My new Blur LT... 650B'ed!

[smmokan]

After reading a lot of the comments and threads in this forum, I decided to pull the trigger on a new Santa Cruz Blur LT and give it the 650B treatment. After searching for deals online and putting it together over the last month, I finally have it 99% done. I'm still waiting on a lock ring and new brake pads so I haven't ridden it yet... but I hope to this weekend. I will give a full ride report once I do.

A few comments:
- The front tire clearance (pictured) seems to be plenty in the standard position- at least 3/8". When I deflate the fork and push it down, the crown does touch the tire when it's *completely* bottomed out. No rub otherwise.
- The rear tire clearance is similar- about 3/8", and it only rubs when the shock is completely bottomed out.
- The BB height seems a little high when I rode it around my street, but I think I'll get used to it once I get the rest of the bike dialed in.
- I don't have a scale, but the bike weighs around 27 lbs, with pedals and with the Reverb seatpost dropper. It should be perfect for the combination of XC and trail riding I do here in Colorado.

On to the specs and pictures....

Frame: 2012 Santa Cruz Blur LT, size Large
Fork: 2012 Fox 32 Float FIT 150mm RL, 15mm thru-axle
Shock: Fox CTD
Wheelset: Stan's ZTR Arch EX with XT/SLX hubs, tubeless
Tires: WTB Wolverine 2.2", front and back (will eventually get Vee Trail Taker for the front)
Brakes: Avid Elixir 3 w/160mm rotors
Crankset: RaceFace Evolve
Drivetrain: XO shifters, XT front der, X9 rear der
Seatpost: RS Reverb '12
Headset: Cane Creek 40
Stem: FSA Gravity Gap
Handlebar: RaceFace Respond
Grips: ODI Rogue Lock-on

[etanc]

Post up when you have some time on it. Looks great - enjoy.

[apat13]

Good looking bike, but there is no way that it weighs 27 lbs as pictured. 28.5 I could believe, but it with a reverb and those parts it cant be below 28. I bet it is a fun ride regardless!

[smmokan]

I'm not really worried about the weight regardless. All I know is that it *feels* lighter than my 29er, which weighs around 28 lbs. I won't be using the Reverb 100% of the time either, so that shaves half a pound when I swap it out.

[Ridezum]

I don't think you will like those WTB tires, they are very tall . I don't like them in any condition. I'm just saying this based on how much travel you have. If your an agressive rider I would use something else .

[smmokan]

I wouldn't call myself an aggressive rider... we'll see. I'm going to give them a shot on a couple of local trails and see how they compare with other bikes I've ridden in the last year.

[apat13]

I'm not really worried about the weight regardless. All I know is that it *feels* lighter than my 29er, which weighs around 28 lbs. I won't be using the Reverb 100% of the time either, so that shaves half a pound when I swap it out.

Not saying you should be worried about the weight....I just have a pet peeve about people positing numbers that I know from experience are way off. As I said, I bet it is a fun bike regardless and you should have a blast on it!

[Ridezum]

Your photos are amazing. Let us know how you like those tires.

[smmokan]

Quick review after my first ride today:

I rode the Blur LT about 15-16 miles on a couple of trails I know like the back of my hand which are a mix of smooth, fast hardpacked singletrack, rocky singletrack, and very technical rock gardens. The overall climbing was around 2500 vert. For comparison, I have ridden these trails dozens of times on my previously-owned NomadC (26") and Trek HiFi Pro (29"), so I'll comment on relation to these two bikes.

Climbing:

The BLT killed the Nomad, hands down. I think part of it is an improved rear shock for climbing (CTD vs the Monarch RT3), but I also noticed the BLT was rolling up and over several features in the mile-long rock garden much easier than the Nomad ever did. On the smooth sections of singletrack I switched it into "Climb" mode on the rear shock, but I don't think that's necessary on anything but fire and paved roads. The "Trail" function was more than adequate and there was minimal pedal feedback or bobbing. It was close to the HiFi Pro 29er in climbing performance- I'd give the edge to the HiFi on most of the trail, but I actually preferred the BLT in the tight, technical stuff going up. Color me impressed.

Downhill performance:

First off, I'm a decently fast rider going down, but by no means am I a downhill expert. I obviously prefer my old NomadC on the technical downhills and tight, rocky sections, but I was impressed by the BLT. The front fork (Fox 32 150mm w/15mm t/a) was solid, and the extra 1.5" wheel diameter helped make up for some of the lack of travel in comparison to my old Lyrik 170mm. It wasn't nearly as big a dropoff from the NomadC as I was expecting. On the smooth, flowy sections coming down I thought both bikes were similarly fun. I wasn't able to push the bike in the corners due to mud and snow on the trails, but I'll report back next weekend when it's dried up a little more. I noticed the BLT was significantly quicker and more maneuverable (?) than my HiFi Pro. Not even close, really.

Other stuff:

I thought the WTB Wolverine tires held up really well, and they only got squirrely in the mud and soft snow. That doesn't concern me, however, since I rarely ride in anything soft here in Colorado. They gripped well on the hardpack, and gripped the large rocks and boulders really well. Once there are a few more wide tire choices (2.3-2.4"), I'll probably swap out the front tire for added grip and stability, but I like it in the back for sure. Seemed to be pretty fast rolling.

I know a lot of people have concerns about the higher BB on the Blur LT, but I think it's actually a plus for the type of riding I do. A get a LOT of pedal strikes here on the Front Range of Colorado (and when I go to Fruita/Moab), and today I noticed that I didn't hit nearly as many as usual. The cornering performance and "higher" center of gravity weren't noticeable, but part of that may be due to my lack of pushing the bike.

I didn't bottom out either front or rear, so there were no clearance issues whatsoever. Even with a muddy back tire, there was plenty of room for the 2.2" Wolverine to spin freely. I'm not concerned about clearance whatsoever.

Overall, I'm very happy with the performance of the bike today; it did exactly what I built it to do. Better performance on the climbs and flats than my old NomadC, and much more fun coming downhill than my HiFi Pro. I think I've found the perfect trail bike for my style of riding.

[OscarW]

Awesome conversion Nice bike too It is something I have been thinking about doing myself with my Blur. I am really waiting for more tire and wheel choices though.
As a side-note, you may want to protect your frame from cable rub by installing some clear 3M tape.

[TwoHeadsBrewing]

I just saw a sick 650b conversion at the LBS yesterday on a Blur TRc...and that got me thinking about trying it out for myself. I've got a 2012 BLT as well, but wondering about the cost/benefit of going to 650b. I'm rolling with an XTR trail wheelset set up tubeless, but I was looking at an XT hub/WTB i23 TCS rim wheelset build.

[smmokan]

TwoHeads- I can't compare the 650B wheels to 26" wheels on the BLT since this was a brand new frame built up from scratch, but I'm definitely happy with the performance thus far. I guess if you can find a good deal on a 650B wheelset, go for it.

[smmokan]

Meant to post this here, but I accidentally put it in the SC forum. Anyways...

Just a quick update after getting a couple weeks worth of rides on the BLT (way too many rides in fact, since I should be skiing instead).

After getting things dialed in, I'm a huge fan of this bike for the style and terrain I ride. I wanted something that's a good compromise between the climbing ability of a 29er and the nimbleness of a 26" bike, and I found it. I do a lot of 1500-2000 ft climbs over rocky, mildly technical terrain, and I can tell the larger wheels help quite a bit. It's significantly more efficient on the way up than my old NomadC, that's for sure.

On the descents, it took a few rides but I'm digging the bike a lot now. The bigger wheels help roll over technical sections, but the bike is still very quick and nimble in tight spaces. The BB is a tad high, but not that detrimental to the handling on the trails I ride. In fact, I like the higher BB since it means fewer pedal strikes.

I ordered a 2.4" Trail Taker for the front, and I think that'll help even more on the descents in Colorado and Utah. Additionally, I have to say that the rear Fox CTD is much better than I was expecting. The "Trail" setting is perfect for flats and climbing, and the "Descend" is great to flick on for extended downhills.

One last thing- I haven't had any instances of either front or rear suspension bottoming out and rubbing on the tires, so it seems to be a non-issue.

[OscarW]

Thanks for the update. I rode a Jamis 650 and liked the ride as it was close to my blur but with better roll over roots etc. I think that when Mavic makes 650 wheels I will convert my Blur as well.

[Triaxtremec]

are you finding the 150mm to be ok or would you prefer a 140 or 130mm travel instead?

[smmokan]

150mm is perfectly fine for the type of riding I'm doing. If I wanted a 130mm travel bike, I would have purchased the Blur XC.

Edit to add: I live in Boulder, CO where there's a wide mix of riding available; everything from super-smooth singeltrack to mile-long rock gardens. I think the Blur LT with a 150mm front fork and 650B wheels is a great compromise for everything I ride. It's also a great bike to take on my annual trips to places like Crested Butte, Moab, Fruita, etc. I used to have two bikes to cover my riding (Hifi Pro 29er and NomadC) and I find that the Blur can cover both of those bikes well.

[RagerXS]

150mm is perfectly fine for the type of riding I'm doing. If I wanted a 130mm travel bike, I would have purchased the Blur XC.

Exactly - the Blur LT is spec'd for 140mm to 160 mm forks. 150 is dead center of the range (and just so happens to be what I have on mine).

Fred

[JMac47]

Thanks for the update. I rode a Jamis 650 and liked the ride as it was close to my blur but with better roll over roots etc. I think that when Mavic makes 650 wheels I will convert my Blur as well.

Why wait for Mavic? Just curious as there are lots of 650 wheels available now with a better pricepoint than Mavic will have most likely.

[OscarW]

Why wait for Mavic? Just curious as there are lots of 650 wheels available now with a better pricepoint than Mavic will have most likely.

I like the Mavics and can get them at a pretty nice deal. It isn't set in stone though that I will use Mavic...