Thanks Larry. Yeah, once I have it dialed in, I will not need to mess with it much. I'm just afraid of stripping the bolt or whatever it goes into. I'll be careful. As for my ride report and one endo later......
I endoed the first time ever since I didn't lower my seat on a very rocky and steep decent between a rock face and a tree. My shoudler hit the tree and I must have squeezed the front brake. Next thing I know, I'm in the middle of a huge gap between the rocks/boulders and my X-5 (thankfully) is lying quietly on the trail. I somehow managed to get of the pedals thanks to the Speedplay Frogs- not a scratch on the bike and I am not bleeding much at all
The X-5 surprised me with how stiff it is. On and off-camber turns were very solid and confidence-inspiring. Remember, this is a 2004 with a steeper head tube angle so coming from the slacker 575, it was a quicker turning bike- turning as fast as my ASR-SL. Uphill sharp turns were FAST with no front end wandering at all. Downhill required more focus than my 575 as the front tended to dig in a bit more but that was solved by moving my seat back a bit and staying lighter on the bars- still needs more focus but the reward is sweet. I just can't get too lazy in those areas that require focus.
Uphill climbs are "different" than the 575. It feels more nimble (prob due to the headtube angle again) and it easier to change lines that the 575- midway up. However, if you pick one line and plow through, the 575 feels more planted.
I feel faster on the X-5 (always coming back to this) due to the racier geometry so I think that the newer X-5 will feel more similar to the 575. They feel very similar on faster straights, with a slight edge going to the X-5 due to a stiffer-feeling frame. It is a lb heavier but also has a stiffer frame that allows a bit better power transfer. Where I really felt more confident were the off-camber turns where the back wheel hit a rut or got lined up wrong by a root. There, I felt that the back recovered superbly and very fast. On the 575, it feels like it takes a split second longer but it also recovers well.
Overall, I think that this X-5 is like a slightly stiffer 575 with a more solid feel to it. I think the 575 is slightly better on long climbs or decents when you are a bit fatigued. The X-5 definitely required a little more focus (granted, it's my first ride) but the 575 rides easier- it's more forgiving. The X-5 will not let me take any naps on it but is remarkably snappy feeling.
After riding the 575, I'm glad the X-5 didn't end up feeling the same. I like the slightly more racy feel to the front end and still need to figure out the rear shock settings. On its first ride, the X-5 was pretty damn impressive and I need to become a stronger rider to be able to use it better. I'm going to love this bike and keep it for a long time. I miss not being able to air up my shock easily but I'll be fine as long as I don't strip anything.:nono:
I feel very fortunate to have owned a 575 and now own a X-5. I have not ridden two bikes that play the game at such a high level. I did haves ome derailleur problems that affected while climbing so I have to work on that and take the bike out again. I normally climb seated but when standing, the rear suspension moves more but as long as you're smooth, it still climbs well. I think the dogbone design of the 575's rear suspension works a bit better on some really sharp and fast hits at speed but it does have .75" more travel and uses it well. The fact that I probably don't have my rear suspension dialed in on the X-5 could have everything to do with it.
I can never knock the 575 (except for the potential fragility of the carbon flexpivots). It is one sweet bike and does not feel flexy to me but the stiffer X-5 edges it out in the handling department. I prefer the slow technical sections on the X-5 while I prefer the sharp and steep downhill switchbacks on the 575. Overall, the X-5 just handles slightly better. The 575 has the edge in technical uphills but the difference is almost imperceptible and the timing feels the same. It just feels more planted but does not change directions as quickly or as well so the rider can adjust to each bike's geometry and be as fast on either one.
Any more and I'll repeat myslef more than I already have. I now feel like I've slept with two beautiful supermodels back to back and am as worn out. Well, I look at bikes as guys so not really but it was the best analogy my tired mind could come up with. I really need to figure out how to fine-tune the derailleur- the chain keeps skipping around- seems to be on the rear cogs.
