![]() We appreciate the development that went into the Chupacabra it’s an excellent tyre. ![]() ![]() ![]() The tread pattern of the Chupacabra sits somewhere between a Bontrager XR2 and XR3 which we found struck an excellent balance between rolling efficiency, sidewall stability and traction. Check out the scraping above the Bontrager logo- that’s some sturdy sidewall protection! We know this because with a 3” tyre you’ll be scraping the sidewalls of the tyre against lots of stuff on the trail, but despite this, the Chupacabra remained intact throughout the review. The result of the project was the Bontrager Chupacabra, a 3” tyre that weighs just 860 grams! Despite the light weight, the Chupacabra is tubeless ready, and the sidewall protection was high. We were lucky to chat with Trek’s Travis Brown where we discussed the Stache, and he summed up the decision to go with 29+ wheels by saying ‘if you’re the type of rider willing to take a small weight penalty for a lot of extra control and traction, and the ability to run low pressures, we came out with the 29+ to be superior.’Ģ9+ wheels with 3” tyres must be heavy right?Īt first glance, you would presume that the Bontrager Chupacabra tyres would weigh significantly more than regular tyres, however, one of the key aims of the Stache project (which was entitled ‘project weird’) was to create a lightweight 29×3.00 tyre. While the Stache is never going to feel like a dual suspension bike in choppy terrain, setting up the monstrous Chupacabra tyres tubeless and with the pressures low the bike has excellent small bump compliance. The second advantage of 29+ tyres is the small bump sensitivity that can be achieved by running the voluminous tyres at lower pressures. Firstly, with a bigger contact patch you’ve got more grip on the ground in virtually any condition than a goanna scaling a tree. Sorry if I sound biased, but I am.An increased contact patch is beneficial in two main ways. Not to mention the Stache geometry is unlike anything else on the market, and everyone that rides mine immediately wants to buy it because it's the most fun hardtail they've ever ridden. I've put well over 1,000 miles on both my Staches and have never had a single issue. So unless you like replacing parts or fixing other people's mistakes, having wheels re-laced with new hubs or just plan on buying a quality wheelset for a DB bike, I'd take a used Stache over one any day of the week. This includes the fact that I received the wrong model or size bike for all four orders placed, plus the attitude I've received from their customer service reps (I tried calling one guy but he would never answer his phone, so I got a hold of someone else and he finally called me back lecturing me about only dealing with one person.maybe try answering your damn phone).the cable routing on all of their bikes is consistently a fucking disaster, derailleur hangers always arrived bent to shit, and the hubs they use on their bikes, aside from maybe the top of the line Release 5C, are absolute trash and have grenaded on three separate bikes I've either owned or friends owned. But the number of errors present in the few orders I've placed is unacceptable. Now, I know most people don't have issues with Diamondback bikes. Probably never buy a Diamondback bike again. After owning two Staches (and still currently own a 2017 Stache 9.8) and owning/working on Diamondback bikes that I've purchased for myself or others through the corporate program, I will:
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |