Some call him The Captain of Cardboard, others, The Baron of Boxes. Here at Fanatik Zach is one in all of those names. As an integral member of our bustling shipping department, Zach helps us get all those online orders pulled, packed, and put in the post!
We popped over to Galbraith to ride one of Zach’s favorite trails, 911, get some sick shots of him rippin’, and ask a couple of questions about the new bike. Check out his build!
BIKE DETAILS
- Frame: Specialized Status 2 170 [S4]
- Shock: Fox DHX Coil | 170mm [500lbs spring]
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Fork: Marzocchi Bomber Z | 170mm [78psi]
- Wheels: DT Swiss FR571 // DT Swiss 350 // Sapim Race Butted Spokes [MX/Mullet]
- Tires: [F] Schwalbe Magic Mary Radial (Gravity Pro | Soft) [25psi] // [R] Schwalbe Albert Radial (Gravity Pro | Soft) [28psi]
- Drivetrain: Shimano Deore XT LINKGLIDE 11spd // Raceface Atlas Cranks [165mm] w/ 30T chainring
- Brakes: TRP DH-R EVO // TRP S05E Race Rotors [203mm Front & Rear]
- Cockpit: Race Face Atlas 35mm Handlebar [55mm rise | 760mm wide] // OneUp Stem [35mm] // ODI Rogue v2.1 Lock-on Grips
- Seatpost/Saddle: OneUp V3 Dropper Post [210mm] // OneUp V3 Remote // Specialized Power Comp w/ MIMIC
- Pedals: Chromag Scarab Pedals
- Weight: 40lbs
ZACH'S MUNCH MACHINE
The Status 2! And the 170! This bike is sick, what led you to choose this bike as the foundation for a custom build?
I wanted a big beefy bike that was just gonna work and wasn't gonna be super complicated. I wasn't looking for anything fancy, just wanted something big n' brawny...the Status 2 has been exactly that!
I've just been riding my hardtail for a few years now, so when building up my first full suspension bike I didn't want to overlap with what I like to ride on my hardtail. I wanted a bike that was gonna offer a different experience—something I could shuttle, something I could still pedal if I wanted, but mainly I was looking for a big beefy shuttle bike that was fun and playful.
Your first full suspension bike! Way to start your full squish career in style! So your other bike is a Kona Honzo, do you still get out on it? When do you choose one vs the other?
The Honzo is still my "Galbi bike" or if I'm riding some chiller trails. Especially if I'm gonna go on big long pedals, I go for the hardtail. I opt for the Status for when things are gonna get steep and rowdy or if the crew is running shuttle laps. 
Right on. Can you take me through a few favorite elements of your build?
I like it all because I got to pick it all haha but really I just wanted to build something that just works—that was my whole thought process when choosing parts.
So drivetrain is just gonna be super durable. The wheels, super durable. The fork, super durable. I don't really dive much into the suspension wizardry and all that stuff so having a "set and forget" type fork and shock is also great.
You just touched on it, but let's highlight that 11spd drivetrain—Shimano XT LINKGLIDE. Definitely a less common option these days, what made you choose that over more popular 12spd options?
It's super durable, the price tag is great, and I wanted to be able to just shift it through whatever. I don't get hung up shifting under power on steep grades, it just let's me do it. It juuust works haha! I have shifted while climbing over roots and yeah, maybe it makes a noise, but it works great!
You also just mentioned them, but the DT Swiss 571 wheels and 350 hubs are pretty bitchin’. Besides looking sick, how have they been riding & holding up?
I have basically the same wheelset on my hardtail with the exception of the slightly lighter-duty 541 rims. With the previous wheelset I had on my hardtail, I managed to break both the rear and the front. Since replacing them with these I've had nothing but good experiences. The rims are strong and last, and you can service every part of the hubs so you don't have to replace the whole thing if you bust or lose a part.
When I built up this wheelset for the Status, I saw the 571s came in silver and they're a little beefier so it was a no brainer to put those on the big bike!
Being a silver fiend myself, I have to ask about the new Atlas 35 bars. Race Face recently updated the design of these bars to feature what they call the Goldilocks (GL) Tune—how have those been feeling? Do you notice any less fatigue in your arms/hands vs other bars?
I do notice a little bit of vibration dampening. I have them cut to 760 which I think is the minimum Raceface wants you to cut them while still maintaining the right leverage for their intended flex, but they feel nice and compliant. They're not super stiff like other bars I've had, and I do feel like they make a difference when it comes to my arms getting tired down long, chundery, brake-bumpy sections. 
Ok, last question about silver parts, I promise. The Chromag Scarab pedals—what makes these your go-to?
Yeah, I have them on both my bikes. They were recommended to me by somebody who has kinda small feet and I have kinda small feet. They're just comfy. I like that the pins are adjustable height-wise plus you can put them in a number of spots where you like. Not too big, not too small—the sweet spot.
Clocking in at 40lbs, this bike is probably not the most efficient to pedal around. Do you feel the weight holds you back? Do you mind the extra poundage?
No, I don't actually. The bike climbs surprisingly well and I do think it is fun to climb. I mean I'll pedal it up anything haha because it means I get to ride it down. It pedals better than you think it would.
Alright so you've pedaled it up, what type of trail are you ripping down? What does the Status 2 like to ride?
It likes to be in steep flow—or that's where I like to put it at least.
The wheelbase isn't super long, so it's not like a downhill bike that just plows and eats through everything. It's actually more nimble and poppy than I thought it was gonna be. It's really fun in sorta steep, bermy, flow. It wants to jump, it wants to float over root gardens, yeah its fun!
What song(s) do you have playing in your head while charging down the steeps, slapping berms, and floating over roots on this bike?
I don't know haha, typically when I'm riding my mind goes quiet which is nice. If I was to pick a song that describes my bike though I'd say "Diggy Diggy Hole" by Wind Rose. 
Ok, you just won the lottery! Woo! But then in the fine print it says “to spend on mtb only”—what would you change or upgrade to make you're bike even better?
Unlimited budget? Ooo haha I would have Specialized build me a titanium version of this frame or something. Just like raw titanium would be super sick.
I don't think I'd really upgrade any of the components because they're all where I like them to be...It would maybe be interesting to put a dual-crown or a huge downhill fork on it...but yeah I think I like where it's at spec-wise. I think just frame material maybe, even just to make it more chrome, more silver hahaha.
A custom paint job would also be pretty cool. It'd be fun to draw a bunch of designs all over it and then have them professionally painted onto the frame, I think that would be super sick.
