In the crappy camera phone pic is my mostly new 5spot.
Its a large 2011 with 150 Revs, a 1x9 transmission, Stans/Hope wheels, Formula brakes and Thomson finishing kit. It weighs 27.6lbs. I'm coming from a '05 Horst link 5spot.
I've only managed about 30 miles on it so far, a couple of tootles in my local woods, once of which was a shakedown, and a 15/16 miler covering old railway line, steep rooty and rocky ups, contouring flowy singletrack with some rocks and 'Body English' required, fast loose rocky descents with a few minor drops and tight, rooty, rocky singletrack – In short, riding.
Caveats: I've read that with the large air can RP23, the larger gentleman (i.e. me) can find it a tad too progressive, so I opted to put a low volume air can on from the outset.
The first thing I noticed was that getting on, it felt like a 5spot – I've not had to adjust my riding style one bit. It also felt shorter (and measured shorter). Initially, its been a little more fussy to set up than the HL version. I've read this before too, and it seems to be true. I also found that with the low volume air can at the correct sag, I couldn't get more than 2/3rdof the travel from the shock in situations where I could reasonable expect to bottom it out, or get close. Putting the HV can back on solved that in one easy step and doesn't seem to have brought with it any downsides.
Standover clearance is excellent, frame rigidity is on the stiff side, resulting in an accurate and responsive machine. Finishing on mine is, I think, a bit higher than the '05 its replaced.
The biggest difference is of course the DW suspension, which IMO seems to do what it says on the tin. The anti-squat is definitely a bonus. The bike is less sluggish accelerating, and generally perkier feeling than the old one, despite having 15mm more travel. Where it really helps is climbing – Lets be clear – this bike is not intended as a whippet, and doesn't climb like one, you can see pedal bob, but its minor and its something I'm not over bothered about if its manageable. It definitely sits higher in its travel and seems to do this more-so as the terrain steepens – in this regard, it functions just like pro-pedal in that it helps the bike to stand up in its travel, but it does so dynamically through the suspension kinematics rather than compression damping, and thus doesn't suffer from 'constipated shock' syndrome. Since its not constipated, one gets the full benefit of its fully active 140mm traction and that makes it a very tenacious climber. I think if you've got the legs, you'll be getting up things you haven't before. I'm certain this will be the case with me, since I've done one climb thats always defeated me already.
IMO its particularly suited to the sort of brutal, short, sternum on stem, uber-steep technical climbs, that you're never sure you'll make, but you'll give it a go anyway.
Unlike poor Renton in another thread, the back end is buttery smooth and all my pivots are evolving grease during riding, so nothings tight, or blocked, or mis-aligned or loose.
Its a very competent, balanced and composed ride. It doesn't flap, it doesn't twitch (I do that bit!) and it doesn't really see-saw like some bikes do either. I was concerned that the slacker head angle might make it a little too barge-like and slow for this old trail hacker, but thats proved not to be the case.
In all, its just like a good trail bike should be – good at everything, but no clear excelling features, other than it doesn't seem to have any weak points. Its a bike for riding, and a hugely versatile one at that.
I can't honestly think of any major issues with it, other than its slightly portly frame, but the weight is so low on the bike it doesn't seem to be noticeable.
Anyway, if I can be arsed, I might post some better pics at some point.
old one retired now then?
but never mind, 1 down, 1 to go 
