It's done a few trips to work and back as well as a day at Twisted and we're all good!
It's a bigger frame - an ML rather than an M - and sizing is perfect. I was a bit concerned about reach but everything just feels like it's in the right place. It's obviously a longer bike than the Aether and it feels it, but it just glides round corners/berms and still feels agile. It's poppy and easy to jump and whilst it's definitely a slower bike for normal pedalling than the Aether, there's not much in it and I doubt I'll notice in a few weeks. It was easy enough getting round the new red XC line at Twisted which is loads of fun with lots of ups and downs and even a stream or 2. When it gets pointed downwards though, it flies!
I was running the dropper at 210 but found that was too high, so reduced it to 190, which obviously was too low so I've gone for 200mm now and that seems all good.
I've been trying to work out a creak/click since I built it up which only really happened when standing up pedalling when the nds crank was around 6 oclock. Proper click you could feel through the crank. I tried a new bottom bracket, alternative cranks, pedals + chain ring and no difference. I put a new chain on as the one from the Aether was a bit short, no difference. I checked the bearings on the shock linkage and they seem ok, not completely smooth but not dead. Put it all back together with fresh grease and amazingly it's all quiet now. I don't know what was causing it, but it's gone so that'll do.
So all good at the moment... just got the old frame and bits to sell to pay for it!
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