Moment questions?

Newark said:

Im currently in the market for a new frame, I thought Ellsowrth was gonna be well out of my price bracket, but lo and behold Ellsworths have just dropped in price by nearly a 1/3rd in the UK. This puts the Moment about the same price as the other 2 frames I was considering; a yeti 575 or SC Blur LT.

I'll be swapping a reasonably light/durable parts mix (XT, Hope, thomson, manitou minutes) over from my current cracked GT idrive (@28.5lb) which is now cracked. My aim is to build an efficient long travel trail bike which comes in around the 28lb - 29lb mark, will handle everything from smooth trails, commutes, enduros, trail rides, jumps and drops of around 5 foot. If I went for the Moment I'd be building it up with a DHX air shock. I figure with this shock the Moment would be about 1/2lb heavier than a 575 frame (6.8lbs with DHX air), but probably handle a fair bit more abuse.

Im really concerned about getting good pedal efficiency and minimising bob as much as possible. Im looking for a snappy pealling feeling bike (as far as is possible at 6") With a bit of pro pedal dialled in does the moment bob at all? Can you pedal out of the saddle bob free?

Does the bottom bracket height saty the same with the DHX air shock?

I'd really appreciate anyones advice/comments regarding the above and especially advice from anyone who has ridden a 575 and a Moment. I need to make a decision quick and really want to make sure I make the right decision as I'll be riding this bike for at least the next 3 or 4 years!

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Although the Moment is a good climber for the 6" class of trail bikes, I wouldn't say it's a snappy bike...especially when compared to a bike like the Truth. The Moment is a bike more focused on the trail end of the riding spectrum than the XC end. You can make it more XC like but it's not going to shine in that category, and by toning it down on the components it'll just become a mediocre XC bike and not the greatest of trail bikes.

I think if you want a bike that's a better compromise you should look at the new 5.25" Epiphany. But judging from the riding style you described above I think the Moment will be a great bike for you. I have not ridden the 575.

I think the eye-to-eye and stroke are the same for DHX Coil and DHX Air so the BB height should be the same.

The price has dropped 1/3 for the Moment in UK?, just make sure you know what you're buying as it may be the 2005 model. There is nothing wrong with the 2005 model but the 2006 Moment saw some changes.

Its been reported in the UK mtb press and the UK ellsworth importers have confirmed that prices of new ellsworths are coming down in the uk because of ellsworth moving production in house they have been able to lower costs considerably. However this may be a bit of a marketing smoke screen, after all in 05 a moment frame in the uk cost the equivalent of 3200 dollars!

I realise a moment would be a compromise for XC purposes, compared to say a Truth or an Epiphany, but I really think I need the extra strength and besides am not planning on entering any XC races. My main riding will be big days out in the hills with a bit of messing about on the dirt jumps and drops. It'll also have to handle commuting duties. The Moment has had 10/10 ratings in UK mags in both light XC/trail build and burlier all mountain build.

I would have to say my main concern is to get an efficient pedalling bike which feels firm and doesnt bob a great deal, but will open up and handle the big hits.

Moment as a commuter?

I own a Moment and have ridden a 575. My moment is built pretty light at 28 pounds. I feel I made a miscalculation in my choice of fork, however, and am planning to beef up in this area (exchanging a Marz Marathon for an All Mountain 1). This will add weight, but will really open the bike up for more of what it's great at: riding downhill.

The Moment climbs very, very well... for a 5" travel bike. Mine is built not with the RP3 but with Fox's "Ellsworth Custom Tune" shock, which is acceptably bob free. Most bobbing is a fork issue. For long road sections I use the lockout. Sitting and spinning = very very little rear-end bob. Hammering out of saddle = a small amount of bob, no big deal.

I can't see doing a lot of commuting on a Moment, honestly. It's not so much about the frame, forks, and shock as it is about the tires. You can lock forks and shock - but the kind of tires that'll open the Moment to its strengths aren't going to be very pleasant commuting tires. You're going to want something sticky and knobby for the dirt and rocks that feed the Moment's ravenous appetite. I'm running Kenda Nevegals, which do pretty well in the dirt and are horribly inefficient and very short-lived on the road. As an earlier poster noted, perhaps two sets of wheels would solve this problem.

As for the 575, I demoed it for a day on my favorite trail, a very familiar combination of fireroad and singletrack climbs, with screaming fast, bumpy, mildly rocky downhill singletrack. The 575 ripped. I loved it. I couldn't believe how fast I was screaming downhill, on a bike that handled like an XC racer. Climbing, I had to use some degree of Propedal on the RP3 to shut off the bob, but in full Propedal I could stand and hammer and the rear end pretty much ignored me, while still reacting to rocks. In full plush mode the 575 simply flew down the hill. It soaked up everything the trail threw at it. I took a four foot drop to transition cleanly; that was about the max I'd want to drop on the 575. I was impressed, to say the least. Total build weight of my demo bike was slightly heavier than my Moment, but according to both manufacturer's specs the 575 is TWO POUNDS lighter, which would make for a 26-27 pound 5" travel bike if built light.

At the time I demoed the 575, I'd had the Moment for about two weeks and wasn't really high on it. It felt heavy, long, and sluggish, whereas the 575 rode like an XC bike, which felt familiar. Subsequently, I've learned to ride the Moment the way I think the Moment wants to be ridden, and every time I come away totally charged up. It's an incredible machine. It tackles all the rock gardens and drops and rippin' bumpy downhills I can throw at it, climbs very well, jumps well, and is generally extremely plush and refined. But it wants bigness. It wants more than just trail, it wants TRAIL. The 120mm fork I've got on it simply begs to be replaced (and will be soon, oh yes, I swear it!).

If commuting is a major factor, I'd recommend the 575. It's lighter and snappier. It'll handle most trail conditions. Five foot drops...? There's a thread about this in the Yeti Forum, maybe you've already checked it out.

If serious trail riding is where your heart really lies, there's no doubt the Moment can handle more extreme terrain.

Either way, you're going to be stoked!