# Am I Sirius about SS or is it just a Pipedream?



## vikb (Sep 7, 2008)

I've riding a Cotic BFeMAX for over a year as my trail bike going full hardtail and letting my FS bike gather dust. We had some great adventures and I documented my thoughts on that bike at this link. I wanted a SS friendly frame for my winter bike this year and I wanted to "fix" some geo issues I had with the Cotic. Mainly that was wanting a frame with shorter CS and shorter WB for a more agile/playful ride. I ride a lot of tight techy forest trails so being able to get up on the rear wheel and maneuver the bike quickly is important to me and I enjoy the feeling of manipulating the bike vs. being along for the ride on a bigger frame.










So I pulled the trigger on a Pipedream Sirius S5 hardtail. It's main claim to fame is an aggressive geo designed around a shorter travel 100mm-120mm fork. It also happens to have sliders so that makes for an easy/clean SS setup.


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## vikb (Sep 7, 2008)

I'll be using most of the parts off my Cotic BFeMAX build for the Sirius. The 160mm Lyrik isn't a good fit for a bike designed around a 100-120mm fork so I'll move that fork to my GG Smash and I'll move the MRP Ribbon coil on the Smash over to the Sirius. The MRP can be lowered internally from the current 160mm to 140mm. I'm hoping that won't be too long as Pipedream talks about using a 130mm fork on the Sirius. Anyways it's a fork I own so I'll try it. If I love how the frame rides and I want a lower travel fork for it I don't mind getting one later.

The 9 point 8 dropper will swap over. The Sirius has a steep STA on paper and I don't love being pushed forward over the BB, but with a bent seat tube and longer fork the Effective STA at my ride height might be okay and if it is too steep I'll put a 1" setback head on the dropper to get my saddle further back.

At the moment Shimano 11 speed is my "go to" drivetrain in the fleet so I'll just hang onto those parts off the Cotic for use on another bike when the Bike Gods decide to rip a derailleur off or smash a shifter on a rock. I ordered a few SS cogs so I can try some different ratios out. I know what I like on road/gravel with big 29+ hoops [34 x 20T], but not sure how I'll feel on techy trails. I'll probably start with something like a 30T x 22T ratio and see how that feels.


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## dubthang (Apr 2, 2009)

Interesting frame, interesting geo. I think I'd want to run the 140 fork at a minimum to offset the really low bb, and boost the stack number a bit.


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## Redlands R&C (Dec 14, 2013)

vikb said:


> I know what I like on road/gravel with big 29+ hoops [34 x 20T], but not sure how I'll feel on techy trails. I'll probably start with something like a 30T x 22T ratio and see how that feels.


I'm using a 30x22T ratio on my Lenz Behemoth and I like it. I'm sure our areas of riding are quite different, but for me it is a good way to build some strength and get stronger with it. I just re-did my Pugsley and only had a 20T cog, so that will be 30x20 with 29x3.25/3.0 combo, maybe the hardtail will be easier to pedal with the higher ratio? 
Looking forward to your in-depth build and review of the Pipedream


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## vikb (Sep 7, 2008)

dubthang said:


> Interesting frame, interesting geo. I think I'd want to run the 140 fork at a minimum to offset the really low bb, and boost the stack number a bit.


If I could customize the geo I'd make the headtube longer and the STA slacker. That BB drop works around here [with a taco bash] as I have another HT with the same BB drop.

If a 140mm fork is too short then it's just the wrong frame. I don't mind running some spacers under the stem and using a high 75-80mm bar.


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## vikb (Sep 7, 2008)

Redlands R&C said:


> I'm using a 30x22T ratio on my Lenz Behemoth and I like it. I'm sure our areas of riding are quite different, but for me it is a good way to build some strength and get stronger with it. I just re-did my Pugsley and only had a 20T cog, so that will be 30x20 with 29x3.25/3.0 combo, maybe the hardtail will be easier to pedal with the higher ratio?
> Looking forward to your in-depth build and review of the Pipedream


Thanks.  

I've got 28T and 30T rings. I might even have a 32T ring in the parts bin. For cogs I have 22T, 20T and 18T. I don't mind buying another cog once I settle on what ratio is going to work well. I know what I like for road/gravel, but really no idea for trail riding. There are lots of techy punchy climbs which suggest a low gear, but I don't want to be spinning like a hamster the rest of the time. I've run into people riding SS here so they are making it work.


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## SSsteel4life (Jul 1, 2016)

vikb said:


> Thanks.
> 
> I've got 28T and 30T rings. I might even have a 32T ring in the parts bin. For cogs I have 22T, 20T and 18T. I don't mind buying another cog once I settle on what ratio is going to work well. I know what I like for road/gravel, but really no idea for trail riding. There are lots of techy punchy climbs which suggest a low gear, but I don't want to be spinning like a hamster the rest of the time. I've run into people riding SS here so they are making it work.


What size tire are you going with on this build? If doing 2.6 or smaller, I would start out at 32X20 ratio or 30X18 since you have that combo already. You will be surprised what you can push, especially since you already have SS experience on your gravel ride.

Also, let us know how the frame feel/compliance is on this Sirius. I am tempted to get one as well!


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## vikb (Sep 7, 2008)

SSsteel4life said:


> What size tire are you going with on this build? If doing 2.6 or smaller, I would start out at 32X20 ratio or 30X18 since you have that combo already. You will be surprised what you can push, especially since you already have SS experience on your gravel ride.
> 
> Also, let us know how the frame feel/compliance is on this Sirius. I am tempted to get one as well!


I'll leave the tires from the previous bike on the wheels. So 29 x 2.6" DHF/DHR. Maxxis sizing so not a large 2.6" tire.

I'll definitely post some thoughts on frame compliance/ride quality. That aspect of hardtails is near and dear to my heart. I hate a dead/overly stiff frame.


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## NuclearNachos (Sep 25, 2021)

Will be interested on a general frame/geo review and how you like 29x2.6, was looking at getting a sirius also but didn't know whether to go 27.5+, full 29, or mullet.


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## vikb (Sep 7, 2008)

NuclearNachos said:


> Will be interested on a general frame/geo review and how you like 29x2.6, was looking at getting a sirius also but didn't know whether to go 27.5+, full 29, or mullet.


If you just want some general 29 x 2.6" feedback I've ridden that tire size a lot. Note I am talking Maxxis 2.6" which might well be a 2.5" tire in another brand. But, Maxxis is what I've been using lately and is pretty common so let's stick with that as a reference.

My feelings to date on tire size use are [all Maxxis sizing]


2.4" and less: Doesn't interest me. I always feel like I don't have enough volume and want a large casing.
2.5": I like this for a FS bike that is ridden hard. Enough volume I don't hate life, but not so much volume that tire deforms too much when pushed hard.
2.6": I like this for a HT bike or lighter duty FS. More volume feels good on a HT or short travel FS and those bikes aren't pushed as hard so the bigger volume is fine.
2.8" - 3.0": I like this for bikepacking/gravel grinding. The higher volume is very comfortable and forgiving on soft/mixed surfaces. Light tread patterns roll well, but grip enough to ride trails as needed. Bikes aren't pushed hard so large volume doesn't cause issues.
I'm not a mullet or 27+ fan so I can't really comment on those options. Other people love them so I am not saying they aren't worth a look, but I stick to 29er/29+.

For 29 x 2.6" tires I've used a lot:


Rekon: rolls great and grips surprisingly well. I loved this tire a lot more than I expected and it's my go to general purpose tire at the moment.
DHF/DHR: I've enjoyed these on my HT for shredding. Not as good a tire option for general use, but better than Rekons for shredding...especially in the wet.


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## vikb (Sep 7, 2008)

Pipedream landed yesterday. Dealing with the company was easy and everything arrived undamaged 7 business days after I ordered it. Weighs ~6.3lbs with axle and dropouts.










The powdercoat and decals are very nice. One of the nicer finishes on any bike I have owned. The frame has a single set of water bottle mounts, which is fine for a winter shred machine. Lack of moisture won't be an issue here.  










Threaded BB and I am glad to see ISCG tabs despite this being a trail bike frame. We have enough rocks and logs here I'll mount a taco bash guard. 










CS/BB detail.










I'm hopeful I won't have to pull my wheel too far backwards to fit the 29 x 2.6" DHR on the rear wheel. I want to run a fairly short CS. Basically as short as I can go with reasonable SS chain tension.










I'll be running a rear Mudhugger fender, but it's still nice to see small details like a forward facing slot on the seat tube.










Clean dropper housing port.










Brake hose and shift housing run under the TT with the dropper housing running under the DT.










Housing/hose runs under the seatstays at the rear. Nice as that makes mounting the rear Mudhugger easier/cleaner.










The frame comes with a geared DS dropout, but I ordered the SS dropout for a cleaner look. I'll hang onto the geared dropout in case I can't handle SS trail riding.










Nothing fancy going on with the axle and dropouts, but everything looks well made.










44mm head tube so it's adjustable headset compatible. With a 140mm fork I'll run a normal headset though. Nice head badge.


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## vikb (Sep 7, 2008)

I threw the rear wheel from the Cotic in the Pipedream. It's a 29 x 2.6" DHR on a 30mm IW rim. Slammed it rotated, but clearance was almost zero...so not practical for riding like that. However, as you can see from the photo above the way the CS are shaped near the BB means that you get a lot of clearance with a small amount of rearward movement of the axle. Setup SS I'll have to pull the wheel back a bit to tension the chain and that should be enough to make this wheel work. 🤘 

If I was going to run this frame geared and wanted the CS slammed I'd need to run a Maxxis 29 x 2.5" tire or put a 27+ wheel/tire on the rear.


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## huckleberry hound (Feb 27, 2015)

It looks great! I'm anxiously awaiting a ride report.


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## Funoutside (Jul 17, 2019)

How is the frame weight compared to your Cotic?


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## vikb (Sep 7, 2008)

huckleberry hound said:


> It looks great! I'm anxiously awaiting a ride report.


Thanks. I'm swapping forks today and then I'll open the MRP Ribbon Coil, do a lowers service and set travel at 140mm. That's the only hard part of the build unless I run into a compatibility issue as I am swapping stuff over. So the Pipedream should be rolling shortly.


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## vikb (Sep 7, 2008)

Funoutside said:


> How is the frame weight compared to your Cotic?


I was looking through my BFeMAX thread for a measured weight as I recall weighing the bare frame, but I can't see it. Based on just lifting the frames they seem comparable and the BFeMAX product page says 6.1lbs for frame/axle and the Sirius weighed 6.3lbs for frame/axle/sliders so that's basically the same given the Cotic doesn't have the extra weight of sliders.

What really matters to me is how the frame flexes. I hate an overly stiff frame. I've read good things about Pipedream in that regard, but the proof will be in the pudding.


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## vikb (Sep 7, 2008)

It's against my religion to ride with a pack so of course I was keen to see how the Sirius would fit frame bags and bottles. The bag shown above has all my tools, pump, spare tube, etc... in it and a single bottle will be fine for winter riding. I'll have a another top tube frame bag [same model shown above] mounted by the bars and stem. I put my phone, energy bars, spare jacket, etc... in that bag as it's easy to access while riding. These bags are waterproof so they do well on a winter rig. 










I mocked up a second bottle inside the frame just to see if I could add more water if I wanted to ride this bike in the summer. A second bottle fits fine and I could even add a third under the downtube if I wanted.


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## Funoutside (Jul 17, 2019)

Another option could be 1-1.5 liter bottle paired with the Looney bin bottle holder.


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## vikb (Sep 7, 2008)

Funoutside said:


> Another option could be 1-1.5 liter bottle paired with the Looney bin bottle holder.


Yes that would work. I also have a Wolf Tooth dual bottle cage adapter that changes a single mount to a dual mount and I could put another cage under the DT either a 750ml or a 1.5L bottle. So all in all hydration won't a problem!


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## SSsteel4life (Jul 1, 2016)

I'm drooling over your pictures of this frame. Cannot wait for your ride report!


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## vikb (Sep 7, 2008)

Instead of hitting the trails I stayed home and finished the build today. I think it turned out nice if you are into high bars, frame bags and fenders like I am!    










I've only done some urban assault in the neighbourhood. On the positive it feels a lot more nimble/playful than the Cotic it replaces. Getting up on the rear wheel is easy again and the bike likes to carve. The sizing feels good. On the negative the 140mm fork definitely feels like too much. The unsagged HTA measures 62 deg with my phone. The unsagged STA measures 75 deg. If I love riding it I will buy a 120mm fork for it










Gearing is 30 x 22T. It feels like it might be too much for me on the steep tech. I guess I'll just try it and see. I've probably got a 28T ring in my parts bin if I need it. I know what SS ratio works for me on the road/gravel, but I have no idea for real mountain biking. My GF is away visiting her family in the UK so I'll be able to head out and test the gearing solo and be able to get used to it without having to think about anything else.


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## NuclearNachos (Sep 25, 2021)

Looks great and those are some serious fenders! What's the rise on the bars?


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## vikb (Sep 7, 2008)

NuclearNachos said:


> Looks great and those are some serious fenders! What's the rise on the bars?


Thanks. Not getting hammered by tire spray makes winter riding in the rain forest a lot more pleasant. 🤘 

The bars are 70mm rise. The bike has a short head tube and I like my bars about level with the saddle.


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## Funoutside (Jul 17, 2019)

Could to drop the fork from 140mm to 130mm?


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## huckleberry hound (Feb 27, 2015)

120mm and 130mm air springs are available for your Lyrik. It and the Yari share the same chassis and I have a 120mm Yari on my Stache. The only difference between the two is the dampers. The air springs are about $43 dollars here in the US.


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## vikb (Sep 7, 2008)

Funoutside said:


> Could to drop the fork from 140mm to 130mm?


The Ribbon Coil on there now goes from 140mm to 160mm. So it's set as low as it can go.


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## vikb (Sep 7, 2008)

huckleberry hound said:


> 120mm and 130mm air springs are available for your Lyrik. It and the Yari share the same chassis and I have a 120mm Yari on my Stache. The only difference between the two is the dampers. The air springs are about $43 dollars here in the US.


Good call on the new airshaft. They aren't that cheap in Canada, but cheaper than a new fork. The Lyrik is on my GG Smash now so I'm going to ride it at 160m and see what I think on that bike. The Smash hasn't had any upgrades since I bought it in 2018 so a new fork is a nice change of pace.


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## Sparticus (Dec 28, 1999)

She’s lookin’ good, Vik!

I’ve got 50mm bars (Burgtec) and 60mm bars (Spank) but have never found any with more rise than that. What brand are your 70mm risers? And what width? 
=sParty


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## vikb (Sep 7, 2008)

Sparticus said:


> She’s lookin’ good, Vik!
> 
> I’ve got 50mm bars (Burgtec) and 60mm bars (Spank) but have never found any with more rise than that. What brand are your 70mm risers? And what width?
> =sParty


They are 780mm wide. A friend gifted the bars to me so going on some detective work I believe they are these bars: https://www.ergotec.de/en/products/lenker/sub/mountain-bike-lenker/produkt/riser-bar-70-31-8.html

On my Smash I've got some Deity 50mm rise x 760mm bars and they also come in a 80mm rise: https://www.deitycomponents.com/highside_handlebar_80mm.html

760mm is my go to width these days so that works for me. I can ride 780mm bars, but any wider and I am uncomfortable plus trees start to become an issue.


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## Sparticus (Dec 28, 1999)

vikb said:


> They are 780mm wide. A friend gifted the bars to me so going on some detective work I believe they are these bars: https://www.ergotec.de/en/products/lenker/sub/mountain-bike-lenker/produkt/riser-bar-70-31-8.html
> 
> On my Smash I've got some Deity 50mm rise x 760mm bars and they also come in a 80mm rise: https://www.deitycomponents.com/highside_handlebar_80mm.html
> 
> 760mm is my go to width these days so that works for me. I can ride 780mm bars, but any wider and I am uncomfortable plus trees start to become an issue.


Thanks. I’m tall with gorilla-length arms. Most of today’s frames come with minuscule length head tubes, it seems. I prefer my bar height slightly lower than my saddle so I‘m forced to resort to high rise bars. But I also prefer 800mm width bars and my stems are 35mm clamp, so the pickin’s get slim given my chosen parameters.

Looking forward to ride reports of your new rig. Have fun!
=sParty


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## vikb (Sep 7, 2008)

Sparticus said:


> Thanks. I’m tall with gorilla-length arms. Most of today’s frames come with minuscule length head tubes, it seems. I prefer my bar height slightly lower than my saddle so I‘m forced to resort to high rise bars. But I also prefer 800mm width bars and my stems are 35mm clamp, so the pickin’s get slim given my chosen parameters.
> 
> Looking forward to ride reports of your new rig. Have fun!
> =sParty


Thanks! I'm excited for a fresh ride this winter.

_BTW - I can point you at some custom bar builders if you are willing to go that route?_


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## Sparticus (Dec 28, 1999)

vikb said:


> _BTW - I can point you at some custom bar builders if you are willing to go that route?_


Thanks. I’m set for the moment but I’ll let you know if it comes to that. 
=sParty


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## vikb (Sep 7, 2008)

The first part of this ^^^ video is a bit lame, but they interview the Pipedream bike designer at 9:11. Hearing his comments on the Sirius is interesting.


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## vikb (Sep 7, 2008)

Decent review video.


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## vikb (Sep 7, 2008)

I've had a chance to get the Pipedream out on the trails now. This bike feels like I am on one of those Endor Stormtrooper air bikes from Star Wars. I can cruise fast, carve corners and pop off all the small features. I'm probably not going any faster than on the Cotic, but because I can throw the smaller bike around more easily and get it off the ground or on its rear wheel at slower speeds it feels like I am just ripping along.

While the 140mm fork felt like too much cruising around my neighbourhood once out on the trails it fells great. Maybe because I am riding with more weight on the front wheel when I am attacking the trails resulting in a lower dynamic fork height, but the bike doesn't feel too slack and the steering geo feels great. The coil fork has a nice ride quality. It actually feels strangely supple when combined with a rigid rear end, but I like how planted the front tire is.

The frame size, riding position, and frame flex all suit me really well. I was concerned I'd need to use a setback dropper to tame the steep STA, but it feels fine riding on the flats and the rest of the time I am standing since it's a SS. Interestingly this feels like my smallest bike, but when I measured the WB it is 10-20mm longer than my Daambuilt HT and about the same as my GG Smash 160/140mm FS bike.

As I suspected being able to control the smaller bike better made me feel a lot more confident so I was able to ride more aggressively. I felt like I really knew what was going on at each tire and trusting that traction I could take more chances than with the Cotic.

In terms of SS in some ways it was easier than expected and in some ways it was harder. On the rolling XC trails near my house the SS gearing was perfect and I had a blast. Between the active SS riding style and the way the Pipedream could be thrown around the trail it was a really engaging experience I enjoyed. On the more demanding techy trails in the real mountains SS worked really well, but I definitely had to walk some sections and I learned that geared bike fitness doesn't translate to SS bike fitness 100%. I stayed lower on the mountain and did laps on these trails which I had ridden a few times in the past, but I am just learning well now that I am a local. My second and third time on each trails it was easier to clean hard sections as I knew what to expect and could attack the pedals a second or two earlier I also knew what I could make and that confidence allowed a more committed effort which got me over some climbs I had to walk the first time.

When I started this project my question was *"Will I keep the Pipedream SS or end up riding it geared?"* now that question is *"Will I ride the Pipedream SS as my only winter bike or will I also ride another bike geared for some days?"* I enjoy the Sirius SS well enough and it works well enough that I want a dedicated SS hardtail in the fleet I can grab at any time. For example I can't see any reason I'd ever take a geared bike onto my local XC trails again. The SS experience there is so clearly superior. That said I can see SS not being the right choice for all my trail riding. Especially when riding with friends on long routes with extended steep climbs. So my thought is to mount knobbies on my Daambuilt hardtail and use it when I want a geared experience during the winter.

For gearing 30 x 22T feels reasonable in general, but I think a 28 x 22T or 30 x 24T gear would be better on the techy trails especially to start with. I think my SS fitness will be a lot stronger in a month or two and I could be doing myself a favour with an easier gear between now and then.

So all in all I am glad I gave up on the BFeMAX and made the switch to the Sirius. The Pipedream frame just suits my needs/preferences better. 🤘 🤘 🤘


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## NuclearNachos (Sep 25, 2021)

What kind of riding were you doing? Wondering how it feels on gravel/flatter xc trails. Geo seems pretty intense for some trails near me with 120-130mm 29er fork, would be around 62-63° hta vs 65ish for moxie haha. Edit: What's the weight right now with SS and the bags?


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## vikb (Sep 7, 2008)

NuclearNachos said:


> What kind of riding were you doing? Wondering how it feels on gravel/flatter xc trails. Geo seems pretty intense for some trails near me with 120-130mm 29er fork, would be around 62-63° hta vs 65ish for moxie haha. Edit: What's the weight right now with SS and the bags?


 I rode some rolling XC trails near my house. Not a ton of elevation. Then I also rode some "mountain" trails that were steeper and rougher with solid climbs/descents. 

The Sirius is Pipedream's *"Do it all trailbike."* so with a shorter 120mm fork seems like the right choice for XC trails. The Moxie with a short fork would have a very low BB and a very steep STA.

I haven't weighed the bike completely built up.


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## NuclearNachos (Sep 25, 2021)

vikb said:


> I rode some rolling XC trails near my house. Not a ton of elevation. Then I also rode some "mountain" trails that were steeper and rougher with solid climbs/descents.
> 
> The Sirius is Pipedream's *"Do it all trailbike."* so with a shorter 120mm fork seems like the right choice for XC trails. The Moxie with a short fork would have a very low BB and a very steep STA.
> 
> I haven't weighed the bike completely built up.


Ah didn't think about the BB height with a lower fork. Looks like I'll be buying a Sirius when I build my bike, the colors look better than the Moxie as a plus 


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## vikb (Sep 7, 2008)

NuclearNachos said:


> Ah didn't think about the BB height with a lower fork. Looks like I'll be buying a Sirius when I build my bike, the colors look better than the Moxie as a plus


I like the Sirius silver & green as well as the Moxie pink & blue. They get sold in batches so when you want one there may only be a limited selection in a given colour if you are lucky enough to find one in the size you want. The hardtail world hasn't caught onto the short forked aggressive HT fully yet so it's easier to snag a Sirius than a Moxie. Folks are hot for long forked "enduro" HTs.


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## vikb (Sep 7, 2008)

I tried installing this ^^^ steel Race Face 28T ring on the Sirius with the 22T steel Surly cog. It would have been a super durable setup, but unfortunately the way the chain length and CS length came together the only option was to run the sliders fully back giving me the longest CS setting. I really want short CS on this bike so I put the 30T ring back on. 

30 x 22T = 1.36 [Not bad gearing & CS are short]
30 x 24T = 1.25
28 x 21T = 1.33
28 x 22T = 1.27 [CS at max length]
28 x 24T = 1.17

I'll keep trying these different ratios as parts cross my path and see what happens.


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## Sparticus (Dec 28, 1999)

vikb said:


> I tried installing this ^^^ steel Race Face 28T ring on the Sirius with the 22T steel Surly cog. It would have been a super durable setup, but unfortunately the way the chain length and CS length came together the only option was to run the sliders fully back giving me the longest CS setting. I really want short CS on this bike so I put the 30T ring back on.
> 
> 30 x 22T = 1.36 [Not bad gearing & CS are short]
> 30 x 24T = 1.25
> ...


Vik, I can tell you that that is a good chainring... as chainrings go. Sounds like it's not a good chainring for the slider application in your case, tho... that's too bad. Anyway I employ that ring on both my GG Smash and my Canfield Lithium -- it's utterly bulletproof and troublefree.

Hope you find a solution.
=sParty


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## vikb (Sep 7, 2008)

Sparticus said:


> Vik, I can tell you that that is a good chainring... as chainrings go. Sounds like it's not a good chainring for the slider application in your case, tho... that's too bad. Anyway I employ that ring on both my GG Smash and my Canfield Lithium -- it's utterly bulletproof and troublefree.
> 
> Hope you find a solution.
> =sParty


I run all RF cranks and a 28T ring will work on other bikes so it'll get used. I try and standardize my parts as much as possible so I can reuse stuff and anything that doesn't work out right away ends up as a spare for another bike. This ring could well end up on my Smash down the road.


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## vikb (Sep 7, 2008)

I got out today for my first "real" ride on the Pipedream. By that I mean I climbed to the top of the main trail network and rode a big selection of the techy trails I would tackle on my geared bike. The climb up felt pretty hard. A friend counted and said there were 75 corners on the climbing trail as it switchbacked its way up the mountain. It did feel like it went on forever and I would have told you I was riding slow. The clock says it was my fastest time up to that part of the mountain. So a win for SS I guess! 

We had some epic rain the last few days so I splashed my way down the mountain through mud, deep puddles and lots of wet wooden features. The Pipedream did great and I managed to keep the rubber side down while smiling most of the time. I rode everything, but one nasty granny gear climb. You get onto it from a long skinny wooden bridge and then have to do a 90 turn and punch it right away for 50'+ up a steep pitch. With no way to get some speed on the approach I couldn't get on top of the gear. Overall the worked out better than I expected so I'll take one walked section as a win.










The Sirius was a lot of fun to ride and given it's a hardtail it was pretty smooth/comfy on all the roots and rocks...despite the higher speeds. The trails where I moved to ride a lot faster than the ones where I used to live so I am enjoying/learning some new skills since I am hitting everything with more fury! I managed to get the Sirius in the air a good amount. Hardtails are really smooth when they aren't touching the ground! 

We have more rain in the forecast so I am glad I scored a sweet day on the trails today. That's a nice way to start a week.


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## vikb (Sep 7, 2008)

I've put over 100kms of shredding on the 30 x 22T gear ratio so far and it worked well for me. I feel like I can ride to the trails with that gearing and still get up most techy climbs...although I have to put in some fierce efforts.

I've installed a 28T [oval] x 24T cog now and I'll try that to see what I think. My initial neighbourhood cruising tells me it feels quite low compared to the previous ratio. It will climb well, but hard to say how much I'll lose on the flats/rolling terrain.










I've also got the parts to try 28 x 21T. That will be easier than my initial 30 x 22T ratio, but harder than the current 28 x 24T ratio. I suspect all three ratios will be keepers and I'll end up using them at various times depending what the riding is like. It's fun to tweak and experiment. 🤘

For reference:

30 x 22T = 1.36
28 x 21T = 1.33
28 x 24T = 1.17
30 x 24T = CS too long
28 x 22T = CS too long


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## Funoutside (Jul 17, 2019)

Did you see Steve got a Pipe Dream in for review & does a tire size check. 29x2.8 fits fine & 29x3.0 would rub with some flex. 27.5x3.0 on the other hand no problem. I will have to put this on the list of what HT to get next, now that I know 29x2.8 fits no problem.


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## vikb (Sep 7, 2008)

Funoutside said:


> Did you see Steve got a Pipe Dream in for review & does a tire size check. 29x2.8 fits fine & 29x3.0 would rub with some flex. 27.5x3.0 on the other hand no problem.


If you are willing to pull the dropouts back you can get a big tire in there for sure. 👌


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## Funoutside (Jul 17, 2019)

yeah it's impressive that 29x3.0 technically fits in there.


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## vikb (Sep 7, 2008)

Funoutside said:


> yeah it's impressive that 29x3.0 technically fits in there.


Not really. At max CS length the Sirius is at 441mm. That's pretty long. My Daambuilt HT will fit a 29 x 3.0" tire at 424mm. The Trek Stache will fit s 29 x 3.0" tire at 420mm. 

I mean I agree it's great that it is an option, but if you pull a CS back far enough on a Boost frame you can fit 29+ pretty easily. The challenge is short CS and wide tires.


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## Funoutside (Jul 17, 2019)

That's a good point.


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## vikb (Sep 7, 2008)

Funoutside said:


> That's a good point.


I'm really happy with the tire clearance and CS length on the Sirius. Given how hard I am riding it I wouldn't want a bigger tire on there than a Maxxis 2.6". I might even try a 2.5" tire later on for more support/precision. I like 2.8" - 3.0" tires for crushing big miles and exploring not as much for fast riding and shredding.


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## vikb (Sep 7, 2008)

It's been raining a bunch here. That's ^^^ a MTB trail!!!  

So having used the 28 x 24T gearing a bit my initial thoughts are it's not bad, but not great either. It's a bit easier going up, but not particularly easy. It's not too low on the tight techy sections of trails where I need to pedal, but on anything flat to rolling it's spin city. I can't see it being my day to day setup. It might be worth breaking out for particularly nasty conditions [snaux! riding] where it's slow and steady or go home.


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## vikb (Sep 7, 2008)

I switched my gearing again...I'm now running 28 [oval] x 21T. That's a 1.33 ratio and fairly close to the 30 [round] x 22T ratio of 1.36 I started with. It's a bit lower and the oval ring is supposed to be better for a SS setup. The combo of the oval ring and the slightly lower gear ratio does feel noticeably easier to pedal without losing so much top end speed it's not useful on the flats.

This ratio also has the benefit of allowing me to run the shortest CS position with the sliders of any ratio I've tried so far. It's basically as short as I can use without getting tire rub with a 29 x 2.6" DHRII.

I'm going to stick with this ratio for the next while. I will at some point swap in a round 28T ring to see how much imapct the oval vs. round ring provides. If oval is a lot better I'll run it. If it's pretty similar I'll run the round ring as I have a steel round ring and a steel 21T cog so it'll be a very long wearing drivetrain.


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## vikb (Sep 7, 2008)

When I first built up this bike I wasn't sure how I would feel about the Ribbon Coil. Partially due to the 140mm travel being a lot more than the 120mm design spec of the frame and also because putting a relatively burly coil fork on the front of a trail hardtail seemed like an odd match. I'm at ~200kms of trail riding now and I have to say the Ribbon is turning out to be a sweet fork on this bike. Overforking hasn't been an issue at all for how the bike handles on the trail and I like the higher Stack as discussed elsewhere.

I've been riding this bike relatively hard given its design intent and I'm generally only using 90-100mm of travel each ride. However, I have had the Ramp Control feature set at maximum. I've just set the RC at minimum for this next ride and I'll use it like that for a while. Then I'll try setting it in the middle of the adjustment range. I am running the green [medium] spring in the fork. I do have a softer and a firmer spring to try should that seem like a good idea.

If I ignore the o-ring on the stanchion and just focus on ride feel the fork feels great. It doesn't dive into its travel too easily keeping the front end high, but it does provide excellent front wheel traction on slippery surfaces like the many roots and wooden features on my local trails. My weak spot is my arms in terms of what gets abused riding MTBs so a harsh fork would be a big problem for me and I'd notice it right away. The Ribbon Coil feels like it's working well on the trail.

It's nice riding a SS steel hardtail with a coil fork in that there isn't a lot to check pre-ride since shifting and fork pressure are not in the picture.

I'll be interested to see how adjust the Ramp Control setting changes travel use and fork feel. 

_Update: Running minimum Ramp Control the Ribbon didn't feel any different, but on the same trails as previous rides I used 15mm more fork travel. If there is a difference in ride feel it's quite subtle. I'll keep riding at this RC setting for a while longer and see if I notice anything._


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## snacksattack (Jan 8, 2020)

How does it handle xc trails?


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## vikb (Sep 7, 2008)

snacksattack said:


> How does it handle xc trails?


Great. I have some rolling XC trails near my house. Limited elevation change and some slippery roots to keep things interesting. The Sirius is the most fun bike I have ridden there. Partially that's down to the great handling. I can really carve corners and throw the bike around. And partially it's due to the SS as the more aggressive riding style that encourages makes the most of these trails. That's one of the things I enjoy about this bike...the trails don't have to be super challenging to be fun and yet the Sirius will tackle harder tech just fine when needed to.

On some of my other bikes [longer/geared] these XC trails were boring and the bike felt cumbersome/clumsy to get around corners. 

In fact I am just caffeinating and hoping it will warm up a degree or two then I am heading out to those XC trails on the Pipedream for a shred.


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## snacksattack (Jan 8, 2020)

sweet sounds like a fun bike to keep on my list of what to get next or not.


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## vikb (Sep 7, 2008)

snacksattack said:


> sweet sounds like a fun bike to keep on my list of what to get next or not.


The Sirius is definitely worthy of consideration. It's a great time to be a hardtail rider. There are so many great frames out there. Something for everyone's needs/preferences. 🤘


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## snacksattack (Jan 8, 2020)

Right on. Yeah I am looking for modern XC bike that is nimble and can be built up not to heavy. So this looks sweet for that.


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## vikb (Sep 7, 2008)

snacksattack said:


> Right on. Yeah I am looking for modern XC bike that is nimble and can be built up not to heavy. So this looks sweet for that.












Yes definitely. Put a light 120mm fork on it and it would rip.


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## snacksattack (Jan 8, 2020)

What other bikes did you look at?


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## vikb (Sep 7, 2008)

snacksattack said:


> What other bikes did you look at?


Hard to remember, but here are some hardtails I think are interesting:


Pipedream Moxie
Why Cycles Wayward
Canfield Yelli Screamy
RSD MiddleChild
Guerilla Gravity Pedalhead
Bird Forge


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## vikb (Sep 7, 2008)

I also considered going custom again. My friend who built my last custom hardtail has about a 6 month long waitlist/lead time and there is a bling builder [almost] local to my new town that makes sweet bikes I've always wanted has a year long lead time if not longer. You can spec the exact geo with custom which is great and the tubing, but the cost is higher and you have to wait a long time. I'll probably get another custom frame at some point, but for now I am okay sticking with production options.


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## Funoutside (Jul 17, 2019)

Which would you say is better for a first time ht buyer this or the Cotic BeFe Max? Which would you say is the better ride road to the trail bike?


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## vikb (Sep 7, 2008)

Funoutside said:


> Which would you say is better for a first time ht buyer this or the Cotic BeFe Max? Which would you say is the better ride road to the trail bike?


So let's assume you had a build kit with a 140mm fork, 29er wheels, 2.6" tires, etc...and you were deciding between the BFeMAX and the Pipedream Sirius.

*Sirius*

shorter CS [more playful - less stable]
adjustable CS so easy SS setup and can be run longer if you prefer
a bit more flexible frame [better for a lighter rider]
lower Stack [if you like higher bars you'll need more spacers or higher rise bars]
can be run with a 100-130mm fork if you want sharper handling
1 water bottle mount

*BFeMax*

longer CS [more stable - less playful]
non-adjustable CS
a bit stiffer frame than Sirius [not harsh at all, but better for heavier & more aggressive riders]
higher Stack [nice if you like higher bars]
140mm fork is shortest, but can be run with 160mm fork as well
3 bottle mounts!!

Honestly I don't see a clear winner in general. Certainly specific riders will look at this ^^^ and see something they love or hate and gravitate to one or the other. I've ridden both bikes 30+kms on pavement to get to the trails and they were both just fine for that. They are both very well made frames and the customer support from both companies is excellent. If I had a friend looking for a HT I'd basically be happy to direct them at either of these frames.

For me I prefer the Sirius because:

I like flexible frames a lot
I wanted more playful handling with shorter CS
I wanted to run it SS
I can get around the low Stack with a longer steerer/spacers and high rise bars
I can live with 1 bottle mount.....even if I'd prefer 3!

I should also note that the Sirius is in stock and you can buy a frame right now. I don't think there are any BFeMAXs available until early 2022**.

_** - Looks like Cotic has 1 Large BFeMAX they are selling left._


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## Funoutside (Jul 17, 2019)

How heavy of a rider are you if you don't mind me asking? Yes, it doesn't look like a clear winner as each have their own advantages. I like the idea of a more supple frame but the more bottle mounts & higher stack on the Cotic is a nice bonus. I would take the S5 would be better compared to the Solaris Max since that model can do 120mm of travel too? How is the S5 & BeFeMax on slow uphills?


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## vikb (Sep 7, 2008)

Funoutside said:


> How heavy of a rider are you? Yeah it doesn't look like a clear winner as each have their own advantages. I like the idea of a more supple frame but the more bottle mounts & higher stack on the Cotic is a nice bonus. I would take the S5 would be better compared to the Solaris Max since that model can do 120mm of travel too?


I'm 180-190lbs out of the shower and I have probably 3-5lbs of gear on the bike frame. 

I hate a harsh/overly stiff frame and the BFeMAX wasn't like that or it would have been sold immediately. It's hard to describe ride feel/frame stiffness since it's not an easy to measure number like weight. I thought the BFeMAX rode quite well and was well within the acceptable range of frame stiffness...for me.

The SolarisMAX loses one of the bottle mounts [under the DT] if that matters to you. You get the longer CS and a supple frame. Yes the S5 is basically the closest model to the SolarisMAX comparing Pipedream and Cotic's line ups. They are both trail bikes that can get rowdy. There are lots of positive reviews for the SolarisMAX online.


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## Funoutside (Jul 17, 2019)

Thank you. I am about the same weight as you(173lbs). I did watch HTparty's review of both Cotic bikes & he seems to enjoy both. Why I am looking at these bikes(Maxes & S5). I do like that the S5 frame starts at a lower price than either Cotic, which is always a bonus. I wonder if they(PD) can add an extra bottle mount under the downtube. Shame there is not shop here to test ride these.


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## snacksattack (Jan 8, 2020)

vikb said:


> SolarisMAX loses one of the bottle mounts [under the DT] if that matters to you. You get the longer CS and a supple frame. Yes the S5 is basically the closest model to the SolarisMAX comparing Pipedream and Cotic's line ups. They are both trail bikes that can get rowdy. There are lots of positive reviews for the SolarisMAX online.


Have you ridden one?


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## vikb (Sep 7, 2008)

Funoutside said:


> Thank you. I am about the same weight as you(173lbs). I did watch HTparty's review of both Cotic bikes & he seems to enjoy both. Why I am looking at these bikes(Maxes & S5). I do like that the S5 frame starts at a lower price than either Cotic, which is always a bonus. I wonder if they(PD) can add an extra bottle mount under the downtube. Shame there is not shop here to test ride these.












They can't add bottle mounts under the DT without commissioning a new batch of frames. If they were building new frames that would be no issue...assuming they wanted to. That said it would be very easy to attach a 2nd bottle either above the DT [if you rode a bigger frame size] or under the downtube on an existing frame. I have done this on other bikes and it works fine.

You could also attach a 1L or even 1.5L bottle to the single bottle mounts for more water that way.

So if the only issue was extra water I have all sorts of options for how to solve that.


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## vikb (Sep 7, 2008)

snacksattack said:


> Have you ridden one?


No I have not ridden a SolarisMAX. They look nice, but I preferred the BFeMAX geo and it was available for sale when I was ready to buy. Now that I have tried the Cotic geo I wouldn't buy a SolarisMAX now as I don't want the long CS.


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## vikb (Sep 7, 2008)

BC has been in the news with super heavy rains and severe flooding. My area wasn't really affected. We've had a wetter than normal fall or more accurately we went from summer straight to winter. The rain has been spaced out enough there hasn't been any problems here. Since the riding is a lot faster here than my previous home I am really appreciating MTB fenders as well as MTB pants and winter riding shoes. More speed + more water = more wheel spray!


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## snacksattack (Jan 8, 2020)

looks shreddy


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## Funoutside (Jul 17, 2019)

I take the frame came with bolts & screws for the sliding dropout? How are they? I had some on my Soma gravel bike that kind of turned me off that type of dropouts.


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## vikb (Sep 7, 2008)

Funoutside said:


> I take the frame came with bolts & screws for the sliding dropout? How are they? I had some on my Soma gravel bike that kind of turned me off that type of dropouts.


The Pipedream hardware is quality. I wouldn't have any particular concerns with it.


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## snacksattack (Jan 8, 2020)

What bikes do you own besides this?


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## vikb (Sep 7, 2008)

snacksattack said:


> What bikes do you own besides this?


*Current Mountain Bikes*

Guerrilla Gravity Smash [2018] - 160/140mm 29er FS
Daambuilt Mega Krampus [2019] - 150mm shreddy bikepacking hardtail
Pipedream Sirius [2021] - 140mm trail bike
Sulry Krampus [2013] - Rigid SS urban assault bike
*Previous Mountain Bikes* [Last 10 years anyways!]

Cotic BFeMAX [2020] - 160mm shreddy hardtail
Knolly Endorphin [2017] - 150mm/130mm FS trail bike
Pivot Mach 6 [2014] - 160mm/150mm FS trail bike
On One Scandal [2011] - 120mm XC hardtail
Santa Cruz Nomad [2009] - 160mm/160mm FS trail bike


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## vikb (Sep 7, 2008)

I'm sorry these photos are not better. I left my camera at home and my phone isn't amazing. Next time I score some trail porn worthy of sharing! 

I'm headed out East this weekend for a couple of weeks to visit my mom. So I have been trying to get out and ride as much as I can since I'll be on foot the whole time I am gone in a big city. Running and walking are great, but I'll miss trail shredding in the forest! The main trail network near my new house has so many trails it's mind blowing. I've been here before as a tourist, but only had a few days each trip so we stuck to the greatest hits. Now that I have loads of time to check out the whole network I am in explorer mode and having a great time seeing what's around each corner. So far the trails have not disappointed. Everything is really high quality and fun. 🤘 🤘










I should have time for one more ride between the rain storms lashing our area before I fly out East. I'll definitely miss the Pipedream, but that means I'll come back with high levels of stoke to explore even more.


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## snacksattack (Jan 8, 2020)

One last question before I order. Did you have to pay VAT or is that just a UK thing?


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## vikb (Sep 7, 2008)

snacksattack said:


> One last question before I order. Did you have to pay VAT or is that just a UK thing?


VAT is a UK tax. When you enter you shipping address and it's say Canada [in my case] or the US the VAT comes out of the price and the cost of shipping goes in. 

So a Sirius costs 649GBP in the UK and ~541GBP outside the UK. Shipping to the US/Canada is ~115GBP. So a Sirius shipped there is ~656GBP.


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## huckleberry hound (Feb 27, 2015)

There's also a dealer that has them in stock in Canada that ships to the US. https://www.smithcreekcycle.ca/products/pipedream-sirius-crmo
I don't know if it's any cheaper factoring in the exchange rate for British pounds to US dollars and Canadian dollars to US dollars.


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## vikb (Sep 7, 2008)

huckleberry hound said:


> There's also a dealer that has them in stock in Canada that ships to the US. https://www.smithcreekcycle.ca/products/pipedream-sirius-crmo
> I don't know if it's any cheaper factoring in the exchange rate for British pounds to US dollars and Canadian dollars to US dollars.


I would call them to confirm stock. I had an order with Pipedream then saw stock on the Smith Creek website so cancelled my Pipedream HQ order to deal with the local dealer. Turns out the website was listing frames that were not in stock so I had to go back to Pipedream and the frame I wanted size/colour was sold out by that point. A bit annoying.

_FWIW - Going UK to Canada was painless and there was no extra cost._


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## snacksattack (Jan 8, 2020)

I did a search but couldn't find info. How tall are you and what size bike are you riding. Trying to figure out sizing for my order. So excited about this bike going to setup 29x2.6 rear and 2.7 front. Hawt!


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## vikb (Sep 7, 2008)

snacksattack said:


> I did a search but couldn't find info. How tall are you and what size bike are you riding. Trying to figure out sizing for my order. So excited about this bike going to setup 29x2.6 rear and 2.7 front. Hawt!












Pipedream Sirius size guide. ^^^

I'm 5'11" and wear 33" inseam pants. I'm on a Long and it fits small, but that's what I wanted.










Sorry I don't have a lot of photos of me and the bike as I ride solo a lot mid-week.


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## snacksattack (Jan 8, 2020)

Thank you for the help. Do you find the bike to be size well? No issue with stack, reach or seat tube length? I ask cause I am barely 5ft 7 and their site suggests long, but that might be too long. Size down the stack might be too short?


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## vikb (Sep 7, 2008)

snacksattack said:


> Thank you for the help. Do you find the bike to be size well? No issue with stack, reach or seat tube length? I ask cause I am barely 5ft 7 and their site suggests long, but that might be too long. Size down the stack might be too short?


The Stack on these bikes is low and is the same on all sizes. I used a longer fork, spacers and high rise bar to get the grips where I wanted them. That said I like my bars higher than most so you might be fine.

The Reach works for me. I could ride a Longer frame and that's probably what most people my size would ride, but I wanted a smaller more agile bike.

The seat tube length on all these frames is the same and it's quite low so it should work for most people.


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## snacksattack (Jan 8, 2020)

I checked Smithcreek and the price is more than what Vik paid, at least when it was when I converted the CAD price to USD.


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## snacksattack (Jan 8, 2020)

Dang not sure if I should go longish or long. Long has the right seat tube height but long has the right reach. Darn


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## vikb (Sep 7, 2008)

snacksattack said:


> Dang not sure if I should go longish or long. Long has the right seat tube height but long has the right reach. Darn


I would prioritize the bike length I wanted over the seat tube I preferred as long as I could run a dropper I was happy with.


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## vikb (Sep 7, 2008)

snacksattack said:


> I checked Smithcreek and the price is more than what Vik paid, at least when it was when I converted the CAD price to USD.


Ordering from the UK to Canada or the US to Canada I'll end up paying a brokerage fee and sales tax on the shipment when I receive it. I'd pay the sales tax if I bought locally from a shop in Canada so that part is the same. The brokerage fee from DHL for frames from the UK has been under $20CAD [going by memory]. 

If you are used to receiving international shipments there are no surprises here.


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## snacksattack (Jan 8, 2020)

vikb said:


> I would prioritize the bike length I wanted over the seat tube I preferred as long as I could run a dropper I was happy with.


I'm a little worried it might be too long in the long as im shorter than you but in the sizing range for long. If i go with a high spacer fork and 35mm rider bars would that bring reach in closer?


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## vikb (Sep 7, 2008)

snacksattack said:


> I'm a little worried it might be too long in the long as im shorter than you but in the sizing range for long. If i go with a high spacer fork and 35mm rider bars would that bring reach in closer?


The geo chart is for a 120mm fork sagged. So that'll be bigger Reach and lower Stack than if you were comparing to another hardtail where the geo chart was static [unsagged]. If you use a longer travel fork and/or extra spacers under the stem that will both bring the bars closer to the saddle and raise them. Using a higher rise bar just raises the grips.

If Pipedream suggests you'll fit on a particular size bike you probably will. You could contact them with your specific details and ask for confirmation.


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## vikb (Sep 7, 2008)

snacksattack said:


> I'm a little worried it might be too long in the long as im shorter than you but in the sizing range for long. If i go with a high spacer fork and 35mm rider bars would that bring reach in closer?







This might help you.


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## damdam5 (Mar 28, 2020)

Loving my single speed Sirius! Watching the review (only about half way through so far) makes me wonder if I'll even be able to do the geared Moxie (still in the box in the closet) justice, given that HT Party makes the case that you may not actually need much more bike than this thing, hehehe.

I am just barely 5'10" on a long with a 35mm riser bar and a couple spacers under the stem and a 120mm Fox stepcast fork. I am running a 180mm OneUp V2 dropper, it can slam all the way down, but I have about 18mm of exposed housing.


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## vikb (Sep 7, 2008)

I don't think the Moxie is going to crush trails that you couldn't ride on the Sirius, but with gears and a more burly build I think you might certainly enjoy some trails more on the Moxie.


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## damdam5 (Mar 28, 2020)

vikb said:


> I don't think the Moxie is going to crush trails that you couldn't ride on the Sirius, but with gears and a more burly build I think you might certainly enjoy some trails more on the Moxie.


You are probably right, I've actually never ridden a larger fork than the 120 on the Sirius so I am pretty interested to see the difference that comes with going to 160. 

As far as the Sirius goes in the downhill capability department, it's already beating some personal best times that were set on my FS SC Blur (120f / 100r). Now there are a couple that it likely won't ever beat due to the extent of the rock gardens, etc. On the HT I am obviously a little more selective on line choice but it really doesn't give up too much at all, granted the Blur is an XC oriented FS, but I am impressed nonetheless. All in all my knees are a little achier, but I think they are just getting used to the change, hehehe.


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## cassieno (Apr 28, 2011)

Personal experience with forks - I rode most of my hardtails in the 120-130 range. Settled on 130 as the sweet spot. Recently got a new longer travel hardtail built up and running it with a 150mm fork. It is a revelation in stability. I expected the geometry changes to be an issue with going through 160mm of travel but it really wasn't. This bike is a ton of fun. I think you will really enjoy the 160mm. It's just a tad lazier uphill though.

I think 130 is the right choice for a do-everything all-day hardtail. 160mm is fun though.


The modern hardtails are great and can do so much.


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## drivera (Apr 25, 2013)

Not being an expert in geometry, what is the main advantage of Sirius vs Moxie... I was looking at Moxie before. I currently have an RSD middle child that I think I sized a bit too small (size Small). I'd like to transfer all my components to whatever frame I choose next... (140mm Pike). Thoughts?


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## vikb (Sep 7, 2008)

The Moxie was designed to run longer forks than the Sirius. It has a stiffer frame. If you plan to run a 140mm 29er fork and want to stay within the bike's design parameters get the Moxie.


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## cassieno (Apr 28, 2011)

drivera said:


> Not being an expert in geometry, what is the main advantage of Sirius vs Moxie... I was looking at Moxie before. I currently have an RSD middle child that I think I sized a bit too small (size Small). I'd like to transfer all my components to whatever frame I choose next... (140mm Pike). Thoughts?


The advantage isn't in geometry. It's what you want your bike to be. There isn't a "better bike" they are just different for different needs. 

Changing an airshaft is easy. I wouldn't let a 140mm fork dictate your frame choice. But, if you like 140mm get a frame that's made for 140mm. If you want a shorter travel bike, just install a new airshaft.


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## drivera (Apr 25, 2013)

Well, I feel like geometry is pretty important. I can see two potential advantages today about running a modern geometry short travel bike in two factors in no particular order.

1. Being able to run a lighter 120mm fork.
2. Shorter travel means less change in geometry during compression of the fork which results in a more accurate front end as the steering angle stays more consistent.

Now I'm not sure if I'm a skilled enough rider to really be able to tell the difference in 20mm of travel. But I have been able to tell the difference in geometry... like I know I don't like my handle bars being positioned super low, I rode a Specialized stump jumper and I didn't like how that bike fit me. I rode a Medium middlechild in aluminum and I loved it... it was a bit longer in reach than my Small, but felt a bit more stable all the while still being super playful and fun.


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## cassieno (Apr 28, 2011)

I didn't say geometry didn't matter. It absolutely does. It's what makes a bike. I was replying to a specific comment about the advantages of the sirius v moxie. And the advantages are in your intended use and desire for a big fork.

1. Weight is overrated. Especially when talking 120 forks. You get a weight savings with the XC forks of maybe 200g. With the normal 34s and Pikes 35s etc it doesn't matter if you are running 100 to 150mm its going to weigh basically the same. I love my Mezzer. Stiff burly forks rule and the weight penalty is worth it.

2. I think geometry changes under compression are highly overblown. I have a 160mm hardtail and it is not a problem.

Use high rise bars to get them where you want.

Buy the bike you want sometimes there isn't a "better" bike, it's just better for your intended use.


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## snacksattack (Jan 8, 2020)

I was set to order this bike but then had a look at Stanton'd site and the Switch9er caught my eye. So, I did the irresponsibly smart move by selling my beloved gold watch(hadn't worn in 3-4 years since getting a Fitbit) and bought the Swith9er and the Sirius. Will keep the one that fits better and sell one. Maybe.


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## damdam5 (Mar 28, 2020)

snacksattack said:


> I was set to order this bike but then had a look at Stanton'd site and the Switch9er caught my eye. So, I did the irresponsibly smart move by selling my beloved gold watch(hadn't worn in 3-4 years since getting a Fitbit) and bought the Swith9er and the Sirius. Will keep the one that fits better and sell one. Maybe.


I would guess the Switch9er would be more like the Moxie. In any case a bike is way more useful than an expensive watch!


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## Funoutside (Jul 17, 2019)

WIth a 120-130mm fork the Switch9er would have a stepper hta vs the Moxie & the Sirius. Personally, the larger clearance is why I went with the Sherpa over the Switch9er. I would agree a bike is more useful than the watch; unless, it has sentimental value.


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## Cevyn (Jan 15, 2021)

vikb said:


> Ordering from the UK to Canada or the US to Canada I'll end up paying a brokerage fee and sales tax on the shipment when I receive it. I'd pay the sales tax if I bought locally from a shop in Canada so that part is the same. The brokerage fee from DHL for frames from the UK has been under $20CAD [going by memory].
> 
> If you are used to receiving international shipments there are no surprises here.


Did you pay Duty as well when importing to Canada?


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## vikb (Sep 7, 2008)

drivera said:


> Well, I feel like geometry is pretty important.


100% - geo & frame flex are pretty much the whole story for hardtails. You can put a 140mm 29er fork on a Moxie and Sirius, but they would ride differently enough to be noticeable to most people. I'm not saying one is better than the other, but different for sure. I wouldn't put a 130mm fork on a Moxie or a 150mm fork on a Sirius. So if you know you might want to go shorter or longer than that 140mm Pike I would get the frame that works for the range of options you are considering. If you plan to stick with 140mm you could ride either frame happily.


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## vikb (Sep 7, 2008)

Cevyn said:


> Did you pay Duty as well when importing to Canada?


There are no duties on bike frames from the UK. I paid sales taxes and a brokerage fee [under $20 as I recall]. You'd pay sales tax if you buy locally so the only difference is the brokerage fee. ~$20 to get the frame of my choice seems pretty reasonable.


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## vikb (Sep 7, 2008)

My new local mountain gets some real snow in winter. Cranking a SS bike through this...especially uphill is possible, but there is a lot of walking. Since I am learning which trails get a lot of snow and which don't I figured I just needed to get out there and recon.










No shifting issues on this bike! I do plan to get a geared winter trail bike rolling, but I am not going to stop riding SS. I love it. I'll just ride the SS rig when I am going solo and I'll stick to lower trails with less snow for a while. 










I was able to ride a lot more than I expected. I know from previous snow rides that the key is to stay on the bike and keep moving. It's amazing what you can get through if you don't give up. Steeper climby trails were definitely where I walked. Flats and downhills were reasonably rideable. 










Once I got into the trees there was a lot less snow and I could ride a lot more.










Looks bad, but the bike rode just fine.










Down lower on the mountain in the trees it was normal BC winter riding with the trails just being a bit moist.


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## drivera (Apr 25, 2013)

vikb said:


> 100% - geo & frame flex are pretty much the whole story for hardtails. You can put a 140mm 29er fork on a Moxie and Sirius, but they would ride differently enough to be noticeable to most people. I'm not saying one is better than the other, but different for sure. I wouldn't put a 130mm fork on a Moxie or a 150mm fork on a Sirius. So if you know you might want to go shorter or longer than that 140mm Pike I would get the frame that works for the range of options you are considering. If you plan to stick with 140mm you could ride either frame happily.


Yeah I think the Moxie is for me... wish I would have pulled the trigger when they had some in stock like a month ago. Now there won't be any until Feb. and that cool vivid pink color is gone. I'll keep an eye out on the used market.


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## damdam5 (Mar 28, 2020)

I am seeing why you want such big ass fenders! 

I just swapped the SS COG on my Sirius from 22 to 20 last night, going for a ride here in a bit to see just how punishing it is! I am hoping I can build a little more momentum _before_ some hills with less spin out factor... Had to move the chain stays back a bit (prob 4-5mm or so) so curious if I'll notice a difference in the ride.


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## damdam5 (Mar 28, 2020)

drivera said:


> Yeah I think the Moxie is for me... wish I would have pulled the trigger when they had some in stock like a month ago. Now there won't be any until Feb. and that cool vivid pink color is gone. I'll keep an eye out on the used market.


Have you talked to Alan from pipedream about your assertion here? If not you probably should at least reach out and see if he agrees based on what you are looking for. I just had an exchange with him regarding the Moxie/Sirius differences and it sounds like from a designers standpoint the Sirius isn't going to be any less capable just more precise and nimble due to the shorter fork. It's "evolved" as he puts it. Could be that if he's right my still un-built Moxie may be on the market soon, but I kinda hope not, wheres the fun in just one bike, lol. Could the Sirius be a true hardtail quiver killer?


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## vikb (Sep 7, 2008)

drivera said:


> Yeah I think the Moxie is for me... wish I would have pulled the trigger when they had some in stock like a month ago. Now there won't be any until Feb. and that cool vivid pink color is gone. I'll keep an eye out on the used market.


Ya with the COVID supply chain issues and the Moxie being so popular you can't wait very long before they sell out....especially in a specific colour. Feb 2022 isn't a crazy long time to wait all things considered.


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## vikb (Sep 7, 2008)

damdam5 said:


> I am seeing why you want such big ass fenders!
> 
> I just swapped the SS COG on my Sirius from 22 to 20 last night, going for a ride here in a bit to see just how punishing it is! I am hoping I can build a little more momentum _before_ some hills with less spin out factor... Had to move the chain stays back a bit (prob 4-5mm or so) so curious if I'll notice a difference in the ride.


Ha! For snow I don't really need them, but the more usual winter riding we do is fast with a lot of water on the ground so the spray from the tires is EPIC.

Good luck with the gearing change. It's definitely worth experimenting. I'm loving the current gearing on the Sirius. I can ride to the trails from my house and ride most of the tech trails. If I go harder or easier I think I give away as much as I gain. Post up some thoughts once you've tried the new gearing. It's useful to hear what other people's experiences are. I'm still learning a ton about riding SS.


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## vikb (Sep 7, 2008)

damdam5 said:


> Have you talked to Alan from pipedream about your assertion here? If not you probably should at least reach out and see if he agrees based on what you are looking for. I just had an exchange with him regarding the Moxie/Sirius differences and it sounds like from a designers standpoint the Sirius isn't going to be any less capable just more precise and nimble due to the shorter fork. It's "evolved" as he puts it. Could be that if he's right my still un-built Moxie may be on the market soon, but I kinda hope not, wheres the fun in just one bike, lol. Could the Sirius be a true hardtail quiver killer?


Good advice. It never hurts to talk to the folks that designed the bikes you are looking at. They can provide some specific advice that'll go far beyond the generic marketing copy on the website. One advantage to the Sirius is that it's in stock!


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## drivera (Apr 25, 2013)

damdam5 said:


> Have you talked to Alan from pipedream about your assertion here? If not you probably should at least reach out and see if he agrees based on what you are looking for. I just had an exchange with him regarding the Moxie/Sirius differences and it sounds like from a designers standpoint the Sirius isn't going to be any less capable just more precise and nimble due to the shorter fork. It's "evolved" as he puts it. Could be that if he's right my still un-built Moxie may be on the market soon, but I kinda hope not, wheres the fun in just one bike, lol. Could the Sirius be a true hardtail quiver killer?


What length and color is your Moxie? 

Precise and nimble does sound good, I will reach out to him. Also technically the Sirius should be fine with 140mm fork as I am running 27.5... my Middlechild has 2.8's which I think I would like to change out to 2.6's next time around.


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## vikb (Sep 7, 2008)

damdam5 said:


> Could the Sirius be a true hardtail quiver killer?


With a 140mm fork I wouldn't hesitate to ride my Sirius anywhere I'd ride a Moxie with a similar build. I could for sure ride a Sirius as my only hardtail.

If you really wanted a 150+mm fork and/or you were a very heavy rider I think the Moxie would be the better choice. If you scroll up to one of the videos I posted the designer says the Sirius is the bike that would best suit most people and it's the one he prefers. The internet prefers the Moxie because MOAR is better....even when it's not.


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## vikb (Sep 7, 2008)

vikb said:


> The first part of this ^^^ video is a bit lame, but they interview the Pipedream bike designer at 9:11. Hearing his comments on the Sirius is interesting.


This is the video. Worth a watch.


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## drivera (Apr 25, 2013)

vikb said:


> With a 140mm fork I wouldn't hesitate to ride my Sirius anywhere I'd ride a Moxie with a similar build. I could for sure ride a Sirius as my only hardtail.
> 
> If you really wanted a 150+mm fork and/or you were a very heavy rider I think the Moxie would be the better choice. If you scroll up to one of the videos I posted the designer says the Sirius is the bike that would best suit most people and it's the one he prefers. The internet prefers the Moxie because MOAR is better....even when it's not.


yeah I'm about ~185lbs 5'7, so not very tall (hence why I don't really go with 29" for now) although I wouldn't be opposed to trying mullet. I don't think I want more than 140mm on my hardtail, if I need more than that I'll just get a full suspension, which I might.


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## damdam5 (Mar 28, 2020)

drivera said:


> What length and color is your Moxie?


lol, slow your roll jack! But since you asked, it's vivid blue and long. The color is pretty awesome, the moxie colors seem to have more pop than the sirius ones.


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## damdam5 (Mar 28, 2020)

vikb said:


> Post up some thoughts once you've tried the new gearing. It's useful to hear what other people's experiences are.


Dang, it was great. Easier to carry momentum around and be able to lay down power in places where before it would be a little too spinny. The longer ascents were a little harder once the momentum died out but that was expected. Faster all around and more fun. Fitness needs to come up some more though, could feel that I was working harder. To some extent I think some of the climbs were actually easier since I was getting more distance out of each power stroke, just depends on the grade. I don't see myself going back to 22T, even though I do wish the chainstay didn't have to get longer for the 20, hehehe.

My neighborhood trail is pretty up and down with some techy climbs, I am pretty excited to go to the flow trails we have in town with this gearing, it'll be that much better I think.


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## vikb (Sep 7, 2008)

damdam5 said:


> Dang, it was great.


Right on. Down the road when ring & cog wear out you may be able to get the same ratio in a combo that allows for a shorter CS setting.


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## drivera (Apr 25, 2013)

damdam5 said:


> lol, slow your roll jack! But since you asked, it's vivid blue and long. The color is pretty awesome, the moxie colors seem to have more pop than the sirius ones.


I'd have preferred pink... but could do blue


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## damdam5 (Mar 28, 2020)

drivera said:


> I'd have preferred pink... but could do blue


No doubt that pink is badass. The paint is quite nice and seems to change tint nicely based on the light and angle. With my blacked out wheels it really looks sharp. I happened to step on a lego spiderman in the garage as I was pulling it out of the box, so decided to include him in some pics, hehehe.


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## vikb (Sep 7, 2008)

My local neighbourhood trails are lower elevation and conditions today were the best I have seen them since I moved here in Aug. Hero dirt galore! This bike is so much fun. 🤘 🤘 🤘


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## Cevyn (Jan 15, 2021)

vikb said:


> There are no duties on bike frames from the UK. I paid sales taxes and a brokerage fee [under $20 as I recall]. You'd pay sales tax if you buy locally so the only difference is the brokerage fee. ~$20 to get the frame of my choice seems pretty reasonable.


Thanks for the info Vik! I ordered and its enroute. Just got the DHL bill and only had sales tax and $18 brokerage. Works out cheaper than the local shop. Looking forward to building this bike up!


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## vikb (Sep 7, 2008)

Cevyn said:


> Thanks for the info Vik! I ordered and its enroute. Just got the DHL bill and only had sales tax and $18 brokerage. Works out cheaper than the local shop. Looking forward to building this bike up!


Right on. You'll love this bike. Most fun ride in my fleet. If you made me keep only one bike for trail riding this would be it...although I'd sometimes want to run gear!  👌 🤘


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## vikb (Sep 7, 2008)

Lots more snow riding opportunities in the new town than where I lived before. We are close to the ocean so it'll warm up and the rain will wash this away, but until it does we ride and we slide! 🤘 🤘 🤘


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## vikb (Sep 7, 2008)

The lower trails in the mountains were pretty snowy. The Sirius made it happen, but it was like doing intervals the whole time. No coasting. That was still fun even if it was hard work. I didn't bother trying to go any higher as I would have been pushing on all the climbs. 🤘










Crazy thing is my local XC trails looked like this a 100m lower. 🤓


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## damdam5 (Mar 28, 2020)

@vikb , Killer looking trails! That snow is going to turn you into an SS beast by Spring time.

Need to tighten your chain a smidge? Looks like it's starting to sag just a bit, as you have a round chainring right? I've read that you should have about 1 inch of total play, .5 in each direction at mid point. I have a oval and my understanding on an oval is you measure the deflection when the chain is at it's tighest point in the rotation, making it a little looser than ideal at the opposite clocking, but avoids it ever being too tight. That said, besides potentially falling off I am not sure what the downside to too loose is. Too tight can increase wear and put undo stress on hub/bb.

But take all that with a grain of salt, as you've been SS longer than me


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## vikb (Sep 7, 2008)

damdam5 said:


> @vikb , Killer looking trails! That snow is going to turn you into an SS beast by Spring time.
> 
> Need to tighten your chain a smidge? Looks like it's starting to sag just a bit, as you have a round chainring right? I've read that you should have about 1 inch of total play, .5 in each direction at mid point. I have a oval and my understanding on an oval is you measure the deflection when the chain is at it's tighest point in the rotation, making it a little looser than ideal at the opposite clocking, but avoids it ever being too tight. That said, besides potentially falling off I am not sure what the downside to too loose is. Too tight can increase wear and put undo stress on hub/bb.
> 
> But take all that with a grain of salt, as you've been SS longer than me


Good eye!  It's an oval ring, but the chain can use some tightening. When I swapped in the 175mm cranks recently I left the ring that was already installed on them in place. It was the same 30T oval as I previously used except well worn vs. brand new. So that might account for the chain slack. No real issue with a slightly slack chain as long as it doesn't get out of hand. But, I'll adjust the sliders before next ride. 

Yes riding snow like that on a SS is a great workout. I do plan on riding a geared bike when conditions get really challenging. Not to make life easier really, but so I can get up higher and explore more without pushing so much. I'll still be giving'er! 🤘


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## SSsteel4life (Jul 1, 2016)

vikb said:


> No real issue with a slightly slack chain as long as it doesn't get out of hand.


I second this! You be surprised how slack of a chain you can get a way with! When using a narrow wide ring up front. I have been purposely seeing how far I can go with one of my SS bikes. Finally starting to chirp a bit, but still cannot get the thing to drop. It is way more slack then yours and just had chain stretch measure and is stretched almost a whole link! LOL!

That is so Cool you can ride in the snow at the one elevation and then completely dry on the other!


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## vikb (Sep 7, 2008)

Designer's thoughts on the Sirius.


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## vikb (Sep 7, 2008)

SSsteel4life said:


> That is so Cool you can ride in the snow at the one elevation and then completely dry on the other!


The nice thing about living on the coast is that you can get a lot of climate/weather variation as you move towards/away from the ocean as well as up/down in elevation. 👌


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## NuclearNachos (Sep 25, 2021)

Just got my long frame in and it looks top notch. Finish and color are great, so many small details that are really nice. Any tips/things to know about building it up vik?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## vikb (Sep 7, 2008)

NuclearNachos said:


> Just got my long frame in and it looks top notch. Finish and color are great, so many small details that are really nice. Any tips/things to know about building it up vik?


Right on. What colour did you get? They did a particularly nice job on the headbadge.










The build was pretty straightforward no real issues. I did run the dropper housing backwards on the left inside the rear triangle and under the BB back to the right where the housing clamps are located. That gave me a less sharo bend in the housing then going under the DT in front of the BB.










With a taco bash and the housing tight under the BB this has not caused any issues despite riding through lots of sticks and rocks. 🤓

Definitely post some photos of your build in this thread.


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## Cevyn (Jan 15, 2021)

NuclearNachos said:


> Just got my long frame in and it looks top notch. Finish and color are great, so many small details that are really nice. Any tips/things to know about building it up vik?
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


Me toooo!! I love the color


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## vikb (Sep 7, 2008)

Most excellent! I'm stoked to see both of those Siriusly sweet builds.


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## NuclearNachos (Sep 25, 2021)

vikb said:


> Right on. What colour did you get? They did a particularly nice job on the headbadge.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Got blue just like the pics above, really nice shade. Stole all the parts off an old bike i sold the frame+fork from and bought a used r7 pro, just waiting on tires that should be delievered today and will send pics for sure.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## vikb (Sep 7, 2008)

Too tired to write much tonight, but it's always worth it to push a bit harder and see what's around the next corner. I'm Sirius about that! 🤘 🤘


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## damdam5 (Mar 28, 2020)

vikb said:


> I did run the dropper housing backwards on the left inside the rear triangle and under the BB back to the right where the housing clamps are located. That gave me a less sharo bend in the housing then going under the DT in front of the BB.


I also did this the first time, but I found it attracted too many noisy leaves (since it made a large cavity into 2 smaller cavities), which cramped the utter silence of my Onyx hubs, hehehe. I've since re-routed it like Pipedream has it in there pics, and I do pick up less leaves. I think this also can help prevent it getting crushed on a rock or something being under the BB, but I don't run a bash guard.


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## vikb (Sep 7, 2008)

damdam5 said:


> I also did this the first time, but I found it attracted too many noisy leaves...


We call that area "The Loam Shelf". All my bikes bring home a bit of the forest back there. The Sirius doesn't seem any worse for that than the rest. I'm not worried about hitting a rock with the BB as the rear wheel is so close it would be pretty hard to do that. I could see a rock flying up from the front wheel and hitting the housing as it runs along the underside of the DT. A low probability event, but if I had a choice I would run the dropper housing along the top of the DT.


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## vikb (Sep 7, 2008)

I got out yesterday for a sweet snow ride. I wanted to recon higher up the mountain and see how rideable it was in the trees. The logging road access to the climbing trail was plowed part of the way, but that just left some icy sections. I had to be very gentle putting the power down on this climb. I had a few wheel spins I had to stop and then get back to traction. Fun in a techy way that's not part of normal MTBing. I made a mental note not to come back this way!










The climbing trail was buried. I was able to ride a bit lower down, but after a while it was hard to even push the bike through the deep snow.










At least I didn't need a tree to lean my bike up against when I stopped!










To be honest I was starting to get worried that I might have to push back down as well!










Once in the trees there was a bit less snow. It doesn't look a ton different, but less snow and a downhill trail meant I could ride most of the time. Although on a SS bike that meant any flat or rolling sections were stand and mash or walk. That's okay. After a lot of pushing it felt so great to be riding and sliding on two wheels I didn't mind.










It was so much fun drifting around corners and launching off drops into snow drifts. I was laughing the whole way down.










The trails in my new area have a lot more wildlife than where I lived before. I saw quite a few cougar prints and looked over my shoulder a bunch to make sure I wasn't being stalked. I wasn't mad at my squealing brakes. I figured the noise would scare off animals...I hoped!










I'm really glad I gave it a shot, by the time I got to the lower trails I was able to ride even the climbs so that felt sweet. It was cool to see the trails in these conditions and be able to shred them. We had 6" new snow at my house so probably 12"+ on the mountain. I don't think I'd have the energy to push my bike up to those trails today even if they are still rideable. I'm glad I got out while I could.

The Sirius handles so well I could launch it into anything I came across without being able to properly see logs, roots and rocks while still feeling totally confident. Awesome bike! 

Time to ride the lower XC trails by my house and get the geared Bird finished off and a few shakedown rides done so it's dialed. 🤘


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## vikb (Sep 7, 2008)

I had a nice snow ride on my local XC trails. No other bikes out so I had the place to myself....well myself and few hardy souls walking their dogs!


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## vikb (Sep 7, 2008)

MOAR snow! 🤘 🤘 🤘


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## vikb (Sep 7, 2008)

Rare photo of me on a ride. My usual rides these days are solo and I am not a selfie king. 🤓 

Nice thing with winter riding gear is it hides the middle aged chub pretty well. 🤘


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## damdam5 (Mar 28, 2020)

Happy Holidays Vik! From one coast to another Sirirus SS style!


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## vikb (Sep 7, 2008)

damdam5 said:


> Happy Holidays Vik! From one coast to another Sirirus SS style!


Wow. Looks great. Enjoy the ride! Happy New Year. 🤘 🤓 🤘 🤓


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## vikb (Sep 7, 2008)

I ended 2021 with some great snow riding. Looks like we've got a week of the white stuff left and then it will be gone. We could get another winter storm, but it could also be brown until spring. Hard to say so I'll make the most of it while I can.










I know there is a nice trail under there somewhere!










Heading into the forest for some first tracks.










Bike parking while I grab a hot coffee to warm up.


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## vikb (Sep 7, 2008)

More snow. More riding.










Found some dirt.










More snow in the forecast. 🤘


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## vikb (Sep 7, 2008)

Forecast is for rain and warm-ish temps so not sure how much more snow riding we'll get. Maybe 1 or 2 more rides. I enjoy the snow a lot, but it's been here long enough I'm not going to be sad when I see some dirt, roots and rocks again.


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## NuclearNachos (Sep 25, 2021)

Finally got to ride my sirius on local trails, had a very interesting experience. Trail was basically all ice and I didn't bring thick enough gloves (temp was 19f) so it wasn't very fun, but the bike felt very different from my old xc hardtail, very fun at speed. Also had my first fall with it (didn't know the wooden teeter totter was locked out so went otb haha), everything was fine but definitely waiting til warmer weather next time. No picture because my hands were freezing


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## vikb (Sep 7, 2008)

NuclearNachos said:


> Finally got to ride my sirius on local trails, had a very interesting experience. Trail was basically all ice and I didn't bring thick enough gloves (temp was 19f) so it wasn't very fun, but the bike felt very different from my old xc hardtail, very fun at speed. Also had my first fall with it (didn't know the wooden teeter totter was locked out so went otb haha), everything was fine but definitely waiting til warmer weather next time. No picture because my hands were freezing







I'm glad you got out on the Sirius even if it was a mixed bag due to conditions. This bike is a very modern geo hardtail so I can imagine it will feel very different from an older XC HT. You have to ride the front of these longer/slacker bikes, which feels completely at odds with how we rode older style hardtails. If you go "off the back" on a modern HT, something that was normal on an older bike, the front wheel gets very light and you can't steer so you washout/crash. It's very hard to go over the bars on these new bikes so that front biased riding style is not as risky as it feels at first.

I posted a relevant HTP video. You may not need the info necessarily, but I figured there are enough folks coming to these longer/slacker machines that it would help some of them.


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## NuclearNachos (Sep 25, 2021)

I've seen that video but agreed it might help others. I tried some of the techniques and style he talked about, but the ice made it pretty hard to corner remotely well haha. Even just using the front brake I nearly slid out several times and did catch myself from falling once. Hopefully we have an early spring and I can really ride it soon 


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## vikb (Sep 7, 2008)

NuclearNachos said:


> I've seen that video but agreed it might help others. I tried some of the techniques and style he talked about, but the ice made it pretty hard to corner remotely well haha. Even just using the front brake I nearly slid out several times and did catch myself from falling once. Hopefully we have an early spring and I can really ride it soon


Unless you have studded tires there is not much you can do on ice, but try and survive!


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## vikb (Sep 7, 2008)

We've had some heavy rain lately. It's gotten rid of the low elevation snow pretty well.










Mid and high elevations still have a lot of snow.










Snow conditions are quite variable so you just have to get out there and give it a shot.










The low elevation XC trails near my house are back to 100% dirt and normal coastal winter conditions. 🤘


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## cassieno (Apr 28, 2011)

Vancouver island looks pretty great. Such a cool place to mtb.


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## SSsteel4life (Jul 1, 2016)

vikb said:


> We've had some heavy rain lately. It's gotten rid of the low elevation snow pretty well.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 That is awesome!

Wonder if you could give more feedback on climbing and tighter trails with this bike, since is so slack. Does not give up enough to be worth worrying about or easily adaptable?

Also if you ever tinker with cogs and rings again, wonder if you could measure at the slammed position what the chain stay length is truly, what side of 425 is around depending on the tolerance of the frame. Would appreciate whenever you switch setup again.


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## vikb (Sep 7, 2008)

SSsteel4life said:


> Wonder if you could give more feedback on climbing and tighter trails with this bike, since is so slack. Does not give up enough to be worth worrying about or easily adaptable?
> 
> Also if you ever tinker with cogs and rings again, wonder if you could measure at the slammed position what the chain stay length is truly, what side of 425 is around depending on the tolerance of the frame. Would appreciate whenever you switch setup again.


The slackness causes me no issues climbing. I like a bike with a rear wheel weight bias. I don't have any issues with the front wheel getting light. This is a short bike for my size so riding tighter trails is no problem at all. I did okay on my Cotic and that bike was probably 1.5" - 2" longer than this one. Keeping in mind that I have seriously overforked this bike by 20mm-40mm depending what you consider the intended fork travel. Geo chart is for a 100mm fork and I am running a 140mm unit. So if you were to run a fork meant for this bike it would handle very sharply. I find the 140mm fork suits me very well even on rolling tight XC trails. On a hardtail the bike gets noticeably steeper in HTA as you sit on it and even more so when you are in the attack position over the fork.

Of course I have been riding some fairly slack bikes the last few years so I am well acclimatized to them. Depending what you are used to it could take some riding to become used to the handling.

My brakes got contaminated with all the dirty road slush I've been riding through to get to/from the trails so I had the bike apart for a cleaning today. I put the sliders in the shortest position and the rear centre measures at ~425mm. I'm using a tape measure so this is just an approximate number, but seems on spec based on the geo chart. I should note that with 29 x 2.6" DHRII's on 30mm IW rims I couldn't run the bike with the sliders all the way forward. I'd get tire rub. So if you want the shortest possible CS and 29er wheels a 2.5" Maxxis tire is the biggest that will fit.


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## Funoutside (Jul 17, 2019)

Out of curiosity what do those DHRII measure out to?


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## vikb (Sep 7, 2008)

Funoutside said:


> Out of curiosity what do those DHRII measure out to?


My calipers is out of battery power so I can't get an accurate measurement. I may have posted one earlier in this thread at the start. My memory is fuzzy on that.

Eyeballing it with a tape measure it looks a hair under 2.6" edge to edge at the widest part of the knobs.


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## SSsteel4life (Jul 1, 2016)

vikb said:


> The slackness causes me no issues climbing. I like a bike with a rear wheel weight bias. I don't have any issues with the front wheel getting light. This is a short bike for my size so riding tighter trail is no problem at all. I did okay on my Cotic and that bike was probably 1.5" - 2" longer than this one. Keeping in mind that I have seriously overforked this bike by 20mm-40mm depending what you consider the intended fork travel. Geo chart is for a 100mm fork and I am running a 140mm unit. So if you were to run a fork meant for this bike it would handle very sharply. I find the 140mm fork suits me very well even on rolling tight XC trails. On a hardtail the bike gets noticeably steeper in HTA as you sit on it and even more so when you are in the attack position over the fork.
> 
> Of course I have been riding some fairly slack bikes the last few years so I am well acclimatized to them. Depending what you are used to it could take some riding to become used to the handling.
> 
> My brakes got contaminated with all the dirty road slush I've been riding through to get to/from the trails so I had the bike apart for a cleaning today. I put the sliders in the shortest position and the rear centre measures at ~425mm. I'm using a tape measure so this is just an approximate number, but seems on spec based on the geo chart. I should note that with 29 x 2.6" DHRII's on 30mm IW rims I couldn't run the bike with the sliders all the way forward. I'd get tire rub. So if you want the shortest possible CS and 29er wheels a 2.5" Maxxis tire is the biggest that will fit.


Awesome, thank you for the feedback. I would go 2.4 on this bike if I pull the trigger. Would build it up as my slack XC ripper, I would run 32X18 gearing, why curious about the sliders as 425 is usually the optimal length for 32X18. I am just afraid in real world setup the chain would be to tight at slammed. Then I would have to go to longer side of the chainstay. Thou I guess I could run for a few weeks at long and then after initial stretch go to short if it was a bit to tight on short position on initial setup.


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## vikb (Sep 7, 2008)

We drove 1hr south on Van Isle to ride the Hammerfest Trails today. Unbelievable conditions...mostly hero dirt with just a few spots of mud and even fewer spots with snow. 








Riding SS with a big group on trails I didn't know well was a challenge. I'll definitely bring a geared bike in the future as it will fit into the group dynamics better. That said there is lots of great SS friendly riding here as well I'll come back and hit solo or with a buddy. 🤘


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## lukeNZ (Dec 13, 2012)

Hi Vik,
Curious why this bike as seems closer to your daambuilt than the cotic almost overlapping? SS sliders better? Cheers


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## vikb (Sep 7, 2008)

lukeNZ said:


> Hi Vik,
> Curious why this bike as seems closer to your daambuilt than the cotic almost overlapping? SS sliders better? Cheers


The Sirius [as I have it setup] is a lot smaller and a lot more aggressive geo than the Daambuilt. ~62.5 deg HTA vs. 65 deg HTA on Daambuilt. 24.5" dropper head to bar vs. 26" on the Daambuilt. Max 2.6" tire in the rear vs. max 3.0" tire on the Daambuilt. A lot more frame space on the Daambuilt. Slacker STA on the Daambuilt as well. So all in all they are pretty different for two hardtails that fit the same person.


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## lukeNZ (Dec 13, 2012)

Right, details makes sense playful vs all day etc. Both cool bikes in there own ways.


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## vikb (Sep 7, 2008)

lukeNZ said:


> Right, details makes sense playful vs all day etc. Both cool bikes in there own ways.


To be fair if you setup a Sirius as per Pipedream's intentions...100mm-120mm fork and I'd be one size up on a Longer it'll be their version of what my Daambuilt is meant to do. Still lots of differences, but closer in intent.


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## vikb (Sep 7, 2008)

A bit of a photo comparison.


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## VielziDub (Oct 4, 2007)

vikb said:


> n these bikes is low and is the same on all sizes. I used a longer fork, spacers and high rise bar to get the grips where I wanted them. That said I like my bars higher than most so you might be fine.





snacksattack said:


> mithcreek and the price is more





snacksattack said:


> as set to order this bike but then had a look at Stanton'd site and the Switch9er caught my eye. So, I did the irresponsibly smart move by selling my beloved gold watch(hadn't worn in 3-4 years since getting a Fitb


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## mack_turtle (Jan 6, 2009)

am I correct in understanding that this frame only has one set water bottle cage bolts? that's not totally a deal-breaker for me, but it's hot enough most of the time where I live that I need a backpack and two large water bottles for most rides over two hours. maybe a frame bag would work, but that could be dissappointing.


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## vikb (Sep 7, 2008)

mack_turtle said:


> am I correct in understanding that this frame only has one set water bottle cage bolts? that's not totally a deal-breaker for me, but it's hot enough most of the time where I live that I need a backpack and two large water bottles for most rides over two hours. maybe a frame bag would work, but that could be dissappointing.


It comes with one set of bottle mounts. I will likely add an extra bottle come summer.


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## mack_turtle (Jan 6, 2009)

thanks, @vikb . I see you've done a pretty thorough analysis of that bike. I'm currently on the fence between getting that or a Japhy. the geometries are very, very similar. I don't think the single water bottle should be a dealbreaker because I can find other ways to carry water, but it's a little disappointing.

The main difference between those two frames is the lower stack on the Sirius, which is OK for me, and the shorter ETT, which I suspect is due to the steeper STA. I'm not certain that STA is really as steep as it sounds because of the bend and offset in the tube.


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## vikb (Sep 7, 2008)

I can think of 6 ways to attach a 2nd bottle to my Sirius without pondering too long so that wouldn't be an issue for me.

The STA will depend of your inseam and the fork you end up running. The geo chart is for a 100mm fork sagged if I recall correctly.

Given your other posts I am surprised you want to order a niche frame from the UK sight unseen. As HTP points out in his review the Sirius isn't going to appeal to everyone so hopefully you aren't wasting your time/money. I thought you were going to stick with bikes you can demo?


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## mack_turtle (Jan 6, 2009)

vikb said:


> Given your other posts I am surprised you want to order a niche frame from the UK sight unseen. As HTP points out in his review the Sirius isn't going to appeal to everyone so hopefully you are wasting your time/money. I thought you were going to stick with bikes you can demo?


There are no bikes that I can demo that I would want to ride. If you know of a place I can demo a range of short-travel, steel, singlepseed bikes, I'd love to check that out. the list of frames on the market that would work for me is a very short one: Esker Japhy and the Sirius. I've concluded that I'm going to have to take a leap of faith or just ride the same bike forever. I don't want to hijack your thread about this bike, but that's where I have ended up.


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## vikb (Sep 7, 2008)

mack_turtle said:


> There are no bikes that I can demo that I would want to ride. If you know of a place I can demo a range of short-travel, steel, singlepseed bikes, I'd love to check that out. the list of frames on the market that would work for me is a very short one: Esker Japhy and the Sirius. I've concluded that I'm going to have to take a leap of faith or just ride the same bike forever. I don't want to hijack your thread about this bike, but that's where I have ended up.


I had a quick look at the Japhy and the geo doesn't look very similar to the Surius. You may want to have another look at that. The STA is steeper on the Sirius and the HTA is slacker. Nothing wrong with either bike, but they'll ride quite a bit differently.


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## vikb (Sep 7, 2008)

After a long stretch of several months of dedicated SS riding I rode a geared bike for ~3 weeks. Then I got back out on the Sirius and man was it hard to re-adjust. It's amazing how easy riding a geared bike is vs. SS. That said there is something very engaging about SS that makes me want to grab that bike a lot so I guess it's one of those pain/pleasure experiences!  

Now that we are back to "normal" winter conditions here in Coastal BC and the snow is gone I had to replace my rear brake pads as they got contaminated from the dirty slush I had to ride through going to/from the trails. I assume there was enough motor oil and other vehicle lubricants in the slush to mess with my brakes. I love a quiet bike so howling brakes just don't work for me.

I really enjoyed snow riding for a few weeks, but it's fun to be back on dirt. 👌


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## cassieno (Apr 28, 2011)

Singlespeeding is something I have to do basically once a week or I can't do it. It's such an adjustment and I can't go nearly as far. It's a ton of fun though.


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## Jujudx (12 mo ago)

Hi, can someone calculate me the stack and the bbdrop with a pike 130 and 140 (541AC and 551 AC) ?
thanks 
Julien , a french rider 

actual 130


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## mack_turtle (Jan 6, 2009)

Jujudx said:


> Hi, can someone calculate me the stack and the bbdrop with a pike 130 and 140 (541AC and 551 AC) ?
> thanks


try this calculator: geometryCalc


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## vikb (Sep 7, 2008)

cassieno said:


> Singlespeeding is something I have to do basically once a week or I can't do it. It's such an adjustment and I can't go nearly as far. It's a ton of fun though.


I can see the need to stay current with the SS bike. That shouldn't be a problem as I enjoy riding it a lot. The trails close to my house are perfect for SS as they are rolling XC trails. Rocky and rooty since we are in BC, but no savage climbs.


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## mack_turtle (Jan 6, 2009)

cassieno said:


> Singlespeeding is something I have to do basically once a week or I can't do it. It's such an adjustment and I can't go nearly as far. It's a ton of fun though.


the solution is to sell anything that allows you to shift gears. pretty soon, you'll never want them again!


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## vikb (Sep 7, 2008)

As much as I enjoy SS a lot of the time it definitely is not the right tool for every job.


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## vikb (Sep 7, 2008)

Jujudx said:


> Hi, can someone calculate me the stack and the bbdrop with a pike 130 and 140 (541AC and 551 AC) ?


MRP Ribbon set at ~140mm

Stack = ~602mm
BB Drop = ~42mm

Measuring without a jig/fixture is hard so take these numbers with a reasonable +/-mm.


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## mack_turtle (Jan 6, 2009)

vikb said:


> As much as I enjoy SS a lot of the time it definitely is not the right tool for every job.


agreed. i was half-joking. full time SS is not for everyone. if i lived someplace that had mountains, I'd probably have some shifty bits on a bike somewhere.


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## Funoutside (Jul 17, 2019)

SS looks fun but I got a bit too many hills around me for that to happen. How do you like the MRP fork?


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## vikb (Sep 7, 2008)

Funoutside said:


> SS looks fun but I got a bit too many hills around me for that to happen. How do you like the MRP fork?


The fact our trails are built on mountains is what caused me to hesitate building a trail SS rig so long and why my gearing is pretty low for typical SS bikes. I don't want to get off and walk frequently.

I've had the MRP Ribbon Coil since 2018. Great fork. Easy to service at home - including travel adjustment. I'm particularly enjoying it on this hardtail as the spring is firm and supportive, but still provides excellent traction and deals with big hits. I'd buy another one of these forks.


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## cassieno (Apr 28, 2011)

mack_turtle said:


> the solution is to sell anything that allows you to shift gears. pretty soon, you'll never want them again!


It's the long rides that get me. Ton of fun. But I struggle to recover from SS rides and can't ride 15+ miles regularly yet (on SS). Pushing my gears around training for XC races. I'll probably move back to SS this summer.

Good to know about the fork. I have been happy with their newer ones. I'll have to try the coil next fork go around.


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## vikb (Sep 7, 2008)

I've got a couple Pikes, a couple Lyriks & a Bomber Z1 in the garage as well as the MRP Ribbon Coil. Although they are somewhat different they are all great forks for my needs and my GF's. If I was buying a new fork I'd mostly be moved by what's on sale at the time. The Marzochi Bombers are winning that contest with a lower starting MRSP and the 36mm stanchions don't hurt either!


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## Jujudx (12 mo ago)

I find myself riding more and more aggressively and taking off more and more when the terrain allows me to do so. Since the framework is not necessarily intended for a priori, to what extent can it take in your opinion? (I'm light, 70kg qd I'm fully epipped)

Thanks


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## vikb (Sep 7, 2008)

Jujudx said:


> I find myself riding more and more aggressively and taking off more and more when the terrain allows me to do so. Since the framework is not necessarily intended for a priori, to what extent can it take in your opinion? (I'm light, 70kg qd I'm fully epipped)
> 
> Thanks


I'm 91kg geared up and running a long 140mm fork. I'm happy riding any trails on the Sirius that I would ride with any hardtail. Interviews with the designer I've posted in this thread would seem to say the same thing. It doesn't seem like a fragile/delicate frame you need to worry about.

FWIW - I'm a recreational rider in Coastal British Columbia, Canada who rides up to black diamond natural technical trails.


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## NuclearNachos (Sep 25, 2021)

Hey vik, needed some parts on jenson and figured I would pick up a singlespeed kit as well (planned on trying it out in the future anyway). What ratio do you recommend? Running 32t cranks with full 29", saw a kit that had 16+18t. In the Midwest so not many hills, mainly xc trails around here with rolling hills.


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## mack_turtle (Jan 6, 2009)

NuclearNachos said:


> Hey vik, needed some parts on jenson and figured I would pick up a singlespeed kit as well (planned on trying it out in the future anyway). What ratio do you recommend? Running 32t cranks with full 29", saw a kit that had 16+18t. In the Midwest so not many hills, mainly xc trails around here with rolling hills.


I'm not vik, but the general advice I've always seen and given is to start with something like 32/20. if that's too spinny and you have no trouble mashing up nearly every upward slant, drop one tooth on your cog to 19t. then maybe 18. or go to a lower gear if you can't climb with the first gear you try. if the combo that you start with puts the axle in a spot that is not ideal, use a different chainring. some people run a 30/22 combo if the live someplace with mountains. the "right" combo is absolutely 100% subjective to the ride and the rider's experience.

get used to standing up more. there are three "speeds" on SS riding: sitting, standing, walking.

The position of the axle in the shortest position is 425mm on the frame. if you want to ride with the rear end as close as possible, or close to it, these combos will result in a 425-430mm chainstay:
28-17
28-18
30-19
30-20
32-18
32-21
34-20

if you want your chainstays longer than that, or you don't care, go nuts.

(if you want to get really nitty gritty about gears, you can put an odd-count tooth chainring on your bike, but there are very few options there. Rennen makes one for a 104bcd crankset, but you'd need a 104 crankset or an adapter.)


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## NuclearNachos (Sep 25, 2021)

Thanks for all of that info mack. I always see ss'ers talk about the dropouts and everything and wondered why they are more important for ss than geared. Is it just so you can tension the chain more or less by moving it out? My current m7000 cassette should have 15/17/19/21 tooth gears, so I can see how they would feel a little I guess.


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## mack_turtle (Jan 6, 2009)

yeah, you move the rear axle back to tension the chain. you don't need it to be super tight, just tight enough to keep it from rattling off the bike completely. there are limits to how long the effective chainstay can be depending on what gear combo you use. this calculator is pretty accurate: https://eehouse.org/fixin/formfmu

for example, I use a 30/19 on my bike because that allows me to push my axle forward a few more mm shorter than if I ran 32/20 or 34/21. all three of those combos would feel the same when pedaling, but a shorter chainstay makes it easier and more fun to left the front wheel. conversely, some people prefer a longer chainstay to make the bike more stable at speed.


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## vikb (Sep 7, 2008)

If your options are 16 or 18T I’d go 18T. Keep in mind the stock cogs you get with those kits are usually terrible skinny bits of stamped metal that will chew up your freehub body.

Nothing wrong with trying a cog to figure out what you want long term.

For whatever reason a SS setup feels different than the same ratio on a geared bike.

Once you know what your preferred ratio is you can buy a nicer cog (Wolftooth - Surly - Endless) and optimize your CS length. It took me a few tries to nail the perfect ratio.


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## cassieno (Apr 28, 2011)

mack_turtle said:


> (if you want to get really nitty gritty about gears, you can put an odd-count tooth chainring on your bike, but there are very few options there. Rennen makes one for a 104bcd crankset, but you'd need a 104 crankset or an adapter.)


I went 30/23 for that exact reason. Allowed me to slam my chainstays (415) and gave me the gears I wanted to climb the mountains around me. I got an Endless cog because it was 23t and has a nice wide base. So, odd tooth Cogs also exist and are much more easily accessible than chainrings.


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## Abunchahicks (Mar 12, 2019)

@vikb what size dropper are you running?


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## NuclearNachos (Sep 25, 2021)

My lbs had the stuff I needed, so didn't order the parts online and not getting the ss kit right now but still good to know for when I do. For cogs, is steel better than alu? Saw that wolftooth had both options and surly seems like steel only. And does the quality of the spacers matter a ton?


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## vikb (Sep 7, 2008)

NuclearNachos said:


> My lbs had the stuff I needed, so didn't order the parts online and not getting the ss kit right now but still good to know for when I do. For cogs, is steel better than alu? Saw that wolftooth had both options and surly seems like steel only. And does the quality of the spacers matter a ton?


Spacers don't matter a ton other than having a bunch of different sized ones allows you to fine tune the chain line better vs. a few bigger ones.

Steel is more durable, but heavier. No issue running either.


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## vikb (Sep 7, 2008)

Abunchahicks said:


> @vikb what size dropper are you running?


150mm drop at 31.6mm diameter. It's an old 9point8 dropper I had on hand so I am using it. I could fit a 175mm dropper and if I was buying new that's what I would get.


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## mack_turtle (Jan 6, 2009)

NuclearNachos said:


> For cogs, is steel better than alu?


I've seen too many photos of busted aluminum cogs to bother with that.


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## vikb (Sep 7, 2008)

mack_turtle said:


> I've seen too many photos of busted aluminum cogs to bother with that.


I can't imagine having any issues with quality AL cogs like Endless or WT. Lots of people are using them and I have not heard of problems. I've got both Surly and Endless cogs no issues with either.


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## tols (Jun 24, 2014)

So happy with my Sirius











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## NuclearNachos (Sep 25, 2021)

Also very happy with my Sirius, wrote a better writeup under Vik's post on the Pipedream forum here


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## damdam5 (Mar 28, 2020)

NuclearNachos said:


> Also very happy with my Sirius, wrote a better writeup under Vik's post on the Pipedream forum here
> View attachment 1977801


Is that an R7 on there? I have been waiting for the new Mattoc to come out, but who knows when that may be. The R7 tops out at 120 but I have been wanting a 120 - 140 fork. That said I am close to giving up waiting on a Mattoc, starting to look at an R7 and DVO Sapphire as alternatives. Would love to hear your R7 impressions.


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## damdam5 (Mar 28, 2020)

vikb said:


> I can't imagine having any issues with quality AL cogs like Endless or WT. Lots of people are using them and I have not heard of problems. I've got both Surly and Endless cogs no issues with either.


I am digging my Endless COG. I started with a 22T Wolf Tooth and have since moved to a 20T endless once I built up fitness a bit. I am running a 32 elliptical up front. 

Regarding the ratio question. There are a couple grades I still have to push on, but its worth it to not be too spiny everywhere else. On moderate climbs I think the harder ratio actually makes it easier since you get more distance and speed/momemtum out of the powerstroke.


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## vikb (Sep 7, 2008)

damdam5 said:


> I am digging my Endless COG. I started with a 22T Wolf Tooth and have since moved to a 20T endless once I built up fitness a bit. I am running a 32 elliptical up front.
> 
> Regarding the ratio question. There are a couple grades I still have to push on, but its worth it to not be too spiny everywhere else. On moderate climbs I think the harder ratio actually makes it easier since you get more distance and speed/momemtum out of the powerstroke.


That's one of the interesting things about riding SS...you have to pick that ratio strategically. I'm pretty happy with my current ratio. Climbs I have to walk for are so steep/extended that there is no real way I could gear for them and not hate life most of the ride. While I prefer to stay on the bike most of the time having to jump off occasionally is no big deal.


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## NuclearNachos (Sep 25, 2021)

damdam5 said:


> Is that an R7 on there? I have been waiting for the new Mattoc to come out, but who knows when that may be. The R7 tops out at 120 but I have been wanting a 120 - 140 fork. That said I am close to giving up waiting on a Mattoc, starting to look at an R7 and DVO Sapphire as alternatives. Would love to hear your R7 impressions.


Yep R7 Pro at 120mm. Haven't opened it up for serious tuning but so far have been really liking it. Super smooth and feels at least as stiff as my older pike (2016) from my memory, no issues with stiffness so far. The VTT is nice to use, not a super large difference between the two trail modes but lockout works well (doesn't move much). Got it off pinkbike for about $600 so price wasn't bad.


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## damdam5 (Mar 28, 2020)

NuclearNachos said:


> Yep R7 Pro at 120mm. Haven't opened it up for serious tuning but so far have been really liking it. Super smooth and feels at least as stiff as my older pike (2016) from my memory, no issues with stiffness so far. The VTT is nice to use, not a super large difference between the two trail modes but lockout works well (doesn't move much). Got it off pinkbike for about $600 so price wasn't bad.
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


Got it, yeah stiffness is one concern, in addition to being limited to 120mm. Being as stiff as a Pike is reassuring. Lockout is nice as I am running single speed. Thanks for the response. I would also be looking to PB to find one.


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## Abunchahicks (Mar 12, 2019)

damdam5 said:


> Is that an R7 on there? I have been waiting for the new Mattoc to come out, but who knows when that may be. The R7 tops out at 120 but I have been wanting a 120 - 140 fork. That said I am close to giving up waiting on a Mattoc, starting to look at an R7 and DVO Sapphire as alternatives. Would love to hear your R7 impressions.


I’m also patiently waiting on a new Mattoc as well. I was at a Manitou dealer a few days ago asking about the Mattoc and if they had heard any rumors. The guy hadn’t, but he picked up the phone and called Hayes. They told him that it would be released soon and that supply chain issues were the only reason that it wasn’t announced at Sea Otter. When asked what “soon” meant the Hayes guy couldn’t answer for sure but was hoping for just a couple months. 


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## cassieno (Apr 28, 2011)

I really like my Mezzer. It is surprisingly light for its weight. Impossible to set up based off of the set up charts but excellent. 

I mattoc based on a Mezzer would be great (the R7 and I didn't get along). 

Hayes has been 6+ months delayed on most things because of supply chain issues.


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## damdam5 (Mar 28, 2020)

Abunchahicks said:


> I’m also patiently waiting on a new Mattoc as well. I was at a Manitou dealer a few days ago asking about the Mattoc and if they had heard any rumors. The guy hadn’t, but he picked up the phone and called Hayes. They told him that it would be released soon and that supply chain issues were the only reason that it wasn’t announced at Sea Otter. When asked what “soon” meant the Hayes guy couldn’t answer for sure but was hoping for just a couple months.
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


That's great intel, thanks! I had reached out to Hayes and was told they couldn't say anything but to "wink wink" "stay tuned"...


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## vikb (Sep 7, 2008)

My GF asked me to build her a "gravel" bike without drop bars so she could ride with the local ladies' gravel group, do some paved/gravel bikepacking, and general exploring. So I grabbed that spare Sirius frame and Bird fork I had in the garage and cobbled this rig together. 🤘

Main Specs:

Sirius Frame [Long]
Bird Fork
Soma Dream Bar
11 Speed Drivetrain [28T x 10-42T] Shimano-SRAM-RF Mash Up
Rene Herse - 700 x 42mm Tires [Tubeless]
Shimano Deore 2 Piston Brakes [200/180mm Rotors]
Brooks B17 Saddle
Mudhugger Gravel Fenders
So definitely a frankenbike. We used a lot of parts laying around and filled in the blanks with parts we can use on other bikes we own. The idea is to get her rolling on something compatible without going the drop bar gravel bike route. She's tried drops before and never gotten on with the ergonomics. If she likes it in the broadstrokes we'll tweak it to make it better. Perhaps a shorter fork for example and smaller rotors. Maybe cut down the fork. Stuff like that. If she doesn't love it we'll use the experience to figure out what to get her and she can ride this until that next generation bike is ready.

I told her "gravel" is so 2021! She's beyond gravel. She's full ATB baby!  









All Terrain Bicycling: An ATB Manifesto


We think it’s about time the cycling community reclaimed the term ATB—All Terrain Bicycle—to describe a certain type of bike. Read our thoughts here.




bikepacking.com





So ya we'll see what happens. I may get this frame and fork back in a few months or I may not. I'm happy either way.


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## Funoutside (Jul 17, 2019)

That's an awesome build & I also use the term ATB. I personally went from 42mm tires tires to 29x2.1 Thunder Burts on my gravel/ATB & way nicer for gravel, even bad roads without any weight or performance penalty. Really allowed my ATB to do even more questionable routes.


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## vikb (Sep 7, 2008)

Funoutside said:


> That's an awesome build & I also use the term ATB. I personally went from 42mm tires tires to 29x2.1 Thunder Burts on my gravel/ATB & way nicer for gravel, even bad roads without any weight or performance penalty. Really allowed my ATB to do even more questionable routes.


I debated these tires or the next size up in the RH line which are 48mm and went this way just because my GF has a RSD MC with 2.8" tires she can grab if we wants to ride harder terrain and I didn't know what sort of riding these ladies she wants to ride with covered. If they are all on carbon "gravel" bikes with fast tires and mostly riding roads I didn't want her too far to the MTB side of the equation. We'll definitely chat next year once she's had some riding under her belt and wider tires will be considered.

My "ATBs" have 2.8" - 3.0" tires on them so I don't disagree with your sentiment when it comes to my gear choices. 🤘


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## Funoutside (Jul 17, 2019)

Oh nice. Still need to try RH tires. From what friends who are RH die hards tell me the (700x)48mm(& all 2.2 models) are nicer to ride than the other models as it got updated knobby design(more quieter, slightly better mud shedding & updated qc). Either way looks like a comfortable ride.


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## cassieno (Apr 28, 2011)

I love my Rene Herse 55s (this is the size with noise cancelation.) They are great ATB tires. I rode this bike on a 50% road 50% dirt rode race and these tires were an excellent choice all around. They don't really work well as mountain bike tires (to no ones surprise), but they are excellent mixed surface tires. I would classify myself as an RH die hard because they are the best choice I think for ATB.


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## Funoutside (Jul 17, 2019)

That's a sweet looking setup. Personally, think Thunder Burts are the best ATB tires but that's the beauty of cylcing we can all be dirt with our favorite tires & bikes.


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## vikb (Sep 7, 2008)

Funoutside said:


> Oh nice. Still need to try RH tires. From what friends who are RH die hards tell me the (700x)48mm(& all 2.2 models) are nicer to ride than the other models as it got updated knobby design(more quieter, slightly better mud shedding & updated qc). Either way looks like a comfortable ride.


I've been using RH tires a long time back before they were branded as RH. No issues with the slick or this knobby style. I've used this 42mm knobby tire a lot on my Straggler and it's great. I haven't had one of their tires I didn't like and I wouldn't buy anything other brand in that category.


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## vikb (Sep 7, 2008)

My GF got her Sirius out on its first bike camping trip down the coast from our house and over onto a couple of the local islands via ferries. For a first run on a new-ish bike with hand me down bags it went really well. No problems. She handled long stretches of pavement fine and when we hit gravel and MTB trails she felt very confident and came through smiling. We'll probably use the exact same setup in the future. The only change I could see making would be a 2nd bottle under the DT if water was in short supply on a given route.










I asked her post-trip if she wanted to change anything [smaller frame, shorter fork, etc...] and she didn't want anything adjusted or swapped out. Funny that I have my Sirius setup to smash out black diamond MTB trails in SS mode and she's got the exact same frame setup for gravel/ATB/touring and they are great in both roles. 🤘


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## cassieno (Apr 28, 2011)

What pedals have you been riding Vic.


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## vikb (Sep 7, 2008)

cassieno said:


> What pedals have you been riding Vic.


For MTBing I'm using Race Face Chesters. They are cheap and cheerful. Work well and seem to last at a few years of regular riding. For my touring bike I use a set of Kona Wah Wah composite pedals. They have a nice big platform that is comfortable to use with more flexible shoes. I find the bigger platform of the Kona pedals leads to more pedal strikes for techy MTBing and I use stiffer shoes for MTBing so a bigger pedal isn't as important as for touring.


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## jonshonda (Apr 21, 2011)

damdam5 said:


> That's great intel, thanks! I had reached out to Hayes and was told they couldn't say anything but to "wink wink" "stay tuned"...


Same for me this spring when I was looking for a plus fork for a build. I even tried laying guilt trip on the guy by saying the fork is holding up my build, and please could I have more info...but he wouldn't crack. He must be heartless.


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## vikb (Sep 7, 2008)

Chasing a creak I found my BB was toast and my freehub was blown up. The BB I'll chalk up to SS abuse. The freehub had seen use on several previous bikes and was neglected so that one was on my laziness/lack of attention. I fixed both issues. I will likely need some new tires eventually this winter, but I'll ride the current rubber a bit longer until it starts to let me down in the wet.


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## vikb (Sep 7, 2008)

I think I forgot to mention it, but I put a set of Magura MT5 brakes on the Sirius. I had damaged the previous brakes and the MT5s fell to hand faster than spare parts for the old brakes. I'm not a brake snob. So these brakes work fine for me. Push come to shove I'd rather have a set of SRAM Codes or Shimano 4-piston brakes. That said I have no plans to replace these on the Sirius as long as they keep working.

_FWIW - I've got a line on spare parts so the old Shimano brakes will get fixed and they'll probably end up on my Bird Forge eventually._


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## Funoutside (Jul 17, 2019)

The only real complaint I have with the MT5s is I wish the lever adjustment is tool free like it is on the Guide G2. I do like Magura rotors more than Shimano & Sram though as I feel they are work better in the hot months.


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## vikb (Sep 7, 2008)

I haven't tried the Magura rotors. I have SRAM rotors on that bike, but they work great for me over the years so that's not a problem. Tool free adjustment is nice, but I find it 50/50 as I adjust my levers infrequently and I enjoy the cleaner look when you need a tool for the adjustment.


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## Funoutside (Jul 17, 2019)

True it does look cleaner.


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## vikb (Sep 7, 2008)

I've been trying to carry a multi-tool close at hand this year [as opposed to deep in a hard to access tool bag]. Partially so I am more likely to deal with any issues that crop up on my own bikes during a ride and partially so I can lend it out to others for the same reason. If I am doing that then tool free is less important. If I have to dig around for a multi-tool I can see the benefit of tool free adjustment more.


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## vikb (Sep 7, 2008)

First ride back on the trails after breaking my toe 6 weeks ago. I grabbed the Sirius. SS may not have been the best choice, but it was fun and I needed a dose of good times. Nothing too wild. Just a quick 11kms featuring some rooty BC XC goodness. Amazing shorts and T-shirt weather for Oct! 🤘


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## vikb (Sep 7, 2008)

I posted some side profile shots of my Bird Forge to help with sizing inquiries and figured it might be worth doing the same here with my Pipedream Sirius. 

Notes:

I'm 5'11" with longish arms and 33" pants inseam
Frame size Long [Medium]
140mm fork
31mm stem
70mm rise 780mm bars
150mm travel dropper
175mm cranks + flat pedals










I like an "old man" upright riding position, but I still want to ride fast steep techy terrain well. This bike/setup is a nice compromise between all day comfort and shreddy-ness. 🤘


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## cassieno (Apr 28, 2011)

I am amazed at how low the stack height is on that bike. With your 70mm rise bars it still looks comfortably low. I would be curious what the intent was with such a low (like XC racer low stack).

Fortunately, bars with 70mm rise exist though.


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## vikb (Sep 7, 2008)

cassieno said:


> I am amazed at how low the stack height is on that bike. With your 70mm rise bars it still looks comfortably low. I would be curious what the intent was with such a low (like XC racer low stack).
> 
> Fortunately, bars with 70mm rise exist though.


Yes thank The Bike Gods for high rise bars! 

So there are a lot of low Stack bikes out there, but speaking about Pipedream specifically their design intent is such that a short rider can pick frames by length and the standover/Stack will work for them. Of course this means taller riders need to deal with the low Stack.

I'd rather have a 150mm+ headtube myself. But as long as their are high rise bars available it's not that big a deal.


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## vikb (Sep 7, 2008)

First night ride of the "winter". Dry and loose trails so not feeling very wintery yet, but rains are coming next week. I bought a new battery for my 10+ year old bar light. Nice to have full runtime again and to be able to use high power at will. Coming off a broken toe 6 week lay off climbing SS was a kick in the pants, but I keep telling myself that it's character building!


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## vikb (Sep 7, 2008)

It's debatable whether I am just working smarter in my old age or I'm just lazy AF. Decided it was better to lift bike onto my bench and refresh the sealant, set tire pressure and clean/lube chain without all the bending over!


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## Funoutside (Jul 17, 2019)

I'd say working smarter, I don't have a bench or stand so I have to either bend or sit down to do that.


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## vikb (Sep 7, 2008)

Getting ready for Rampage 2023. 










Still dry AF here. Rain is on its way though. Then we'll have 1hr of hero dirt and then it'll be slippery for 6 months.  










With my geared hardtail in pieces for some maintenance I've been riding the SS rig. Normally that would be no big deal, but after a long injury lay off trying to build fitness while riding with friends and only having 1 gear has been a bit painful. To be fair I've done better than what I thought might be the worst case. But I have definitely come home beat down and sore all over.


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## vikb (Sep 7, 2008)

I took advantage of a nice sunny day between patches of rain to celebrate International SS Day on the Sirius. The trails were super dusty until the rains came. Now we've mostly got hero dirt. Eventually it'll be muddy, but for now the riding is Siriusly sweet.


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## 2sharp7 (Aug 29, 2013)

mack_turtle said:


> I'm not vik, but the general advice I've always seen and given is to start with something like 32/20. if that's too spinny and you have no trouble mashing up nearly every upward slant, drop one tooth on your cog to 19t. then maybe 18. or go to a lower gear if you can't climb with the first gear you try. if the combo that you start with puts the axle in a spot that is not ideal, use a different chainring. some people run a 30/22 combo if the live someplace with mountains. the "right" combo is absolutely 100% subjective to the ride and the rider's experience.
> 
> get used to standing up more. there are three "speeds" on SS riding: sitting, standing, walking.
> 
> ...


Since you've already done the calculations that work in the shortest cs positions, maybe you can help me determine if there's a combination that will give me an equivalent ratio to 32x20 which is ideal for me on my trails and current fitness, but will allow me an even shorter CS?


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## mack_turtle (Jan 6, 2009)

@2sharp7 the closest thing to 32/20 is 30/19. that should put your chainstays at about 428mm. 34/20 (which is a fairly hard gear to push) and 32/21 (which is a bit more spinny but probably tolerable if your trails are steep) are really short too but not too short—longer than 425. 34/21 in the shortest reasonable position is 421mm, so it's not going to fit a bike with 425 chainstays.


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## 2sharp7 (Aug 29, 2013)

mack_turtle said:


> @2sharp7 the closest thing to 32/20 is 30/19. that should put your chainstays at about 428mm. 34/20 (which is a fairly hard gear to push) and 32/21 (which is a bit more spinny but probably tolerable if your trails are steep) are really short too but not too short—longer than 425. 34/21 in the shortest reasonable position is 421mm, so it's not going to fit a bike with 425 chainstays.


32x21 is actually pretty good for my local trails. I was running that for a while but decided to switch to 32x20 before a xc race last month.


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## 2sharp7 (Aug 29, 2013)

Back on my Sirius SS for both rides last week, after a couple of rides on my new full suspension geared rig. For my local trails, and my typical ride length, this is the bike I find myself reaching for most often.


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## vikb (Sep 7, 2008)

My Sirius got a big brother from Pipedream HQ. I'm going to move the parts over from my Bird Forge to this frame. I love 90% of things the Forge does, but I wish it had shorter CS. More accurately I want to move my centre of gravity [CG] back towards the rear axle. I can do that by shortening the CS and/or moving the saddle backwards. The Moxie can have shorter CS and *I think* the effective STA [measured at riding height for the saddle] is slacker than the Forge. I'm not 100% about that so we'll have to see what happens when I get the bike built. 

_FWIW - frame weight Long with axle and dropouts is ~3kg or ~6.6lbs. I'm not that interested in bike weights, but people always ask me and I can never remember what that bare frame weighed so I'm making a note here to remind me!  _










One of my good riding buddies passed away while riding his Moxie a few years ago. He loved that bike and I have been thinking I'd like to have one I can ride in his honour. So I figure this build will let me do that and do some more geo experiments. 🤘


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## Funoutside (Jul 17, 2019)

Congrats on the new frame, that color is hot! Is it as bright as it looks in the pics? I've personally had my eye on ALICE as my rigid mtb since bikepacking.com's glowing review. What's next for the Bird?


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## vikb (Sep 7, 2008)

Funoutside said:


> Congrats on the new frame, that color is hot! Is it as bright as it looks in the pics? I've personally had my eye on ALICE as my rigid mtb since bikepacking.com's glowing review. What's next for the Bird?


The frame colour is as bright as in the photos. It will make SAR easier should that be needed. It'll be nice to have some bright colour when I am spending a lot of time in a dark forest this winter. I'll hang the Bird frame up for now. No plans for it. I'll see how I feel about the Moxie as I ride it through the winter.


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## vikb (Sep 7, 2008)

Regarding the Sirius my GF want me to swap her Sirius frame from her ATB/gravel bike to replace her RSD Middlechild trail bike. If she likes it she'll keep it there and sell the RSD then figure out a new frame for the ATB/gravel bike. If it's not a noticeable improvement I'll end up swapping everything back at some point.


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## 2sharp7 (Aug 29, 2013)

vikb said:


> My Sirius got a big brother from Pipedream HQ. I'm going to move the parts over from my Bird Forge to this frame. I love 90% of things the Forge does, but I wish it had shorter CS. More accurately I want to move my centre of gravity [CG] back towards the rear axle. I can do that by shortening the CS and/or moving the saddle backwards. The Moxie can have shorter CS and *I think* the effective STA [measured at riding height for the saddle] is slacker than the Forge. I'm not 100% about that so we'll have to see what happens when I get the bike built.
> 
> _FWIW - frame weight Long with axle and dropouts is ~3kg or ~6.6lbs. I'm not that interested in bike weights, but people always ask me and I can never remember what that bare frame weighed so I'm making a note here to remind me! _
> 
> ...


Nice! Gonna ride her SS?


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## vikb (Sep 7, 2008)

2sharp7 said:


> Nice! Gonna ride her SS?


No. I'll keep the Sirius SS and put gears on the Moxie. I don't need two SS trail bikes. Depending how things pan out I could see trying the Sirius with gears and the Moxie SS down the road though.


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## 2sharp7 (Aug 29, 2013)

vikb said:


> No. I'll keep the Sirius SS and put gears on the Moxie. I don't need two SS trail bikes. Depending how things pan out I could see trying the Sirius with gears and the Moxie SS down the road though.


Saw the pic above of the Sirius with gears...do you have two of them? One for the GF?


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## vikb (Sep 7, 2008)

2sharp7 said:


> Saw the pic above of the Sirius with gears...do you have two of them? One for the GF?


Yes. We have two. The GF has one built up as a ATB/gravel bike. I have one built up as a SS trail bike.


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## vikb (Sep 7, 2008)

I'm happy to report I was able to fit a 29 x 2.6" tire in the rear of the Moxie with the sliders almost all the way forward. That was one of my goals with this project so that's great. I'll be wrapping up the build today.


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## cassieno (Apr 28, 2011)

What are your go to Schwable's?


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## vikb (Sep 7, 2008)

cassieno said:


> What are your go to Schwable's?


Magic Mary [soft] up front and Hans Damf [medium] in the rear. Works well summer and winter. I'm considering a Magic Mary in the rear next winter when I buy new tires. I'm curious on the trade off between speed vs. extra traction.


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## vikb (Sep 7, 2008)

Here is one photo for the weirdos that don't like bikes with bags and fenders hanging off them all over the place. Sorry about the front fender, but I was too lazy to remove and reinstall it just for this photo.


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## vikb (Sep 7, 2008)

Here she is setup like I'll ride her with fenders front and back plus splash guard on the DT. Our trails have some faster sections and combined with wet winter weather these fenders make a big difference with how clean and comfortable I stay. I wouldn't ride without them in the winter and frankly I don't bother taking them off in the summer either....it still rains in the summer and I am so used to riding with fenders I don't even notice them any more.

Lower bag is filled with tools, pump, spare tube, tubeless plugs, etc... It's waterproof and ensures I have everything I need for common trailside repairs. Upper bag always has a couple energy bars in it. Sometimes my phone or camera goes in there as well as my ear warmers and vest if it's a cold morning that warms up.

The bike has mounts for one cage inside the frame. There is room for second bottle higher up on the DT if I need it. I'd just install it for warm weather and then take it off again. I could also mount a bigger 1.5L bottle/cage under the DT if I really needed a lot of water, but that will be fairly rare.

Nothing fancy on the parts front. I just moved everything over from the Bird Forge.










I'm just waiting for the sun to come up and I'll head out to the trails to get her dirty. 🤘


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## noosa2 (May 20, 2004)

vikb said:


> Here is one photo for the weirdos that don't like bikes with bags and fenders hanging off them all over the place. Sorry about the front fender, but I was too lazy to remove and reinstall it just for this photo.


Oh man, so close, but that front fender just ruins the aesthetics.


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## vikb (Sep 7, 2008)

My buddy Jerry AKA LegBacon on MTBR really loved his Moxie. I had planned to move up here to the Comox Valley ride with him, but sadly he passed away unexpectedly while riding before I made the move. So having a Moxie in the fleet and riding it on his old home trails feels like a nice tribute to a great human being and a rad mountain biker. 🤘  🤘 

Here is the thread Jerry started about the Moxie to share his stoke about that bike.









Pipedream Moxie


After a long search for a 29 hardtail I built up a Pipedream Moxie. I had not heard of Pipedream until a few months ago and was originally looking at the NS Eccentric and the Chromag Rootdown. After driving myself slightly more crazy going over geometry I ordered a long Moxie Moxie Enduro...




www.mtbr.com


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## noosa2 (May 20, 2004)

vikb said:


> My buddy Jerry AKA LegBacon on MTBR really loved his Moxie. I had planned to move up here to the Comox Valley ride with him, but sadly he passed away unexpectedly while riding before I made the move. So having a Moxie in the fleet and riding it on his old home trails feels like a nice tribute to a great human being and a rad mountain biker. 🤘  🤘
> 
> Here is the thread Jerry started about the Moxie to share his stoke about that bike.
> 
> ...


That is a nice tribute Vik.


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## vikb (Sep 7, 2008)

First ride in the books. 










She's officially dirty.










Conditions were variable from winter to dry, but frozen dirt.


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## vikb (Sep 7, 2008)

Testing out a 1L bottle for next year when things warm up!


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## Funoutside (Jul 17, 2019)

How are you liking it VS the Sirus so far?


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## vikb (Sep 7, 2008)

Funoutside said:


> How are you liking it VS the Sirus so far?


Too early to say a lot. The geo/fit is pretty similar as I've overforked the Sirius quite a bit. I'm out of town for 2 weeks starting tomorrow so I won't be able to get any more riding in until the start of Dec.


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## 2sharp7 (Aug 29, 2013)

Nice! Is that electrical tape you're using as a chain stay protector?


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## vikb (Sep 7, 2008)

2sharp7 said:


> Nice! Is that electrical tape you're using as a chain stay protector?


It's my standard protector for skinny steel CS. Cut a chunk of old inner tube. Place over CS and wrap with electrical tape. Works great. Cheap. Lasts a couple years without looking like crap.


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## vikb (Sep 7, 2008)

Leaving home with a [sort of] fresh bike to play with sucks! I'll be back in a week and get some solid saddle time as I don't have any work to do that month. I'm going to experiment with the CS length and slowly increase it a few mm at a time to see how that affects climbing and general riding. I love bikes with adjustable dropouts! 🙏 

I'm also going to paint that gold LSC adjuster blue!


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## vikb (Sep 7, 2008)

Made it home again and was welcomed with some fresh snow so I had to get out and shred. I couldn't wait for the sun to come up so I busted out the bike lights and they had enough power to get me through until dawn. I bought some new rubber for the Sirius, but haven't put it on yet. I was impressed with how well the bike hooked up in the snow on both ends. I'm not in a rush to put the new tires on.










As per usual snow riding was a ton of fun and I could ride 95% of the trails. A few downed trees made me get off the bike. I'll go back with a saw soon and see if the trees are still there.


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## Funoutside (Jul 17, 2019)

Was reading Bikepacking.com & they said they have currently testing the S5. They also mentioned Pipedream is working on the S6, which is a TI version of the S5 with more mounts & shared a picture of the prototype model.


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## vikb (Sep 7, 2008)

Looks great. I've always wanted a Ti frame and I love the Sirius enough to spend the $$$ if the geo is the same.


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## vikb (Sep 7, 2008)

After a few rides I've decided to drop the Moxie's fork from 160mm to 140mm. The neighbourhood test says it feels better. I'm going to go do some snow recon tomorrow and see how the local trails are doing. I've preferred 140mm forks on all the modern hardtails I've ridden. Given the zero travel rear end more than 140mm of fork doesn't really do anything.










I went up the mountain earlier this week to see what was shaking.










Things got steep and deep.


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## 2sharp7 (Aug 29, 2013)

vikb said:


> After a few rides I've decided to drop the Moxie's fork from 160mm to 140mm. The neighbourhood test says it feels better. I'm going to go do some snow recon tomorrow and see how the local trails are doing. I've preferred 140mm forks on all the modern hardtails I've ridden. Given the zero travel rear end more than 140mm of fork doesn't really do anything.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Sick looking bike! Given you’ve over forked the Sirius I wonder how similar the two bikes are with the Moxie @ 140 up front?


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## vikb (Sep 7, 2008)

2sharp7 said:


> Sick looking bike! Given you’ve over forked the Sirius I wonder how similar the two bikes are with the Moxie @ 140 up front?


The Sirius is definitely slacker and feels shorter. The Sirius feels over forked at 140mm if you know what I mean. That's not necessarily good or bad...just depends on personal preference. It's kind of weird the Sirius feels a bit odd when I jump on it or I am doing neighbourhood laps to test something. When it was brand new I figured I'd put a shorter fork on it due to that feeling. Yet as soon as I am really shredding on dirt I love it and have zero desire to change the fork. 

I will note that since the Sirius is setup SS it gets ridden differently than a geared bike like the Moxie. There's a lot more standing up and mashing the pedals and getting physical pumping the bike once it's up to speed. That could certainly affect my preference for how each bike gets setup/adjusted.


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## NuclearNachos (Sep 25, 2021)

those snow pictures are making me so jealous! it's just a little chilly here, hoping there's some snow later in the season :/


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## vikb (Sep 7, 2008)

A snap from yesterday. Supposed to rain a bunch today. Depending how that works out we'll either melt the snow down to dirt or we'll get a bunch more snow. Probably both depending on the elevation of the trail.


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## Sparticus (Dec 28, 1999)

Good to see you're back on the bike(s), Vik!
=sParty


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## vikb (Sep 7, 2008)

Sparticus said:


> Good to see you're back on the bike(s), Vik!
> =sParty


Thanks it's good to be riding my bike and my skateboard again. I haven't gotten back to trail running, but I'll give that a shot in January and hopefully work my way back into reasonable shape. I'm going to try real hard to avoid breaking another toe! That sucked a lot.


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## Sparticus (Dec 28, 1999)

vikb said:


> Thanks it's good to be riding my bike and my skateboard again. I haven't gotten back to trail running, but I'll give that a shot in January and hopefully work my way back into reasonable shape. I'm going to try real hard to avoid breaking another toe! That sucked a lot.


Is there good off-road motorcycling ops up your way?
Now there's a sport that affords frequent & excellent opportunities for bodily injury. 
=sParty


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## vikb (Sep 7, 2008)

Sparticus said:


> Is there good off-road motorcycling ops up your way?
> Now there's a sport that affords frequent & excellent opportunities for bodily injury.
> =sParty


I gave up the motos a while back. I figured I got away without serious injury so I should just be stoked about that! There is lots of dualsport type riding. I'm not as clear on how much "dirt biking" there is. I do see them in the back of pickups so I assume it a thing.

So ya I am done partying with motors in the dirt.


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## vikb (Sep 7, 2008)

My buddy was asking me about the STA on the Moxie so I measured it. With an unsagged 140mm fork and the dropper head to BB distance at 70cm/27.6" the measured STA is ~75deg. My saddle is further back than middle of the rails so for my butt that's closer to 74 deg. Since hardtails only get steeper when you sit on them that's about as steep a STA as I want to deal with on a bike. Figured I'd post that info here in case anyone was looking for it.


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## vikb (Sep 7, 2008)

The snow is sticking around for a bit in the mountains, but that doesn't mean it's time to hang up the bike.










It's supposed to get cold this week which will firm the snow up and should make for some even better/easier riding.


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## vikb (Sep 7, 2008)

In case you were wondering if the Moxie worked well in the snow....she does!  










Unfortunately my small folding saw couldn't handle some of the bigger trees that were down.


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## vikb (Sep 7, 2008)

Earlier in the year I bought a second Sirius frame and a Bird steel fork. I had planned to setup a geared Sirius, but before that happened my GF wanted to get a flat bar gravel bike/ATB built. She ended up on the second Sirius and ran the Bird fork.










Recently she started thinking out loud that she'd like to try a different hardtail frame than the RSD Middlechild she's been riding the last 4 years. So we swapped the fork and dropper from the RSD and put some fresh knobbies on.










Only one ride in so far, but she's enjoying the wagon wheels and more supple frame. 🤘


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## tols (Jun 24, 2014)

Hello! So far I am very happy with this little devil called sirius, I think he shines in many aspects, although I must say that he still seems too slack to me. 

I have to go really, really fast so that you don't notice that super angle and the bike doesn't feel sluggish when turning. This is why I am considering reducing the angle with an angleset, perhaps removing 1.5 degrees. How would it influence the geometry? As far as I think I know, I would raise the seat angle, shorten the wheelbase and also the reach. I hope it feels more playful... 

Keep in mind that it will continue to be a slack bike, with 64.5º, more or less with a 120 Pike. Any opinion about it?


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## cassieno (Apr 28, 2011)

It will lengthen the reach. Raise the BB and slacken the seat angle with the same length fork. 

You could offset the BB and the seat angle with a shorter fork. 

No clue the actual numbers though.


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## vikb (Sep 7, 2008)

tols said:


> Keep in mind that it will continue to be a slack bike, with 64.5º, more or less with a 120 Pike. Any opinion about it?












We've got two Sirius bikes in the family now. Both with 140mm forks and we ride slow speed tech no issues. I really only notice the slack HTA in the driveway so personally I wouldn't do anything about it.


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## tols (Jun 24, 2014)

I'll think about it, my main concern is how that could change the overall geometry. I keep thinking that 63 degrees is too much.

Enviat des del meu 2107113SG usant Tapatalk


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## vikb (Sep 7, 2008)

tols said:


> I'll think about it, my main concern is how that could change the overall geometry. I keep thinking that 63 degrees is too much.


When I built it up with a 140mm fork I thought the ~62 deg HTA would be too slack and I would get a shorter fork. Over a year later I am loving the 140mm fork. Aside from trail riding I'll ride the bike from home to the trails. It's fine everywhere.


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## mack_turtle (Jan 6, 2009)

keep regional differences in mind where you ride. Vik is in BC. I know a few people who have bought and immediately sold "LLS" hardtails where I live and went back to more conservative geometry. I've met a few who recent acquired some Siriurseses and they report having second thoughts about how useful that bike is for the chunky, punchy terrain in central Texas.


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## vikb (Sep 7, 2008)

mack_turtle said:


> keep regional differences in mind where you ride. Vik is in BC. I know a few people who have bought and immediately sold "LLS" hardtails where I live and went back to more conservative geometry. I've met a few who recent acquired some Siriurseses and they report having second thoughts about how useful that bike is for the chunky, punchy terrain in central Texas.


The trails right by my house are chill XC trails and I ride pavement to them. The 140mm forked Sirius handles all that riding just fine. It's also capable of more challenging riding - like chunky and punchy.

Since he has the bike and the 130mm fork I would just ride it a while and see what happens. You can always change it later. I just wouldn't reflexively change the fork without confirming it's an issue.


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## vikb (Sep 7, 2008)

I've been riding the Moxie in a lot of snow and ice lately. That's fun, but it's not easy to assess how the bike climbs really steep sections, which is what I was after improving over my last frame. However, on the weekend we drove 1hr south and were treated to all day hero dirt, zero snow and lots of steep climbs with some loose dirt/sand and slippery roots thrown in to up the challenge. Well I can now say without a doubt that the Moxie lets me weight up that rear wheel much better. It feels like I am pushing the rear tire into the dirt and as long as I can turn the pedals I can motor up ludicrously steep slopes. On my previous frame riding those same slopes [exact same parts/tires] I'd be fighting to weight the rear tire and sooner or later it would spin and I'd fail the climb. To be fair this was only an issue on really steep climbs, but I hate blowing a climb that's within my capabilities. I hate that a lot!

I'll post more about other aspects of how this frame rides in the future, but I wanted to address how it climbs now that I had that info since that was one of my main areas I wanted to improve. I'm a lot happier now even though we are talking about only a few climbs each ride that are affected.


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