About the rockiest trails around outside of Duluth, really fun to ride if you enjoy navigating through the rocks! I've never owned a bashed guard + chain guide before and now I'm not sure how I ever went without one, it's saved the bike/chainring a few times in it's life based on the gouge marks!
Thanks Rob, there are fresh scrapes all over the cranks and bash guard from Split Rock Wilds! Really enjoying the Spire for more gravity oriented riding, it does pedal well but I don’t think I’m taking it on Fade to Blue or Joe’s Diner just yet! Some of the rawest, most rugged terrain around, glad we have this option available to us Minnesotans now.
Thanks man, I should have listened to you last year and gotten out here sooner to ride these amazing trails in this beautiful state park! The more I ride here the more dialed-in lines there are to be found. I have so much footage riding here on both the Spire and Fuel EX, and I still haven't ridden everything here! We had a great ride here recently (until the very end haha), looking forward to a return back and to ride with you again!
Transition built such a capable bike in the Spire! I remember when it was first announced and looking at the extreme geometry numbers and wondering how anyone would pedal it around! Pretty well in fact, even with the full strength Cush Core Pro's and DoubleDown Maxxgrip Assegai. Now other brands are playing catch up in their frame geometry numbers!
@@NathanEide That sounds like the ideal setup! When I permanently bent my 175 mm cranks on the Fuel EX, I was happy to finally size down to 170 mm. I think that's inevitably going to happen to the Spire's 170 mm cranks, and am looking forward to putting 165 mm cranks on like Transition intended.
There was a trend in the bike industry ~3 years ago where all the L and XL frames had 175 mm cranks for longer legs and pedal efficiency, but now only XC bikes seem to come equipped with 175 mm for maximum pedal efficiency and less concerns about pedal strikes. 170 mm seems to be the new standard, and that's what I put on my Fuel EX after a severe crank strike permanently bent my 175 mm NX cranks. The Spire is such a low-riding bike, I remember people thought it was strange to have 165 mm cranks on all sizes, but it turns out that was for a reason! I think I will always run 165 mm on enduro bikes and 170 mm on trail bikes now. Maybe ride the Jeffsy in the low position until the inevitable happens, breaking parts is always a good excuse to upgrade!
@AndrewGehn I still have to consider replacing the rim I chipped at Piedmont the other day. Maybe change out the cranks later. Appreciate the advice though. Might test out low mode on the next ride.
First documented WOOO!!! from A. Gehn? This bike must really be tickling your fancy, besides the stupid 170 mm cranks of course. Nice vid and great riding as usual. The new bike was the right choice (once you took off the xc tires of course)
Thanks, after two years of riding with Jeremy all the time, a WOOO was bound to happen eventually! This bike is certainly the ideal bike for the gnarlier riding up North where I'm not too concerned about pedaling. The stupid 170 mm cranks have some fresh scratches on them, but I have gotten a lot better about not pedal striking and paying more attention/"feeling" where they are to avoid strikes. Transition definitely puts 165 mm cranks on all frames for a reason though, and my next cranks will be 165 mm. If the Spire was my only bike that I had to pedal at trails like Elm Creek and Theodore Wirth all the time like the previous owner did, I wouldn't be as stoked on it, but having the Fuel EX turned back into a lightweight, speedy trail bike has made having a dedicated bike for whatever that days riding is a great experience!
Thanks Randy, having full confidence in the bike on gnarlier trails has been huge! The Spire has no compromises on downhill performance, and the very slack geometry, low ride height, long wheelbase, and 170 mm front + rear suspension travel feel stable and in control. There were trail features, such as the ones in this video, that I felt capable of riding, but would be questionable on the Fuel EX with it's steep geometry and 130 mm of travel. I'm really enjoying the Spire!
I'm in the same boat with pedal strikes and debating shorter cranks. Wondering if 5 millimeters will really do that much though? Curious to hear how it turns out for you!
My Fuel EX had 175 mm cranks and I permanently bent them my first year riding it. Replaced them with 170 mm cranks and they’ve lasted two seasons so far riding on the same trails with noticeably less strikes. Enduro bikes should have 165 mm and trail bikes 170 mm in my opinion, I don’t notice a loss of pedal efficiency at all. 175 mm can stay on XC bikes!
Nice. Very rocky. Thank you bash guard 🙂
About the rockiest trails around outside of Duluth, really fun to ride if you enjoy navigating through the rocks! I've never owned a bashed guard + chain guide before and now I'm not sure how I ever went without one, it's saved the bike/chainring a few times in it's life based on the gouge marks!
Things Split Rock makes you say: “Good thing the guy put a bash guard on this!” 😂 Great riding, glad you’re liking the new bike!
Thanks Rob, there are fresh scrapes all over the cranks and bash guard from Split Rock Wilds! Really enjoying the Spire for more gravity oriented riding, it does pedal well but I don’t think I’m taking it on Fade to Blue or Joe’s Diner just yet! Some of the rawest, most rugged terrain around, glad we have this option available to us Minnesotans now.
@@AndrewGehn couldn’t agree more - I love Split Rock!
Straight up sending it on the Spire! You’re really getting those Split-rock lines dialed out there. Can’t wait to see more of this place!
Thanks man, I should have listened to you last year and gotten out here sooner to ride these amazing trails in this beautiful state park! The more I ride here the more dialed-in lines there are to be found. I have so much footage riding here on both the Spire and Fuel EX, and I still haven't ridden everything here! We had a great ride here recently (until the very end haha), looking forward to a return back and to ride with you again!
@@AndrewGehn Absolutely, can’t wait to get another ride in.
Spire riders unite!!!!!
Transition built such a capable bike in the Spire! I remember when it was first announced and looking at the extreme geometry numbers and wondering how anyone would pedal it around! Pretty well in fact, even with the full strength Cush Core Pro's and DoubleDown Maxxgrip Assegai. Now other brands are playing catch up in their frame geometry numbers!
@@AndrewGehn totally agree. Especially with 160mm cranks :)
@@NathanEide That sounds like the ideal setup! When I permanently bent my 175 mm cranks on the Fuel EX, I was happy to finally size down to 170 mm. I think that's inevitably going to happen to the Spire's 170 mm cranks, and am looking forward to putting 165 mm cranks on like Transition intended.
@@AndrewGehn Absolutely. Especially in the low setting. I destroyed my first set of cranks on mine and changed out with zero problems since.
For some reason YT stuck 175mm cranks on the Jeffsy I ride so I basically have to run it in high with the chip. I feel your pain.
There was a trend in the bike industry ~3 years ago where all the L and XL frames had 175 mm cranks for longer legs and pedal efficiency, but now only XC bikes seem to come equipped with 175 mm for maximum pedal efficiency and less concerns about pedal strikes. 170 mm seems to be the new standard, and that's what I put on my Fuel EX after a severe crank strike permanently bent my 175 mm NX cranks. The Spire is such a low-riding bike, I remember people thought it was strange to have 165 mm cranks on all sizes, but it turns out that was for a reason! I think I will always run 165 mm on enduro bikes and 170 mm on trail bikes now. Maybe ride the Jeffsy in the low position until the inevitable happens, breaking parts is always a good excuse to upgrade!
@AndrewGehn I still have to consider replacing the rim I chipped at Piedmont the other day. Maybe change out the cranks later. Appreciate the advice though. Might test out low mode on the next ride.
First documented WOOO!!! from A. Gehn? This bike must really be tickling your fancy, besides the stupid 170 mm cranks of course. Nice vid and great riding as usual. The new bike was the right choice (once you took off the xc tires of course)
Thanks, after two years of riding with Jeremy all the time, a WOOO was bound to happen eventually! This bike is certainly the ideal bike for the gnarlier riding up North where I'm not too concerned about pedaling. The stupid 170 mm cranks have some fresh scratches on them, but I have gotten a lot better about not pedal striking and paying more attention/"feeling" where they are to avoid strikes. Transition definitely puts 165 mm cranks on all frames for a reason though, and my next cranks will be 165 mm. If the Spire was my only bike that I had to pedal at trails like Elm Creek and Theodore Wirth all the time like the previous owner did, I wouldn't be as stoked on it, but having the Fuel EX turned back into a lightweight, speedy trail bike has made having a dedicated bike for whatever that days riding is a great experience!
Nice! Total confidence in your “ride.”
Thanks Randy, having full confidence in the bike on gnarlier trails has been huge! The Spire has no compromises on downhill performance, and the very slack geometry, low ride height, long wheelbase, and 170 mm front + rear suspension travel feel stable and in control. There were trail features, such as the ones in this video, that I felt capable of riding, but would be questionable on the Fuel EX with it's steep geometry and 130 mm of travel. I'm really enjoying the Spire!
I'm in the same boat with pedal strikes and debating shorter cranks. Wondering if 5 millimeters will really do that much though? Curious to hear how it turns out for you!
My Fuel EX had 175 mm cranks and I permanently bent them my first year riding it. Replaced them with 170 mm cranks and they’ve lasted two seasons so far riding on the same trails with noticeably less strikes. Enduro bikes should have 165 mm and trail bikes 170 mm in my opinion, I don’t notice a loss of pedal efficiency at all. 175 mm can stay on XC bikes!