The Hawley Blog

…from the following bullet points:

XX Motion Control Damping

XLoc – hydraulic actuated remote

Dual air spring with independently adjustable positive and negative air spring chambers

External rebound and low speed compression adjustments

External floodgate

Forged, hollow AL66 TV aluminum crown

Magnesium lowers

32mm straight wall 7000 series aluminum stanchions

3.79lbs

If you said “29er XX Reba suspension fork” then you win… you win more than you bargained for. The 2011 Reba XX is on its way so patience would serve you well in this instance. Joshie and Bloggy compared our Reba XXs (he has the 2010) and noticed there were some subtle differences in appearance, etc. Hmmm, interesting. I thought Bloggy was getting the 2010 from Sram as well! Somebody up there loves Ole Bloggy. Needless to say, this has been the first bit of suspension adorning the Blog’s mountain bike in 5 or 6 years. The change in ride quality was substantial. Basically, it’s like if a mentally-challenged Transatlantic stage coach driver stumbled into a time machine which propelled him into the 43rd century and upon arriving, his stagecoach turned into a Genosian Starfighter and his IQ gained 200 IQ points… for infinity. Suspension is a good thing. Anybody want to but a White Brothers Rock Solid??? Interesting trades considered.

Lovely bit of trail at the start of the Lynch’s Woods loop in Newberry. Lots of roots and a good bit of rocks would provide an excellent testing area for the XX’s first ride. I kept forgetting to disengage the hydraulic lock-out on descents until I finally shrugged the shoulders and kept the fork in squish mode for the next 2 hours. It was amazing! Huzzah! Technology is a good thing! Luddites suck!

Lynch’s Woods has seen better days. While the “interior” of the trail is in ride-able shape, some of the power line underpasses had become rutted out and grown over. Leaning over while trying to ride up this portion of “trail” while trying to snap a picture ended with me falling over the side into a patch of thorns. The napping, mega-Copperhead I expected to land face first upon was nowhere to be seen, but it would’ve been expected with the run of bike riding luck I’ve had this year.