Rider: Alexandra Smyth
IG: @lexi_smyth
Resides: North Vancouver, BC
Nearby trail system and your favorite trail?
I live in Lynn Valley at the base of Mount Fromme. Fromme, Seymour and Cypress are host to the three trail networks that comprise the venerable North Shore. I count myself as fortunate to be able to access the trails right from my doorstep. While I do deke around elevated skinnys, my favorite hometown trail is an obscure loamer.
What do you ride (type of terrain)? What's the intended use for your new bike?
I would describe myself as an all mountain rider who values the climbs as much as the descents. My ride plans are primarily on the North Shore and include frequent weekend trips up the Sea to Sky corridor.
The Fugitive is the perfect choice for me, it climbs efficiently with great traction and a super stable peddling platform. It also descends with composure and gives me the confidence in the steep jank that the corridor is famous for.
I only have one mountain bike in my garage because the Fugitive does it all for me. The only thing that stopped the bike was a muddy climb in Hurricane, Utah, where the mud was so sticky the tires wouldn’t roll through the frame.
What model and colour?
Fugitive 138, Tequila Sunrise Limited Production Colourway
How tall are you? What size frame did you get? How does it fit you?
Standing at 5 feet 8 inches tall, I ride a medium frame for my bike. I've customized it with a short 35 mm stem and narrower 760 mm bar to accommodate my proportions of having longer legs, a shorter torso and narrower shoulders. The fit feels perfect for me, and I particularly appreciate the climbing position. The front wheel stays planted and I feel balanced directly over the bottom bracket rather than trailing behind it like I did when testing some other brands.
What's your bike spec? Did you do anything custom?
My Fugitive rolls on We Are One Union rims laced to “silent” Onyx hubs. I prefer to run a Maxxis Assegai in front over the Minion DHF, it feels it offers more consistent grip over varied terrain and when it breaks free, it does so more progressively.
The cockpit is all by OneUp and includes a 35 mm rise carbon bar, 35 mm stem and black grips. Suspension is Fox Factory with a Fox36 fork and an X2 shock. The Magura MT5 brakes offer great braking performance and are easier to modulate than the Shimano XTs on my last bike.
The drivetrain is SRAM GX AXS with an upgraded XX1 gold chain and cassette. The electronic shifting is remarkably robust and consistent. The cassette is significantly lighter than the GX model and my experience is that the chain feels “snappier” and lasts longer.
Finally, I upgraded the saddle to a women-specific Chromag Juniper LTD which sports gold rails to match the chain and cassette. I have to thank Jason @two_wheels_adventure for an expert build - he even colour matched the brake caliper seals!
What do you love about your new bike? How’s the bike performing?
My favorite thing about my bike is what a well engineered “all rounder” it is. More than that, the bike is ultra durable and still feels like new despite some hard hours of use.
Photo Credits: bike shots Alexa Smyth, ride photo Tandem Photography
