So Commencal have gone all direct sales-y. And as I’m looking for a new bike, this one is under consideration: http://www.commencal-store.co.uk/PBSCProduct.asp?ItmID=14495031

Now that is A LOT of bike for the money (about £2.5K). You could buy it, flog off the brakes and fork untouched, buy some XT brakes and Pikes and it’s be pretty much perfect. And quite light, too.

BUT this new Meta has a totally new suspension design. And they don’t do demos…

Don’t worry, I’m not going to ask you all if you’ve ridden one yet (unless you’re a Commencal employee or journo, you haven’t).

But what does the hivemind think? Hot or not?

I did it last year getting a cheap Meta AM29… it’s brilliant 🙂

Hot.

On looks alone I’d buy it, love the way the shock is partly hidden in the top tube and love the way the angles of the top tube and seat stay blend to mimic the lines of a hardtail.

You have an educated eye, Deviant.

They’re not entirely direct-sell – former Commencal dealers will still have access to them. Some will have a demo bike or two (we haven’t decided yet whether to run one or not).

By all accounts, the new V4 is their best bike yet.

Not entirely sure why you’d want to put Pikes on that version though, surely the Meta AM which already comes with that fork (in the Race spec) would be your friend if you’re after something longer-travel? (I’m genuinely curious BTW – we’ll be offering custom builds so if the mis-matched travel is something folk would be looking for I’d like to know).

I’ve ridden the V4 AM. It was a large and I’m normally a medium and it was also Bos front and rear, but it was very good on the the rowdier trails (phrase of the moment). Lovely looking bike, but those top and down tubes are wider than you might think. Defo on my short list of Canyon Spectral, Meta V4 and Cube Stereo ( the new 140mm version). Not ridden the Spectral or the Cube, but I would fully expect the Meta to be the better bike going downhill.

The V4 looks nice. Definitely on my shortlist as a frame only.

Looks nice, reminds me of my mum’s old Ford Fiesta from the 1980s.

Would that top tube arrangement allow for an upgraded shock to be fitted though, I wonder?

I’d want a CCDB Inline on any short-ish travel bike.

Chapa – I don’t think it can take the wider bodied shocks like the CCDB, but is fine with piggybacks.

Thanks for insight, all.

@Drovercycles: I’m 15 stone and don’t intend to race so I’m happy to gain half a pound by switching to Pikes from SIDs. I’d get them down to 120mm so I don’t bugger the bikes angles too much. That was my muddle-headed thinking, anyway. The AM is too much bike for me. I’m not that rowdy!

Look absolutely fantastic.

Makes sense. I think that would make a cracking bike.

120mm travel?
Are you mad?
Surely you need at least 160mm or you’ll never be able to show your face round here again.

@choppersquad: I know, I know. I’m not very enduro. >hangs head in shame<

At least you probably don’t use words like gnar very often…..which is always a good thing.

Ive got a 2012 frame meta 29 and it looks like everything that i didn’t like in that frame has be changed.

Shock position.
internal cables rubbing on the steerer
mud clearance on chain stays
weight

Now the new 2015 model looks great except the colour!

and the rear shocks tube has been twisted 90* can every shock do that? or is it a take apart job?