This time, once again, I try writing in English. I thought that the following might actually interest a number of bike people in Finland and abroad. So this is review of my bike, hope you enjoy and find this useful.

 

My 2009 Transition TransAM.

 

For starters a little background. I'm Matti, 29 years. I've been riding MTB's since 1996 and also racing, few DH races and a number of 4X and BMX races. I believe a sort of "ex-list" could open things for you... My bikes, as far as I recall...

Tunturi Matrixx Matra

K2 Disco Monkey

Sintesi Bazooka

Sintesi Python

Sintesi Konstriktor

Balfa Minuteman

Norco 4x4

AtomLab Trailpimp

Specialized Supercross

Specialized SX

Evil Sovereign

Racebike Monster 4X

Normally I've had 2-4 bikes at the same time, and I left my BMX racing- and roadbikes out of the list to keep it shorter...

 

So, I've done my share riding and buying and selling, always searching for "The One."

Last year I got tired. Bikes took too much time and money and I didn't I get as much from the sport as I gave. I thought that I'll sell all my bikes and quit.

Then I thought that maybe I still should give bikes a try, so I decided to sell my 4 bikes and maybe buy one.

This summer I found my new companion from the Finnish Ride Free MTB-forum. Soneone had posted a picture of a Transition TransAM singlespeed and it was love at first sight. It was steel, singlespeed, zero-maintenance, simple and one fast, angry and beautiful looking bike. Next day I called my local importer at Manfredbikes and three days later I had ordered a complete L-sized TransAM, singlespeed with Fox 36 Float R.

 

Now I've had the bike for 2 weeks. 13 years riding, I've never been out in the woods as much as the two past weeks. 10 days riding,  one to SIX hours rides, something I never did before.

So, here's my review.  Let's start with basics. My bike has Transition Revolution 32 wheels, Maxxis Highroller 2,35" tires, superb Avid Elixir CR brakes (180/160mm), Truvativ Firex 175mm cranks,  great Transition pedals with sealed bearings,  Truvativ Team 70mm stem, Truvativ 31,6mm low-rise 69cm bars, Truvativ Team seat post and a Transition "leather" saddle. And a single 32t ring and a 18t cog rear.  And that's all you need.

The frame. It's made of 4130 japanese double butted cromo-steel. The frame alone weights something like 2,7 kgs, so it's mariginally lighter than my long-sized Evil Sovereign was. Compared to Sovereign, TransAM has longer top tube. It actually is the longest frame I've ever had at 62cm. Steering angle is sleek at 68 degrees and the bottom bracket sits at 32cm. So, the angles are over a degree sleeker than Sovereign. Chainstay is horizontal 42-43,5cm, compared with Sovereigns incredible 39,5-44.  The frame has beautiful finish, sweet welds and a thick, shiny bright paintjob.

The frame and finish is just beautiful, even the bike is a little dirty, fresh from a ride.

 

A little about the components. The brakes are best I've ever been on. I've been mostly riding Hopes and Shimano hydraulic discs before and the Avid Elixirs outperform them all. They have a great feel, you can set them up just like you want and you don't need tools. They are silent and the power is brutal.  The Transition saddle maybe looks hard and minimal but it's just perfect. Before I svore off to SDG Bel Air but would never go back.  Stem and bars feel good, have natural angles and were equipped with sweet Odi lock-on grips.  The 175mm Truvativ crans do fine but they could've been 180mm, I am tall and I enjoy longer cranks, especially singlespeeding. Transition flat pedals are classy, black, have a nice concave shape and good traction. I still feel the pins maybe a little short, and they have tendancy to come loose and get lost in the woods. Something that a little Locktite will fix but it sure is annoying to remove, locktite and install 60 little screws. The bearings feel smooth and solid, and the size of the platform is near perfect. So they are a keeper, for sure.

The rear.

 

The Fox Float 36. I've had Fox 32 Vanillas and RockShox Pikes before and this is my first air 36. First it felt a little lazy, laying down or not bothering to move too much. It felt even too progressive too. But after a few rides it keeps getting more active and smoother and now it feels like it should. It's one big, robust, solid fork. The bike goes where you steer and the new 20mm QR dropuouts are great, maybe even smarter and better than Pike's Maxxle that sometimes liked to get stuck. I wondered if over 6" of travel were too much for a hardtail. It's not. Anything less would be bad. The geometry is now spot on. Floar R has only air pressure and rebound to tune. That's all I need, I did not buy this bike to tune, i bought it for riding. Now i have it at 65psi and rebound 2 clicks in, and there it will be for now on. If you want all the bells and whistles you can always join the orchestra but this harsh beauty is made for riding, flying and hitting things hard.

The front.

 

The ride. For me this is all that matters.  First, this bike is silent. It's silent like stealth! No noise, whatsoever. No clinging, no clicks, no brakes howling, nothing. In Helsinki I have to ride hiking and dog trails too so I have to shout more than I used to, nobody hears me coming. Unless I laugh out loud...   The geometry is perfect for me. It's like built for me, my long legs and arms but still the bike is agile and don't look huge at all. You never have to fear hitting your balls to the low built top tube and you can easily hang your butt above the rear wheel when the going gets steep. Now doubt I could race 4X with my TransAM. With my Sovereign I never consireded that, the frame was too steep, too unstable.

TransAM is no full suspension. But after braking 3 full suspension frames and 2 rear shox and all the fiddling with the pivots and bearings I sure don't want it to be. For a hardtail it is incredibly forgiving. Maybe it's thanks for 36 Float or the fat and soft Maxxis tires or maybe the frame but it sure rides smoother than my Sovereign or any of my aluminium bikes. And I would rather hit the roots and rocks with my hardtail TransAM than my late 5" front and rear Specialized's. I can't explain why but this feels right. You can slam the roots and rock gardens, you can jump them, you can bunnyhop them, you can steamroller them or you can slalom them a rock at a time.

Brad Walton wrote in Pinkbike review "In the woods this bike is like a Swiss Army knife with only one tool, and it just so happens that that tool fits nearly everything." And he was true.

This may be the bike I was always looking for. It is fun, inspiring and reliable. One single speed makes now all the sense in the word. It makes you push your limits, it's better workout. Sure, sometimes I have to push the bike back up a steep hill. Yesterday I went for a 2 hour ride. Tight, fast rolling singletrack. I found myself smiling pushing the bike uphill and laughing out loud bombing down... The bike makes me push my limits, like it's teaching me ride again. Always sayin' "C'mon you wussy, don't hit the brakes yet, you can manage this!"

Is it perfect? Not yet. But it's near. The bike now weighs something like 13,5kgs.  The Revelation 32 wheelset is damnright solid and beautiful but it's maybe a little heavy though, at somewhere around 2,5 kgs. And the tires are heavy. But they don't feel heavy, they roll, they feel light and they feel indestructible. But still, maybe next year I could buy another wheelset for those 6 hour rides. I could easily drop 1,5 kgs rolling weight, something maybe worth trying. Another thing is the cranks and gearing. I would love fitting 180mm Profile crans with a beautiful 28t ring. And maybe a humming Chris King singlespeed rear hub with 14t... Then, It could be perfect. Anyway, I would be disappointed with myself if I were not riding this same frame singlespeed in 2012. 

OK, I think that was about it. For a final conclusion, buy this bike.It's fun, light and fast. I love it. Batman had his Batmobile, Michael Knight had his Wondercar Kitt, He-Man had his tiger. I now have my TransAM, a.k.a. Battlecat. 

Thank You Transition Bikes for making me ride again.

And a big shoutout for the boys in Manfredbikes Finland, keep up the great work.

All the photograpy is my own work and it's my bike.. if you wish to use the originals please feedback and I will contact you. And feel free to ask.

Thank's for reading, keep on riding!