East Coast Rider Review

Rider review from our friend over in the East Coast:

         Here are some pics of my F5 and my custom HX2.  The F5 had me leading the Gravity East Series with only the final race to go when I slammed into another rider during practice and broke my wrist.  What helped me get through the six months of surgeries and rehab was slowly building my new training bike.  I wanted to go with mostly white accessories, Truvativ helped out with the stem and bar combo, high rise for the DHer's.  I couldn't find white single speed cranks anywhere so I enlisted the help of my local speed shop and had my Stylo's powdercoated.  I figure in order to counteract the weight I added I will eat one less double cheeseburger this week.  Wheels were a custom build from Orion Cycles, Stan's No Tubes, Hope Pro II hubs, DT Swiss spokes and red nipples.  Chumba gets credit for the sweet frame.  I was able to ride this bike twice before MD got 3' of snow dumped on us and it was a spectacular ride.  Compared to my old 29er this bike is a dream, I am once again able to manual, bunnyhop and jump my XC bike.  

        Before the F5, I was riding a Kona Stab and it was like riding a Cadillac, buttery smooth, plush and could plow through anything.  However, the weight and pedaling capacity of this bike was lacking.  Once on the F5 I could immediately feel the difference in the pedaling and response of the rear suspension.  My first race on this bike left me sad and brokenhearted, 7 flat tires in a row.  I couldn't make down the trail at Massanutten, VA for anything.  I tried running a 2.7 Intense on my race run and flatted on a smooth gravel section right out of the gate.  On to the US Open, my first year racing in 2008 I got 35th in the amateur class, not bad for my 2nd downhill race ever, but the handling of Chumba on the brutal rocks of Diablo helped me to a 6th place finish in 2009 and I blew the berm coming into the flat pedally field.  I spent the rest of the summer following the Gravity East Series and was on the podium every time minus the flat tire incident.  Can't wait 'till this race season gets underway.  

Tom S.