The primary time I threw a leg over the unique Fezzari La Sal Peak, I knew it was totally different. And this time, it was like deja vu once more.
The steep seat angle actually makes me really feel like I’m on high of the bike, way more so than something I’ve ridden, together with their very own Delano Peak and Sign Peak mountain bikes. However why? And is {that a} dangerous factor?
The quick reply is not any, however once you first get on the bike, it’s gonna really feel bizarre. Count on that, and simply spec it with the longest potential journey dropper publish you possibly can, then get out on the path and all will appear proper. Right here’s a fast closeup of among the La Sal Peak 2.0’s options, then I’ll dive into the evaluation…
Fezzari La Sal Peak 2.0 body particulars
The brand new La Sal Peak is a full-fledged 29er enduro bike with 170mm of entrance and rear journey in inventory type. Want extra? Bump the fork to 180mm, or go along with a 203mm journey twin crown fork if you really want to get rowdy. Wish to reel it in a bit? Swap in a shorter stroke shock and cut back the rear journey to 160mm for a snappier trip.
A flip-chip helps you to make issues a bit steeper, which you’d solely actually wish to use when you’re swapping in a 27.5″ rear wheel and tire to maintain the geometry in steadiness.
Fezzari’s cable administration is among the finest I’ve seen, maintaining issues quiet, rattle-free, and aiming in the correct path. A single bottle cage suits contained in the entrance triangle, with mounts beneath for a second one (or device wrap attachment).
An higher bash guard protects the body from tailgates once you’re throwing it over the again of a truck mattress. There’s a port for a rear shock distant lockout, however I didn’t see the necessity for it because of their environment friendly suspension design.
The La Sal Peak 2.0 suits as much as 2.6″ tires, proven right here with Maxxis 2.5″ Assegai (entrance) and DHF (rear) tires put in on Crank Brothers Synthesis alloy wheels.
Regardless of being stiffer and stronger than the primary technology mannequin, Fezzari carved about 100g out of the body. Claimed weight is 2.6kg (5.7lb) for a dimension Medium, with out shock. Take a look at the total launch story for all of the tech particulars, geo chart, and pricing.
La Sal Peak 2.0 trip evaluation
The tunnel chute on Hiline strings collectively a LOT of rocky drop sections, every with its personal distinctive character, right into a difficult combo line.
My take a look at rides included Sedona’s notorious Hiline path, adopted by a extra flowy trip on Adobe Jack. Hiline is arguably the most well-liked Skilled-level path in Sedona because of a mixture of technical sections, slickrock, excessive publicity, flowing switchbacks, and difficult singletrack. Oh, and unbelievable views!
In different phrases, it’s the right take a look at for a long-travel bike that’s meant to go quick and instill confidence, and the La Sal Peak delivered.
If you happen to’ve by no means ridden Hiline, it’s a heckuva path to check a brand new, unfamiliar bike on. Whereas lots of the drops are rollable, most profit from carrying pace. The bike rode stable, and with an enormous Fox 38 up entrance, held its strains and made quick work of the gnar even after I got here in blind and at pace.
As you possibly can see from the characteristic picture on the high of this publish, the bike is straightforward to get behind with the dropper all the way in which down. Even with the longest (supplied) 200mm dropper publish, although, the very low standover top meant I might have simply used a 220mm dropper.
That stated, my however in all probability would have really been sitting on the rear tire with the elevated room, so possibly it’s finest I didn’t have extra dropper journey. But it surely illustrates simply how low this bike sits, making it very easy to maneuver, as long as…
…you employ the dropper.
With most bikes, I can get away with reasonable dropper publish utilization, primarily sinking into it solely on the descents. With the La Sal Peak, I couldn’t be as lazy. It rewarded utilizing it even on the flowy, technical sections.
Mainly, anytime I stood as much as maneuver the bike, I benefitted by decreasing the saddle a pair inches. Greater than every other bike I’ve ridden, this one retains the saddle entrance and heart, making me need to get it out of the way in which after I didn’t want it.
The upside to that positioning was on the climbs. To get to Hiline, you’ve gotta climb Slim Shady. And climb, and climb, and climb.
The La Sal Peak’s geometry combines with their environment friendly Tetra Hyperlink four-bar suspension design to ship glorious climbing. Even on the quick, punchy stuff like crawling, hopping, and lurching up rock faces, the bike simply motors ahead and maintains traction.
Touchdown drops was straightforward with a lot journey to cushion it, and all of it felt managed. With a bit of trailside tweaking all through the rides, we had the bike feeling extraordinarily balanced, too.
That means, entrance and rear labored as a crew, whether or not climbing or descending, which gave it a pleasantly impartial feeling that didn’t distract from the trip. Small stuff disappeared, traction remained, and the massive hits didn’t gradual me down.
It was additionally fairly balanced within the dealing with. It’s straightforward to maneuver, and solely had a tiny little bit of wander on extraordinarily low pace climbs…which is to be anticipated on any bike with this a lot journey and a slack 64º head angle.
I’m 6’2″ and examined an XL body.
If 170mm of journey appears like quite a bit, it’s. Fezzari’s PM Tyler Cloward stated the elevated journey on this new mannequin not solely gave them a correct enduro bike, it additionally made a clearer distinction between the La Sal Peak and Delano Peak, firmly cementing the latter as their “path” bike.
Surprisingly, even with this a lot journey, the bike pedals like a brief journey bike and climbs like a goat, then delivers all of the downhill journey and pace you might need. Undoubtedly value a glance when you’re looking for an enduro mountain bike to crush the descents then shortly pedal again as much as do it once more.
