 miles each way and mostly unpaved.
@philsorrentino35243 ай бұрын
That panda means business
@RootsRocksRaffi3 ай бұрын
It’s ready to roll no matter what
@philsorrentino35243 ай бұрын
Cliffwalk for the win
@martinpetricek2393 ай бұрын
Hi, what is your settigs now? How many spacers in positiv and negative chamber?
@RootsRocksRaffi3 ай бұрын
I weigh ~ 190lbs before gear, and run 220psi in the air chamber, and 170psi in the bladder. A great outcome of the custom tune is that I don't run ANY volume spacers now. Before the tune I had 3 in the positive, and experimented with 1 in the negative but didn't like how the negative spacer felt. I run rebound more or less in the middle.
@artmiller95473 ай бұрын
Where is that trail
@RootsRocksRaffi3 ай бұрын
The NEMBA Vietnam trail network in Milford, MA!
@philsorrentino35243 ай бұрын
Ive only made the left twice. Maybe we go for third and first sunday?🤔