A quick play today of mixed terrain and pushing some climbs (heat/sweat testing body armour).
Did my "tyre drag" test segment. Maxed at 66.7km/h Average 45.9 - I did push, but was aware that I didn't want to fall off ! The bike was certainly the most steady/controllable it's ever been going down there. Interestingly, my fastest time on the e-wilds (2.6/2.8) is with an average of 47.8 km/h - but a max of 64.5. So make of that what you will. I have hit 69 on the e-wilds once there, but had a huge slide/toilet moment at one point so wasn't the fastest time. DHR/DHF in 2.8 would max at about 63.
Just for
@MrTeno2U I did a climb called "Mud Bath" .. This tight zig zag was built a couple of years ago, in theory for horses/bikes/people to get up a steep section. For some reason, the company that built it didn't build it where it was marked out so it's just a goopy muddy pile of crap all year. Even now in a drought and 35 degrees - Mud bath doesn't let you down as a hippopotamus sanctuary. 20cm thick yuk, though a couple of corners had dried off into just mud and not goop - so managed my fastest time coming up there.
My poor clean bike ...
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In terms of traction, they felt great, no spinning. I can normally get up there in the wilds, but they'll spin a bit and then bite. I tried to avoid the worst bits, but where you had no choice they just pulled through. I guess being narrower helped as they just cut down through the mud.
Did another fast downhill with an extra segment tacked on the end where you exit and continue down a lumpy and very loose fire road, totally lost it on the gravel going too fast here once and ended up in the trees. Felt like I was taking it easy again, the bike just felt relaxed, stable, nothing threw it off line, corners were a bit like straights and way easier than normal to change line. - Fastest on both of these.
At the end, did the same Downhill section as two days ago. Tried a bit harder at the start, was knackered and messing up so relaxed and just let the bike do it's thing - exactly the same time.
I quite like them. I think the two main things still leaping out for a "Tank Commander" are the stability and the ease of direction changing.