1/5/2024 0 Comments Savage xr reddit![]() Axles: Boost 110x15mm front, Boost 148x12mm rear.Cassette: Shimano Deore XT M8000, 11-46t.Fork: Fox 36 Float FIT4 Factory, 170mm / 6.7in travel, 46mm offset.Frame: Custom T45 chromoly steel, 160mm / 6.3in travel.Those hand-polished tubes and Brian’s immaculate fillet brazing made me feel guilty about getting the Curtis dirty, but the tubular artistry really comes alive on the trail Mick Kirkman / Immediate Media There’s no head shake or tank slap if you really slam the bike either. The front and rear ends definitely have some flow and twist between them when pushing hard but they never become disconnected. On some bikes we have to spend ages tweaking the independent high- and low-speed rebound and compression settings of this damper, but I hit the sweet spot on the XR650 in just a few minutes - a testament to the massive experience of the Curtis crew, which elevates the ride of this bike.Įven Hope’s tough but sometimes unresponsive wheels can’t stop the obvious ‘warmth’ and vitality of the frame shining through, but switching to lighter carbon wheels released more of the pure steel feel, making it a joy to load up through corners or drive out the far side, with the subtle compliance of the mid-length rear end and the muscular pivot-points keeping the rear wheel connected.īut Curtis never let that flex and twang get out of hand. ![]() The kinematics of the frame suit the Fox X2 shock perfectly too. The suspension action of the XR650 is fluid and there’s still enough pedal pull-back to reward power injection through the braced back end, but it doesn’t butt into blunt edges or hang up on roots and rocks. The main pivot is ideally placed for a lively, interactive feel that brings out the best in Fox’s highly-adjustable X2 shock Mick Kirkman / Immediate Media I might choose more responsive wheels than the smooth and durable Hopes, though, as well as a bigger front brake rotor and wider bar. The kit mostly showcases the frame really well, with the quieter, lighter feel of the Shimano transmission (compared to SRAM) suiting the subtle spring of the steel. Most XR650 frames are built into full bikes by their owners but Curtis also sells the complete build tested here. If you want a longer bike or you’re a 40ft-gap-sending savage like team rider Jim Davage, then Brian and Gary will add stiffer/stronger tubing at no extra cost. There are four standard sizes but all bikes are made to order, so you can customise the head tube length and angle, frame height and length, as well as choose ‘stealth’ or standard dropper routing and full outer or stop/start cable routing. It’s definitely the best way to appreciate the artistry in Brian’s unique multi-layered, rippled fillet-brazing. Instead of one of Curtis’s 14 paint finishes, an extra £150 (to cover hand-polishing time) gets the stunning clear powder-coated finish here. At 3.8kg without shock, the frame is also a kilo heavier than most carbon rivals. There’s room for up to 2.8in rear tyres between the stays and behind the kinked seat tube, but even with (admittedly big) 2.35in Schwalbe tyres, the Curtis already has a relatively high bottom bracket. The big, chunky, replaceable alloy rear mech hanger arm is a micron-perfect fit. Frame numbers are personalised and you can have up to eight numbers or letters cut into the mounting plates for the long-stroke (63mm) rear shock Mick Kirkman / Immediate Media
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