Top Ten 29″er Products Of ‘09: Misfit Psycles diSSent Frame/Fork
December 26th, 2009 by Guitar TedEditors Note: Yeah, yeah…..another year end review! Tis the season! So, here are my favorite things that have passed through the Twenty Nine Inches review process during the past year. I want to point out a few parameters that I used for what I chose here.
1. The product had to be in the review process during the time period of December 2008 through to the end of November 2009. Reviews that are currently in process I did not include and will be eligible for my 2010 Top Ten list.
2. They had to be products or bicycles that I personally used during this period. Nothing any of the other Twenty Nine Inches staff reviewed on their own could be considered for my list. This list doesn’t necessarily reflect the opinions of anyone but me, Guitar Ted.
3. The reviewed products were provided to Twenty Nine Inches at no charge for review. I was not paid or bribed for this review. I will give/gave my honest opinion or thoughts through out.
That said, let’s get on with this
Number 4: Misfit Psycles diSSent Frame and Fork: In January Twenty Nine Inches took delivery of a Misfit Psycles diSSent and also a matching flat black aluminum diSSent fork. After attempting to do a budget build, the frame and fork was then ridden a bit by myself, then passed off to Captain Bob, then back to me again. In the meantime, Grannygear built and rode a diSSent up for a time and wrote up his findings on it. This was the most extensively tested 29″er product on the site this year.
Why It Made The List: The diSSent is a purpose built single speed rig, (but it can be run geared by using full length housing runs), and is purposeful in look as well. A bent top tube provides plenty of clearance, and frame gusseting provides a strong front end with little flex. The sliders were trouble free, and the ride quality was better than you might expect for a budget priced aluminum frame. The fork, which is also constructed out of aluminum, was marvelously light, compliant, and laterally stiff, beating some carbon forks at their own game.
My Two Cents: It is hard to argue with the simplicity and purposefulness of the diSSent frame. It just plain works. It rides better than “old school” aluminum, but it is a stiff frame and some folks will want to run a suspension fork out of the box. I liked the trouble free sliders, but wished for a bit more adjustment there, as the they didn’t accommodate a change in cogs without a half link. The fork, which is light, was really a nice ride for a rigid fork and tracked well in corners and on off camber trails. For the price of entry here, the value is high for single speeding freaks. Given that the diSSent outperforms a lot of single speed frames costing far more, this is an amazing bit of 29″er fun. If the sliders would have had a bit more adjustment, the diSSent would be rated higher on this list, but as it is it grabs the #4 spot on 2009’s Top Ten List.
The top three choices are coming up! Stay tuned!
Don’t forget to add your pick for the 2009 Reader’s Choice Award! See the post here to vote
What is RSS?
Get our articles in your inbox:
Went over to singlespeed about five years ago. Been riding converted Kona Hei Hei classic Ti frames with rigid Project 2 forks. Bought a Kona Unit 29er and was hooked on big wheels. Snagged a Dissent Al frame and fork on Ebay and WOW! Compared to the Misfit, the Kona Unit feels like I’m riding a highwheeler. It’s not bad, mind you, but the Dissent is so much better. Love it!
I too have a slight beef with the dropout sliders but for a different reason. Slippage. I solved it by installing cap head SS slider bolts from the local True Value Hardware store. The have a deeper hex slot and don’t strip out when torqued heavily.
I run mine with a 2.4 in front and 2.1 rear. The light weight of the bike is an added plus as I look more for durability than weight. I have Sun Ringle High Rider wheels (Why did they quit making them?) which have taken alot of abuse from this old, overweight, semi blind rider.