Quote from goldentouch on Jun 16th, 2010, 8:55pm:I have a stratus xp and a V-rex. I love the stratus but it doesn't climb very well. I was wondering about the Xstream if there was enough difference to change. I like the LWB I think better and they seem to fit me better at 6 ft 5 inches. The Xstream is at the end of my xseam of 47.5inches.
I cheerfully disagree with my learned fellow riders. I think the Xstream is a poor choice as a climber as is the V3 and I suspect the SXP for the same reasons. First, I am talking about climbing something in MILEs not a few thousand yards (or k's if you prefer). When faced with a climb in Colorado that has a sign at its top, with a place to take a picture, I would much rather be on a Easy Racer or a V-rex. Especially if I am a bigger rider as referred above. The wheel flop of the Xstream and V3 (perhaps the SXP, never ridden one) makes long steeper climbs much tougher. You have to work much harder IMO because of the wanky low-speed steering than you would on an Easy Racer (much less). Last summer, my riding buddy and I were climbing Slumgullian pass. I was very jealous of his ti Rush and the ability to rock along < 4MPH. Pretty handy in higher elevations and long climbs. Now, I don't argue that getting to the top on the lighter bike may come sooner, but for me this is not the main issue.
On shorter hills, the Xstream wins because of weight (gravity). Although, I still prefer those shorter, especially steeper climbs on an Easy Racer, because again the steering is so much less brain damage. YMMV, caveat, CYA, etc.
As an aside, I have ridden my Xstream more than my other bikes most recently. But the local terrain is flat, very flat, and darned flat with not many hills. I moved in summer, from a very hilly area. Before I moved, I wanted to sell the beast several times but couldn't bring myself to it. Glad I kept it.