REVIEWS DEALS BIKESHOPS TRAILS

'Blade review (after a year)

2777 Views 29 Replies 18 Participants Last post by rprice, Aug 10, 2006

Penn State

Discussion Starter · Jul 13, 2006

Well i've now owned my switchblade for about a year now. So here is my indepth report on what i think of the bike. The honeymoon is finally over, and the real deal has set in.

What i think of it.

It is a decent bike for trail riding, but there are some huge flaws that see. First off, the chainline on the bike is horrible. In order to get around the rear triange the bottom bracket needs to be pretty wide. This throws the chainline into a dizzy. I have the narrowest bottom bracket i can have on there with still being able to use my third chainring and it is still too wide. This causes lots of broken chains and chainsuck if i don't keep that in the front of my mind while riding.
Other things about the bike. the talas shock is awesome, being able to choose from different travel levels is really nice, especially since you can do it on the fly. The only problem is that the shock i have on in the front i need to stop to adjust. Ergo to keep geometry in check, i need to stop anyway to adjust travel. No biggie, i stop to catch my breath all the time anyway.

Comfort, it is a very comfortable bike, but that makes me lazy. I take horrible lines when i ride this bike. Now on the hardtail i need to use finesse and be alert, this thing.... My riding partner put it best. "you're a goddamn panzer tank on that bike" Bad thing? not really.

Lastly what i think of the bike overall. It is a good bike, i'm moderately happy when i'm not picking my chain out of the frame. Could it be better? YES. I really didn't expect this froma boutique bike, i expected to get perfection for how much a paid. And this bike just isn't perfect. It really doesn't match my riding style too much, (straight XC). And the pedalling efficiency isn't so great. I bob a lot on this bike, just as much as on some other lower end bikes i've ridden. I kind of wish that there was a trade in policy with titus because i'd rather something different. I'm not saying titus is a bad company, its just that the bike isn't what i thought it would be.
Looking back, i would have been much better off with a racerX. Would i but this bike now knowing what i do? I don't think so. Would i buy another titus? yes most definitely. The crasftmanship on the frame is superb, its just the design that leaves a little bitter taste in my mouth. I do have to say that my hardtail is getting a ton of miles on it because i'd just rather ride it, or the titus is always waiting on a new chain.

But what can you do? eat, breath, ride some more i guess.

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AW_

· #2 · Jul 13, 2006

Penn State said:
It is a decent bike for trail riding, but there are some huge flaws that see. First off, the chainline on the bike is horrible. In order to get around the rear triange the bottom bracket needs to be pretty wide. This throws the chainline into a dizzy. I have the narrowest bottom bracket i can have on there with still being able to use my third chainring and it is still too wide.

What cranks / bb / bb spindle width are you running?

Chris9702l

· #3 · Jul 13, 2006

The Blade

What kind of rear shock are you running? What links? Which crankset. When I read your post I thought back about the chain jumping off. Before I had a XT first generation Hallowtech I crankset. A couple months ago I switched to a XT Hallowtech II and I don't have the problem anymore.

Chris

Warp

· #4 · Jul 13, 2006

I've the chain coming off too... but have been lazy to watch the issue out.

I'm on the same chain since a year now. 8sp one... with a Performance 8sp steel casette and Alivio crankset... all at the recommended specs. 73 X 113. SRAM PC-58 crapola chain.

As I said, I havent checked my chainline and I just remember that I didn't checked for chain lenght when I transplanted parts from the Warp. So, that could be off, even when the only thing different is the frame.

I have this off chains happening when on the middle ring... it doesn't really matter if shifting or not. But the drivetrain has too many things to look at, than I hardly blame it on the frame. However, your appreciation may be spot on. I'll take a further look.

But so far I love it... the suspension bob doesn't hit me much as I pedal low gears seated and I rather have suspension compliance than pure pedaling efficiency. This doesn't make the Blade any better neither means there aren't better bikes... but for a suspension design that dates from 2001 and that still holds its own against newer top end frames, it does remarkably well.

Thanks for sharing, bro!
Are there plans for a two year review?

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Fat Elvis

· #5 · Jul 13, 2006

Penn State said:
It is a decent bike for trail riding, but there are some huge flaws that see. First off, the chainline on the bike is horrible. In order to get around the rear triange the bottom bracket needs to be pretty wide. This throws the chainline into a dizzy. I have the narrowest bottom bracket i can have on there with still being able to use my third chainring and it is still too wide. This causes lots of broken chains and chainsuck if i don't keep that in the front of my mind while riding.

You're probably going to hate this suggestion, but how about dumping your big ring and putting a bashring on? That should solve some of your chain-dropping issues, and make the drivetrain a heck of a lot easier to adjust. Or better yet, blow like 8000 bucks and get a rohloff rear-hub. That'll fix all of your problems.

As far as the xc-thing, what fork do you have on the bike? Do you think you could ride the bike in its short-travel set up (3.7"?) with a 4" front fork and be happier? Maybe you should just get your hands on the normal rocker (3.7 & 4.5", I think) with a regular float shock, and leave it in the short travel config so that you aren't tempted to dial it into a long-travel beast all of the time. Set up for short travel, is it going to be that different from a racer-x? I don't have the answers (never ridden a titus, although I have tracer, which is similar). Switchblades are pretty damn sweet, imo, and it seems like you should be able to adjust it more to your liking.

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Penn State

Discussion Starter · #6 · Jul 13, 2006

I am running the 113mm x 73mm bottom bracket with the old XTR cranks (M-952). I am running the Fox TALAS shock in the rear and the Rock Shox Reba Team in the front. I can dial the talas down to 3.5 and the front to 80mm and thats what i run most of the time.

About using a bash ring...i really like having my large chain ring, i've often thought about a bash ring, but i do spend a ton of time in the big one.

And as for blaming it on the frame. Its not like this was a hasty conclusion. I have a brandnew cassette, chain, and the cranks were fine. Its just that over the past year i've determined it as just the nature of the frame.

And again i'm not saying it isn't a sweet bike. There are just some things that i don't really enjoy about it. But hey, i still ride it quite a bit...so can it be that bad.

A year two review....hmm maybe a racerX review next summer.

Fat Elvis

· #7 · Jul 14, 2006 (Edited)

Well, maybe you could try using an anti-chainsuck device? There are other ones out there, this is just one that I found in poor old Gnarlygig's thread. I'm pretty sure that there are ones out there that mount off of the bottom bracket, in case you don't have room for this one.

Found the one I was looking for: AJ's Frameguard. It looks pretty sweet. This thread shows some photos of one mounted on a Turner.

oweya

· #8 · Jul 14, 2006

I love my 04 Switchblade

I've got two years on my TALAS blade and haven't had any problems with chainline or bobbing. However, I do have a smooth cadence also I am running XT Hollowtech2 for the crankset.

blackagness

· #9 · Jul 14, 2006

The SB is a hard hitting trail bike, one of the best in fact. If someones "only" idea of a good FS bik is an XC type rig, I don't see a SB filling the roll much.

I found a zip tye to be perfect for preventing chain suck. Not that you don't know already, but just in case...

Warp

· #10 · Jul 14, 2006

blackagness said:
I found a zip tye to be perfect for preventing chain suck. Not that you don't know already, but just in case...

Care to elaborate, Blackey?
There are some ignorant people like me on this board and that may benefit from a simple zip-tie fix.

thanks, bro.

Fat Elvis

· #11 · Jul 14, 2006

Warp said:
Care to elaborate, Blackey?
There are some ignorant people like me on this board and that may benefit from a simple zip-tie fix.

thanks, bro.

And thank you for stepping up to the plate for the rest of us.

blackagness

· #12 · Jul 14, 2006

Sure!

Warp said:
Care to elaborate, Blackey?
There are some ignorant people like me on this board and that may benefit from a simple zip-tie fix.

thanks, bro.

Take a zip tye, and put it around your chain stay up near the front chain rings "well about an inch or so off" and it does a really good job of stopping the chain from getting sucked in. At the very least it gives you alot of time to reverse your spin and keep it out.

On the ML right before the chainstay gets thinner is a good spot. Mine is right at the edg of my lizard skin, helping to hold it on better too.

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Warp

· #13 · Jul 14, 2006

blackagness said:
Take a zip tye, and put it around your chain stay up near the front chain rings "well about an inch or so off" and it does a really good job of stopping the chain from getting sucked in. At the very least it gives you alot of time to reverse your spin and keep it out.

On the ML right before the chainstay gets thinner is a good spot. Mine is right at the edg of my lizard skin, helping to hold it on better too.

Thanks, bro!!!

I'll do that! :thumbsup:

Endo Often

· #14 · Jul 15, 2006

Your chain problems sound ugly. I have had my SB for about a year, and have never had the issue you are describing, but I can see where it would be a real *****, as the beefy construction of the chain stay does translate to tight clearances..
Anyway, if Dumond Tech chain lube is available in your area, give it a try. I find it really keeps chain problems to a minimum, and I used to have a lot of chain suck problems on other bikes before I started using it.
The worst I have had on the switchblade was a little bunching up, that could be cleared with a quick back pedal. Even that is basically only when the chain has gotten pretty dirty

Overall, I'm with Warp. The Switchblade may not be perfect, and it certainly isn't the perfect bike for every rider, but in most respects it acquits iself very well. It's true that riding a hardtail requires more finesse, but far from making me lazy, the 'Blade pushes me to try more and more stuff, both up hill and downhill

Big boss man

· #15 · Jul 15, 2006

Setup?

Penn State, after riding two different 'blades for over 3 years it looks the only thing wrong is that you don't know how to properly set up a dual suspension bike. It's totally different than a hardtail

artsn

· #16 · Jul 15, 2006

Racer X?

Does this chainsuck problem occur on the racer-x. I am looking at that bike real hard but if this issue exists I'm taling it off the list.

blackagness

· #17 · Jul 15, 2006

artsn said:
Does this chainsuck problem occur on the racer-x. I am looking at that bike real hard but if this issue exists I'm taling it off the list.

Well, theres only about 10,000,000,000 reviews and write ups on the RX. So go find out. It's only oe of the most highly regarded FS bikes to ever be made.

To answer your Q I've never exp chainsuck riding one, but I've never owned one. I also can't remember it ever being brought up much in anything I've read...

Chris9702l

· #18 · Jul 16, 2006

Recommendation

Ok, ok. I can almost guarantee it is the crankset. I can remember having some chaindrops and alot of chainsuck on the Blade when I was running a XT Hallowtech I crankset. Now that I am running a XT Hallowtech II crankset I have not had a hint of any problems. The only variables are having the bike out in Colorado and lubing after almost every ride vs. having the bike in Minnesota and lubing after a couple rides. Get an new XT crankset and I think you'll be all set.

Chris

Suicider

· #19 · Jul 16, 2006

As far as the bobbing goes, the Switchblade has one of the lowest pedal kickbacks of any bike. The RX and Ellsworth Truth edge it out by about 5%, and the Motolite has about 30% less kickback (woohoo) according to Linkage. But comparing it to other stuff says it's still damn good. Whoring some figures from Linkage, picking on some well-known, well-regarded XC bikes:

Turner Flux: about 7% more kickback than the SB
Trek Fuel: about 20% more
Iron Horse Hollowpoint MKIII: about 28% more
Giant Anthem: 40%ish more
Intense Spider: about 45% more
Cannondale Rush: a bit more than 45% more

What's my point? EVERY full suspension bike without a platform shock will bob a bit when you pedal, if your body weight is moving around. But bobbing doesn't mean you're wasting all your energy. Each design kicks a little bit different of an amount of force back to the pedals. Is the Blade perfect? No, or Titus wouldn't have made the Moto-Lite. BUT! It's certainly competitive. The suspension reacting, comparatively speaking, is doing very little to slow you down. If you're blowing through a full inch of travel, that's 3 degrees of unopposed kickback. By my math, at the risk of sounding too much like Tony Ellsworth, that is a 0.837% decrease in efficiency. If that's too much of a hit, change your tires.

Make sure you have your shock set for correct sag at riding weight and whatnot, turn on some platform on your shock if you've got the option and the bob just mentally bugs you, or send your shock off to a tuner like PUSH if you don't. Or just practice spinning without bouncing your weight around.

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wg

· #20 · Jul 16, 2006

Chris9702l said:
Ok, ok. I can almost guarantee it is the crankset. I can remember having some chaindrops and alot of chainsuck on the Blade when I was running a XT Hallowtech I crankset. Now that I am running a XT Hallowtech II crankset I have not had a hint of any problems. The only variables are having the bike out in Colorado and lubing after almost every ride vs. having the bike in Minnesota and lubing after a couple rides. Get an new XT crankset and I think you'll be all set.

Chris

Interesting. I've been running my '02 blade with both XTs and only time I've had chainsuck was when the chainrings started getting screwed up/ worn, old chain or really fugly slop rides. Never tied things back to the frame design.

Oh, Blackagness, I like the zip tie idea. May just pop one of those on. Thanks

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