Canfield Nimble 9 review
This will be posted in the reviews, whenever the issues they're having get ironed out. Hope it's enjoyable!
Strengths: Versatility, great ride quality, fit and finish.
Short-stay/ slack HT geometry works well- for me.
Weaknesses: Wide BB required, but that's niggling.
29" bikes owned: Kona Unit, Gary Fisher Rig, Wily custom, Raleigh XXIX, Surly Karate Monkey
Demoed: Pretty much everything Fisher/Trek has put out in the last 15 years, ditto Specialized, odds and ends at Dirt Demo, etc.
Set-up: Fox F29 (100mm), King HS and Hubs, Bontrager Duster rims, XT M760 cranks and BB, XT 775/755 hybrid brakes. Single speed.
I wanted to follow up my initial review now that I have 6 months and some brutal miles on this frame.
This bike does a lot of things really well, and it's incredibly versatile in its possible configurations. It can be built as a single speed, like mine. Or with a full complement of gears using a direct-mount front derailleur. Or how about a 1x, with a chain guide mounted there? Sure, why not? XC, AM, enduro... you name it.
The frame is burly enough to handle some rough-and-tumble, but not so heavy it precludes it's use as a XC bike. Some riders, especially those who ride geared, and climb in a fairly low gear while seated might have some issues with the front lifting due to the short rear end. Those looking for a full-blown AM/ FR hardtail, be aware that the headtube is 1 1/8". A lot of longer travel forks, which are using a tapered steerer more and more, are out.
While I have it set up somewhere between XC and AM light- it's actually my endurance racing all-'rounder. This is my only "regular" mountain bike- I have a Pugsley, but they're completely different, and I don't ride the Pugsley much. I ride single speed, so I haven't tried this frame with gears, so please take that into consideration. The frame is designed to use forks with travel between 80-120mm, and I have mine set right in the middle at 100mm.
The Nimble 9 has therefore been seeing all of my off-road miles, and a lot of commuting/ ride-to-the-trail miles too.
I was a bit skeptical about the "AM" geometry- super short chainstays and slack headtube angle- for long distances, but I figured that I was willing to give it a shot, since I wasn't getting rid of my Kona right away.
As I alluded to in my initial review, I was impressed by the handling right away. However, I still had trepidation until I had an opportunity to really get some distance under the bike.
Two weeks ago, I competed in the El Paso Puzzler 50 (
2012 Race Course ) a race known for tough climbs, technical trails, and unrelenting rocks. While the engine faltered at times, the Canfield never wavered. Steep, loose climbs tested the limits of traction, but the tire placement afforded by the short stays kept the knobs digging.
The descents on this course were no place to rest. One in particular went down the remnants of a rockslide; head- to basketball-sized rocks, rolling out from under your tires; steep pitches; exhaustion from just having climbed up the biggest climb of the day. The Canfield held a line so well that little effort was wasted on sheer terror.
Towards the end of the race, the organizers sent us through a technical granite rock garden. 3-4' drops and ups, with little rest in between. This frame gave confidence in spades! No question that the Nimble 9 lives up to its name.
The main concern I had when I bought the Nimble 9 was whether having the rear wheel so tucked in would be comfortable. While I can't say I've noticed an increase in shock transmitted up the seatstays, the ability to run a 2.4" tire for this race definitely helped!
I'll be honest- I'm really thrilled by this bike, and can say without hesitation that it's the best handling, most confidence-inspiring single speed I've ever ridden. When you add in the price tag, it's downright amazing.
Los