When we heard that a local female rider and friend of Pinkbike was left bike-less due to Covid supply chain issues, we proposed that she borrow the $3,000 USD Status (which we reviewed back in February 2022) on a long-term deal. The trade was for a simple report: what parts broke, was maintenance costly, and how did she feel about the overall performance?
The test period was plenty thorough as the bike ventured to the Southern Hemisphere during the Canadian winter, and it was also used for bike park laps, pedally days, and everything in between.
Upgrades
Entry-level components are not always the most durable. 12-speed drivetrains require precise alignment to shift well, and the SRAM NX derailleur on the Status didn’t last long. A Shimano XT derailleur and stronger North Shore Billet hanger replaced the soft stock part.
Shortly after that, the Code R brakes began to show their drawbacks. Although the Status is spec’d with two 200mm rotors, the master cylinders fell victim to a case of sticky pistons. The brakes were swapped out for Magura MT7s with their light action lever and increased power – an improvement from the stock brakes in terms of modulation and response.
The Status comes with a guide to direct the chain onto the ring, which is refreshing to see, but adding a skid plate was a useful upgrade to protect the chainring.
Maintenance
As far as maintenance goes, the usual service intervals were made for the suspension. Both the fork and shock saw routine rebuilds. Fresh brake pads, chains, and shift housing were added when necessary. It’s worth noting that there was mention of the stock SRAM NX chain wearing at a higher rate than expected. That’s something I’ve experienced as well – higher priced chains seem to wear at a slower rate than the cheaper price point options.
After absorbing a few too many dents, the rear wheel was replaced altogether with a faster-engaging hub and stronger rim.
We didn’t expect to hear any linkage issues, since all of the pivots use oversize cartridge bearings and beefy hardware with extra sealing. The original bearings still felt to be rolling smoothly.
Technical Report
Specialized has increased their tire game massively. In my eyes, they make the best valued tires out there, but our incognito tester’s opinion wasn’t as much of a fan. She said, “Tire-wise, the Butchers weren’t my favourite. They’re lightweight and roll fast but sacrifice a bit of robustness, which is not ideal for rough/janky trail riding around Squamish. I ended up switching out for Maxxis tires.”
Personally, I quite like the Butcher’s tacky T9 rubber (as do several of my colleagues), although I agree that the mid-weight casing can roll and burp easily compared to the equivalent Maxxis offering.
Ride Impressions
Here’s what our guest editor had to say about their overall experience on the Status:
 |
The Status is fun on smooth flow trails in the bike park and is playful and fun on jumps. I felt it helped me gain confidence on jumps and gaps, but felt a bit long and was hard to stay on top of as I picked up speed around long berms. The mullet setup makes steeper descents easier for sure, but it feels like riding a spaceship when encountering steep, tight corners. The slack head tube angle also means it doesn’t have much get up and go, and makes the Status feel pretty sluggish on the flats.
The geometry and the mullet setup unfortunately also make it a poor uphill companion. Locking the shock makes a night and day difference to climbing too—without lockout the pedal efficiency reduces massively due to pedal bob. Even though the build comes with a wide-range 12-speed, drivetrain, I found that with its geometry it is significantly more challenging to pedal on the climbs than my previous bike, the Trek Remedy 27.5”. It’s not going to take hard DH trails in its stride, but it’s fun and playful for everyday trail riding, loves to jump and has a great suspension for its price. |