Monthly Archives: July 2014

Moots Quick Review

How do I like my recently-built MootoX YBB?  I’ve been meaning to write up a 4-month review, but in a sentence: I love everything about my it.  I’ll keep the rest brief for now:

XX1
I don’t find myself missing the extra gears of a 2×10. I started with a 34t ring and it sufficed for nearly every ride. Only after 10 hours in the saddle would I want lower gears on the steep climbs. Since stopping my TD training, I swapped to a 30t ring for the lower option on rides like this:

I spin out a few MPH sooner than before (~25 MPH), but have a much lower granny for easier climbing.

The only downside to XX1 (besides price) is the rear cassette has noticeable bigger jumps between gears. Sometimes I’ll be riding and can’t find the right gear. Either I’ll spin too fast or mash too hard. It’s less noticeable with the 30t – the jumps may be the same percentage, but the absolute difference is smaller.

Lefty
The Lefty fork is awesome. Anyone who asks about it gets the whole speech about how roller bearings are far superior to stanchions. The fork hasn’t undergone any maintenance since being rebuilt just prior to me purchasing it. Put it on my list. One time I went a few weeks without riding it and noticed the first compression was a bit sticky. But that never happens with regular use. The lock-out mechanism is extremely solid, too.

YBB
The YBB definitely does…something. I see it compressing slightly under hard pedal strokes even on pavement. I can’t really watch it when on the trail, obviously. I’d be really curious to ride a clone of my bike, but a non-YBB version to see if I notice the difference. You’re not supposed to lock it out (it could damage the slider), but maybe I’ll give it a try for one less intense ride.

Overall, I love the bike. I hope it lasts years and years.