Demo day.
Cannondale Trigger 3 and Pivot Mach 5.5
@Tricia and I spent the morning on the on the Pivot Mach 5.5 and Cannondale Trigger 3, and we both had a great time. We headed down to Carson City to the Clear Creek trail with a friend that lives nearby; this trail is a gradual climb for a couple of miles. Part of this experiment is to see if we do want e-bikes or if a modern "all-mountain" one-by will be enough to get us out riding. Both bikes are mediums, which seems to work for both of us: Tricia is on the smaller end of the medium range and I am on the larger end. For a comparison, Tricia took the Trigger small out a couple of days prior and it felt too small, and I had tried the Monterra (similar geometry) in a large, and it just felt cumbersome. Another point of reference is that the Specialized bikes I had in the past were 18" or medium.
Tricia started the day on the Pivot and I on the Cannondale. About 3 miles in, we switched without discussing our experiences; after another couple of miles, we stopped and compared notes. It really wasn't an apples-to-apples comparison in that the Cannondale has a list price around $4K and the Pivot is over $7K. In reality, the Pivot is not an option for us based strictly on price; if the Mach had blown either of us away, we would look at a lower-priced version such as the Mach 6. There is no question that Pivot makes a great bike, and the Mach is no exception, but price aside, the feel of the Pivot didn't resonate with either Tricia or me the same way one brand or model of ski doesn't float someone's boat. It felt heavy and a bit more disconnected than the Cannondale. The ride position was also a little different in that the seating position was a bit more upright with the pedals feeling a little more under my feet, and I felt it took a bit more to pedal both comfortably and efficiently.
The Cannondale Trigger felt perfectly comfortable from the first pedal stroke. I had tried the Jekyll, which had just too much slack in fork, and then I tried the Habit 6 (but a lower-priced one at $2K), and it just felt like a bike. The Trigger was fun and responsive more like a 90mm ski versus a 100mm ski. The shorter rear stays on the Trigger made the bike extremely responsive, and both Tricia and I had the same opinion of the Trigger and agreed that if we had to buy something today, we would be happy with a Trigger.
Where does this leave us and e-bikes? Well, they are absolutely still on the table, as are other options. Additionally, we have been talking to bike manufacturers to get more bikes to review. We are starting with those that are both ski and bike brands so we can help create awareness. In September, we will be going to Interbike to preview the following year's bikes and have reports from the floor like we do at SIA. So, expect more bike reviews and talk here as we are looking to host bike discussion that mirrors what we do with skiing.
Cannondale Trigger 3 and Pivot Mach 5.5
@Tricia and I spent the morning on the on the Pivot Mach 5.5 and Cannondale Trigger 3, and we both had a great time. We headed down to Carson City to the Clear Creek trail with a friend that lives nearby; this trail is a gradual climb for a couple of miles. Part of this experiment is to see if we do want e-bikes or if a modern "all-mountain" one-by will be enough to get us out riding. Both bikes are mediums, which seems to work for both of us: Tricia is on the smaller end of the medium range and I am on the larger end. For a comparison, Tricia took the Trigger small out a couple of days prior and it felt too small, and I had tried the Monterra (similar geometry) in a large, and it just felt cumbersome. Another point of reference is that the Specialized bikes I had in the past were 18" or medium.
Tricia started the day on the Pivot and I on the Cannondale. About 3 miles in, we switched without discussing our experiences; after another couple of miles, we stopped and compared notes. It really wasn't an apples-to-apples comparison in that the Cannondale has a list price around $4K and the Pivot is over $7K. In reality, the Pivot is not an option for us based strictly on price; if the Mach had blown either of us away, we would look at a lower-priced version such as the Mach 6. There is no question that Pivot makes a great bike, and the Mach is no exception, but price aside, the feel of the Pivot didn't resonate with either Tricia or me the same way one brand or model of ski doesn't float someone's boat. It felt heavy and a bit more disconnected than the Cannondale. The ride position was also a little different in that the seating position was a bit more upright with the pedals feeling a little more under my feet, and I felt it took a bit more to pedal both comfortably and efficiently.
The Cannondale Trigger felt perfectly comfortable from the first pedal stroke. I had tried the Jekyll, which had just too much slack in fork, and then I tried the Habit 6 (but a lower-priced one at $2K), and it just felt like a bike. The Trigger was fun and responsive more like a 90mm ski versus a 100mm ski. The shorter rear stays on the Trigger made the bike extremely responsive, and both Tricia and I had the same opinion of the Trigger and agreed that if we had to buy something today, we would be happy with a Trigger.
Where does this leave us and e-bikes? Well, they are absolutely still on the table, as are other options. Additionally, we have been talking to bike manufacturers to get more bikes to review. We are starting with those that are both ski and bike brands so we can help create awareness. In September, we will be going to Interbike to preview the following year's bikes and have reports from the floor like we do at SIA. So, expect more bike reviews and talk here as we are looking to host bike discussion that mirrors what we do with skiing.