# Genre busting bikepacking rig?



## mikesee (Aug 25, 2003)

For me it is.

Rode my new bike in Crested Butte last weekend--slogged up to 12,200', camped, woke, rode some more, then blasted back to town.







Rode it unladen on an Ewok-approved trail the next day. So sweet.







Brought it home and changed shoes, then headed out for some wash bashing and dry creek exploring.



That's 140mm of travel up front, 125 out back, and 29 x 3" tires on both ends.







Currently poring over maps and thinkering up some places to take this'n. Places I'd not have thought about riding until now...
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## pimpbot (Dec 31, 2003)

Wow, sweet! So, a 5" 29er that takes knards? It must be off the hook to ride. 

Nice pics. You're seriously lighting a fire under me to get out there. 

Btw, I just built up my bikepacking hardtail with that low rent wheelset you built for me a few years ago. Apart from breaking the freehub, they've been great. I just bought a new rear hub and robbed it for the freehub.


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## aosty (Jan 7, 2004)

Sweet.

What fork are you using with the Knard and was it modified? Also, what rim?


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## mikesee (Aug 25, 2003)

aosty said:


> Sweet.
> 
> What fork are you using with the Knard and was it modified? Also, what rim?


It's a stock, unmodified Revelation. Tight fit--fine here in the desert, wouldn't work anywhere with mud.

Rims = Velocity P35 aka Blunt 35.


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## The Hookler (Oct 30, 2004)

Such great stoke especially for a Monday. I've been looking for a seat bag to that will work with a dropper post. What are you using as I see you are running what appears to be a Reverb?
Thanks.


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## mikesee (Aug 25, 2003)

The Hookler said:


> Such great stoke especially for a Monday. I've been looking for a seat bag to that will work with a dropper post. What are you using as I see you are running what appears to be a Reverb?
> Thanks.


Seat bag is a Porcelain Rocket "Sally Ride". I think the key with any bag/dropper combo is just to run the bag's "loop" around the post loose, so that it can slide up and down unimpeded.


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## The Hookler (Oct 30, 2004)

Awesome. Good advice on the running the "loop" loose around the post. 
Always like seeing your posts, such great stokeage.


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## vikb (Sep 7, 2008)

Nice bike Mike 

I was just smashing my Krampus through some rocky Chilcotin chunk wishing for a FS 29+. 

Can I ask who made it for you?


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## mikesee (Aug 25, 2003)

vikb said:


> Nice bike Mike
> 
> I was just smashing my Krampus through some rocky Chilcotin chunk wishing for a FS 29+.
> 
> Can I ask who made it for you?


It is a Lenz, based tightly on this model:

Lenz Sport :: The best full-suspension mountain bikes :: Mammoth


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## vikb (Sep 7, 2008)

Is it a production model I could order or something special for you to ride/test?


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## mikesee (Aug 25, 2003)

vikb said:


> Is it a production model I could order or something special for you to ride/test?


Production--you can order one today.


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## vikb (Sep 7, 2008)

Thanks for the info Mike! 

Enjoy the fine new bike.


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## vikb (Sep 7, 2008)

mikesee said:


> It's a stock, unmodified Revelation. Tight fit--fine here in the desert, wouldn't work anywhere with mud.


Mike - If I can trouble you for one more bit of info since you have access to trying gear I can only dream of dreaming of! 

Is the Revelation the best fork for Knard clearance + performance on that bike - assuming you had to buy a new fork?


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## jddjirikian (Aug 25, 2006)

Demoed the Mammoth through Golden Bike Shop 2 Mays ago. It was a great ride. Can't imagine what the Fat Moth is like.


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## mikesee (Aug 25, 2003)

vikb said:


> Mike - If I can trouble you for one more bit of info since you have access to trying gear I can only dream of dreaming of!
> 
> Is the Revelation the best fork for Knard clearance + performance on that bike - assuming you had to buy a new fork?


Best performance is subjective, of course. Over the last ~two years I've ridden the Fox 32, WB Loop, Manitou Tower, and RS Revelation extensively. Meaning a few solid months on each. Revelation ticks my boxes better than the others when it comes to small bump sensitivity, mid-stroke support, and end stroke ramp. Easy setup, minimal maintenance, and most intuitive thru-axle system to boot.

Revelation does NOT have good clearance, however. Where I live it's not much of a concern, but you're in a different and much sloppier neck of the woods. Revelation could easily stand to lose some material (machine shop if you know someone, otherwise just dremel as I plan to when it becomes a priority) and gain needed clearance, without compromising much/any integrity.


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## alpka (Aug 20, 2007)

Mikesee- I came across this thread looking for people's experiences with wide rims and 29+. Is there a reason you didn't go with Velocity dually rims at 45mm instead of the Blunt35s? 
Thanks


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## mikesee (Aug 25, 2003)

alpka said:


> Mikesee- I came across this thread looking for people's experiences with wide rims and 29+. Is there a reason you didn't go with Velocity dually rims at 45mm instead of the Blunt35s?
> Thanks


I wanted this bike to retain some semblance of the light/nimble feel of a mountain bike. Dually's are much heavier and would/will make a bike like this into a bloated, ponderous pig. If float was the only goal, that'd be acceptable.


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## alpka (Aug 20, 2007)

Cool, and sounds like the blunts do the job. Thanks for the feedback!


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