Everyone should have a hardtail; at least, that’s what our E-Commerce manager, Rich, will tell you. When he’s not aboard his Fox Neo equipped Forbidden Druid or 160mm Dreadnought, he enjoys the finer things in life: a steel Chromag Rootdown with a hefty dent in the top tube. This Rootdown frame that once had been relegated to being a wall decoration in the warehouse has been given new life with a selection of components most riders wouldn’t mind having on their everyday trail bikes. Rich loves his Rootdown for the sloppy PNW winter months, trail rides with his dog, Ruby, and bringing a new perspective to local trails.

Bike Details

Frame: Chromag Rootdown

Size: Large

Wheels: RaceFace ERA rims / RaceFace Turbine hubs / Sapim Race Butted Spokes 

Tires: Continental Kryptotal FR Enduro Soft 29 x 2.4 / Continental Xynotal Enduro Soft 29 x 2.4

Inserts: Cushcore Pro(rear)

Drivetrain: Shimano XT LinkGlide 11-speed Derailleur, Shimano XT LinkGlide 11-speed Cassette, and Shimano XT LinkGlide 11-speed chain / SRAM NX Crankset 170mm / SRAM  X-Sync 32t Chainring

Brakes: TRP DH-R EVO / SRAM HS2 rotors 180mm F/R

Cockpit: Chromag Fubars 35mm rise 770mm wide / Tenet Nora 35 V2.5 Stem 32mm  / Tenet Icon Grips 

Pedals: Tenet Occult

Seatpost/Saddle: RockShox Reverb AXS B1 225mm / Chromag Trailmaster LTD  

Fork: Rockshox Lyrik Ultimate 160mm Charger 3.1 

Ruby Details

Breed: German Shorthaired Pointer 

Age: 3 years

Weight: 50lbs

What made you want a hardtail when you have so many other great bikes? 

Just to get back to the simple fun of riding a bike, it's what I started on. It's also perfect for riding with the dog and riding in the winter when things are sloppy. You don't have to worry about bearings getting gunked up or worn out; it's simple. It's what mountain biking is all about. 

What's the backstory with this frame?

That frame is affectionately called the "clapper" because it is an exceptionally clapped-out frame. It's been ridden by multiple people in the shop. Originally, it was our previous buyer's bike, and he took a tumble on it, putting a dent in the top tube. He hung it up in the shop, partially because it was dented and partially because it hurt his back to ride. Another coworker rebuilt it with as many clapped-out parts as he could find around the shop, which is how it earned its name. But then, it hurt his back and ankles, so it ended up with me. I've been riding it ever since, it doesn't hurt my back, and I'm unbothered by the dent.

Do you think the frame could be out of alignment?

I don't know, sure, it might be out of alignment a little bit. I really don't care. It doesn't feel funky, and it rides great. Our old coworker always claimed it pulled to one side when trying to manual it, but I can't manual anyway, so it doesn't matter. 

This bike has gotten some serious component upgrades over the years; what are some of your favorite parts?

This is the least clapped-out this bike has ever been. I am a big fan of wireless droppers, so I have one RockShox Reverb AXS that I swap between all of my bikes. I have also tried a couple of different forks, so sometimes it has a Fox 36, and other times it has a RockShox Lyrik. Of course, it's got TRP DHR-EVO brakes because those are my favorite and are on all of my builds.

What do you think of the Continental tires?

It's my first time on them, but these tread patterns have been great. They are a bit heavier because  I am running the downhill casing, but I just had them in the garage and decided to give them a try. I do have a CushCore in the rear, so I can run at a slightly lower pressure. 

How does your riding style change on the hardtail? 

I definitely have to be more precise and more aware of where I am placing the bike. I don't jump it as much as my full-suspension bikes because it does hurt the ankles a bit when you do that.