Apologies, was too busy having fun to stop and take any pics, but here’s what the bike looks like in someone else’s photo! There may be some video to follow if it turns out OK.

Anyway, on to a little review, if I may. Usual sort of format! It’s been ridden on local trails (Chalky terrain, in and out of woods, plenty of flints!) and a day at BPW.
Was ridden totally stock, bar the addition of my own pedals, and converting to tubeless.

To start, the negatives;
Looks – A matter of taste, I agree. At first, I thought it was nice, understated and classy even. But the longer I’ve had it, the more I think, meh. Bit dull to look at.
The seatpost – Maybe unfair to put this in the bad category, as it’s a MASSIVE improvement over the old versions. Massive. But, I still prefer the feel of putting a Reverb anywhere rather than in a selection of heights. Admittedly, there are now more options of height, but the Reverb still feels better to me.
Grips – Hateful stock grips. They’re awful. Would be first in the bin.
Rear brake – Didn’t last a day at BPW. Was pulling to the bar by the end. A bleed should sort it out, but still…..

The positives
FUN! – Massive, grinning silly amounts of fun. More on why to follow!
The SWAT box – I was massively sceptical about this. I was wrong. Very clever. Swallowed a tube, pump, tyre levers, Park patches, and some bars/gels easily. If combined with the mini-tool under the shock mount or bottle cage, and the chain tool in the headset, that’s almost all your stuff covered. Very clever use of space.
Drivetrain – Flawless. Excellent in fact.
Seatpost – I know, I know, but this is for the lever. The Spesh remote lever is the best I’ve used.
Pop – It just wanted to take flight, anywhere! I’m rubbish at getting teh phatt airz, but this bike helped. Maybe because it was so forgiving landing due to the tyres, I don’t know. Either way, really easy, and fun, to get airborne on it!
Bounce – Perhaps, or even probably, because of the tyres, it felt really forgiving and plush. Rim Dinger at BPW just didn’t live up to the name any more! Fork was very solid, with good steering, rear didn’t even seem to be there, which is a good thing. The auto-sag set up on the rear is a doddle as well.
Grip – Holy crapola, the grip! Lots, and lots, and lots. Ignore that MBR article, it was very capable in sloppy mud. In fact, I found the plus size tyres gripped more in softer, sloppier terrain than on harder packed surfaces.

The tyres were at the very limit of what would fit on the uplift trailers at BPW by the way. They fitted in. Just.
Full spec etc here.
Much love to the lovely folks at Stonehenge Cycles for the demo, especially to Scoobs for the set up.

Thanks Flash!

The tyres were at the very limit of what would fit on the uplift trailers at BPW by the way. They fitted in. Just.

That’s what I wanted to hear.
Ta.

Stu, if you’re going to BPW on a semi-fat, some thoughts for you;
1 – If possible, get a slot at the front of the trailer. There are no pins in the upper hold, and it’s easier to get the wheel in as a result. I asked nicely, and normally got one.
2 – The slots on the trailers are not all that well made in terms of tolerance. Some are narrower than others! As above, 27.5+ 3″ is really on the limit, had to push side knobs in a few times.
3 – I was there on a Friday and the drivers were all really helpful, especially when it was being a bit of a bugger to squeeze in. Didn’t have to wait more than a couple of minutes for each uplift. How helpful they’d be on a packed out weekend, however….
4 – If you get a really tight slot, the drivers have spare straps. Had to strap the rear tyre down on one lift, but it didn’t fall off.

All in all, if you can, I would try your own tyres in the slots earlier rather than later. It really was a very tight fit.

Great fun, though! Am now giving serious thought to the longevity of the 27.5+ size……

What is going uphill like on this sort of bike? Got to be hard going?

What is going uphill like on this sort of bike? Got to be hard going?

Pretty good actually. Especially on looser surfaces, where the added grip really helps. The lower pressures also worked well on roots when climbing, I felt. OK, it’s not rocket ship fast up harder, compacted surfaces, but it’s more than good enough.

Seems to have some of the floaty benefits of a full-on fatty, but still the gnar-schralpage of a “normal” trail bike. I like.

1 – If possible, get a slot at the front of the trailer. There are no pins in the upper hold, and it’s easier to get the wheel in as a result. I asked nicely, and normally got one.

I’ve had the same thing on other uplifts with a fatish tyred 29er so I’m used to asking nicely to get my “**** awkward bike” on the trailer. 🙂

I’m used to asking nicely to get my “**** awkward bike” on the trailer

😀 I was treated to “affectionate” terms all day by drivers and riders alike! Fair game, I reckon!

From the spec:

RIMS: Roval Traverse 650b, alloy, disc, 29mm wide, 24/28h

Are they 29mm wide internal or external – if external, that sounds quite narrow for a bike designed ground up to be b+

EDIT – a quick look suggests it’s 29mm internal which sounds better. It’d be interesting to know how they settled on that size or if it was just what was available.

I’d take a guess it was to do with clearance.
The hardtail version comes with Scrapers on.

Cool, interesting to know that then. Just working out whether to bother upgrading my 25mm rims to a wider one at the front. If 29mm internal is considered to be optimal then it’s hardly worth bothering but if it’s just down to clearance on the forks available then…

Sorry for the thread resurrection, but is the rear tyre a ground control? How did you find it? Demoed it on the back of a levo at a slightly damp gisburn and being kind, it was shit….

EDIT – a quick look suggests it’s 29mm internal which sounds better. It’d be interesting to know how they settled on that size or if it was just what was available

They are the same wheels as on the 650b bikes. The 650+ Fuse got 45mm internal rims so no idea why the Stumpy+ didnt.

Thread resurrection part II

Looking at that Soho bikes video the plus size tyres got a bit of a pasting for being fragile. Is this something that you’ve experienced on the 6fattie?

Guy I ride with from my local bike shop d has an FSR Comp 6 Fattie, loves it. It’s his bike of choice & this lads got 4 or 5 bikes. There’s nothing he won’t ride on it. The grips amazing. Kinda makes me wish I hadn’t got a Stumpjumper Comp 29er 18 months ago.

Thanks. Looks to be a great and versatile bike. Just a few more weeks until I get one.

@dahedd. Why not get some 650 wheels and put 2.8s on? Works on an E29 – be amazed if it wouldn’t work on a Stumpy.

I was torn between a Stumpy 29er and the 6fattie and one of the reasons I chose the 6fattie is because of its versatility.
It’s only a set of wheels from a 29er or skinnier tyres from a std 650b. Also look to have a better spec than the 29/650b equivalent.