When building out the Loam Library this is a rough idea of how I look at things. Bikes have gotten really good these days so the differences are getting more minute. Charts and graphs often do not tell the whole story. Suspension is one piece and geometry another not to mention how those things work with all the parts like brakes, wheels, etc.
Loam score 1 bad 2 hard to overlook 3 fine/compromised 4 good/the average 5 great/better than most
Climbing Body Position 1 bad 2 a lot of body English required 3 have to shift forward a little on steeps, feels like the front end needs weight on switchbacks 4 climbs great seated or standing up without excess energy 5 climbs great and my preferred body position Efficiency 1 bad 2 needs the climb switch 3 climb switch helps 4 great traction and feels “efficient” 5 great traction and feels “quick/light” Traction 1 harsh or bouncy 2 sacrifices efficiency for traction 3 sacrifices efficiency for traction lockout helps 4 claws up everything 5 claws up everything efficiently Switchbacks 1 too long 2 needs a lot of weight on the front 3 makes switchback with too much effort 4 switchbacks clean a little effort 5 switchbacks clean
Descending Chunk 1 rides like a bucking bronco 2 feels like your reaching the end of the travel often 3 requires a bit of effort to hold a line 4 tracks smoothly and holds a line well 5 tracks like a DH bike Steep 1 feels like you’re going headfirst off a cliff 2 back end struggles to maintain traction under heavy braking 3 centered and composed 4 centered, composed, and controlled 5 centered, composed, controlled, and makes you want to try it faster Jumps 1 wallows when pushing into the suspension 2 kicks 3 wants to dead sailor/mushy 4 likes jumps big and small and allows for some fun 5 likes jumps big, small, steep lips and getting sideways Cornering 1 feels high in the corner 2 stands up or requires full commitment 3 corners but washes out front or rear when pushed 4 rips corners and controlled fun 5 accelerates out of corners and pockets/double wheel drifts predictably
Value 1 not worth it 2 good parts or frame not both 3 “you get what you pay for” 4 decent value/the important stuff or good sale 5 all the important stuff, nothing needs replaced out of the box or great sale Quality 1 not worth it 2 broke with bad customer service/ creaking without easy resolution 3 paint doesn’t meet expectations/ broke with good customer service 4 good paint but may not hold up/ nothing broken and expected bearing wear / industry standard features 5 paint glossy after good use/ great warranty and free bearing replacement / extras like good inframe storage, cable routing plus things like anchors / thoughtful design room for a bottle, better inframe storage, ease of maintenance
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When building out the Loam Library this is a rough idea of how I look at things. Bikes have gotten really good these days so the differences are getting more minute. Charts and graphs often do not tell the whole story. Suspension is one piece and geometry another not to mention how those things work with all the parts like brakes, wheels, etc.
Loam score
1 bad
2 hard to overlook
3 fine/compromised
4 good/the average
5 great/better than most
Climbing
Body Position
1 bad
2 a lot of body English required
3 have to shift forward a little on steeps, feels like the front end needs weight on switchbacks
4 climbs great seated or standing up without excess energy
5 climbs great and my preferred body position
Efficiency
1 bad
2 needs the climb switch
3 climb switch helps
4 great traction and feels “efficient”
5 great traction and feels “quick/light”
Traction
1 harsh or bouncy
2 sacrifices efficiency for traction
3 sacrifices efficiency for traction lockout helps
4 claws up everything
5 claws up everything efficiently
Switchbacks
1 too long
2 needs a lot of weight on the front
3 makes switchback with too much effort
4 switchbacks clean a little effort
5 switchbacks clean
Descending
Chunk
1 rides like a bucking bronco
2 feels like your reaching the end of the travel often
3 requires a bit of effort to hold a line
4 tracks smoothly and holds a line well
5 tracks like a DH bike
Steep
1 feels like you’re going headfirst off a cliff
2 back end struggles to maintain traction under heavy braking
3 centered and composed
4 centered, composed, and controlled
5 centered, composed, controlled, and makes you want to try it faster
Jumps
1 wallows when pushing into the suspension
2 kicks
3 wants to dead sailor/mushy
4 likes jumps big and small and allows for some fun
5 likes jumps big, small, steep lips and getting sideways
Cornering
1 feels high in the corner
2 stands up or requires full commitment
3 corners but washes out front or rear when pushed
4 rips corners and controlled fun
5 accelerates out of corners and pockets/double wheel drifts predictably
Value
1 not worth it
2 good parts or frame not both
3 “you get what you pay for”
4 decent value/the important stuff or good sale
5 all the important stuff, nothing needs replaced out of the box or great sale
Quality
1 not worth it
2 broke with bad customer service/ creaking without easy resolution
3 paint doesn’t meet expectations/ broke with good customer service
4 good paint but may not hold up/ nothing broken and expected bearing wear / industry standard features
5 paint glossy after good use/ great warranty and free bearing replacement / extras like good inframe storage, cable routing plus things like anchors / thoughtful design room for a bottle, better inframe storage, ease of maintenance
1 year ago | [YT] | 9
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