Crank offerings from all major crank vendors exist now (SRAM, Raceface and Shimano) across their entire mid and high end product ranges which means there is enough demand industry wide for them to support this product spec. Fast forward a decade and while 148 is for sure the dominate standard, 157 continues to generate increasing interest.
142 and 157 existed at the time and both were well supported throughout the industry. My position has always been that 148 was a "half step" technology wise, based around existing 2x10 drivetrains at the time, pushed by one very large brand that was having issues with low cost 29" wheels. Re: 157: our decision to move in this direction is that we did NOT want to just jump on the bandwagon for 148 when it was released. Hope you don't mind me jumping into the weeds here :) It's got travel to adsorb some bigger hits, but still fun and playful, while not taking itself too seriously. The Warden LT almost feels like a modern take on the freeride bike from yesteryear. At roughly $7,000 CDN you're getting a generally excellent build kit, with fantastic suspension. The frame is nicely stiff, beautifully made, and proved durable over the test period. Pedaling-wise, it's not going to win any races to the top of the hill, but it wasn't a chore to get around on either. I loved how eager it was to dive into any corner and wheelie out - it's a really fun bike to ride.
On some of the steeper, tighter, more technical trails, the Warden LT was absolutely brilliant. There are plenty of folks that don't want a super long, aggressive enduro sled, and for them, something like the Knolly Warden LT might be just the ticket. I think it's a fun freeride bike that couples ample suspension travel in a playful package. While my cup of tea is a long, slack, bump-eating enduro rig, there are a lot of those bikes already on the market. If this doesn't seem significant to you, you're probably safe to start with the stock spec and see how you go.įor a bike coming out in late 2020, the geometry feels a bit dated, but that doesn't make me think the Warden LT is a bad bike. Suffice to say that if you know what you need, you can relate and likely would need a tire swap if you're considering a Warden LT. As for MaxxTerra vs MaxxGrip compound on the North Shore in fall conditions, well, we all run MaxxGrip on our personal bikes - at least on the front. While many of us haven't had issues with the amount of sidewall support offered by EXO+ tires, there are others for whom it is not enough. This transformed the bike, and we were back in business.Įd note: it's worth pointing out here that Tim has a very solid DH race pedigree that makes him much more demanding of tire spec than the average rider. This allowed me to run my normal tire pressures, with a soft sticky tire on the front. After discussion with Knolly I fitted a DoubleDown MaxxGrip Assegai on the front, and a DoubleDown MaxxTerra DHR II on the rear. Regardless, the EXO+ MaxxTerra tires proved inadequate on the Warden LT on the slippery local trails. I haven't had as many issues when running EXO+ tires on some other wheels. Before I get crucified by the keyboard warriors, I think the unusually sharp bead on the Industry Nine Enduro-S wheels might be a contributing factor to the pinch flats. I think the MaxxTerra-fying compound on the front is too hard a compound for the slippery roots and rocks on our local trails. I was spinning out constantly on wet technical climbs, and the back end was nervous or harsh when descending.
I had to run high tire pressures to prevent flats, and that made the Warden LT harsh and skittish. I was starting to run low on tire plugs, and the tire was constantly leaking air.
I increased pressures again, but got a third flat. I increased the rear tire pressure, only to get a flat on the third ride. With normal tire pressures in the Maxxis EXO+ tires I got a flat on my first ride. While I think most of the build kit was well thought out, the big miss in the Warden LT build is the tires.
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