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Following my thread about wheel choices, I think I am now pretty much nailed down on the spec for my new 'down-country' charger build.
Having sold my Lynskey Bootleg HD and Radon Slide 160 carbon with a view to replacing '2 with 1', earlier this week, I took delivery of a new Transition Smuggler Carbon NX. Having read the reviews, I concluded that the bike was ideal for me, but I needed to sort out the negatives which were mainly related to low-spec choice and high weight. As I got a killer deal on the bike purchase, I felt justified in spending some more money to get the bike exactly how I want. I guess I could recoup a chunk by selling all the bit I take off (which are new and totally unused), or simply put them on another frame.
Here is the spec:-
* Transition Smuggler Carbon frame - size large (140/120mm travel with boost spacing and short fork offset)
* Rockshox 'Pike Ultimate Charger 2.1 RC2' 140mm fork (this will actually start life as the supplied Revelation RC fork and then have the MoCo swapped out for the latest Charter 2.1 RC2 damper setiup with SKF seals which will make it exactly the same as the Pike Ultimate).
* Rockshox Delux RT rear shock (as supplied - I may change this in time).
Full Sram Eagle GX groupset with XG-1275 cassette, 170mm cranks (for better ground clearance), 32t chainring (may swap down to a 30t if I head to the hills) and KMC gold chain.
* Sram G2 RSC 4-pots brakes with 180mm centreline rotors
* Shimano XT PD-M8120 Trail pedals
* Hope Pro 4 hubs with Stans Arch Mk3 rims and DT revs spokes
* Maxxis Minion DHF/DHR Exo tyres (planning to swap them out of Forekasters or something else faster rolling for XC duties).
* Raceface Aefect dropper post (as supplied)
* Raceface Silverado Comp saddle (as supplied, but actually my usual saddle of choice anyway!)
* Raceface Aefect R 35 40mm stem (as supplied - no real point in swapping this out)
* Renthal Fatbar Carbon Lite 760mm 30mm rise bars (less than half the weight of the supplied bars)
* DMR Death Grips
That little lot should save well over a kilo from the bike (more if I play around with the tyres), which should deal with the shortcomings of the standard build.
Not a cheap way to do things, and I will end up spending a little more than just buying a Canyon Neuron CF with carbon wheels and XO1, but I love the Transition Bikes ethos and 'throw me at anything' attitude.
All the bits are now working their way across various parts of Europe to the UK to be put together. The only weak link in the chain is that I am still stuck out here in Madeira (not terrible as I have my Canyon Strive CF7.0 out here and the trails are fantastic) with no immediate signs of getting home.
Hope you all approve (I'm sure you won't)
I will post pics 'when' I make it home 🙂
Sweet, I’d like to see it. I bought the alloy Smuggler frameset in 2016 with a Pike and its to this day one of my best ever bike purchases. I’m not sure about that tyre choice, but everything else looks good. I think the bike needs an aggressive tyre on the front for cornering, and a lower rolling resistance tyre on the back makes a difference.
Good luck!
Sweet, I’d like to see it. I bought the alloy Smuggler frameset in 2016 with a Pike and its to this day one of my best ever bike purchases. I’m not sure about that tyre choice, but everything else looks good. I think the bike needs an aggressive tyre on the front for cornering, and a lower rolling resistance tyre on the back makes a difference.
Good luck!
yes, the tyres are still very much up for debate. On the Radon I was running Hans Dampf and Rock Razor all year round and that worked really well. Out here in Madeira, the Strive is running DHR and Minion SS which is awesome in the dry, but it can get properly slippery over here when it rains or you up in the clouds (in which case, i just don't ride). I could just get a Minion SS to run on the back with the DHF up front, but i would like to drop some more rotating mass and have something much less draggy for the XC end of things (which will be a majority of the riding as i am based in the New Forest). I could maybe go Ardent and Ardent Race or Ikon rear.... still plenty of time to work that one out!
Nice build, hope you get to ride it soon!
I run a DHF on the front and an Agressor on the rear of my Smuggler. Perfect fit and forget combo.
Congrats and welcome to the Smuggler club and as said above it is one of those bikes you just tend to hang on too as the travel numbers really don't classify this bike properly. Its the one bike in my quiver that I gravitate the most to when heading out, always putting a smile on my face.
I concur regarding the maximum grip up front with a semi slick on the rear. If I could recommend you try a Magic Mary on the front with a Rock Razor on the rear.
Slight hijack - sorry.
Anyone moved from an old pre-17 Smuggler to the newer geometry with different for offset? Just wondering if there was much difference in how it rides.
Not tempted to swap my 2017 Smuggler just yet. Apart from a bit of heft, it's great.
Now sorted the tyres. it seems the smuggler has a big issue regarding clearance in the rear, so choices are severely limited.
I'm going to a Minion DHR II on the front in 2.3" EXO 3C Maxx Terra guise and then a 2.3" Minion SS on the back in EXO Dual+ Silkworm guise.
The Minion SS has a very low knob height, so should give a bit more breathing space in the rear triangle and also roll nice and fast. The DHR is lighter than the equivalent DHF so should help a bit in the general quest for weight loss against 'burly' ability.
I will still have the original DHR and DHF EXO (non Maxx Terra) tyres so can go DHF/DHR or DHR/DHR when the weather gets really terrible.
Next up, it's on to the Grips... lol... My bars are 760mm which is a tad narrower than I would prefer (780mm is ideal for me). Toying between Death Grips or Ergon GE1 Evos. The Ergons naturally place your hands further outboard so feel wider. I'm pretty sure I can run either set 5-10mm out from the bar ends without issue (as they are properly sleaved) which will take me to 780mm.
I do love a bit of arm-chair parts buying... Not the cheapest hobby in the world, but you learn so much more about bikes and geometry than walking into a bike shop and saying 'that one looks nice, I'll take it).
My go to set-up for my Smuggler is 2.3 HR front and a 2.25 Ardent rear, or a 2.35 Ikon rear for when its bone dry