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Recent Activity: This page outlines the stuff you've done at Giantnerd® most recently. To see older posts, just scroll down the page. You can even select a category tab below to find more specific posts!
Jul 24
Grappler vs the Ground Pound Yeah, I'd get the Grappler, too. But whatever you do, DON'T GET THE GENIUS BUILD! If you're worried about the warranty, take it to your local bike shop and have them build it.
Posted 07.24.12
Mar 01
Rear brake? Cool. Can't wait to see it.
Thanks!
Posted 03.01.11
Feb 14
Are there different format of shoes between road and mtb? If the bikes you're seeing have drop handlebars (as opposed to flat bars) and have knobby tires, then they are cyclocross bikes. You can ride a cyclocross bike as a road bike, but you might want to get some road-specific tires to reduce noise and rolling resistance.
Cyclocross bikes are great for commuting, especially in the winter.
You also asked about shoes. There are "road" and "mountain" shoes and pedals. You can easily ride mountain pedals on a road bike. I wouldn't ride road pedals on a mountain bike as dirt and mud don't play nice with road cleats.
Posted 02.14.11
Feb 28
Rear brake? This might be considered sacrilegious to some of you hipsters, but can the frame take a rear brake?
Posted 02.28.11
Jul 30
Fast and fun!
The bottom line is that the Grappler is a fast and fun ride without breaking the bank.
It's taking me a little while to get used to the 29-inch wheels, mainly because they can ride over and through things that just weren't possible on a 26-inch bike. This also means you can go faster.
Here are some of the highlights.
Climbing:
This bike can really climb. The larger tires help keep the front end on the ground even in the lower gears. The SRAM x5 shifters are responsive and there's plenty of gears to get you up the steepest climb.
Suspension:
The RockShox XC has a lockout feature which is nice for riding on smooth ground. I'm getting a noticeable "thunk" from the fork, but I may not have the rebound set correctly. Otherwise it's a fairly responsive and smooth fork.
Descents:
Descending on the Grappler is still taking some getting used to. I think the primary problem is that the bike is faster going downhill than my previous ride and I'm still not used to the fact that I can overcome obstacles that I wasn't able to before.
Size/Fit:
I'm 5'9" and the sizing chart was right on for me on the 18" frame. The first ride, the bike felt huge, but after about 50 miles, it feels normal. The frame is aggressive enough for climbing and still allows for a comfortable ride on the flats. The BAMF saddle and bars are comfortable. I do need to move the shifters and brake levers inward a bit.
Handling/stopping:
I've noticed that I can't corner as well as I could on my 26-inch bike, but I think it's something that I need to get used to. The hydraulic brakes on the Grapple can stop on a dime with very little pull on the levers. In fact after riding the Grappler, the brakes on my Ultegra-equipped road bike seem incredibly soft.
Bottom line:
If you're looking for a decent 29er and want to spend less than $1,000, the Grappler is the way to go. I had a few issues with the Genius Build, but Giantnerd's customer service took very good care of me. I'll definitely recommend this bike and Giantnerd to anyone who's in the market for a new bike.
Posted 07.30.12
Jan 31
These are great pedals
I like these pedals so much that I use them on my road and mountain bikes. I love being on group rides and watching all my buddies mess with cleat covers and walk like penguins, while I'm able to walk without any problem due to the recessed cleat.
Plus, when it's muddy out, these pedals can't be beat. I've never had a problem getting in or out of them!
Posted 01.31.11
Mar 08
Justinian Hatfield
I just reached one dollar in my Nerd dollar account :-)
Posted 03.08.11
Feb 16
Justinian Hatfield
This nice weather calls for an after-work ride today!
Posted 02.16.11
Feb 10
Justinian Hatfield
Looking forward to warm weather this weekend, so I can ride outside!
Posted 02.10.11
Jan 31
Jul 30
Fast and fun!
The bottom line is that the Grappler is a fast and fun ride without breaking the bank.
It's taking me a little while to get used to the 29-inch wheels, mainly because they can ride over and through things that just weren't possible on a 26-inch bike. This also means you can go faster.
Here are some of the highlights.
Climbing:
This bike can really climb. The larger tires help keep the front end on the ground even in the lower gears. The SRAM x5 shifters are responsive and there's plenty of gears to get you up the steepest climb.
Suspension:
The RockShox XC has a lockout feature which is nice for riding on smooth ground. I'm getting a noticeable "thunk" from the fork, but I may not have the rebound set correctly. Otherwise it's a fairly responsive and smooth fork.
Descents:
Descending on the Grappler is still taking some getting used to. I think the primary problem is that the bike is faster going downhill than my previous ride and I'm still not used to the fact that I can overcome obstacles that I wasn't able to before.
Size/Fit:
I'm 5'9" and the sizing chart was right on for me on the 18" frame. The first ride, the bike felt huge, but after about 50 miles, it feels normal. The frame is aggressive enough for climbing and still allows for a comfortable ride on the flats. The BAMF saddle and bars are comfortable. I do need to move the shifters and brake levers inward a bit.
Handling/stopping:
I've noticed that I can't corner as well as I could on my 26-inch bike, but I think it's something that I need to get used to. The hydraulic brakes on the Grapple can stop on a dime with very little pull on the levers. In fact after riding the Grappler, the brakes on my Ultegra-equipped road bike seem incredibly soft.
Bottom line:
If you're looking for a decent 29er and want to spend less than $1,000, the Grappler is the way to go. I had a few issues with the Genius Build, but Giantnerd's customer service took very good care of me. I'll definitely recommend this bike and Giantnerd to anyone who's in the market for a new bike.
Posted 07.30.12
Jul 24
Grappler vs the Ground Pound Yeah, I'd get the Grappler, too. But whatever you do, DON'T GET THE GENIUS BUILD! If you're worried about the warranty, take it to your local bike shop and have them build it.
Posted 07.24.12
Mar 08
MTB or Road Shorts
That's a good point about snagging. I hadn't considered that.
Thanks!
Added 03.08.11
Justinian Hatfield
I just reached one dollar in my Nerd dollar account :-)
Posted 03.08.11
Mar 01
Rear brake? Cool. Can't wait to see it.
Thanks!
Posted 03.01.11
Feb 28
Rear brake? This might be considered sacrilegious to some of you hipsters, but can the frame take a rear brake?
Posted 02.28.11
Feb 16
Justinian Hatfield
This nice weather calls for an after-work ride today!
Posted 02.16.11
Feb 15
Feb 14
Are there different format of shoes between road and mtb? If the bikes you're seeing have drop handlebars (as opposed to flat bars) and have knobby tires, then they are cyclocross bikes. You can ride a cyclocross bike as a road bike, but you might want to get some road-specific tires to reduce noise and rolling resistance.
Cyclocross bikes are great for commuting, especially in the winter.
You also asked about shoes. There are "road" and "mountain" shoes and pedals. You can easily ride mountain pedals on a road bike. I wouldn't ride road pedals on a mountain bike as dirt and mud don't play nice with road cleats.
Posted 02.14.11
Feb 10
Justinian Hatfield
Looking forward to warm weather this weekend, so I can ride outside!
Posted 02.10.11
Feb 01
Monza v. Mondial??? I need a new RAGBRAI Bike
The Monza would be a fine bike for RAGBRAI. Although, if I was buying a new bike, I'd spend the extra dough on the Mondial just for the Ultegra components. The Ultegra group is lighter, will shift more smoothly and probably last longer than Tiagra.
Added 02.01.11
Jan 31
These are great pedals
I like these pedals so much that I use them on my road and mountain bikes. I love being on group rides and watching all my buddies mess with cleat covers and walk like penguins, while I'm able to walk without any problem due to the recessed cleat.
Plus, when it's muddy out, these pedals can't be beat. I've never had a problem getting in or out of them!
Posted 01.31.11
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