Dreamride Edition Moots Mooto-Xz
CLICK HERE FOR THE ORIGINAL MOOTO-XZ PROTOTYPE REVIEW. It is mostly old news and the current review of the production frame and our build of it is ongoing below, but the proto review will demonstrate our dedication to Moots and documents our continued testing of 29 inch wheel bike components.
The Dreamride Edition Mooto-Xz comes with a Moab-tested parts combination that is capable of "Cross Country" to "All Mountain" performance. This extreme high end parts group is custom sized and modified to suit the client's needs and riding style.
We also offer the custom Moots "Gristle," a combination 26 inch rear and 29 inch front wheel. We receive our first Gristle 96er in late April 2008. Dreamride's long travel 69er, the Fully69, will be here in May. Things are popping and it ain't the tire coming off the rim! Stay tuned for even more fun with big wheel combos. Below you will find updated performance testing and pricing information.
Frame and complete bike pricing
Dreamride Edition Mooto-Xz Bike:
XDreamMAX Mooto-Xz Bike:
Gristle custom 69er Dreamride and MAX Editions:
This very special bike required patience. After throwing a lot of money into the wind, designing 9er and 69er frames, investing in prototypes and personally testing much of the infusion of 29er-specific components, I can finally see the light at the end of the tunnel. In early 2008 this Moots frame and two breakthrough products made good things possible. A Fox fork and a pair of Mavic rims set me free to produce this Dreamride Edition Mooto-Xz, a new long travel Dreamride Fully69er, and to work with Moots to offer a variety of custom 96ers with four different rear end designs.
Take a good look at the Moots Mooto-Xz Dreamride Edition. It is the very best full suspension 9er you will find, a bike with a selection of parts truly capable of taking advantage of the benefits of those bigger wheels without the worry of soft spokes and a fork that twists like a noodle.
MSRP frame price always includes a free Chris King headset, free shipping in the 48 states, and no tax out of Utah. Complete bike pricing always includes initial consultation, fitting, build, all small parts, shipping within the 48 states and a Serfas hardshell flight case. No tax out of Utah. Perks for Dreamride Edition and MAX bikes include invitation to riding events in Moab and access to tech files, music downloads and client log.
Mooto-Xz 29er & Gristle 96er suspension frame pricing:
$3075 ~ Moots Mooto-Xz 29er frame only.
$3550 ~ Moots Gristle 96er frame only (custom Dreamride geometry and one-off sizing included).
$8075 as pictured
The MAX group is the ceiling when it comes to state-of-the-art high end components. The only difference between the Dreamride Edition and MAX is the use of all Shimano XTR drivetrain components. XTR allows finer selection of crank arm lengths and looses a half pound.
$8655
The custom Gristle receives Dreamride geometry and a custom designed Dreamride 69er wheelset tuned for rider weight and use.
MAX (XTR drivetrain): $9130
Dreamride Edition (XT drivetrain): $8550
About the Dreamride Edition Mooto-Xz
For the Dreamride Edition 29er build I use home-tested reliable components: Moots stem and seatpost, Magura brakes, Fox fork, Shimano drivetrain and shifters, Chris King hubs and headset, Dreamride ti riser bar, DT spokes, Mavic rims, Time pedals, Oury grips, Torelli cables, Salsa skewers and WTB tires and saddle. Some of the parts are modified for the sake of performance, safety or cosmetics. Chris King colors are there to play with. Needless to say, the bike fits like a glove. It is what I do.
Of all the bicycles we offer, the Dreamride Edition Mooto-Xz is the most reasonable all around road and trail, ride-from-town Moab machine for riders from 5'7" to 6'7". The new Colorado River pedestrian and bicycle bridge inspired the choice to own one. It will be my travel bike (it comes apart and packs in a suitcase) and my from-town, no gas-guilt friend. I have a set of very light Stan's Crow 2.0 tires for those longer rides with stretches of pavement on the way to rough dirt and slickrock.
The pivotless Moots M-arc rear suspension design is efficient and effective at 3 to 4 inches of travel, especially when combined with the Fox RP23 shock, which works as it should and is easy to adjust on-the-fly. The rear end is surprisingly rigid and almost completely mechanically neutral--and with the Fox shock, it would feel neutral, even if it wasn't. Loosing the pivot at the rear axle eliminates that nasty flex that causes ghost shifting and wheel sway. This is a certainly a perfect design for these large wheels! The over-all design and fabrication of the aluminum swingarm is finely executed and the powdercoat finish is lush. If it matched the titanium, I'd be happier, but black works just fine.
My Mooto-Xz was built in a 16 hour marathon. It was on the trail the next day. Since that first day I have been on numerous rides with the Xz, perfecting air pressure settings, alignment, retightening spokes, and cautiously pushing the envelope with each ride. The WTB Weirwolf 2.55 Race tires have personality. Yes, 29 inch tires are great, but these tires increase the size of the already-large wheel and contact patch with minimal weight and acceptable rolling resistance. The effect of all this rubber is best experienced on slickrock, gravel, and loose and embedded rock of all sizes. It flies over stuff I used to avoid. This bike's most remarkable advantage on smooth rock is its ability to "sidehill." I found myself in the lowest gear climbing steep rock faces with a greatly enhanced ability to maneuver across the face of the rock, to turn in any direction in spots where a 26 inch wheel would require quite a bit more work. This effect made up for a lot of the extra energy it took to torque the wheels around. The tires not only stick like glue, they are tall enough to get your pedals off the rock. Keep enough pressure in them and bingo, it's a slickrock bike. Just don't loose momentum on that climb. Remember the granny gear.
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Thank you, MootsWe were honored to test the original prototype Moots Mooto-Xz full suspension 29er. There were three specific details we requested be changed on the production frame. All three were addressed to our satisfaction, making this the premier 29er frame we offer, tops in this category. So, it gets Jumping Coyote treatment.
That Fox fork is the only fork we will put on a 29er at this point in time. The difference between the Rock Shox Reba and this Fox F29 is like day and night. While the Reba works vertically, it also works in every other direction. The Fox is stiff, pretty and incredibly easy to tune and adjust on the fly. The Reba ain't cheap and the Fox is pushing the limit of sanity. As long as you don't have to take it apart and you have enough money, this fork is a winner, as is the Fox rear RP23 shock. Send both to Fox once a year to avoid problems with stuff that happens on the trail and those local mechanics. The fork, unlike a Zoki, DOES require a regular maintenance schedule.
The Shimano XT Shadow rear derailleur works like a charm and keeps cable and derailleur body behind the end of the skewer nut. If you do manage to send it into the spokes, things could get ugly.
Yes, it is a flickable 9er that can go fast and take a beating. The titanium triangle is still titanium, however, so heavier, more agressive riders might want to consider a custom Dreamride or Ventana 9er. But, if you like the small bumps to disappear, titanium and big wheels do the trick better than any other arrangement. With that Zirkel rear end the bike sticks to and rolls over huge stuff. Take this bike seriously! You don't want to miss the chance to own perfection, a state-of-the-art mountain bike that will last a lifetime.