It may be a bit late, but the offers are still there & iIt rides like something twice the price!
I do not think earlier ones had the geometry, and again it probably depends how open you are but my 2011 goes like stink. My only problem with it is that the maxxis minnions stink IMO (punctured on tarmac on way to first trail, terrible rolling resistance and not great grip, pig to get lined up on rim…) and the wheels would not take tubeless even with dedicated rim strips and 3 days effort…
Apart from that my other ride is an s-sworks stumpy fsr which could not be further from this bike and i love it much more than a £600/700 rockhopper for example.
Why? (2011 version)
1) It goes like its on rails, the geometry is spot on and the new p2 fork is genius
2) it could not be simpler, have a better dropout or be a better ss rig IMO for the price
3) it has all the bosses for adding gears front or back, will even take track cogs on rear hub (ss only)
4) i can bounce it over certain terrain as quick as the stumpy
5) cockpit it perfect, great alu bars and kona stem, have not swapped them for thomson stem and easton carbon bar that are on shelf!
not to like:
1) rims are junk (changed on 2012)
2) chain is awful
3) chainring arms are not hollow or bling, but cannot argue its a good chainset
4) maxxis minnions they come with are like bad tyres were 20 years ago
How i have it:
1) Mix of specialized the captain and renegade tyres depending on task (singletrak flyer or mud plunger)
2) 13 to 18 cog on back (from richmond park 40km/h on flat to leith hill)
3) normal geared chain with a magic link
4) swapped out brakes for some old avid juicy 5’s i had, changed to 140mm disc out back
Otherwise stock, even the saddle (again fave saddle on shelf and have not changed as the one on it is great