Loren is a XC and endurance racer at heart, but favors rowdier adventurous courses and he loves technical steep trails. When XC bikes started getting “fun” he immediately got on that train. “This year I stepped up to the new Hei Hei CR. It’s a step above all the other “downcountry” style bikes out there. The only problem was that the geometry is so rad that it ruined my previous hardtail (an important part of any Montanan’s bike quiver given some of our smoother “in-town” riding and our epically temperamental weather). This Honzo CR is the perfect solution.

This build sports my typical balance of “lightish real parts” that provide a balance of “run and fast.”

The wheels are Astral Cycling Serpentine carbon hoops, laced to Project 321 hubs. The rims weigh in at 400g a piece, yet remain stiff and strong enough to take a true beating. 30mm internal supports the wide hoops this frame can clear. P321’s hubs engage absurdly fast and I like the “loud” pawl system because I live in Grizzly country, don’t like bells, but do value my life.

The forks are MRP RIbbon SL’s, the first 35mm stanchioned fork under 4 pounds!

Maxxis Rekon tires. 2.25 rear, 2.35 front. Fast enough, light enough, grippy enough, durable enough. Good balance for every day riding.

The bike is equiped with SRAM’s XO1 AXS drivetrain. No cables and perfect shifting in all conditions. Yes please. And yup thats a Quarq power meter, because yeah… even though I want a bike build to rip descents, I’m still kinda “that guy.”

Race Face carbon bar, 760mm wide, low-rise. This awesome bar comes stock on the Hei Hei CR DL, and I have a thing about my contact points matching between my various mountain bikes, so got this to match.

Shimano XTR brakes. Tried and true.

One-Up Dropper Post. Lighter than most, reliable as anything and fully serviceable in my garage.

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