Still Singing Strong!

It’s been a few weeks now, and although I haven’t gotten the chance to radically “experiment” with the Song, I’ve put in a ton of hours and had a lot of fun. So with one month to go until show time, I figured I’d put together my thoughts on the bike I hope will take me to the podium …

Trial by fire: It’s kind of hard to believe, but I’ve only had three trail training rides on the Song so far. I’ve ridden it to and from work on the Lakefront Path as well, but otherwise my time has been spent doing what the Song does best: racing as fast as possible, for as long as possible. From my first ride at New Fane until now, I’ve only made one set of minor adjustments, moving my brake and shift levers to a slightly more aggressive position.

What I like: There’s a lot to like about the Song. I’ve been able to get it out onto a variety of trails, and while it hasn’t completely erased my weaknesses, I can definitely say it ups my game in every category. It was fun getting it out to 9 Mile this weekend – the Song ate up the course and made it even more fun than it already is.

And before I get into the handling, a word about the finish: incredible. The powdercoat is beautiful, and the detail work on the lugs is stunning. This is one cool-looking bike!

Strengths: When I talked to him this winter, Brendan likened the Song to “a hardtail with the edge taken off.” That has proven to be absolutely true – the Song excels in situations where a hardtail makes sense. Trails with short, punchy climbs, long pedal sections and buff singletrack – 9 Mile, Kettle – are perfect for this bike, as the stable handling and the ability to stand and jam are key strengths.

That’s not to say it’s not good in the rough stuff. The “edge” is taken off by the 29er front wheel and the Cane Creek damper in the rear, and braking bumps and other small trail features are softened without losing the feel of the trail. This contributes heavily to the feel of the bike over the long haul – even though you’re “only” getting 1-1/2in. of travel, this is a bike that can go all day (and all night!) and not beat the crap out of you.

Another big plus is that this bike is super-stable. My guess is that it’s a function of the frame design + geometry + the large front wheel contact patch, but this is one of the straightest-tracking bikes I’ve ever ridden – road or mountain. No-handed and one-handed riding while eating and drinking is no problem, even on slightly rough trails, and the head and seat angles give you a sort of motocross bike feel that is very confidence-inspiring when the trail opens up and you can motor.

This also holds true for momentum sections – this bike holds its momentum very (very!) well, and was a ton of fun to ride “single speed” out at Kettle. I’ve gotten to where I look forward to getting near someone on a climb so I can get past them and bomb a descent – just to put time on them! (Even rough descents are no problem, although I don’t know about huge drops and the like, you’d have to treat them more like you would a hardtail.)

Tight and twisty: One of the biggest arguments against big hoops is that 29ers aren’t as nimble as their slightly smaller cousins. I’m beginning to think that’s coming mostly from the retro-grouch/never-ridden-a-29er-in-my-life crowd – Brendan’s frame design takes advantage of the “Fifty-Five” mixed-wheel format to produce a capable player when the trails turn tight.

As with a hardtail, line choice is important in tight stuff (especially loose switchbacks), but I have yet to encounter a situation where I feel like I would be better off with a smaller front wheel. If anything, I’ve actually had the opposite reaction – the larger contact patch of the 29er front wheel has saved me from a couple of questionable line choices, especially on switchback climbs. I think the quick acceleration of the 26er rear helps out here, and up-and-overs (like at 9 Mile!) are so much more fun!

As I noted in my L-T report, I’m not a huge fan of riding through trees, but that’s more a function of my handlebar width than anything else. If anything, the increased height of the front end is a distinct advantage in your visibility of the trail ahead, and there are times when the increased clearance has saved me.

Challenges: Is there anything I’d change? No way. I’ve gotten used to the water bottle placements, and they work well to keep the center of gravity low. The bottom bracket height contributes to this by staying low but being sufficiently high – although I have a personal need to learn to not bash my chainring into log crossings, and to not try to pedal through some corners with big stumps. (So if you hear me do so, don’t blame the bike!) Standover height is perfect, and my initial feeling of the bike being “big” wore off by the second ride.

That said, there are a couple of things I need to get used to, and more experimentation will help here. I haven’t yet found exact tire pressures – 30psi f/r was perfect at Lumberjack, but too high for Levis Trow. I run a Karma up front and a Small Block Eight in the rear – the increased contact patch and knobs up front can be a slight mis-match for the rear if the pressures aren’t right, leading to a firm planting of the front even while the rear is a bit loose. This is most evident on tight slalom sections, especially with loose sand (Levis), and since the bike has a slight front bias it can be a bit disconcerting.

That forward bias isn’t bad, but it is noticeable at times. Especially while standing and climbing, you need to make sure to have your weight back to keep the back wheel in contact with the ground. The cool thing is, the front is planted so firmly that on slick up-and-overs if you spin your rear tire you’re still balanced well enough to get out of it with just a slight push forward.

If there’s one situation I found challenging so far, it’s this: This bike does not reward overly-cautious riding. It wants to go fast, and carry its momentum as much as possible. That’s not to say it can’t handle slow riding (it does -- it's balanced and very stable at low speeds), but it’s more at home motoring along and whipping down the trail.

What do I mean? I’m not a big fan of wet, rooty sections of trail like the lowland part of Levis Trow. And while the 29er front wheel and rear damper of the Song normally eat up trail chatter and braking bumps for breakfast, if you’re in the middle of momentum-sucking mud and roots, you may find yourself getting pogo-ed around a bit, unless you’re attacking it aggressively.

After the first lap, during which I did attack it, I got cautious after my crash and that section of trail made me feel like I was on a hardtail. Even though the 29er front rolled over some of the roots that would have stopped a 26er cold, it didn’t exactly make me feel like I was on Main Street. A lot of that was probably me and my style of riding, and would be that way on any bike, but it’s a reminder of the limitations of a purpose-built endurance racing machine. (Doesn’t everything smooth out, the faster you go?) That said, even though I felt the bumps while I was down there, I finished the race pretty fresh for having ridden so many rocks, roots and new-cut trail.

Conclusion: If I had any doubts at all about the awesomeness of the Song, all it took was seven or eight minutes at 9 Mile to erase them. That’s about how long it takes to get from the parking lot/start area to the end of the first singletrack (Section 8), and I knew as we made the left-hander back onto the widetrack that working with Brendan was the right choice for me. I couldn’t wipe the smile off my face at that moment, and indeed through the whole lap – This is the perfect bike to attack 24 hours of National Championship racing, while at the same time providing a fun platform for cross-country events and all-day epics anywhere I may ride. Just one month to go!