Loads of places sell ISCG adapter plates that you just screw inbound of your BB in place of a spacer. Obviously, if you have no spacer you may end up fucking with your chainline or crank so have a check.
That said chainrings are pretty strong as long as you aren’t using the XX1 SL ones.
I have a FM936 - Its never gonna feel as fast as a carbon hardtail & depends on your local trails. Here in Ireland, XC includes some really technical sections and a more ‘trail’ orientated bike suits better. The Yeti ARC a popular one here and a lot of the fastest guys are riding that. The stack of this bike is really high but doesn’t stop people from winning the national champs, getting KOM’s up or down…
I’ve built my FM936 as a do-it-all short travel trail bike but lots of people love the bike as a XC race bike. All i’d say is that bike is very long and low (suits a shorter stem IMO), so if you intend to run a 60-90mm stem maybe size down.
Overall quality of the bike is great - you shouldn’t worry about it being from china; customer service has been great too.
Other things to note
BSA - great!
Tyre Clearence - Probably could fit 2.5s from and back
Hardware - not the best (buy lots of spares)
Pivot bearings - all standard spec, can easily be services and changed
Shock - Difficulty finding lock-out for a shock that fits
Thanks for this! And does this adapter work with a chainguide too?? I’d love a chainguide.
It’s not the chainring I am too worried about its more scraping my chain - I know it only a 20-30 euro replacement but I like to have a bike that feels bombproof!
Honestly, I think you’re overthinking it. A bike like that doesn’t need a chain guide or a bash guard unless your chain is too long or drivetrain badly set up.
The impacts you take aren’t going to be hard enough and frankly I’d rather bend a chain than send all of that impact through the BB shell on a questionably QC’d Chinese carbon frame, especially if you’re only buying 20E chain.
I put a bash on my enduro race bike for big mountain off-piste stuff, but even before that I hit plenty of rocks at pace. And - I put hollow bolts in there so as to not snap the BB mounts in a proper terminal impact They are pretty strong areas.
Anyway, have fun!
I’m riding a Vitus Rapids which is essentially an FM936. Mine’s the 100mm rear version and I sized down to L instead of XL.
It fits great and is very, very racey. The geo is a massive up tick. I possibly would go the XL if I had the choice again, but there’s something to be said for the shorter wheelbase on climbs.
Agree with all this
I don’t think I’d clear a 2.5" tyre on the rear of my bike (and have room for stones/dirt).
I got a 77designs chain guide but have never needed it with my Garbaruk ring.
Hi, is anyone about 6’1" and ride a Large Santa Cruz Blur. I am thinking about picking one up but not sure if I would be better with a large or a x-large frame. I rode a large and it felt ok but am interested in others who may have had to two chose between the two frame sizes which way you went and if you had any regrets.
Hey man, I have been on an XL blur TR since January. Im just over 6”1 with somewhat short inseam. I’d say the XL is the better bet. The only adjustment I made was a shorter stem and slightly narrower bars, and I think it fits great now. I think the large would be too small, and wouldn’t handle as well. I ride very technical and steep trails in the PNW, so maybe if you are riding smoother flowier trails the large would be better. Let me know any questions, I absolutely love this bike!
Thanks that’s good info and encouraging to hear that the bike is capable on technical stuff, I am just under 6’1 with a long inseam and plan to ride smoother trails with occasional technical sections. I am looking for a bike that would be good for XC marathon races where I would be in the saddle for 6 or 7 hours.
FWIW, I’m 5’ 7” with a long inseam (typically a 31 inch inseam in most pants), and I ride a medium Blur TR.
Inseam probably suggests you’re an XL. So the question is, is the reach of a large or an XL better for your upper body…?
You’re at a medium point between them. I’m 6 even, and I have a Rocky Mountain element, which is close to a xl blur. For flat racing, I think the large would be better, but for my location and style, I would pick the xl. The xl will require more attention and aggression to be good, where as the large will be more inherently balanced, but won’t feel quite as good on tech. It won’t be a huge difference, but definitely noticeable.
If you use the xc setup, I think that would work better in a large, as the smaller fork and desired handling will balance better in a large.
If you keep the yeti and like how it handles, I’d get large. It will handle closer, and as a specific xc race bike will work great
I am 6’1" with long legs and arms. I have a 2019 SC Blur and decided on the XL. The bike fits perfectly and I am glad I didn’t go large.
Thanks for the feedback. I am leaning towards the large but have a lot to think about based on everyone’s inputs.
Buy a 20mm longer -17 stem and see how your current bike feels
I had the Element through most of the 2022 and 2023 season and it’s one of my favorite bikes but definitely felt more trail than XC to me. Not to say it’s not equally as fast as something sharper but if you’re courses are flat or tight (like our XCO courses) it was a lot of bike but for our races here in Oregon with long fire road climbs and then single track descents it was amazing. It was a littttle soft on the pedals but I ran less sag which helped and I only noticed the lack of snap compared to DW bikes when it was punchy XCO races. I sold that bike this summer and still miss it a lot.
Determined to get an OIz in September, I’m getting increasingly attracted to the new Supercaliber. I need SRAM as I have a SRAM Stages PM, but the UK 9.7 Spec is AXS, but has a Reba RL Fork. To a get the SID that I’d prefer, would be another £1k and XT making the PM redundant.
The question is, is the Reba with MoCo as bad as I think it is, bad enough that spending £5k on a bike that includes it is a silly thing to do?
The obvious answer is to ask the Shop to swap the forks out and I pay the costs of course…
What’s don’t you like about the Reba RL?
I don’t know, thats why I’m asking. Obviously its a step down from the SID, but I don’t know how stiffness, damping & quality compares. You’d assume that because its a step down, its worse in some way.
