Westward Bikes PROTOTYPE TITANIUM 5

Westward Bikes!

This is my Hoback 150- I named the model after the Hoback River, part of the Snake River in Jackson Hole.

The frame is 100% Titanium- front triangle, rear triangle, pivot hardware, even the seatclamp. This is a size large with 480mm reach, 440mm chainstays, and wieghs 6.5 pounds w/o shock (about 3kg).

https://www.instagram.com/westward_ho_bikes

I designed this bike while I was recovering from severe shoulder surgery and couldn't ride for 9 months. All the prototype stuff has been worked out, and the first production run is coming spring 2022!

I love how this bike rides. I love how well it climbs (given DH tires with inserts). I love how well it does on flow and jumps. I love how well it does on the steep tech.

The EXT suspension is noticeably better than anything else on the market. Its price is probably not worth it for most people, as the main stuff is pretty good nowadays for cheaper. If you know what you're doing you can tune a Cane Creek or Ohlins to feel close to the EXT Storia, but there isn't a fork on the planet that can hold a candle to the EXT Era.

The Microshift drivetrain is surprisingly good. It doesn't shift as well as Shimano, but its near-peer to SRAM, while being lighter than GX or XT for $150 complete. A real winner in my book.

The TRP brakes perform flawlessly, but I'm not 100% sure if its the bike or the MTX brake pads (https://mtxbraking.com/)

Been liucky with my Reverb so far- not problems yet, even in cold weather.

Revgrips might not magically erase all vibrations into your hands, but they are hands down the most comfortable grips out there. They "twist" a little bit back and forth like a moto throttle, and this is tunable with different stiffness elastomers. They also last easily twice as long as traditional grips, probably because there is less friction with your hands.

The Oneup oval carbon bar is the only reason why anyone should ever buy 35mm bars. Mine are cut to 770mm wide.

The Kenda Pinnr tires are a mixed bag. They perform great- awesome braking and cornering traction, good sidewall support, and they roll a little faster than DHR IIs. The issue is that you can snake bite them fairly easily, and they wear really fast.