Nomad?

[jimi1114]

Hi all,

I recently came off of an 07 Uzzi VPX. Liked the bike but wanted to update and make a change. I have been looking at the new Uzzi, Canfiled One and the Knolly Chilcotin. I thought I had it narrowed down to these three but recently came across a pretty good deal on a Nomad carbon frame.

I have always viewed the Nomad as more of a XC trail bike then an aggressive AM bike. Now I am reconsidering the Nomad. Will the Nomad with a coil or air like the CCDBA, and a 180 zoke 66 fork, work well as a agressive AM bike (climbs well, jumps, plush over the rock gardens and drops etc..). I realize this is a very broad question and tough to answer so I am just looking for feedback and thoughts of the Nomad versus the others mentioned above.

Thanks for the help, your input helps.

[Surfas]

Xc trail bike ?????

TEAM MIA SANTA CRUZ @SUISSE 2012 from oQamy.VISUEL on Vimeo.

[sir_crackien]

while I have honestly used my Nomad as more of a long travel trail bike it certainly is much more capable than that. It is not less of a bike than the Knolly Chilcotin and really is more inline with the VPX when it comes to strengh and stiffness (if not the nomad being stronger/stifer)

That being said the Nomad likes going fast. its really the only time that is feels like it has 160mm of travel. at slower speed if feels a bit stiff in its travel like it has less than it does (my only real complaint about the frame) but at speed it feels like a mini dh bike. loves railing turns at speed, has incrediable braking traction (seriously this shocks me all the time)

if you like going fast on the trails then the Nomad will be a great ride. if you are more into slower speed tech I would probably look in to the Knolly (my Knolly DT was a great slow tech bike). as for the VPX and the ONE I have no clue

[TwoHeadsBrewing]

At 160mm travel, the Nomad is solidly in the AM category: decent climbing platform, smooth over just about everything on the downs. It's bias is more towards downhill than up due to the slacker angles. With a coil shock and a F36 180 up front, you're talking about a light freeride/DH bike. Think Bullet but with VPP!

[jimi1114]

Thanks for the replies, they help. The Nomad is an interesting bike to me from what I am reading. Seems that it does not have the "couch" type plushness of the Uzzi from the moment you sit on the bike, but supple enough. I will hopefully find a dealer that has one that is built so I can get a better idea of fit and how the suspension feels. Part of my problem is I am a heavy rider, 230, and tend to plow, not much finess, and like the feel of a planted bike. Like speed and rocky, root filled trails, but not much of a jumper. I think that is why I like my VPX.

Thanks again.

[sir_crackien]

just as a reference I'm 260 lbs w/o gear and the reason I choose the NomadC is because of strength. I knew that is was going to be able to handle what I put it though. even though I do not ride the toughest trails out there when every it starts to point down I'm on the gas and am pushing it. Also I'm running a lyrik 170mm on it and I can say that I don't think I would want anything longer than that on the bike. I am even going to try and shorten the fork to 160mm and see how it rides.

Just a bit more info, hope it helps!

[feurkils]

Nomad can be setup so many different ways. With the setup you described above it would make for a capable aggressive all mountain rig. IMO Nomad C or Ibis HD (with your setup) butts up about as close to freeride type bikes as can be done while still maintaining a really good pedaling platform.

[Aust95]

Hope my experience can help you a little. I rode an 08 Intense 6.6 which has the same bearing pivot linkages as your 07 VPX. I now ride a Nomad C and a Mojo HD. I can tell you that lateral stiffness of the Nomad C far exceeds my old Intense and is not even in the same league. I really feel the stiffness and strength of the carbon is the Nomad's most salient characteristic. I love this because the bike is so responsive to rider input not only in pedaling but also in directional changes.

I currently have tried my Nomad with the stock linkage with a RP23 and a Monarch Plus. I have not tried coil or the PUSH link on the Nomad. With these setups, the rear suspension is not as plush over large hits nor quick successive hits as any of my other 6 inch plus bike setups I've tried (1st gen VPP setup with CCDB coil and Fox RP23, Mojo HD setup with a Monarch Plus and CCDBa, Nicolai AFR--a Horst link with Avalanche coil), and in fact, I'd venture to say it feels at best, and maybe inferior, to a bike I previously owned, the Yeti ASR5 setup with and RP23, which is only a 5 inch travel rig.

Years ago I had a 1 week demo with the 1st gen Knolly endorphin and DT and from what I remember, both those were way more plush than my Nomad c, so I'd think the Chilcotin would be much more plush than the stock Nomad setup with the RP23. But for me, the one redeeming factor in the Nomad c (don't know about the alloy version) is the fantastic feel of the super rigid, strong frame which also gives a very planted, secure feeling on the trail. It's so good that I can accept the rear suspension as the way it is and maybe I can work with it to tune it to how I'd eventually like it to be.

[sooner518]

i think the Push Nomad link with a coil is supposed to more or less mimic the shock rate of the original Nomad: that is to say, plusher and better small bump performance. Its pricey but if youre not satisfied with the way the NomadC descends, its an option
Push Industries - Santa Cruz Nomad

[jimi1114]

Great feedback. So what I am inferring from the responses is the Nomad is an awesome bike and very versatile. Seems like it won't be as plush or have the small bump compliance as maybe some other AM bikes, but still very good. I really need to find one I can throw a leg ver to get some real world experience.

[eastshorebiker]

Great feedback. So what I am inferring from the responses is the Nomad is an awesome bike and very versatile. Seems like it won't be as plush or have the small bump compliance as maybe some other AM bikes, but still very good. I really need to find one I can throw a leg ver to get some real world experience.

It all depends on the shock.

[Aust95]

Great feedback. So what I am inferring from the responses is the Nomad is an awesome bike and very versatile. Seems like it won't be as plush or have the small bump compliance as maybe some other AM bikes, but still very good. I really need to find one I can throw a leg ver to get some real world experience.

I think it's just as versatile as my HD yet it's even lighter but still doesn't lose any of that "heavy duty", burly flair. Just a clarification: in my opinion, with the stock link and with the two airshocks I've tried, it does not have the big hit compliance as the other 6 inch bikes I've owned or demoed. It certainly can be made more DH/FR oriented with the PUSH link.

[Mattyboughton]

I have a nomad c with a DHX RC4 and a Ti spring on it. The coil shock feels so much better than the air shock. Definitely a worth while upgrade for a nomad. especially for a more freeride oriented build! Small bump compliance was the biggest difference I noticed at first. Less heat fade on long downhills an a more progressive bottom out.

[jimi1114]

Is anyone running the CCDBA or the Vivid Air. Just curious if they have the same feel a the coil on the Nomad.

[Aust95]

The Monarch plus RT3 I used is comparable to the air shocks you mentioned. It improved the ride, but it still wasn't improvement enough. If you are used to the VPP1 of your Uzzi VPX and want something of that plushness, I can safely say you will not approach it with an air shock on the Nomadc.

[Aust95]

I have a nomad c with a DHX RC4 and a Ti spring on it. The coil shock feels so much better than the air shock. Definitely a worth while upgrade for a nomad. especially for a more freeride oriented build! Small bump compliance was the biggest difference I noticed at first. Less heat fade on long downhills an a more progressive bottom out.

Stock link or PUSH link?

[Mattyboughton]

Stock link or PUSH link?

stock link. however i plan to get the push link

[Mattyboughton]

stock link. however i plan to get the push link

its tough to justify the cost of the link

[Aust95]

its tough to justify the cost of the link

I hear ya. I'd have to buy a RC4 and then that'll make me want to get a PUSH link and then that'll make me want to get the RC4 PUSH tuned. A lot of additional dough to put into the bike for sure.

If getting just the RC4 is good enough, that's be much more reasonable cost wise. Is it good enough?

[jimi1114]

Sounds like Im just asking too much of the bike. I really like the frame but as I suspected it sounds like it will need a coil, which i'm not opposed to, and maybe a Push link to get it where I would like it.

[cman8]

Is anyone running the CCDBA or the Vivid Air. Just curious if they have the same feel a the coil on the Nomad.

I run my nomad with a CCDBA and its smooth. Feels just as good if not better from when I ran a pushed DHX , dont feel any pedal bob and can climb over anything and at the same time just rolls down the hills. If you take the time to tune the DBA its an awesome rear shock.

[client_9]

i think the Push Nomad link with a coil is supposed to more or less mimic the shock rate of the original Nomad: that is to say, plusher and better small bump performance. Its pricey but if youre not satisfied with the way the NomadC descends, its an option
Push Industries - Santa Cruz Nomad

>>> PUSH link w/ Coil shock <<<

RE: plushness/leverage ratio....
If I had it to do all over again, I would have just bought an older 1st gen Nomad (pre-2009?)
I spent a lot of $ getting my new Nomad to mimic the plushness of the original Nomad.

[Don Stefano]

The Monarch plus RT3 I used is comparable to the air shocks you mentioned. It improved the ride, but it still wasn't improvement enough.

I do only know of a Monarch plus RC3. However I would like to put one on my Nomad 1.

Does Anybody have experience which tune (L/M/H) should be used? I already emailed to Santy Cruz but no answer until now.

[Aust95]

I do only know of a Monarch plus RC3. However I would like to put one on my Nomad 1.

Does Anybody have experience which tune (L/M/H) should be used? I already emailed to Santy Cruz but no answer until now.

The Monarch I used was L compression, M rebound. I think that's the tune recommended for Nomad2, someone correct me if I'm wrong. I don't know for Nomad 1 though.