getting to know you, getting to know all about you
What a week its been, we put together the first production sofrider and production freerider. And I gotta tell you, the freerider has me all warm and fuzzy. What I absolutely love about this bike is the overall balance and form, the style of it. Not just in how it looks although that's important of course, its more about how you feel when you ride it. You feel great - relaxed and happy with the world. So I don't know if its the bike, or if its the silly grin I have when I'm riding it, but the lovely ladies sure do notice something going on. Maybe its because there is no steering tube to block their vision of my crotch? You don't think so? Well ok, look I really don't know, but there sure is something goin' on. The open feel in front of you is very relaxing. On this bike, you have nothing to prove, you are not fighting the bars, there is much less sense that you must prove something by going quickly, although its nice and stiff and can shift along with surprising pace if you like. You think you've earnt respect on your bike? I know I have on this bike.
The tires are softer than what I run on my own bike and that bit of plushness is also very nice to have. Run this way, this is the most comfortable bike I've been on.
The cruiser bars on the front have a slight kink, so the lower portion lines up with the BB. The shape hints at a rounded yet agressive front end, supported by the clean lines of the rest of the frame. For longer legged folk, the front end slides further forward and done, so this effect is more pronounced. The bars mount on a new stem, which was made to order. Hmm, maybe we should have gone chromoly on this instead of aluminum, to lighten the shape up slightly more? Don't know. There is no doubt it fits the image very well.
The seat has come out beautifully, shiny anodised aluminium, perfectly formed shape and all the attention to detail you could ask for.
The rear suspension is very standard and as you would expect works well. The front suspension is a new design incorporating the best steering tube suspension unit available with the wide drive wheel dropoutsa dn front chainstay mounting points. We up-rated the spring which helps give a very firm solid feeling to the front. The whole package is strong enough that if you launch the front or hit something harder than you expect, there is no rattle or bounce, just a solid feel as the suspension and structure absorbs the impact.
But what about the handling eh? Well this is the best handling MBB bike I have ever ridden or built. Even at very slow walking pace, its easily managable. You can throw it round slower corners, keeping a more upright torso. Its the most maneuvreable MBB bike I've ridden. It is this low speed handling ability and its compact size that makes it so great for short trips.
Then when up to speed, the natural steering occilation gets less and less noticable and pretty well disappears.
I have to say I'm really thrilled with the total package.
The tires are softer than what I run on my own bike and that bit of plushness is also very nice to have. Run this way, this is the most comfortable bike I've been on.
The cruiser bars on the front have a slight kink, so the lower portion lines up with the BB. The shape hints at a rounded yet agressive front end, supported by the clean lines of the rest of the frame. For longer legged folk, the front end slides further forward and done, so this effect is more pronounced. The bars mount on a new stem, which was made to order. Hmm, maybe we should have gone chromoly on this instead of aluminum, to lighten the shape up slightly more? Don't know. There is no doubt it fits the image very well.
The seat has come out beautifully, shiny anodised aluminium, perfectly formed shape and all the attention to detail you could ask for.
The rear suspension is very standard and as you would expect works well. The front suspension is a new design incorporating the best steering tube suspension unit available with the wide drive wheel dropoutsa dn front chainstay mounting points. We up-rated the spring which helps give a very firm solid feeling to the front. The whole package is strong enough that if you launch the front or hit something harder than you expect, there is no rattle or bounce, just a solid feel as the suspension and structure absorbs the impact.
But what about the handling eh? Well this is the best handling MBB bike I have ever ridden or built. Even at very slow walking pace, its easily managable. You can throw it round slower corners, keeping a more upright torso. Its the most maneuvreable MBB bike I've ridden. It is this low speed handling ability and its compact size that makes it so great for short trips.
Then when up to speed, the natural steering occilation gets less and less noticable and pretty well disappears.
I have to say I'm really thrilled with the total package.
