sole searching
My second DH bike was a little known Rotwild. I got it second hand. I broke it and had it replaced with a newer Rotwild. I rode this for a couple of years before this too gave out. I miss the bike and in fact, still have the frame as I cant seem to throw it away. I bought my Cannondale Gemini DH because I felt the design was almost exactly the same. To be honest, it wasn't. The Rotwild was a much nicer ride and I liked the fact I was the only one aound to have it.
I just did a search for them and noticed that they are back with a new DH bike. ( for a couple of years they discontinued their big bike for all but their DH team.) I am very curious about it now and am going to start researching about my long lost love. They have introduced a carbon rear end which they have had no problems with, and they just signed Richey Schley from Rocky Mountain this year.
Check it out, I think I am back in love.
posted by croskery at
2:01 PM
9 Comments:
This comment has been removed by the author.
Carbon rear end eh...hmmm. Carbon doesn't tend to like being smashed into rocks, so what happens when you do? Doesn't matter for sponsored riders, but it does matter for you. Interesting contrast here with Balfa - they've always gone with cromo rear ends.
I understand the auratic aspect of your desire (or perhaps burgeoning desire), but I wonder whether their pivot location and triangulated swingarm is unlike that of others? The Commencal's use a simliar single pivot triangulated swingarm, but tweak the spring actuation curve with their linkages. This is what makes them, and the Sunn's of old (and also the Lapierre's of now) such ground hugging machines (so it is said, and I tend to buy it). Both Commencal and Lapierre also have auratic qualities (read bike sub-cultural capital) associated with them in virtue of their otherness. I would lean toward these on the quality side, as the Rotwilds never seemed super high quality in construction. Both have Canadian distributers. Voiulloz won the Megavalanche aboard a Lapierre last summer, DuraAce crank and all.
I don't mean to shit on your parade, just want to complicate you life (is that better?). Since you are in the marketing business, you know how brand loyalty is constructed (or attempted). You know how everything can change behind the end product while that product can still appear the same. Brands are bought and sold. This is just to say that your interests might be best served by wading through the waters of nostalgia and looking at whether the Rotwild is still what you want and need, or if your cash might be spend elsewhere on something that is actually a better fit. It sounds like this is what you are doing. Remember, you are not the same rider you used to be.
I would speculate that one reason why the Rotwild might have better suited you is its apparent lateral rigidity. It is clearly a difficult frame to flex out of shape. I imagine a tall guy like you will feel this sort of flex more than a smaller rider, both because you ride bigger frames and you have longer levers for limbs. This rigidity might also contribute to premature failures if not executed well. Your Cannondale is not likely as stiff torsionally. The bikes have different axle paths too.
Wow, lots of counter thinking to do after these comments. TO start with, nostalgia probably got the better of me when I saw this as I really adored the Rotwilds. They had there problems as I did wreck two of them. One was the shock plates on the down tubes ripped off, but they replaced the Frame for free. The second was the bottom bracket threads were weak coupled with no frame / chain device bolt on area made for damaged threads in know time. Both these problems have been fixed.
As for their build overall, these bike are built well. They are probably overengineered in some areas. The attention to detail is very high, and their paint jobs are one of the best I have ever seen.
The carbon rear makes me skeptical, for the same reasons you've mentioned. This is something I will have to watch out for in any tests I can find on the bike.
Supposedly the rear suspension is a horst link but I havent seen it up close to make judgement.
I wasnt in the market to buy a new bike, but when I saw this, I got excited. Time eill tell as to how well these do over the year. I have a contact in England (same one that got me the cinelli) that if I ask nicely, could probably get me some sort of deal as I don' t think you can buy them in N.America yet.
Good to hear I am wrong about the attention to detail...impoverished impressions I guess.
If it does turn out to win you over, do you think you'd want to get into a situation where there is no N. Am support in cases of warranty? I'm thinking of my experience with Orange, where there was a N. Am dist (David Merten - assbag); and that sucked huge. I always tend to consider the worst case scenarios...
Am I right to infer that you may be swayed to get one of these, but if not you'll stick with the C-Dale? If so, I'll not follow up by asking what you think of those other bikes.
To be honest, I wasn't looking to get a new bike, at the very least I was interested in a 7inch single cown for the Cannondale. I really don't need a new bike. My attention was sparked when I came across the new bike.
As for the warranty, I would be dealing through the UK so the only problem would be all the frame transfers between countries should anything happen.
If I were to look at a new bike, the commencal would be pretty high on the list. I don't know much about Lapierre but I would give them a look as well. There are so many bikes that I wouldnt know where to start. I guess the main focus would be down to 2 things - weight and type of suspension. I prefer simple over complicated and I also like single pivot. I would look at vertual pivot types like Santa Cruz as well. I am not a huge fan of 4 bar linkage - it feels weird to me.
Matt, I would like you to help me set my C'dale up this year as I feel I may not be getting 100% from it. This okay with you?
Yeah, I bet a 7" single like the Totem would work really well on your frame. Jamie will be running a Lyric on his Enduro, which is scaled down a bit, but you could probably get a good sense of the feel from that (as much as possible...).
I'll jump to your last remark/question: yes, I'd be happy to work on your C-dale set-up with you. This is what should be done first really, before going on and considering/falling in love with other frames. Lets make sure that your C-dale really isn't quite what you want before going on (cause it is on the lighter and simpler side, and you already have it!). We should give it a good working over in the spring (read overhaul), to get a fresh start (after marking down all your present settings) and go from there. Gotta be fairly scientific about it. It'll be fun. I'd like to work with Candace on her bike more too. I think that bike is worth the effort
My friend in Calgary runs the Totem and so far he loves it. He is a huge jumper and this fork holds him perfectly. he was running a monster T and said the weight difference was huge. It got me thinking...
As for set up - that would be fantastic. I know you are very mathematical about set up, where I am more about the feel. I am also pretty forgiving of parts that don't work at 100%. My brakes for instance need some attiention as I don't stop fast enough with them. It maybe a matter of a different pad but I just deal with it and I never really get my bike set up perfectly. This may cause me to get arm pump and tire too quickly so I really should start tuning my bikes better. I have a manitou 6-way and find it very complicated. My 888's have been good but I always wonder if I can get more from them. I was thinking of dropping them to 7 inch until I saw the price of a kit was too much to justify. (Cheaper to trade them in and get a Totem)
I have rear triangle movement as well now so I need to sort that out, I will make a list of problems and go through it in Spring.
Candace would be very appreciative as well. She has never been super happy with the Orange but I think it maybe set up issues as well. The bike was designed for Adele Croxton (Steve Peats wife) and they are very similar in size. I think she would be happy with an air shock and a proper chain device.
Thanks Matt.
Pleasure.
Hey, check out the present issue of Bike next time you're in the mag shop. There is a story about a 4-day MTB tour four guys did in Montana that is pretty much in line with what I want to work up to doing. The Brown lake thing is a baby step in this direction.
will do
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