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covert 29er

78K views 371 replies 64 participants last post by  weezerfan84 
#1 ·
Hey Transitionairs :)

Does any of you know if theres going to be a covert two 9? by looking at the current lineup only a 29er covert is missing.

BTW

I allways tell my covert riding buddy of mine.. that the only bike to replace my nomad are the 29er covert... Maybe they will ;)

Happy trail rockin' :rockon:
 
#138 · (Edited)
Ok I'm a struggler! Just got my Covert built and can't post the pic. But have been reading the posts on suspension set up. Thanks for posting your work, it's definitely helping with setup. Wish Fox had the application for android. :madman:
Sorry new guy can't post pics. however the build is posted on my profile.
 
#142 ·
When I was doing a search for setting up the rear susp I found a thread on last years Bandit 29, Transition recommends 25% sag on that bike, or about your body weight in psi in the shock. I imagine this bike is similar, maybe a little less than body weight.

The middle trail settings are nice for smoother sections but kinda firm in the chunky stuff, still need to play with the trail adj dial and the LS comp on the fork to get it feeling just right. Nice to have tho and be able to adj easily depending on the trail your riding.
 
#143 ·
OK. Here's a bit more work on setting the suspension.

Me: 6'3". 225lb birthday suit. XL Covert 29 w/ CTD shock and 34 fork. 800mm bar w/ 50mm stem and I run my saddle in KOPS position. Top of my grips are about 3/4" higher than top of the saddle.

As it turns out, I weigh more in riding gear than I was guessing...235-240lb depending on how much water in the Camelbak. I also remeasured sag and I was off compared to my previous settings.

So...at that ride weight, 210psi in the rear shock gave me 9/16" or 25% sag. Put another way, the air pressure is around 88-89% of my ride weight. Yet another way is to say it is 25-30lb under my ride weight. I would think that the % of a riders weight would be more accurate across a range of riders than just going a certain number below your ride weight.

205psi was about 27% sag and 200psi was around 30% sag. Today I ran the fork and shock in Trail position in the middle compression setting. Tomorrow I will try the same pressures with the low compression setting.

I ran the fork at 115psi or roughly 48-49% of my ride weight. I never bother to set my fork according to a sag %. I always try to match the "feel" to the rear suspension while making sure I use full travel on the biggest hits. At the settings today the front and rear felt very similar.

Additionally, no matter where I was in the 25-30% sag range on the rear shock, I use full travel on bigger hits but have never felt a "bottom". My perception is that I will then fine tune that pressure setting based on how I want the bike to ride. At 30% the rear was a bit lower, softer and tracked the ground on small chatter a bit better. But, the pedal feel wasn't as "snappy"...it was muted a bit. It didn't feel bad, it just wasn't as "sharp". At 25% the feel is a bit "livelier". The bike sits up a bit more and responds to weight shifts with a firmer feel. The pedaling response is a bit more "solid" and feels very nice sprinting out of a corner or grunting up a steep climb. But, you give up a bit of compliance on smaller chatter. I'm not sure if these words are helping, I'm just trying to find adjectives to help convey a subjective observation.

It seems like I read somewhere from one of the Transition guys that the Covert 29 is designed to handle the bigger stuff with composure at a possible slight expense to smaller chatter, especially with an air shock. Is this correct? Anywhoo...I would agree with this and, in my opinion, this is a good thing.

Like I said before, the bike feels a lot like my old ASR 7 in that it is "firm" off the top and then drops into a nice composed stroke on medium to large stuff. Firm does not mean harsh...think "sporty". I really like the feel at 25% sag. There's something to "push against" for fast weight shifts, the bike does not pull into its travel under hard efforts (like some of my past Horst Link bikes), it stays solid under power.

On the geometry front...I am sold on Transitions approach. My position is exagerated a bit with the short stem and wide bars so my setup is "upright" and "compact"...but not to the point that I am uncomfortable. My position is such that seated pedaling, standing sprinting, uphill efforts in and out of the seat, and corner carving are all done in the same small space. I used to have bikes with long top tubes and I felt like a monkey moving all over the place to accomplish this stuff. Now it is a slight weight shift here or there...so simple and enjoyable.

Additionally, the more I ride, the more I enjoy the handling. I am still getting used to how easily the bike moves side to side while carving turns...no perceived big wheel lag, just pop, pop, pop through the "S"-turns. Wheelies, manuals and drops are easy...the front comes up very nicely. The bike climbs steep pitches well. The suspension doesn't sag excessively into its travel and you don't have to shift your weight forward much at all to keep the front down and the rear hooked up. Like I said, it's all done from the same small space hovering right around your saddle.

That's more than enough for now. I realize it's hard to be objective with NBS (New Bike Syndrome) so take what I say with a grain of salt. The bottom line for me is that I my transition from the ASR 7 has been easy and quite enjoyable!
 

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#145 ·
Ok I've gotten to ride a few times now. And since we have lots of snow on the trails still I'm riding the paved hills:( however I'm using the time and rides to get the saddle positioned just so and the cockpit arranged as it seems to work differently than my last shimano setup.
This bike is no slouch in the climbing department. I had some reservations about the climbing as there is so little out about the climbing ability of the bike. The 74 degree seat tube feels like with some adjustment in the saddle you are right in the sweet spot for hammering away and a longer climb. I figured since I liked the rest of the bike I'd be sacrificing in this department, however that is not the case. Its a goat and no you don't have to climb in granny gear all the time:) I'm running on the big ring up front and three big gears in the back as I'm not super strong climber. This bike could easily be ridden everywhere as a 1x10 by anyone. Pick your front gear wisely or twice but I feel confident in that statement as the bike climbs that well. If you considering getting one and are thinking "how does it climb?" Go for it!
 
#150 ·
Digging the bike more and more! I have settled on the trail mode with the trail adj set at 1, on the Rev fork I like the middle setting with 3 clicks of LS comp. This gives the right balance of platform for pedaling yet still supple in the rocks.

BTW, the front shifting felt off so I checked out the housing/cable, it was all gunked up already at the BB end. Put a new piece of housing on and used a sealed housing end on that stop, vulnerable spot.
 
#153 ·
Hi, I'm currently drooling over the Covert 29er and am itching to make a purchase, maybe next month as soon as they become available in the UK. However decent write-ups on the bike seem to be few and far between at the moment. I've got a C'dale Flash 29er hardtail for my XC needs, but am looking for something a bit more on the fun side for my full suss bike, something I can work on getting some air on and hitting rock gardens harder and quicker than I currently do on my hard tail. Coming from such a lightweight hard tail I'm just wondering what the Covert is like for climbing? I'm not looking to break any records on the climbs - in fact climb slow and steady and save my legs for the downhills will be my strategy, but just want something that wont be bobbing around, doesn't feel too heavy and take on technical climbs (albeit slowly). I guess i'm after an All-Mountain bike in the true sense of the phrase. Sounds like the Covert 29er might fit the bill? My worry is that coming in at 33lbs for a full build, it might feel a bit of a weight to lug around. Cheers.
 
#154 ·
Hi Wobbliscott, there are a number of demos in the UK available depending on what size you require and where you live, I test rode one at the weekend, did part of the mini enduro course in exeter, I wasn't that impressed, the bike just didn't handle that well, the bike prob needs more setting up in the sus department for me. I really love the look of the bike and wanted to do the megavalanche on it.
I did the mega last year on a spec enduro which was great gave me confidence in every way. I would like to move away from the mainstream manufactures, Transition looked good, may be the covert 26 would be abetter bet?
decisions decisions?
on the plus it went up hill like a train which you would expect from a 29er.
Cheers
 
#158 ·
I can't emphasize enough how big of a difference getting the suspension and geo dialed in makes on this bike. On my first ride I was underwhelmed, climbed like sh!t and the descending didnt inspire confidence. Now that the suspension, particularly the rear shock, is tuned and the geometry is more suited to my riding style its like a whole new bike!

Like some others on this thread I'm running my rear in trail mode on the '1' setting.
 
#155 ·
33lbs is spot on for this kind of bike IMO, especially with beefier wheels/tires. It's not like a long travel 26" bike, this bike feels much more nimble and pedal friendly, more like a regular ol' trail bike.

Of course it's gonna feel a little sluggish compared to a lightweight hardtail but it climbs and pedals nice, step on the pedals and it goes. I think it's a better technical climber than my previous FS 29er as well due to it's more compact geometry.
 
#156 ·
Thanks for the feedback chaps. I'm going to arrange a test ride, but not sure how much I can glean from a single ride without really getting used to the bike and setting up the suspension. I'm not trying to win any races on it and certainly not planning anything like the Megavalanche, but will be taking it to the Alps and just don't want it to climb like a Blancmange. Sound like it might fit the bill. Looking forward to a test ride now. Cheers.
 
#159 ·
Thanks - got a test ride organised so will make sure I have a play with the rear shock - though i was looking at the lower spec build kit 3 with the RockShox Monarch rear shock for my actual purchase, not sure what settings these have and how they compare with the Fox CDT. Might look to upgrade the rear shock then. Can't wait to give it a go though.
 
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#162 ·
Has anyone done any climbing on the Covert 29? How does it compare to the Yeti SB-95?

Unfortunately there are no demo Covert 29ers in SoCal that I am aware of. I've ridden the Banshee Prime and the TT is too short in a Large and I'm not willing to step up to the 48" WB on the XL. The Covert 29 in an XL feels pretty good, but I'd like to see how the seat angle positions me for the more technical climbs. I felt to cramped on the Prime and had a hard time getting traction. The SB-95 climbs pretty damn well, but I'm liking the Covert for more All-Mountain use.
 
#163 ·
Has anyone done any climbing on the Covert 29? How does it compare to the Yeti SB-95?

Unfortunately there are no demo Covert 29ers in SoCal that I am aware of. I've ridden the Banshee Prime and the TT is too short in a Large and I'm not willing to step up to the 48" WB on the XL. The Covert 29 in an XL feels pretty good, but I'd like to see how the seat angle positions me for the more technical climbs. I felt to cramped on the Prime and had a hard time getting traction. The SB-95 climbs pretty damn well, but I'm liking the Covert for more All-Mountain use.
I've never tried the sb-95 so I can't compare the two, but I'd say its on par with my rumblefish which I thought was a great climber. I've ridden the c29 on tame Front Range stuff thus far but there have been some steep switch backs that I handled with no problem...once the suspension and Geo were dialed in.
 
#182 ·
Have everything on order, just waiting on some backorder stuff.

Size Large Black Covert
Fox Float CTD Trail Adjust Kashima Shock
Fox Float CTD Trail Adjust Kashima 140mm 15mm thru Fork
Cane Creek 40 headset
Thomson Stem/Seatpost
Specialized Henge Expert Saddle
Thomson Carbon AM Bar
ODI Lockon Ruffians
Spank Spike Pedals
Hope QR Collar
Hope Hubs laced to Stan's ZTR Flow EX
Specialized S-WORKS Purgatory Tires
Full XT Groupset w/finned pads and ICE-TECH rotors

Crossing my fingers that it comes in under 30lbs
 
#170 ·
Fine tuning the shifting.

I have the Transition #2 build kit and have never been happy with the front shifting on the 24-36 upshift with the X9 crankset and Fder. It feels like the chain gets jammed into the 36 ring and sticks instead of popping over the top. I also don't like the way SRAM attaches their left crank arms when compared to Shimano. I think the Shimano method is much more solid.

I had an SLX M665 crankset laying around with 24-36 Shimano rings (which I also think work better than SRAM rings) so I installed it today. I also got to looking at the X9 Fder and there is a bend ("kink") in the inner cage plate that I think is trapping the chain against the chainring, causing some poor performance. As you can see in the pic, I filed the "kink" down to remove the catching point. I also freed the Fder housing from the lower cable attachment on the down tube as this forced the housing into a ridiculous bend around the bottom bracket that required excessive force at the thumb shifter (much, much better now).

Summary from the Shimano rings, filed Fder, and smoother housing bend...much improved front shifting. I no longer dread shifting my Fder!

Moab in two weeks...stay tuned!
 

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#172 ·
Stock bash from the X9 crank. Bike came stock with the 24-38-no bash gears. I ordered the 22-36-bash spider to create a 24-36-bash on the X9 crank. I had a BBG bash on the SLX crank but liked the rounded edges and lower profile of the X9 bash. Now the SLX crank is 24-36-bash. The 24 is from FSA and is offset inboard just a bit (maybe 1mm...better chain line). The 36 is the stock Shimano ring from the M665 crank. The bash is from the X9 spider so the crankset is a bit Frankenstein. By switching cranks I also improved chain line and had to remove a 2.5mm spacer from behind the chain guide to line everything up.
 
#174 ·
Hey if your not gonna use the X9 crank would you be interested in selling the stock spider with 24/38 rings? I have the 26/39 XO crankset and the granny gear is a little too high.

Also curious you said the chainline moved inboard, how's the clearance from the chainrings to the rear shifter housing? Mine is tight as is and I read the 24/38 spider moves the rings inboard, good for the chainline but concerned about the housing getting chewed up.
 
#177 ·
Prioritize Pipe Dream over the Brand trails. [Edit- noticed you didn't mention Sovereign - you're probably familiar with those trails, but if not, I'd ride them before Brand, unless you have beginners with you.] And I assume you noticed in the UT forum that there's a new trail on Amasa Back. Have fun- you should have a Moab killer there in your Covert. I'm headed there in a month, myself.
 
#178 ·
Yep, we have some green riders in the group. Thus, the Brand trails are good to hit to give those guys a break. Soverign was fun and a good suggestion as I think everybody would enjoy the area. The only part of Amasa I have done is the original climb last year and then got rained out. I really want to explore those trails. Did Pipe Dream two years ago and had a luke warm experience...but that might be because I had my knee stitched up the day before. Porcupine is always the highlight and we try to hit it twice if possible so I'm hoping there's some serious snow melting going on right now. Can't wait!
 
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