Rod B.
E*POWAH Master
2025 Pivot Shuttle All Mountain, Pro XO Model
Color: Badlands Brown
Stock XO Pro Website Picture
Stock Specifications:
Over the past 25 years of riding, I know what I want in a bike and how I want my cockpit and suspension setup. I average close to 3,000 miles a year and go through bikes fairly quickly. Unfortunately, most bike manufactuers will not sell just a frame to the rider.
I have a very good relationship with my local bike shop. I purchased the Pivot AM, new for $8,500. My bike shop buys all of my new bike take offs., i.e. fork, shock, brakes, wheels, etc. They also discount price and install, any components that I purchase from the shop to replace the take-offs.
On past bikes, I've used the Rockshox ZEB and Deluxe. Rockshox products are good. Because of my prosthetic ankle, I currently prefer the Fox Grip X2 and Float X2 as I can get a better tuned suspension that won't beat the absolute crap out of my ankle. For this bike build, I was trying to reach a total weight of 49 pounds. I made it, just barely at 49 lbs, 10 ounces. Had I gone with a conventional SRAM Eagle cable shift, I could possibly have reached 48 pounds.
I absolutely love this bike, it does everything well, 90% of the time. I'm giving myself a 10% penalty for bone headed errors which were not the bike's fault.
First Ride Pictures
How it looks now...So much fun....
Much of my riding takes place on very rocky terrain that will absolutely damage the frame if the bike gets laid down on a crash.
Zen & The Art of Motorcycle Maintenance Trails, Saint George Utah
It's been my experience that clear films, such as Ride-Wrap will not hold up to a hard rock strike. I've also tried other types of frame protection i.e., 3M paint protection tape, Helicopter Tape, etc. I still use these films for custom applications where as an example, I want the bike logo to show.
However, for areas where the bike receives a lot of abuse and I'm not worried about looks, i.e. inner chain and seat stays, outside chain and seat stays, I use an extremely robust frame protection that will hold up to hard rock strikes. There is a company on Amazon, "Safe Way Traction", that sells a 'Rubberized Stair Tread" tape. You can buy it in various widths and lengths. I prefer to use the 1 inch x 60 feet roll, which sells for $24. You can do a lot of bikes with 60 feet of tape.
The rubberized, non-grit, stair tread tape is tough, thick, flexible, bends well, adheres well, and can be easily removed and new tape applied if the old tape becomes damaged. The product is easy to trim to any configuration needed. Most importantly, it's a robust frame protection that will hold up to most, but not all, hard rock strikes. If you can get past the black rubber, bed-liner look, I very much recommend the product as frame protection.
I have a large plate of glass and Exacto knife set which I use to cut the material
I will layer the tape side to side, to form a wider area. Depicted is the inside chain stay at the front of the triangle.
My 2022 Levo carbon comp had a matte black finish. My ride shorts would rub on the top tube and buff the matte finish. I applied the tread tape to the top tube and chain/seat strays to protect the paint. The stuff isn't all that pretty, but it gets the job done. After 3,200 hard miles the frame looked like new when I sold the bike.
I hope you enjoyed this post.
Be safe,
Rod
Color: Badlands Brown
Stock XO Pro Website Picture
Stock Specifications:
Over the past 25 years of riding, I know what I want in a bike and how I want my cockpit and suspension setup. I average close to 3,000 miles a year and go through bikes fairly quickly. Unfortunately, most bike manufactuers will not sell just a frame to the rider.
I have a very good relationship with my local bike shop. I purchased the Pivot AM, new for $8,500. My bike shop buys all of my new bike take offs., i.e. fork, shock, brakes, wheels, etc. They also discount price and install, any components that I purchase from the shop to replace the take-offs.
On past bikes, I've used the Rockshox ZEB and Deluxe. Rockshox products are good. Because of my prosthetic ankle, I currently prefer the Fox Grip X2 and Float X2 as I can get a better tuned suspension that won't beat the absolute crap out of my ankle. For this bike build, I was trying to reach a total weight of 49 pounds. I made it, just barely at 49 lbs, 10 ounces. Had I gone with a conventional SRAM Eagle cable shift, I could possibly have reached 48 pounds.
I absolutely love this bike, it does everything well, 90% of the time. I'm giving myself a 10% penalty for bone headed errors which were not the bike's fault.
First Ride Pictures
How it looks now...So much fun....
Much of my riding takes place on very rocky terrain that will absolutely damage the frame if the bike gets laid down on a crash.
Zen & The Art of Motorcycle Maintenance Trails, Saint George Utah
It's been my experience that clear films, such as Ride-Wrap will not hold up to a hard rock strike. I've also tried other types of frame protection i.e., 3M paint protection tape, Helicopter Tape, etc. I still use these films for custom applications where as an example, I want the bike logo to show.
However, for areas where the bike receives a lot of abuse and I'm not worried about looks, i.e. inner chain and seat stays, outside chain and seat stays, I use an extremely robust frame protection that will hold up to hard rock strikes. There is a company on Amazon, "Safe Way Traction", that sells a 'Rubberized Stair Tread" tape. You can buy it in various widths and lengths. I prefer to use the 1 inch x 60 feet roll, which sells for $24. You can do a lot of bikes with 60 feet of tape.
The rubberized, non-grit, stair tread tape is tough, thick, flexible, bends well, adheres well, and can be easily removed and new tape applied if the old tape becomes damaged. The product is easy to trim to any configuration needed. Most importantly, it's a robust frame protection that will hold up to most, but not all, hard rock strikes. If you can get past the black rubber, bed-liner look, I very much recommend the product as frame protection.
I have a large plate of glass and Exacto knife set which I use to cut the material
I will layer the tape side to side, to form a wider area. Depicted is the inside chain stay at the front of the triangle.
My 2022 Levo carbon comp had a matte black finish. My ride shorts would rub on the top tube and buff the matte finish. I applied the tread tape to the top tube and chain/seat strays to protect the paint. The stuff isn't all that pretty, but it gets the job done. After 3,200 hard miles the frame looked like new when I sold the bike.
I hope you enjoyed this post.
Be safe,
Rod
