Anyone have one? Would you recommend them?

I’ve got one in Alfine 8 speed flavour. I love it. Its in bits until winter so not being ridden at the moment.
Nice springy ride, not a bike for the heavier rider. Get it on some flowy singletrack and its awesome.

I’ve got one with 100mm rebas on the front. It’s my harder hitting bike, compared with a rigid Genesis IO. No problem with me being 85-90 kgs, and I have a fairly clattery riding style, i hit things with speed and a lack of talent, and hold on tight. Feels great to me, although I don’t have masses of experience. Would definitely recommend them, just don’t have anything to compare with and so can’t recommend over anything else, if you see what I mean. In summary, I like it, quite a lot, not looking to sell unless my hand is forced (finance situation + 2 bikes in a studio flat).

I’ve just recently got one having pretty much owned everything under the sun in between.

I love it to bits – to the point that my Lapierre Spicy is sat sulking in the cupboard and I’m lavishing all the trick bits on the Duster.

It’s got a lovely intensity to the back end, and as mentioned above it’s at its best on single track either down or up – I rode Whytes at Afan the other week and I was blown away at it’s fluidity in climbing and how comfy it was. I also did a 6hr at BikeFest and it was utterly comfy and I wasn’t at all knackered by the end.

Teamed up with some SID World Cups it’s a whippet – however the forks are letting it down – I wasn’t able to go fast enough to trouble the available grip and capability – with them flexing to much and not tracking. However it’s got me searching for some 120 or 140mm forks with a bolt through in order to have what I would term to be one of the perfect trail bikes I’ve ever owned.

I’m sure that the Prince Alberts, Ragleys etc are all as great to ride and I’m not about to say it’s the best of out them all, however I do know that the bargain price I paid second hand (£90) was one of the best moves I’ve ever done.

Buy it, spec it sympathetically and you’ll have a blast.

Ive got a skinny one, test rode one from a shop and went for frame only option… the only reason i would sell is to buy the 9’r they have out 2012.

Hey Neil, glad to hear you are loving my duster still. I’ll be happy to take the lapierre of your hands if it’s not being used though! (0;

Neal – thanks mate – the bike is awesome – YGM 🙂

I’ve got the SS one and I love it!
It has almost identical geometry to my Al hardtail (ride both with carbon forks) but it feels much nicer to ride.
I got it because I like a really short top tube so other steel SSs out there didnt suit me.
I bought it as a local hacking bike but love it so much I ride it in the Peaks and for bivvies and things as well.

Thoroughly recommended 🙂