Intro
Revamped for 2012, the all new Flint 29 sheds almost 300 grams and hits a new lower price point as well.
The Flint features custom butted top, down and seat tubes, triple water bottles mounts, single speed or geared capability and a low weight of 3.1 pound/1400 gram frame weight.
Overview
Lightweight at 3.1 pounds/1400 grams, the Flint 29er used triple butted 6061 aluminum, three water bottles mounts and can fit up to 2.25 tires.
Features
- Lightweight 6061 aluminum with custom butted top, down and seat tubes
- Designed for use with 80 or 100mm travel fork
- 3.1 pound /1400 gram frame weight
- Tapered head tube for use with tapered or 1 1/8th steerers
- Comes standard with chain tensioner to make it single speed ready
- Triple water bottle mounts on all sizes
- Up to 2.25 tire clearance
- Available in white only
- Available in small, medium, large and extra large.
Tech
The Flint is still packed with features, including triple water bottle mounts, S-shaped chain and seat stays, and that superior ride quality that has everyone raving.
But it also has a host of upgrades for the new year, including the addition of direct post mount rear brake and tapered head tube for use with tapered or 1 1/8th steerer tubes. It uses a standard bottom bracket shell starting with the 2012 model, which helped knock the overall frame weight down to the 1400 gram/3.1 pound frame weight range, and we have included a custom single speed tensioner for those who will miss the EBB.
The Flint is made of out 6061 aluminum with triple butted top and down tubes. It is lightweight of course, but it also provides a responsiveness (we call it liveliness) that most aluminum frames lack. This is also a result of the shaping of the seat and chainstays as well as the butting profile of the top and down tubes.
Nailing the geometry was another critical factory for the Flint. After multiple prototypes and many hours of ride testing, we focused on angles and tube lengths that help provide the very best in what the big wheels have to offer: lively feel, but stable at speed and tracks well in the tight stuff.
Aside from a race-bred geometry, the Flint's features provide you with a bike that is truly a go anywhere, do anything machine. With triple bottle mounts and geared or singlespeed capability, it's a bike that is as at home on the race course as it is on an all day adventure-style epic. From high altitude passes to beer laps with your buddies, the Flint won't let you down. And it's our attention to detail that will make this hardtail stand up to the test of time.
Specifications
| Flint 1 | Flint 2 | |
|---|---|---|
| FRAME | 2012 Flint 29 hardtail, 3.1 Lbs / 1400 grams | |
| COMPLETE | 26 lbs / 11.8 kg | 27 lbs / 12.25 kg |
| HEADTUBE | Tapered, Internal Top, External Bottom. Top ID 44mm, Bottom ID 50mm, Frame standard with FSA headset for tapered steerer | |
| FORK | Fox 32 FLOAT 29 80, RL, 9mm | RockShox Recon Gold Tapered 9mm 80mm |
| R/DERAILLEUR | Shimano Deore XT 10-Speed | Shimano Deore XT 10-Speed |
| F/DERAILLEUR | Shimano Deore XT 3-Speed 34.9 | Shimano SLX 3-Speed 34.9 |
| SHIFTERS | Shimano SLX 30-Speed | Shimano SLX 30-Speed |
| BRAKES | SRAM Avid Elixir R Front 160PM/Rear 160PM | SRAM Avid Elixir 3 Front 160PM/Rear 160PM |
| CRANK | Shimano Deore XT 42X32X24T 175MM | Shimano SLX 42X32X24T 175MM |
| CASSETTE | Shimano SLX 10-Speed | Shimano SLX 10-Speed |
| CHAIN | Shimano SLX 10-Speed | Shimano SLX 10-Speed |
| WHEELS | Easton EA70XC 29" Front BLK 9x100/Rear 10X135 | Easton XC 29" Front 9x100 /Rear 10X135mm |
| TIRES | Specialized Fast Trak Control 2BR 29X2.0 | Specialized Fast Trak Control 2BR 29X2.0 |
| HANDLEBAR | Easton EA70 HB LO 685 31.8 BLK OE 10 | Easton EA30 HB LO 685 31.8 |
| STEM | Easton EA70 STM 31.8 | Easton STM 8D 31.8 |
| SEATPOST | Easton EA30 SP 350 30.9 | Easton EA30 SP 350 30.9 |
| SADDLE | Fizik Nisene MG | Fizik Nisene MG |
Geometry
| Small | Medium | Large | XLarge | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shock ETE | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| Rear Travel | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| Fork Travel | 80mm (3.1") | 80mm (3.1") | 80mm (3.1") | 80mm (3.1") |
| Head Tube Angle | 71.5° | 71.5° | 71.5° | 71.5° |
| Seat Tube Angle | 73° | 73° | 73° | 73° |
| Head Tube Length | 100mm (3.9") | 100mm (3.9") | 100mm (3.9") | 100mm (3.9") |
| Seat Tube Length | 400mm (15.5") | 432mm (17") | 483mm (19") | 508mm (20") |
| Effective Top Tube Length | 580mm (22.83") | 600mm (23.62") | 622mm (24.48") | 640mm (25.19") |
| Wheelbase | 1064.4mm (41.90") | 1084.4mm (42.69") | 1106.6mm (43.5") | 1125.5mm (44.29") |
| Chainstay Length | 443mm (17.44") | 443mm (17.44") | 443mm (17.44") | 443mm (17.44") |
| BB Height | 315mm (12.40") | 315mm (12.40") | 315mm (12.40") | 315mm (12.40") |
| Standover Height | 767.1mm (30.20") | 778.7mm (30.74") | 806.1mm (31.73") | 828.3mm (32.61") |
Sizing
| Sizing | Imperial | Metric |
|---|---|---|
| Small | 5'0" to 5'4 | 1.54m to 1.65m |
| Medium | 5'4' to 5'8" | 1.65m to 1.77m |
| Large | 5'8" to 6'0" | 1.77m to 1.82m |
| XL | 6'0 to 6'6" | 1.82m to 2m |
Setup Guide - Suspension Setup
For a handy graph of our suggested suspension setup, please click here:
One of the best ways you can maximize the performance of your bicycle is by ensuring correct sag. This is the amount the suspension settles into its travel under normal body weight.
To set sag, sit on the bike in a normal riding position near a wall to steady yourself. Without bouncing on the saddle or pedals, distribute your weight on the saddle and pedals in a normal riding position while holding the handlebars. Make sure you already have an o-ring on the fork leg. If not, attach a zip tie around the stanchion tube.
The fork on the Flint should have about 25 to 35% overall sag. This means the o-ring or zip tie should compress 25 to 35mm on a 100mm travel fork and 20 and 25mm on an 80mm travel fork.
Spring Adjustment-Air Shocks
To install air pressure in the main air spring, remove the air cap from the Schrader valve located above the large air spring canister. Attach the pump to the Schrader
valve. The hiss you hear when unscrewing the pump is only the air left in the pump itself and not from the shock. This does not affect your pressure setting in
the shock. Likewise, when you install the pump, the shock will fill the pump and reduces the registered pressure previously installed in the shock. This usually is a
10-15 psi difference between what was in the shock and what the pump is reading. This is all normal procedure when adjusting the air spring pressure. After
removing the pump, be sure to reinstall the Schrader valve cap.
