2007 Transition Covert Review
Words and Photos by: Mike Swanson aka Swaneedawg

Bellingham, Washington is a long way from the mountains of North Carolina…but there’s a common vibe amongst these folks! That is, Transition is a company that prides itself upon being formed, and managed by RIDERS!!! That says a lot to people that share that love for riding a bike on the dirt, asphalt, urban, dirt jumps, stunts, downhill, all-mountain epic or fun ride…whatever! Transition probably makes a bike that will make you SMILE!

Just got these pics posted of the 07 Transition “Covert” build…the parts were a mix of on-the-cheap, and durable/dependable, and most of all affordable. The Covert is a 5.5″ travel all-mountain, lite freeride machine! I picked the new Marzocchi Rocco TST-R shock to handle rear suspension duties. Other rear shocks are available with Trasition framesets (likethe Fox RP23, DHX Air or Coil, Rocco Air…when available). This is just one of the things that set this company apart from others. You can customize your Transition Bike in many ways.

The TST-R version of the Rocco line of rear shocks is ideally suited for the Covert. The shock features a variety of riding modes. The downhill setting lends itself to a plush feel, while not offering the best feel for pedaling. The TST mode will offer the rider an easy setting for plush but able-to-pedal with ease that adds to the versatility of this bike. The last mode is an almost lock-out mode for climbing or the ride to the ride. The shock has a conventional threaded pre-load ring, and rebound damping adjuster….like other shocks the resevoir serves to set the harshness of the bottom out, and is adjustable by setting the air pressure with a shock pump.

I used an OEM take-off 06 Marzocchi Drop Off 2 front suspension fork. This fork features air pre-load, external compression, and rebound adjustments. Many combinations are available from Transition…the bike could be built burlier or much lighter, and would be equally suited for either. Or, just throw some of the components you have laying around your local bike shop like I did! LOLThe drivetrain was a mix of durable, dependable, and affordable as mentioned earlier. The wheelset was the aging Rhyno-Lite (seamed, not welded) laced to Shimano Saint F&R hubs featuring “center-lock” disc brake rotors 203mm front and rear, and a Saint long cage rear derailleur. The wheelset has been advertised nationally for around $165 + or -. The tires are Kenda 2.5″ Nevegal kevlar bead with Panaracer DH tubes. The wheels really feel light compared to most DH/freeride wheelsets. They were built with 32H hubs. I chose to use Avid Juicy 5 calipers and levers. The Shimano center-lock rotors are expensive, but are also very nice! The center-lock system seems to hold up well under heavy braking and use. The only problem with them so far in the inability to get the proper tool from Shimano to tighten the rotors! It’s on backorder though, and we hope to have it soon. So for right now, a pair of needle-nose pliers and a good twist will have to do…………

The front derailleur was a “no-brainer” Deore meets the needs of this build to a t! For this bike build, I chose a HEIM triple chain tensioner for the LX triple, external b.b., crankset. The HEIM is a unit made from a solid piece of angled stainless, and a conical roller wth sealed bearing mounted by a bolt to the piece of stainless plate that has a groove routed in alignment with crankset chainrings. Ifthe chain is placed in the small ring, the chain will roll on the larger portion of the roller, and when the chain is placed in the middle or large ring the diameter of the roller is smaller using less chain tension to keep the chain retained. Works pretty well thus far rolls through all of the rings with no hiccups, or hang-ups. Just like a good chain tensioner should. I really like this idea on a bike that has more of an all-mountain/epic bike. While it may be noisy to some, others will appreciate the ability to keep the chain on the rings when bouncing around in some tech gnarl. The ride? Pretty plush! Several things became apparent upon riding the bike after build-up. The bike was solid, and the weight of the total build would show it………..36.5lbs…!!! Not a featherweight, not is it a sled. The last bike I had in this range was a Rocky Mountain Edge. Fun bike, but really flimsy in the rear. The Covert reminds me a lot of the edge. The nimbleness of the Covert makes it a bike to become at ease with in a short period of time. I’m just under 6ft, and the medium frame is a nice fit with the 60mm Hussefelt stem I chose. I used a 2″ riser, also a Hussefelt, and connected it all to the Marzocchi with a Cane Creek headset. My discoveries: Don’t let a friend ride this bike on a long climb or long downhill. They will not feel out of place on either one. For my weight, 220lbs with a Dakine H2O pack, and gear, the 500lbs. Marzocchi coil was slightly undersprung, but no matter, the Kenda would have still rubbed the seat tube. Transition now has this posted on their website. I hope this can be remedied without eliminating the use of the big Kendas….but, that’s a rather small price to pay for the performance of this frameset. I’ll get over it, I’m mounting a 2.35″ Nevegal tonight, and taking it out to Pee Wee’s and riding it with a 2.35″ Nevegal to see if Transition’s solution for the rub will help out. The pic of the scrub on the seat tube is with only six rides on the bike…so, it would eventually cut through the finish. Daniel soon found this out with his blue Covert with Nevegal 2.5’s…But that was partially due to a blown Fox DHX air right off of the bat. Fox made good with a warranteed rebuild on the rear shock, and Daniel has recently switched to a 2.35 Nevegal to remedy the rub. Anyways, go out and buy one of these if you want a bike to knock around in the bush! Overall, a great frame for the person who wants all the fun of a bigger bike without the worries having to pedal-biking a big rig all day. Shout out to Kevin, Kyle, and Cameron, and Wyld Willy for making it all happen.

Thanks fellas!
Swaneedawg

Below are some pics that highlight the New Covert.

Check em’ out at www.transitionbikes.com

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