Well, today was the day! I finally got the chance to take the Hammerhead out for its first proper trail ride. My buddy came by with his truck to pick me and my rig up so that we could hit a close trail. We picked one that we thought would be a good beginner ride. It was a park with fairly flat terrain and hard-packed, wide trails. We parked, unloaded and geared up to head out.

The first few miles of the trail were just that, flat and a good warm up, but as we hit our turn around point, we found some challenges. A short stretch of deep, soft, beach-like sand gave me a chance to check the traction and float of the tires. At 35 psi, they were still rather hard but did quite well. Slow and steady with very little slippage. Shortly after that, we came up on a washed-out area and had to find an alternate route. We found a section that looked potentially passable and decided to give it a go. I dropped down into a banked rut and up the far side and the Hammerhead didn’t even flinch.

After a few more washes and some small climbs we made our way back to the truck. We ended up somewhere shy of 4 miles for the ride and feeling totally satisfied. I think it is time to step up the challenge. This bike made things too easy.

Now, mind you, I have not really fiddled with the Rock Shox suspension, I am personally out of shape, and this is the first real test of the capability of this bike. With that said, I am amazed at this bike’s ability. For a sort of base-line test on this rig, it passed every section with flying colors. I wasn’t sure what to expect, but definitely had high hopes and I wasn’t disappointed. The gearing is personally the highlight. With the 11x cassette sporting a 46-tooth low gear and 2-speed Schlumpf Mountain Drive crank, climbs and soft sand were effortless. The stance is planted and comfortable. The 26” wheels give great ground clearance. And the suspension soaks up everything from the small bumps to the big momentum hits over ledges and obstacles. Oddly, I didn’t really notice the weight of the bike (nearing 60 lbs.) climbing, but I am sure on long climbs I may.

The next stage is to step up the technical difficulty and with more seat time, tune the shocks a bit more. As of now, I wouldn’t change a thing! Jake has designed and built an amazing piece of machinery right out of the box. He has put so much personal experience, thought and time into the Hammerhead and it shows. Right down to such details as the ergo grips on the handlebars that are way more comfortable than the standard grips.

This bike is definitely on the pricey side for most people. It is a big bite initially but let me tell you that it is well worth the price tag and you won’t find the need to change or upgrade anything. This machine will get you into places you never thought possible and seeing views that will leave you in awe. I have only begun to open this thing up and I see great things to come! Stay tuned for SO much more.

If you are interested in getting one of these killer rides, as always you can hit me up with questions or go right to the horse’s mouth: Jake at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or www.ReActiveAdaptations.com.