Thank You Mr Strom

[FR Drew]

In theory, I guess this should be in post your ride but if I put it there, 2000 14 year olds who do 10 foot drops before lunch would heckle me. You folks who visit the XC threads are the ones who will truly appreciate what I'm happy about.

On the weekend, I took delivery of Luke Strom's old (03) Yeti ARC with custom Manitou Black Super/Minute Air forks. It came with a couple of wheelsets that were destined for a friend, a road cassette, worn out saddle and grips, pretty mushed chain.

The bits that were heading to me were:

Frame: Yeti ARC (medium)
Fork: Manitou Custom Black Super lowers/Minute crowns
Headset: WTB sealed bearing
Bottom Bracket: unknown suspected Truvativ
Cranks: Truvativ Stylo Team in blue with FSA chainrings
Brakes: Hayes HFX Mag Plus by the look of em

To be added to this were my own parts:

Bar: LP composites carbon/aramid riser bar
Stem: 110mm generic BBB at present, something nicer one day...
Grips: ODI Ruffian
Bar Ends: Serfas
Wheelset: FSA XC300
Chain: SRAM PC69
Cassette: SARM PG990
Rear Mech: SRAM x0
Front Mech: SRAM xGen
Shifters: SRAM x9 triggers
Seatpost: Moots Laidback Ti
Saddle: SDG Bel Air cow print

Present tyre fitout is Larsen TT 2.0 on rear and Bling Bling 2.35 up front which seems to steer and roll nicely. Tubes are Michelin Air Comp latex

The scales say 11.4kg. Scales can't explain what it is to ride a frameset like this though.

Today I took it out on the dirt for the first time and was able to ride up the side of the vineyard at Mt Majura in the ACT without needing to stand. for those of you that don't know this hill, this is my test "bastard hill" as it's worse than the firetower climb at the Mont 24 Hour. (Well it's not as long, but it's rougher and steeper. I have to get off here where I can crank my way up both col de mont and skid row without dismounting)

Will post pics but I have to say, I love this frame! So light, so well balanced, so comfortable, so smooth. Love it!

I don't have to look towards climbs with dread any more. :-)

Roll on the Mont 24...

Luke has provided me with the kind of XC ride I'd only ever dreamed of up until now (and to a degree never totally believed existed).

Thanks Luke, she's a beaut.

[aday]

Sounds great. I know a guy who is going to buy one. You must be enjoying it as they are so nice to ride.

[®ider]

Haha the Cow print saddle.
Golden!
im still search for one drew.

[FR Drew]

Teamshore, As far as the cow saddles go:
PM DW-1 (Elvis at Dirt Works) he'll be able to tell you if they still have any.

The new Bel Airs for this year with the "magical groove for nuts relief" come in Tiger Stripe and Zebra as two of the prints. Depends if your heart is truly set on cow I guess. I've got a spare on the shelf at home for when this one wears out. Goes quite nicely with the yeti labels in black and white actually.

Enough yellow on labels here and there that the aramid in the bars doesn't look mega shite either thank goodness.

aday: "so nice to ride" doesn't cover it. I'd read positive reviews here and there and thought "Oh, they like it and it'll be quite light." I really was drastically missing the point. This frame isn't just about grams.

[Grover]

"so nice to ride" doesn't cover it. I'd read positive reviews here and there and thought "Oh, they like it and it'll be quite light." I really was drastically missing the point. This frame isn't just about grams.

That is exactly it. I've been riding an ARC since late '03 and the frame is just unreal, there is just something about them.

There are frames around that are lighter than the 1.5kgs a medium arc weighs (Kona, Norco, Giant are some of the cheapies that are lighter) but nothing beats this thing in ride quality and strength. I don't know if it's those looptail stays or what but I'm a firm beleiver that the Yeti ARC is the best hardtail frame around.

Enjoy it mate, I know exactly what you're going through and still experience it every time I get on the bike even after 1.5 years.

Oh, and get some pics up, share the joy.

Cya, John.

[Bodin]

Sh!te, you guys are starting to remind me of how much fun a good HT can be. Please don't make me sell my dually - my arse will never forgive me.

As an old(er) mate told me recently: "A good HT is the most "stable platform" you can get..."

LOL... but there's truth in it...

[Grover]

Do it Bodin, you know you want to. I think the saying should go - Steel and Yeti ARCs are Real - as an ARC frame is just so nice to ride, it's so smooth and easy on the behind and yet transfers the power very well, just magical really.

Your dilema is easily solved by keeping the dually and then buying an ARC to keep it company in the stable. Maybe even get some crossmax's for it. :p

Cya, John.

[Bodin]

Maybe even get some crossmax's for it. :p

You're too young to be that cheeky and get away with it. ;)

You're right about the whole steel thing, though - I got a custom Reynolds 853 road bike done for me by Hillman Cycles a few years ago for the exact kinda thing we're talking about here.

If I can convince my missus that it's acceptable to have six complete bikes (yes, I ride four of my current five bikes on a regular basis), then a high quality HT is high on the list.

[FR Drew]

Sh!te, you guys are starting to remind me of how much fun a good HT can be. Please don't make me sell my dually - my arse will never forgive me.

LOL... but there's truth in it...

Both of my bikes are hardtails but I can tell you, to ride, they couldn't be more different.

The Molotov with triple clamp Drop Offs is about 16.5 kilos and feels every single gram of it. It's easy to get over the back of and built ultra strong and ultra stiff (the frame was designed for 4x and dual slalom). There's zero flex in the system anywhere and you can really feel that there's no flex. (gee, that's why I own a Moots seatpost I guess)

I can definitely feel in changing to the ARC that the power delivery isn't as direct but the ride is alot smoother. I was truly being punished in the rough sections on the latter part of the course at last year's Mont 24 riding the Molotov. When the back hit something, CRACK! my legs felt it straight away. The ARC seems to damp out the leading edge of the impact. Don't really know how, not sure if it's the chainstays or what.

Gotta get to work, otherwise they won't let me flex off in the afternoon and go riding!