Rider: Stephen Fenner
IG: Fendog__
Resides: Sussex, UK
Photo credits: @theblackmountainphoto, @johndrfernandes, @cammackenziephotos , @jp_photographyuk
Nearby trail system and your favorite trails:
Surrey Hills has to be my favourite nearby trails, it has it all…. except length. But it's the best winter spot👌 and for the UK, it's wet 90% of the time.
What do you ride? What's the intended use for your new bike?
The riding I live for is steep, rowdy, off-piste trails but with a big pedal day involved. My bike for this year was built up for @transmadeira but also for the rest of my race season.
What model and colour?
I'm riding the Chilcotin 155 in the beautiful colourway ‘Kelly Green Fade’. The way the bike shines with the metallic finish always catches the eye.
How tall are you? What size frame did you get? How does it fit you?
I'm 5'8", but with a twist—long torso, short legs, and short arms—so bike sizing can be tricky. Knolly really nailed it with their sizing! I ride a S2 Chilcotin, and with my proportions, I also fit comfortably on an S3 Endorphin.
My Chilcotin is set up as a mullet, and I love how it ploughs through chunky terrain while still staying nimble in steep switchbacks. It climbs efficiently too—truly a do-it-all enduro machine.
What's your full bike spec?
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Stem length? Spank Split 35, 50mm length
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Bar width? 760mm Spank Spike VibroCore
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Dropper length? Currently running A 170mm SDG Tellis with 2” out of the collar but I will be upgrading to a 200mm dropper soon. Paired it with a PNW Loam Lever. That lever is so smooth.
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Crank length? I'm running the @unite_co_ 155mm chrome super boost with their chrome V3 pedals.
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What chainring tooth count? I've got a 30T Unite Co chain ring. As suggested when riding a shorter crank arm, is to reduce the tooth size. Seems to work perfectly
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What rear cassette tooth count? I've gone for something different with this build, I've gone for the @boxmtb Prime 9 Drivetrain. What a game changer for gears, once I got used to big shifts and less clicking, it made total sense. Love it now.
What other custom touches did you do?
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Tire combo? I've got my trusted @veetireco Snap WCE front 22PSI and Snap Trail On the rear 24PSI with a @rimpactmtb
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Grips? I've gone for the Burgtec Josh Bryceland Bartender, another new product. But the way he has designed them helps with dampening for long descents.
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Brakes? I've got the Trusted Magura MT5 backed up with @gorillabrakes Enduro Pro pads
What do you love about your new bike?
Man this is going to be hard to whittle down to a short para. But first, the colour! One of my favourites so far. My big love for this bike is how you're positioned more upright for pedalling making big enduro races and big days out more comfortable. Then for you to stand up and be straight to a great position to ride. The best part though is this bike at speed. Now I didn't fully understand this, riding the short trails I have around me. But once I got to Trans Madeira riding their 6-10min tracks which are rough and fast, I got it. This bike is a weapon on this trail area. It's a comfortable feeling knowing that the back wheel is tracking and I'm not bucking. It allows me to concentrate more on what's coming.
Trans Madeira Race Update
If you haven't done it yet, then do it! It's been the most insane, hardest, and at points painful but the most incredible fun experience I've ever had on a bike.
6 days of racing over 2 islands, 35 special stages, 270km of riding, 17,000m decent, 7,500m climbing, 80km of timed racing. Loads of beer, food & good times 🤟
I came away with 11th overall in my category and 31st overall, so I'm stoked with that! Especially as I had to deal with 2 chain drops on tracks and 2 punctures on tracks.
