NOBL Bike Check - Paul's Transition Sentinel 1

If you’ve ever had a question for customer service, you’ve likely talked to Paul. Without a doubt, you’ll see that his attention to detail and love of specs is a big part of his bike check.

I chose the Transition Sentinel (XL) after a lot of research. It’s mid travel suspension sits higher in its travel giving it mid-stroke support and the ability to ride XC trails/ climb without feeling sluggish while still being party machine on the decents. As a bigger rider (6’1″ – 210lbs) who likes jumpy, high speed tech, this bike seems to be the best match to my “I’ll ride anything all day long” ride style. This custom build is fun to ride on mellow stuff with the family and doesn’t seem to have a limit when pointed downhill with your fingers off the brakes. Nothing but good times on the Sentinel.

I chose the TR37‘s on Onyx Classic hubs because of how incredibly fast and smooth they roll. The TR37’s added compliance dampens trail vibration which has resulted in better handling/grip and less hand fatigue/arm pump for me. They’re laterally stiff as well which means I can push them as hard as I want into a corner getting great support and a nice little pop of speed on the way out if done correctly.

The Onyx Classics handle torque well on punchy climbs and come stock with ceramic bearings, which is a huge bonus. Plus the hubs are completely silent so all I hear are tires thudding through the dirt when I ride which is incredibly satisfying.