Evening all, looking at a new bike which will be my only one. I definitely want a 29er and was pretty sure it was going to be a camber evo based on the good reviews it gets and me not really needing loads of travel.

However, recently cottoned on to the fact that the codeine in x9 spec is a hell of a lot of bike for £1500, including Pikes.

I can get a good deal on the camber which means its about £100 more. But the codeine is out of stock till the end of July and not sure if I can wait that long.

How heavy is the codeine in reality and how well would it work as an only bike? Is it more of a downward oriented bike, or does it do the ups well too?

Anything else I should consider? Liked the look if the rose root miller, but it’s recently jumped in price by a few hundred quid, so not quite as big a bargain as it was

Depending on how tall you are the codeine may be short on the reach side.

I’m 5’11 so would be looking at the large based on the ett of 620. Are they a short bike then as they seemed to have familiar dims to the large camber

From what I’ve read/been told is that although the ett is quite long the reach is quite short ?

Not sure how that happens etc.

Ah ok, so the bb must be a long way forward to give the sorry reach

I am just 6ft and have the Codeine in a medium which suits me perfectly. Even the medium feels big compared to my 26″ large stumpy. It’s a great bike just as good at climbing as it is descending. But saying that, my current “i want bike” is the camber evo. Just looks ace 🙂

I’m loving the spec of the codeine. Not sure if I can wait till the end of July though. Camber looks very nice but I’ve been told that when I get it there’s no changing parts. Deore brakes are great, and I’m sure X7 is fine, but was hoping for more on a bike of the Camber’s price. I also like the sound if pikes over Reba’s, even though I’ve never really felt much flex in any 32mm forks I’ve had before

If it’s going to be your only bike definitely a large codeine. I’m 5’11” on the large and think it’s right on the money with the stock 35mm stem. It’s certainly set a few KOMs around the tweed valley up and down. It’s 32lbs with pedals and tubes in the x01 spec. The reach feels sorry because of the high bars. Great confident bike. Love mine for sure!

It’ll be a large as my last 2 bikes had a 620 ett, so don’t want to go any smaller. Is the 32lbs setup tubeless?

It’s certainly set a few KOMs around the tweed valley up and down

It’s 32lbs with pedals and tubes

Hmmm…

bikeneil – Member
It’s certainly set a few KOMs around the tweed valley up and down
It’s 32lbs with pedals and tubes
Hmmm…

KOM segments

You’ll struggle to find a large long-travel 29er (and probably non-carbon 650B) that’s not +30lbs, with pedals/tubes etc.

Ignore the manufacturers spec, try weighing them.

the on-one website says the standover on the large is 830mm, that seems huge compared to my 18″ inbred (800mm) can anybody confirm with a real measurement from the floor to the middle of the top tube? either a large or a medium would be good.

If it’s going to be your only bike definitely a large codeine. I’m 5’11” on the large and think it’s right on the money with the stock 35mm stem. It’s certainly set a few KOMs around the tweed valley up and down. It’s 32lbs with pedals and tubes in the x01 spec. The reach feels sorry because of the high bars. Great confident bike. Love mine for sure!

KOM segments

Hang about. Let me see if I’ve got this right. Are you saying that you set the KOM time on (for the example) the Minto Ct Climb (912ft in 1.3mi at an average grade of 13%) on a 32lb Codeine !!!!

The reach of a large codeine is a couple of mm shorter than the camber evo. It is only short compared to modern enduro style bikes, large with a 45mm stem would probably work well.

My mate has a Camber Evo and thinks it’s great. He’s kept it stock apart from a dropper and swapping the Rebas for Pike.

I’ll be adding a dropper to either when I get it (shame neither have stealth routing so probably be a Lev). If the Camber came with Pikes rather than Reba then I think that would be choice made, but there’s no option to upgrade.

Reach on the large codeine is the same as my existing Stache and that feels just about right with a 45mm stem.

Stand over does concern me slightly as on the codeine it’s a full 107mm more than the camber which seems like a massive amount taller

http://linkagedesign.blogspot.co.uk/search/label/On-One

You can see that the linkage on the codeine provides a very good 1x pedal platform.

Incorrect standover on the On-One website has come up before. I’ve measured my medium as ~750mm.

When I tried a large I noticed the shorter reach (still longer than my own bike) compared to modern Enduro rigs did not notice standover at all. So don’t think it will be a problem unless you have like 28 inch legs and a really long body!

Hang about. Let me see if I’ve got this right. Are you saying that you set the KOM time on (for the example) the Minto Ct Climb (912ft in 1.3mi at an average grade of 13%) on a 32lb Codeine !!!!

Because a 2% difference in rider+bike weight could never be outweighed by a >2% increase in rider power…

Hang about. Let me see if I’ve got this right. Are you saying that you set the KOM time on (for the example) the Minto Ct Climb (912ft in 1.3mi at an average grade of 13%) on a 32lb Codeine !!!!

I’m not surprised at all, he’s the (all-round) quickest of the guys I ride with – and the Codeine is a bit of a monster-truck.

That’s something I can’t quite get an angle on… comparing my (26″) Camber with my (29″) Stumpy feels as though the Stumpy is slower, more stable and relatively unfussed while the Camber is very fast, changes direction on a whim and is working every one of those 120mm to the max. However, the 29er is clearly faster when you compare the time. I know that this topic has been done to death, but I’m convinced that a well sorted 29er is as fast as anything else out there, with better traction and bump absorption to boot.

The Camber Evo makes a very compelling case to me for the perfect trail bike, being long, low, slack and not too much bike to haul around.

That said, a single chainring negates nearly all of the constraints of a well placed single pivot. Judging by the geometry, the Codeine seems long enough without being too rangy, I’d love to have a blast on one.

Because a 2% difference in rider+bike weight could never be outweighed by a >2% increase in rider power…

It’s not so much the weight that surprises me. I’ve always tended to think that’s overrated. But the Codeine is a big bouncy “enduro” bike. Does the shock even have a climb switch? Winch and plummet doesn’t exactly suggest that you’ll be chasing KOMs on the climbs.

Of course, if you are a bit fitter, you may still beat your mates, but we’re talking about long steep segments that have been ridden by over a hundred riders. Some of those are bound to be pretty fit and some will probably be riding “xc race” bikes.

Anyway, I was just checking that I’d understood it correctly. If the times in that link were set on the Codeine then chapeau, my flabber is well and truly ghasted.

Does the shock even have a climb switch?

Doesn’t need one. Designer a genius.

Ah, of course. Why didn’t I think of that 🙂

With the right chainring size it’s a very efficient pedaller. And the rougher the climb, the better it will do compared to shorter travel or smaller wheeled bikes.

Fair point, but it still seems unlikely that we’ll see Codeines popping up in many XC or even marathon races. Assuming all those times really were set on the Codeine, I reckon there are a number of explanations, including:

1. The rider is so much fitter than everybody else that they’d be KOM whatever they rode. That’s easy to believe with a small number of riders, but would be pretty impressive with over a hundred riders.

2. The bike designer is a genius. I guess we’d better not rule that out while he’s watching 🙂

3. A bit of new bike euphoria meant they were pushing harder than usual (maybe without realising it). We’ve all been there.

4. 1x (with the right chainring) really is much more efficient that 2x etc.

5. Most of the things that we’ve been told are important for a good climbing bike (light weight, short travel, pro-pedal etc) are actually not that important.

Or some combination of the above. Personally I’ve no idea, but it’s interesting (and impressive).

1. The rider is so much fitter than everybody else that they’d be KOM whatever they rode. That’s easy to believe with a small number of riders, but would be pretty impressive with over a hundred riders.

Considering the more popular segments around us have literally thousands of riders on the leaderboard I don’t see why it’s such a big deal. He’s clearly bloody fit AND bloody skilled!

3. A bit of new bike euphoria meant they were pushing harder than usual (maybe without realising it). We’ve all been there.

Isn’t the essence of trying to claim a KOM about pushing harder than usual?

Does the shock even have a climb switch?
Doesn’t need one. Designer a genius.

Hahaha 😆 Very good Brant. You are right though it doesn’t 🙂

Does the shock even have a climb switch?
Doesn’t need one. Designer a genius.

Having just upgraded my 28lb Parkwood for a 33lb Codeine and matched or beaten all of my local PB’s going downhill as well as uphill, i would have to agree.

I bought a Camber Evo just before Christmas, my intention was to run it as a fast trai bike with the goal of racing it in the BC Bike Race – it has exceeded all my expectations for climbing and descending and has even resulted in me being braver on the descents!!

I am running the Carbon version with Pikes and a set of light bicycle rims on Hope hubs. It really isn’t heavy.

brant – Member

…Designer a genius.

wasn’t he smacked up on painkillers when he worked out the pivot placements?

wasn’t he smacked up on painkillers when he worked out the pivot placements?

so the story goes

Liking the look of these Camber Evo’s

Only thing bothering me is 120m travel, does it get out of it’s depth easy? I wouldn’t mind giving an Enduro (race not bike) a try but main use would be peaks and wales etc.

Camber Evo was for me the most fun of the 29ers I test rode (Camber evo, Stumpy Evo and Remedy). Great angles, low weight and felt like it could attack anything with the Pikes up front. Very impressed with its climbing ability (but I’ve not ridden anything remotely approaching an xc bike in a long time). Very good bike.

Now own a Codeine and no regrets. Heavier (but never feel it riding), slightly longer travel. Brilliant descender and climber with a bit more ability when it gets rough. feels super nimble and likes to get in the air.

If you want a fast xc bike that can descend very well get a Camber Evo. If you want something with a bit more confidence when it gets fast and rough get a Codeine

I do still remember the fun I had on the Camber!

I’ve got no issue with the 120mm of the Camber. I had a 150mm pitch for a few years and was massively over biked for everything I rode. I think 120mm is probably about the sweet spot. I’m a little worried about the Reba up front (will only be able to get the comp) and general lower component level on a bike that is £2k.

If it came with Pikes or even Revs then I think it’d be decision made.

Just on an outside, had anyone ridden a BMC Speedfox, as the geometry on them seems well sorted but with the Fox 32 CTD up front in not sure if it’s really a contender

Oh yeah, and are we talking 33lbs for the large codeine? Is that with dropper post, tubeless and pedals? I know some people recon it’s around 30.5lbs but not sure if that’s the higher spec version

I’d say a Codeine with Pikes is a very different (and much more capable) bike than a Camber with Rebas. The Camber I loved was an evo with 120mm Pikes, and I think the Pikes went a long way to defining how the bike rode.

Not sure on the weight of the Codeine, but the frame could definitely be made lighter (at cost of course). It does not feel heavy at all to ride though.

Oh yeah, and are we talking 33lbs for the large codeine? Is that with dropper post, tubeless and pedals? I know some people recon it’s around 30.5lbs but not sure if that’s the higher spec version

Just measured my medium lower spec version with reverb, tubed chunky monkeys both ends, nukeproof electron evos and carbon knuckleball bar at 32.6 lbs.