Janey’s Juliana Maverick Trail Bike

Our head mechanic Dan has just had the pleasure of building up Janey’s brand new custom Juliana Maverick CC (Juliana’s version of the much-loved Santa Cruz Hightower). This is Janey’s second of the same bike, having ridden a Maverick last year and loved it so much, she went for the same again!

We take a closer look at this stunning custom build and share some of her thoughts on set up with you...

Rider Details

Janey is 158cm, that’s 5ft 2 inches, and weighs in at 55kg – she rides the small CC frame and the fit is spot on. 

Why have you gone for the Maverick again this year?

As soon as I got on the Maverick last year, I remember thinking I would never go back to 27.5” wheels! Small riders struggling on 29ers is a myth - if you find it hard to get round corners, or are getting a lot of wheel buzz there’s a lot we can do at Dirt School to help you make a few changes and have a much improved riding experience. 

I just loved the Maverick last year -  if you love something why change it? It’s the perfect all rounder for the Tweed Valley. The 29” wheels soak up the chatter and furrows and I find the Maverick to be incredibly stable to ride. The 140mm rear travel is more than enough for riding locally too and I’ve never felt ‘under biked’. Being a smaller, lighter rider, I find a bike with slightly shorter travel easier to unweight and bunny hop too.

Suspension Set Up

As I was going down the route of a custom build, I chose the 160mm travel Fox 36 Performance Factory Grip 2 fork after being very happy with the Elite version last time around. I usually do a few trips abroad each year where the descents are longer and rougher, so I wanted a slightly bigger fork for a little more cushioning. 

I run my fork at 55psi, with the high speed rebound at full slow and low speed rebound 14 clicks from full slow. I run 4 clicks of low speed compression, and no high speed compression - this setup seems to work well for my weight and riding style on the valley’s trails. 

My shock is the Rock Shox Super Deluxe Ultimate, coming as standard on the CC frame, set at 125psi with rebound set 1 click from full fast and no compression. I never use the lockout lever as the bike climbs very well with it open.

Cockpit Set Up

This year I’m lucky enough to be kitting my bike out with Burgtec components! I run the Burgtec Carbon Enduro Bar, with 20mm rise, trimmed down to 740mm - this makes my total bar width around 750mm, fitting easily between the tight trees which we seem to have a lot of here. I’m quite a small rider, so the narrower bars prevent me from feeling overstretched and give me plenty of ‘room to move’ - come and see us at Dirt School for more on this! 

I’m running a Kash Bronze 42.5mm Burgtec MK3 Enduro stem - this is a great balance between the longer 50mm and the more common 35mm stem - personally I find the 35mm stem length makes the bike feel twitchy so the 42.5mm gives me the stability I need to ride with some weight on the front of the bike, maintaining grip on the front wheel with confidence.

The SRAM Code RSC brakes have a strong bite, lots of power and a little modulation, which I prefer compared to the ‘on/off’ feeling of some other brands.

Wheelset & Tyres

I’m riding the Santa Cruz Reserve 30s again this year after being super happy with them on my last Maverick in 2020. They’re noticeably stiffer than all of the aluminium wheels I’ve ridden in the past and very rarely need trued, keeping wheel maintenance to a minimum. 

I’ve been riding WTB tyres for around five years now and rate them highly; the 2.5 Verdict High Grip, Light Casing paired with the 2.4 Judge Tough Casing on the rear is the perfect Tweed Valley combo. The light casing is still plenty strong enough on the front, and lets me save a little weight, while the tough casing rear tyre ensures punctures are kept to a minimum!

Drivetrain

I have a SRAM XO1 drivetrain and cranks, complete with a 30T Burgtec Kash Bronze Chainring for a splash of colour. The 30T chainring on 12 speed Eagle makes for an easy climbing ratio for big days out in the Tweed Valley, so I’m able to keep my legs spinning at a higher cadence to conserve energy.

Full Specification

Frame/Shock: Juliana Maverick CC size small with a Rock Shox Super Deluxe Ultimate shock

Fork: 160mm travel Fox 36 Performance Factory Grip 2

Wheelset: Reserve 30 rims on Industry Nine Hydra hubs

Seatpost: KS Lev Integra 150mm

Tyres: Verdict 2.5 High Grip Light Casing, Judge 2.4 High Grip Tough Casing

Cockpit: Burgtec Carbon Enduro Bar 20mm Rise, Burgtec MK3 Enduro Stem 42.5mm in Kash Bronze and Burgtec Minaar Grips.

Drivetrain: SRAM XO1 groupset with SRAM dub bottom bracket and Burgtec 30T Kash Bronze Chainring

Brakes: SRAM Code RSC with 200mm rotors front and rear.

Saddle: Burgtec Cloud

Pedals: Burgtec Penthouse MK5 or Shimano XT Trail when riding clipless

We only have one small Juliana Maverick left so drop us a line at shop@tweedvalleybikes.co.uk if you’d like to reserve it. Santa Cruz Hightowers are also available in Medium and Large but stock is already running low - book yourself a demo online and see what all the fuss is about here.