Sette Vexx Race impressions

Wes Castro on the Sette Vexx

Moe Ramirez:Since I’m still on the disabled list, Team rider Wes Castro got to take the Sette Vexx on its maiden ride. Here is his race report along with his impressions of the frame:

Well lets start this race report with the weather, it was a great southern California day (sorry east coast riders). Great weather and great Friends equals one thing: a great Day to ride downhill.

On to the race report, practice Saturday I was a little nervous, first time out for the Sette Vexx and my first time on an 8inch travel bike with a dual crown fork. Well, onto the first practice run, I told myself just go with the flow of the course and have fun. All day long run after run I felt great on the Sette Vexx. One full day of practice with a total of five runs and each area of the course was getting easier to navigate.

On Race Day, I had two practice runs and I was feeling great. Donny calls my name and as I get to the starting platform, I smile (Thanks RL, it works!) and off I go and before I know it I’m through the first rock garden on the upper section and on to the first straight away and I’m pedaling hard, second rock garden and I rock that section like I have never done before.

As I reached “The wall”, what can I say, my heart is pumping, my legs are tired but I get up off the seat and I pedal as hard as I can. At the time I had no Idea how I did all I know is that I felt great as I crossed the line I see RL and he tells me I caught the last guy in the class before me. I was stoked with my run!!!!!! As we waited for the results to be posted I still really had no Idea how I’d done. Results where posted and I heard several of my friends say my name and that I placed 2nd. My best finish yet!!!

Well what can I say about the Sette Vexx. Let me start by thanking the people at Sette for releasing a great frame, Moe and RL for the opportunity to ride a great bike. At first look the bike looks strong and has a mean race look. The welds and all the pivots look real good, seems to be a very solid frame. As I took the Vexx on my first run, I took it easy and flowed the course but the Sette Vexx just begs to be ridden hard so I found myself pushing it just a bit through the lower rock garden and an area that I’m familiar with and WOW the frame’s Rock Shock Vivid shock with its 8.5 inches of travel in the rear soaked up the rocks like they where not even there. The single pivot of the Sette Vexx worked great very stiff and giving the rider a lot of confidence to push it when the rough stuff comes at speed.

I pushed the bike through every rock garden as hard as I could and every time I was more impressed, but just when I thought that I couldn’t be more impressed, I was proven wrong. I noticed that the bike is very easy to handle in turns with an easy brake check into the corner and then rolling the apex under control. The Sette Vexx pays you back by the single pivot compressing and shooting you out of the corner with easy and efficient pedal strokes getting you up to speed in no time. Which brings me to the dreaded wall, the Sette Vexx was very easy to pedal with very minimal pedal bob, like I said the bike is fast and efficient.

The Sette Vexx frame gave such confidence on the trail that I was able to step up my game comfortably, my reward: 2nd place on my category!

I want to thank the Team MtnBikeRiders.com sponsors: Sette, Serfas Optics, Hoss MTB, Evomo, KHS bicycles, Spenco, Icetoolz and Ergon, they make racing fun.