Andrew Pearson’s Bike Check
Ride: Chilcotin, size medium
IG Handle: andrew_k_pearson
Photo credits: Jake Burchmore
How tall are you?
I am 5’9” and have an inseam of about 30”. I prefer a medium frame. I was previously on a medium Fugitive LT and the Chilcotin medium feels a touch longer in terms of the reach which is actually perfect for me. I prefer bikes that fit a little smaller so that they are more snappy in corners and controllable in the air. I lose a little bit of stability at high speeds, but the Chilcotin is a monster truck and a large would definitely be too much.
What’s your build spec?
The majority of my bike is from the stock build except the I9 Enduro 305 wheels and my cockpit is full Deity. Speedway Carbon bars (35mm diameter) with a 30mm rise cut at 780mm. The bars are paired with a 30mm Copperhead stem. Finally the cockpit is polished with Supracrush grips which I love especially because I don’t ride with gloves. I also run my stem flush with the steer tube. I prefer the feel and responsiveness that it provides me. And I run clipless pedals, just the Shimano XT trail pedals with a bit of a platform. I try to keep my bike simple and the majority of my specs come in the cockpit and tires. Right now the assegai 2.5 EXO paired with a DHF 2.4 EXO+ is perfect for me.
What are you running in your cockpit?
Deity Copperhead Stem 30mm, 35mm clamp
Deity Bars 780mm
Deity Supracrush grips
What’s the intended use (where are you riding)?
Bike park, trail riding, literally anything. In Sun Valley, the trails have steep climbs with long descents and overall just a lot of miles. I also spend time venturing in Big Sky Montana where we go full bike park mode or Teton Pass in Jackson, Wyoming.
Where do you live?
Sun Valley, Idaho
What’s your favourite trail?
Tough question… my favourite trail in Sun Valley is probably Greenhorn to Lodge Pole loop. There is also a new bike park with flow trails and jump lines that has been a great addition to the Sun Valley area and I get made fun of for spending too much time there. In addition, I love being involved with the Wood River Trails Coalition. Through them, I spend time volunteering and have helped in the development of the new trail system at the Soldier Mountain Bike Park. This is a side of mountain biking that I really feel passionate about. For how much I ride the trails, it seems only appropriate that I spend time volunteering to maintain them. Helping to maintain and develop new trails is just as much of a passion for me as riding them.
Why do you love your new ride?
This is the most capable big bike that I have ever ridden. For rocking a 170 fork and 29er wheels, it definitely feels like a big bike. That said, Knolly somehow found a way to also make it feel incredibly snappy and responsive, while also stable at high speeds. It’s nice and nimble in the air and most importantly, it climbs like a champ. So pretty much everything you could ever want in a bike. The bike feels bottomless and gives a consistent responsive feel that inspires confidence. I am excited for what this bike can do and I feel like I haven’t even started to tap into its potential. The thing just likes to go fast. Real fast.
