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There
is no arguing, this is one of the best values anywhere for
a no-holds-barred lightweight full-suspension bike. You'll
find all the features in-the-know riders pine for... and
all in one exceptionally sweet package! The Asta Expert
X9 can take on all-day rides on the most technical trails,
yet still blast past the pack on race day. It fits uniquely
in that gray area of being a raceworthy XC bike that's build
strong enough to handle All-Mountain riding... or is it
a fully capable lightweight All-Mountain bike that excels
superbly at cross-country? Either way, when we say this
is a "do-it-all" bike we mean everything from
your everyday rock-gardening to full on XC race.
So,
you may ask, what makes this bike such a Dr. Jekyll &
Mr. Hyde... such a tough guy with refined manners? Let's
start with the Asta Expert's frame. The basis of the Asta
line is a 4-bar, 4" travel marvel rendered in new triple-butted
6069 aluminum. It's engineered with geometry that gives
you plenty of room in the cockpit while retaining precise
handling and excellent stability. We brought in the big-guns
for suspension, too. Rock Shox brings high-performance and
low weight together in their Reba SL air fork with Motion
Control and remote lockout. They've also graced the Asta
Expert X9 with their fabulous new Monarch 3.3 rear shock.
Here again, you've got air, Motion Control and their unique
3-position switch that gives you full control by allowing
you to run wide open, in platform mode or fully locked.
The
drivetrain? Yep, there is news in the drivetrain! Last year
SRAM pulled out all the stops and reconceived their X9 group
a quantum leap ahead. The X9 trigger shifters now share
the same architecture with their top-of-the-line X.0. SRAM
X9 derailleurs, too, are the stuff dreams are made of. We've
matched them up with SRAM's own PG-970 cassette and a superb
FSA V-Drive crankset. The V-Drive rides on their MegaExo
integrated bottom-bracket with outboard bearings... and,
by the way, all three chainrings are lightweight CNC's 7075-T6
alloy. All this adds up to one very smooth, very precise
and very light transmission... just the right balance of
form and function!
Braking
comes by way of Avid's highly anticipated new Elixir R hydraulic
discs with 160mm rotors. Those ride on Novatec 4/2 sealed
bearing hubs spinning Sun's new Equalizer rims and WTB Wolverine
tires for versatile traction and perfectly controllable
stopping power.
The
IBEX Asta Expert X9 really is the stuff dreams are made
of! There's real value here too... a rig with all the features
of those high-dollar custom-jobs at a price that's easy
on the wallet. Veteran riders will revel in the beautifully
rugged frame and finely matched components, while even novice
riders will find this bike to be infinitely rideable from
the get-go... and that's what it's all about!
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