Q&A With Norm and Aaron
They say you can tell a lot about a person by the bike they ride. So what does it mean if you have the same bike as someone? Well, we sat down with Norm, the manager of Fezzari’s Factory Racing Team, and Aaron, Fezzari’s Head Ambassador, to find out.
Norms Q&A
Q: How did the twinners build idea come about
A:You know I think it came up when I was telling Aaron about how I ordered an Ebike and he mentioned he also ordered an Ebike. It wasn’t until they arrived that we realize that we both had ordered the exact same bike. So one night we were talking and asking each other what we were going to do for upgrades and color accents (I think in an efforts to not do the same thing.) It was then I had this crazy idea and mentioned to Aaron that we should do two bikes the exact same. I think he might have thought I was joking, but as we kind of bounced ideas off each other a little bit more it actually grew into a pretty cool little project. I believe our bikes are identical except for one item which he wouldn’t budge on and I wouldn’t budge on either and to this day we still have some pretty heated debates on this topic but Aaron is running flats and I’m running clips and we joke about that all the time.
Q: Why an Ebike?
A: Better question would be why not an Ebike. The Fezzari Wire Peak checked all the boxes. It’s value, quality construction, Shimano EP8 motor and life time warranty gives me everything I wanted. If you’ve ridden one you know what I’m talking about. Ebikes give you so many options for enjoying a mountain bike. The self shuttle aspect really sold me, but what I’m finding is that they are just pure fun. They allow you to do stuff that normally you wouldn’t be able to do. A big part of who I am is adventure, and ebike’s gives you endless opportunities to adventure, try new trails, and take the risk of not knowing where the Trail ends. It really is a lot of fun.
Q: Fasst bars are they legit?
A: You know this was one component of the bike that Aaron brought to the table and I am stoked he did. I’ve never really given them a try, Im sure glad I listened to Aaron because they are freaking legit! They give those with wrist pain, and arm/hand fatigue a new lease on life. I’m really excited that I can put miles and miles on the bike and feel fresh. I think it’s one of the components on the bike that I’m most excited to have gotten out of my comfort zone and tried out
Q:How does the DVO suspension feel on the ebike?
A: When it came down to what suspension to use,it was a no brainer for me. Two months ago I put DVO through the paces for the first time and never really looked back. The product preforms so well and there warranty and customer service is second to none. It gives the Wire Peak such a plush but yet responsive feel. The OTT on the Onyx D1 fork melts the small chatter away and gives you solid mid stroke support all while giving you a bottomless feel. Sometimes I think this stuff is made from unicorn DNA.
Q:Tell me about your tire choice ,brand Tread, and casing.
A:Maxxis has been my go to MTB tire for so many reasons over the years. This was part of the build Aaron and I really just had to come together on tread and combo of tires. Front tire was the Assegai 2.5 in EXO+ for that unmatched traction.
Rear tire we decided on the DHR ll 2.4 EXO+ I’ve really loved this as a rear tire for all terrains.
Q:Do you feel a difference with the cushcores?
A:I don’t owe a bike that doesn’t have a set of cushcores in the front and back. You know the rim protection and dampening are some of the first things that come to mind with cushcores. What I love about cushcore’s the most is the lateral stability it provides at low pressures. You get to run a lower tire pressure and maintain that lateral wall rigidity that allows you to really hit a corner hard and not feel like the tires folding.
Q:What’s your favorite thing about this bike build? Experience?
A:This is an easy question. My favorite thing was being able to go to the drawing board and get outside of my comfort zone and put things on this build that Aarons passionate about. We would go back-and-forth on components and it was just a lot of fun to share this bike build experience with one of my best friends. Late nights building in the garage with monsters and Red Bull to keep us going are the memories that I’ll look back on. It really all came together into a bike build that I think is my favorite builds to date.
The whole process was so much fun. It wasn’t until we got to go out and ride them for the final photo shoot that I realized it wasn’t so much the end result, but the journey I got to take with Aaron. Mountain biking has the ability to bring people together. whether you’re riding or doing cool bike builds like this it really is about the people you share with
Aarons Q&A
Q: Why an Ebike?
A: I want to be able to explore more, go faster, and self shuttle the epic trails we have here in Southern Utah
Q: Fasst bars are they legit?
A: Game changers for me. I broke my wrist and collarbone in several places and would get fatigue while riding and now I don’t with these bars. They flex without you noticing and are the last thing you think about when riding and after you ride all day and your upper body/hands aren’t sore you realize how effective they really are.
Q: How does the DVO suspension feel on the ebike?
A: I was a little skeptical that DVO could be as good as some of the bigger brands at first. I loved the look with the green and had a lot of people that have ridden say how much they liked it so I wanted to give it a shot. I love trying new things and the green theme of the bike seemed too good to pass up. I have been BLOWN away with the performance. The “Off The Top” technology is amazing and the fork feels bottomless. I love how it is simple to use and the Jade coil is the best coil I have ever ridden right out of the box. Bryson and the boys at DVO have been very involved in getting things set up and I am so stoked to be riding DVO on this dream build.
Q: Tell me about your tire choice brand, Tread, compound?
A: We knew when we were building this bike that we had to have Maxxis tires. Their DD casing and tread options are hard to beat. We actually swapped out the stock Maxxis to put on the Assegai up front and the DHR2 on the rear. We wanted max grip and support and weight wasn’t an issue. It was actually super fun to build this whole bike with that mentality. These tires make this bike feel like a dirt bike! Sooo much grip.
Q: What’s your favorite trail to smash on this bike?
A: I feel like this may be a “loaded” question with trail enthusiasts saying eBike are illegal etc with our answers. Otherwise it’s Grafton for me.
Q: Do you feel a difference with the cushcores?
A: I have been back and forth with cushcore on my bikes because I am a bit of a weight weenie. When we set to build this bike weight wasn’t an issue and I wanted that extra support in the wheels. Norm asked me to trust him here and I’m glad I did! It feels so planter and zero folding or roll with the tires as we are full tilt into corners and through the rocks. It feels soo good and I’m glad I put the cushcores in!
Q: What’s your favorite thing about this bike build? Experience?
A: I have LOVED building this with my good buddy Norm. We went back and forth on our own preferences and this Fezzari Wire Peak build is a perfect mix of both of what we love on our bikes. We each were passionate about different things and have a trust level with one another that we knew if either of us had something we had to have then we were ok with that. I don’t think the bikes could have turned out anymore unique with VERY specific thought put into every detail. Neither one of us ordered a bike thinking this is going to be a dream build but that’s what we got as this project came together. The time we spent putting it all together and swapping parts around were priceless time spent together and the bikes are a testament to our friendship.
