New bike

[TwinStick]

2023 Specialized Status 160.

Absolutely love the suspension. The faster you go, the better it works. Literally light years ahead of my 1994 GT Backwoods hardtail and the 1997 GT LTS 3 that I had.

May need to put one of my old comfortable seats on it in the beginning, until I get used to the butt floss that the factory seat gives me. Comfort is king for me.

Really liking the bike so far. Shifts are instantaneous in both directions. Even under moderate load. The bumps and ditches I've gone through just make me smile and giggle because it just eats it up. Had them install a set of Specialized Beeny flat pedals & picked up a new helmet that fits like a glove.

 

[Hnoroian]

Congrats, it is pretty! Now go get it dirty and put some miles on it.

 

[TwinStick]

Still loving this bike. But now I have questions that even the place I bought it can't answer:

It has a complete Sram eagle nx 1x12 drivetrain. It came with a 10-50 cassette and 32t front chainring. .........but I am NOT in good shape or good health and once I hit the same trails I rode in the 90's, it became abundantly clear that I need lower gearing.

I would like to go to a Sram gx rear derailleur and a gx 10-52 cassette and a 30t or even a 28t front chainring. Not sure if it can be done but I would like to try. I just need some input from someone that knows absolutely if it even can be done. If it can be done, what special parts do I need ? Do I need an adapter to use the 52t gx cassette on my nx components ?

Thanks for the help.

 

[tacollie]

To get the GX cassette you need a hub with a XD drive. You may or may not be able to swap out the free hub body but you may need a new rear hub. You can use a GX rear derailleur and swap out the chainring even if you don't switch the cassette. If you are upgrading to a GX derailleur I would get a GX shifter. I did this on a bike and it made a big difference. The NX stuff is good for the price point but GX is better. The chainring will make a big difference. You will need to shorten the chain. The 12 speed drivetrains are really sensitive to chain length. SRAM had a ton of good YouTube videos

 

[Mfitz]

It can definitely be done, but at what cost? Personally I wouldn't go to the expense and hassle of a GX drivetrain just for 2 more teeth on the cassette. GX is much higher quality, no doubt, but it will get pricey quickly if you have to replace most of the drivetrain (not sure you will, but maybe). Tacollie is correct, you will definitely have to swap your freehub. The change to a 28t chainring up front is quick, easy, and cheap, and will dramatically lower your gearing. I would do that first and they see how it pedals. There are bicycle gearing calculators available for free online that will show you how much difference the 32t to 28t swap will be, as well as the 50 to 52 tooth swap.

 

[TwinStick]

Thanks for all the info. I have a lot to think about. Trying to get all my ducks in a row first. I may even wait until current drivetrain is worn out first, idk. But thanks for the help.

 

[TwinStick]

Finally got a digital air shock pump. Holy cow is it nice. Can adjust to the half pound and 1 pump equals 1/2 pound. It is simple and easy to get repeatable results. Front was at 90 psi. I am starting at 69 psi and working up a little at a time. Same with the rear, it was at 190. I am starting at 180 and working up a little at a time.

So nice to be able to adjust it so easily & quickly for different terrains. The one I purchased was the Rockshox digital pump. I can highly recommend this product. It just feels like a quality unit.

 

[TwinStick]

Also, today, I realized that my really nice Topeak floor pump from 20 years ago just doesn't work right with presta valves for some reason but still works great for schrader valves. So bought a new Specialized pump that works great. The squish test failed me miserably. Both tires were less than 20lbs but above 15. So I put 25 lbs in each and will start from there.

Also ordered a 30t front sprocket and a water bottle holder/multi tool & holder. All 1 unit & the tool is held underneath the cage.

Still friggin LOVING this bike !

 

[TwinStick]

I ended up getting the 30t front chainring and a Specialized water bottle/multi tool holder. I am going to wait do the rear. Also picked up a little tube of suspension grease for the fork stantions and shock shaft.

So far, the 2 tooth lower front chainring is kinda like having 1 extra gear. Not sure how much of a difference 2 more teeth will make in the rear but it is a lot of money for just a 2 tooth difference.

Great information on here. Thanks everyone !

 

[Mfitz]

Making sure to dial in your sag front and rear is the first and most important step to adjusting the rest of the suspension (rebound, compression damping) and probably the easiest as well. Once you have this figured out you can follow the setup guides put out by Specialized (for the shock) and Fox (for the forks) to adjust rebound and compression. Getting all that set will make a huge difference in how it pedals as well as how it absorbs bumps, and the shop where you bought it can help. Riding the suspension too soft will rob you of pedalling energy, among other consequences. Use the climb switch on the shock as well, especially when doing less technical climbs or dirt roads. Just don't forget to open it back up when pointing downhill, or it will ruin all that hard earned elevation!

 

[TwinStick]

Yes sir, shop did that for me during setup. The digital shock pump I paid $75 for, imho should be included in the price. Experimenting with shock pressure is kinda fun.

I have realized that if I am doing pavement only, an extra 5-10 lbs of air really reduces the pedal bob when climbing but does not eliminate the suspension from working. The pedal bob is not bad at all on this bike. Was much worse on my 2 GT bikes from the 90's.

This bike still makes me smile every time I ride it. Love the Suspension.
I was able to pick up some tires for 50% off regular price. So when these stock Butchers are worn out, I will have ones to replace them. Can't say enough good things about the T9 rubber compound. It sticks to the ground like glue. I ended up buying 2 Butcher front 29" & 2 Hillbilly 27.5" rears.

 

[TAOspinner]

I ended up getting the 30t front chainring and a Specialized water bottle/multi tool holder. I am going to wait do the rear. Also picked up a little tube of suspension grease for the fork stantions and shock shaft.

So far, the 2 tooth lower front chainring is kinda like having 1 extra gear. Not sure how much of a difference 2 more teeth will make in the rear but it is a lot of money for just a 2 tooth difference.

Great information on here. Thanks everyone !

2 more teeth in the rear will give you a 4% increase in torque. If you can go 2 smaller up front (30 to 28t), that would be a 6.7% increase. You can look up the specific crankset you have and find out the smallest chainring that will fit on it. Make sure you also take 2 links off your chain if you go 2 teeth smaller in your chainring but wait until you decide on the rear.
Btw, if you have a 12 speed with a 10t front, you already have an XD driver. You would need to change your rear derailleur though if you decide to do the 10-52 cassette.