Our graphic designer, Jan, is no stranger to steep chutes, big jumps, and the price riders pay for the occasional spill. Recently sidelined with a broken collar bone, Jan began to scheme up his next bike build. After spending numerous seasons aboard a Transition Patrol, he was interested in building up a bike that shared similar geometry numbers while having a longer wheelbase. To achieve this, Jan opted for a Spire with a selection of familiar components. Favoring the increased clearance and maneuverability of a 27.5” rear wheel, Jan built his Spire up as a mullet, making this one ultra-slack and aggressive 170mm bike. 

Bike Details

Frame: Transition Spire 

Size: M 

Wheels: We Are One Triad / Hope Pro 5 / Sapim Race Butted Spokes 

Tires: Specialized Hillbilly Grid Gravity T9 

Drivetrain: Sram GX Eagle DUB 12-speed groupset / Ochain R

Brakes: Dominion Hayes A4 / SRAM HS2 200mm F/R 

Cockpit: Tenet Bodem V3 Alloy 40mm, 750mm wide / Anvl Swage Stem 40mm / ODI Elite Flow Grips 

Seatpost/Saddle: OneUp V3 Dropper 180mm  / Ergon SM Sport Saddle 

Shock: RockShox Vivid Air Ultimate RC2T 205mm x 65mm 

Fork: RockShox Zeb 29" Ultimate Charger 3.1 170mm 

Frame/Sizing

Jan opted for a medium aluminum Spire as the centerpiece of this build. While he enjoyed the slashy, playful nature of the Patrol, Jan wanted to experiment with a bike that is nearly identical for the exception of having a longer wheelbase. By maintaining many of the same components and setting his Spire up as a mullet, Jan has been able to dissect the differences between the two frames. The result has been a bike that is just as confident in the steeps as his Patrol while providing a much more planted and muted ride quality. 

Brakes / Drivetrain

A set of Hayes Dominion A4 brakes and  200mm Sram HS2 rotors take care of the stopping duties for this build. Jan has become accustomed to Dominion brakes across all his bikes for their ultra-light pull and immense stopping power. The drivetrain consists of SRAM GX Eagle components with the addition of an Ochain R. The Ochain is an active spider device that allows the chainring to rotate backward, effectively decoupling drivetrain forces from the suspension. The pairing of an Ochain and the Spire’s 170mm of rear travel makes for a bike that is insanely planted through rough terrain and chattery repetitive hits.

Wheels / Tires

This build rolls on a set of Hope Pro 5 hubs laced to We Are One Triad rims. The Hope Pro 5 provides 108 points of engagement and shockingly low drag, while We Are One’s Triad rim is one of the strongest carbon rims currently available. This hub and rim combination is a shop favorite for its ultra-reliable performance and ability to hold its tension season after season. Jan is currently running Specialized Grid Gravity T9 Hillbilly tires front and rear to navigate Bellingham’s saturated winter conditions.

Suspension

The RockShox ZEB and Vivid Air shock are both components Jan had experience with on his Patrol, and carried over to this build due to their intuitive setup and fantastic ride quality. Jan prefers his suspension setup extremely fast, with the bike sitting higher in its travel and providing a more active ride feel.  

Fork Settings

PSI: 62 HSC: Middle LSC: +1 HSR: +16 Spacers: 2

Shock Settings

PSI: 205 HSC: Middle LSC: +1 HSR: +18 (fully open) HBO: +3 Spacers: 3

What prompted your decision to switch from a Patrol to a Spire?  

I basically wanted to try a longer, more stable version of the bike I had. It seemed like the Spire had the numbers for that. I figured the Spire would be familiar enough coming from a similar bike, but there would be some noticeable differences. 

What were your first impressions out on the trail?

I noticed a reduction in liveliness. The Patrol was definitely more poppy and playful because of its shorter wheelbase. The Spire definitely excels more at sticking to the ground and charging through stuff, whereas the Patrol kinda danced. 

Were there any "must-have" components carried over from your previous build? 

Yeah, the RockShox suspension because it has been dialed. It's easy to set up and each click makes a noticeable difference. The Vivid is insane too, it tracks really well but has that progressive feel everyone likes about air shocks.  

What aspect of bike setup are you most particular about? 

Brake reach and bite. I run my levers super close to the bars, so having them bite and feel the same is a big for me.

How would you describe your bike's ride characteristics? 

I think it totally fits its reputation of being a "downhill bike you can pedal." It's still not a full-on downhill bike by any means, but it is extremely capable and won't ever be outgunned. It does tend to be a bit more sluggish on flatter, smoother terrain but it makes up for it on steep, flat out sections of trail. 

What are your thoughts about running the Ochain for the first time?

The first thing I noticed was how quiet my bike was, the Ochain eliminated any noise and feedback through the chain. My bike was just completely silent and all you could hear was the tires in the dirt. It was nice to be able to adjust the Ochain R between 4, 6, 9, and 12 degrees to get a feel for how it worked in different scenarios and settings. Definitely setting it to 12-degrees and just nuking down something, the bike feels stuck to the ground. It totally works. 

Who would you recommend the Ochain to?

I think the Ochain is for the rider who likes to haul through the rough and have their bike "do the work" while sticking to the ground. 

If you could ride anywhere in the world right now, where would it be? 

I would go to France and ride one of Vinny T's steep gully, loamers. It just looks super steep and surfy. Or honestly just anything in BikePark Chatel.

What song best describes your bike? 

Men I Trust - Billie Toppy