I was exactly 9 minutes faster than the last time I rode this loop with Aron a month and a half ago. I made sure to pace myself at the start instead of going HAM right away and being in the red the rest of the ride. This time I felt pretty good most of the time, even when pushing. I also decided to ride the Epic EVO instead of the Stumpjumper which felt faster and I was worried it would be slower descending and in the chunk but I don't think it was. I think I goofed though. I thought that too much air was being released from my shock after filling it so I put the equivalent amount I was "losing" more on top of the normal pressure. While the ride didn't feel any harsher during normal riding, descending it was much harsher and I was getting a lot more chatter than normal. I plan to go back to what it used to be. I was able to keep up with Aron better today, still losing him on the descents as soon as we hit something a little more technical, but I was able to clear a lot more stuff following his line. Actually, looking at some of the segments, I was faster on most, if not all, of the descents. The Epic EVO, while more chattery at times and not as plush, felt more nimble and maneuverable. I also like the narrower bars on that bike vs. the Stumpy.