I’m staring at my middlechild as it sits in the kitchen 😂 My first modern MTB, got one on sale- I’ve been riding old bikes on all the same trails as folks w the new ones… Can’t wait to play !!
@@ridingwithjoshandwendy stoooooked a +20 disc adaptor is my final part, all my stuff is IS mount disc 😜 just hoping that weather plays nice for a ride :)
I like that bike. It’s more burly than my Chameleon 27.5 but it needs to be doing those big jumps you do. It helped me to upgrade my front rotors to 200mm because the 180s faded after doing a long downhill. I liked the video. Your still rocking the 27.5 size wheels👍.
Thank you man! I absolutely love this bike, perfect for the type of riding I like! I’ve wanted to try 29s on it but haven’t yet; I have the wheels but not a fork at the moment
the more times i see your rsd mc, the more i want one. there's no way i'd get away with buying another hardtail when i already have 5. i've used the "but, each one has it's place" excuse, so that won't work again. lol. it would be a shame if i accidently broke a frame and had to replace it. tragic. great video, bro and extremely sick bike.
Yeah bro! I recently got a used steel version to replace a broken ragley Marley. Sad for the old bike but stoked on the new one! Surprised to see you on a local trail. Let me know if you wanna get a couple midlechilds together! Hehe!
I think that middlechild is getting the test ride to rival all test rides! It’s really great because on my hardtails I realize I have different impressions of them and how they ride the more rides I go out on them. I feel we are getting a pretty full impression of that frame from you. You said currently running chain stay at 3/4 stretched back due to chain and single speed. I guess you could take out a link if you wanted. You ran chainstay slammed when it was a 12 speed, please comment on both settings, what’s your favorite.
Great question, and thanks for the kind words! I actually can’t quite fit the current gearing I have with a one link shorter chain, so I’d have to swap my gearing or run a half-link to make it work. In terms of differences with the CS length, they’re surprisingly minimal! I’ve found that the biggest lasting change has been a bit harder to initiate corners (both Hermes and flat). I felt like it was a bit harder to get the front end up for manuals and bunny hops early on, but I’ve adapted now and it feels totally normal. I actually did a full video testing different chainstay lengths; you should check it out if you haven’t yet! ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-Erph9H9KC2Y.html
Hey Josh what is your fork a 27.5 140mm? Also are you using 30mm rims? When you rode it with gears what’s your favorite chainstay length for a large size with a 6 footer riding it. Basicly trail riding, single track. Thanks for all your hard work!
I am riding it with a 150mm fork with 30i rims and 2.4” tires. I actually did a video testing the chainstay lengths, check it out! ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-Erph9H9KC2Y.html
sweet hardtail... i was looking at that frame before settling on the On One Hello Dave steel frame i mentioned earlier... decided to go with a little longer and slacker skeleton
Nice! Sometimes I miss the longer reach that the XL would have provided, but most of the time I’m super happy with the lower seat tube and shorter wheelbase of the L. That’s all very riding style dependent though!
I really want to!! Sadly you can’t split a belt like you can a chain, so you need a frame that allows you to split the chainstay or seatstay to install it. But one day I’d love to get a frame that allows for it!
@@ridingwithjoshandwendy I am PUMPED. I built out a ragley marley, absolutely hated the geo, so i just decided to bite the bullet and get the frame ive always wanted. Ill be doing a build video and riding stuff on my channel as well. Gotta show RSD some love!
This looks awesome! I’m looking to get a hardtail that works well for dirt jumps but also works well on the trails. I’m not worried about all the modern hardcore dh hardtail stuff. I was looking at the 2023 San Quentin but this looks like it might be an even better option! Are there any other hardtail frame recommendations you have for that style of riding?
Honestly I think this bike is hard to beat if you want a crossover dirt jumps/trail bike. The San Quentin a great option too, but the Middlechild feels a lot more playful and poppy with the short chainstays and low BB
@@ridingwithjoshandwendy I know you ride a L size at 6’1”. I’m 5’10” and trying to decide between L and M if I do end up deciding to get a frame. you think M would be to cramped?
I think you’d be good! 5’10” is at the top end of what RSD suggests for the medium, and me at 6’1” is at the top end of large. It definitely won’t feel long, but I don’t think it will feel cramped either
Great video again! Im actualy thinking of getting a Middlechild. Im 178 cm (5'10), thats exatly between M and L. Most of all I want it to be playfull but do you think M will be to small?
I think you’d love it! If you’re priority is playfulness over super long rides or super fast descents then I think M would be great! As you probably saw in the video I’m 6’1” (right between L & XL) and go with a L for the same reason. Be sure to us Josh5%off to get 5% on the bike/frame!
@@ridingwithjoshandwendy Thanks! Most of the rides will be around 2 hours and not super fast descents. I like that to but where I live 90% of the riding time is not like that. I really like to play around and pop of things on the trail. Just have to decide if I should go with a full build or just the frame. Thanks again.
Need your advice. Just ordered the spank spoon bar for my hardtail. How do you like it? Strong and durable (don't want it snapping on me haha) Also ordered the fifty fifty riser bar to compare. Any idea how this spank bar compares? Probably gonna keep the spank and return the fifty fifty, but wanted your advice. Respect your opinion.
I love those bars! Had them for almost two years and am just now replacing them because they’ve gotten pretty Sun faded haha. Never ridden the fifty fifty’s so I can’t speak to how they compare, but I wouldn’t think twice to buy the Spoon bars again
@@ridingwithjoshandwendy awesome. The fifty fifty is slightly lighter and have a 35mm rise, but don't think that matters. I'm 6'4", so the spank is gonna be perfect. Thanks for the advice. Can't wait to install them.
I’m thinking about single speed converting my old hardtail after buying a full sus as there are some dirt jumps near me that I have to ride to but also my local trails in the winter with quite a few pedalling bits and I don’t know if a should do it?
I say give it a shot! It’s not hard to change between gears (if you want to put a higher gear on for the dirt jumps) and I think you’ll be surprised how manageable it feels on pedaly climbs, as long as their less than about a 15 degree grade
That's tough, you're right in between sizes like I am. If you want the bike to feel super playful like a BMX bike and you don't mind feeling a bit cramped while pedaling, then I think you'd like the small!
Ya, definitely similar when looking at MTBs as a whole, and both rad bikes, but they’re personality is still a bit different. The Middlechild is a lot more poppy/nimble due to the super short chainstays and high BB, where as the San Quentin hugs the ground a bit more. I’d say the SQ would be a better race bike that you can still play on, where as the Middlechild is a play bike that you can still race on. Also keep in bind that I’m riding a L Middlechild and an XL San Quentin, which I’m sure is exaggerating those differences
Yes, definitely a more upright riding position on the SQ3. I think this is largely because of the steep settube angle, and then converting it to a mullet just made it that much more upright
Nice build! I was wondering if you could give me some advise.. I am planning to build a mullet slopeduro bike and I don't know if its overkill to put a 150mm travel fork on it with a 38mm stanchion.. and a frame customized with my own geometry.. with the Headtube angle of 65, Seat tube Angle of 77.5, with a reach of 450 and with a sliding dropout chainstay length of 420..
Nice, sounds like a super fun bike! 38mm stanchions might be a bit more than you need; depending on your size. I run the 35mm Lyrik at 150mm which is plenty stuff for me (I’m 6’1”, 200 lbs for reference). I think you’d be good and keep a bit of weight down if you went with a Lyrik/36 over a Zeb/38
@@ridingwithjoshandwendy I am 5'8 and about 200lbs also.. I lift weights so I am kinda big.. the frame was created with the fork length of around 566mm using the rockshox domain 150 travel. My other option for the fork would be the yari 160mm with 571mm length.. will it change the geo if I go with the Yari instead?
The frame should be able to handle the extra stress just fine, lots of beefy gussets on the Middlechild! You could check with Steve on rsdbikes.com to make sure, but I’d fee ok doing it to my bike. In terms of geo change the reach will get short and stack will get higher, but the biggest difference will be slackening the HTA. Each additional 20mm of crown-axle length will slacken the headtube by about 1 degree. Going much slacker than 64 degrees will make it full pretty clunky on steeper lips like skateparks or dirt jumps
@@ridingwithjoshandwendy thank you so much Josh! I am really torn right now if I would just get a geoshift headset to put on the frame I ordered made because it is a custom made frame with a 65 degree HT angle and a 77.5 degree ST angle.. if I adjust the headset with the use of the geoshift headset that would take -2° slacker, would the HT angle be then 63 degrees n the ST angle be even steeper to 78°?
I am planning on installing a geoshift headset and 29” fork on my San Wuentin here soon, which should retain the same geometry even though I’m increasing the axel to crown by about 20mm. I would say that if you like the 65 degree headtube you ordered but want a longer fork then then an angle adjust headset is a great option!
