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  • Commencal Meta 5.5 owners.. opinions?
  • rickon
    Free Member

    Hi,

    I'm looking at a medium travel full susser now after riding XC and race bikes for the past year.

    I really like the look of the Meta 5.5, what do people think of it? climbing? descending? tracking?

    Have the frames stopped cracking?

    Any ideas would be well appreciated!

    Cheers

    Ricks

    retro83
    Free Member

    I had a 2008 one, I loved it. Really regret selling it. Cracking bike (and mine didn't!)

    I'd have another right now if I had the cash

    Ecky-Thump
    Free Member

    I managed to crack a L 2009 model which was replaced under warranty with a XL 2010 model.
    There's a world of difference between the two in terms of quality. You can tell that they had a reputation to try and recover! The seat tube now being thicker and tapered to accommodate the seat clamp.

    The 2009 was the model/year that was prone to cracking at the seatpost/top-tube weld. Large and XL sizes also seemed worst effected (the configuration of the top shock mount is different on these to that on the S and M sizes).

    Overall, a very capable bike, especially so downhill. After a year or so on mine I'm still getting faster and faster every time I do the local descents.
    The suspension feels deeper than it is and tracks really well too.
    I can't draw many direct comparisons so won't say its better or worse that xyz, but I'm not in any hurry to change mine.
    Never felt out of its depth yet on rocky lakeland descents etc., riding in the company of Patriots, Alpine 160s and Nomads and not feeling out-biked.
    For the money its remarkably capable.

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    Amos
    Free Member

    My mate just bought one and it certainly looks great will report back when he'd got it built up

    Toasty
    Full Member

    2008 one here and it's fantastic, no cracking issues. Fantastic suspension glued me to the floor like nothing I've ever used, mainly using my Mojo at the moment, for no real reason other than it's prettier , lighter and I'm a tart. The front end is very floaty compared to the Meta, truth be known I probably do laps faster on the Meta. The Meta is still the bike of choice if we go somewhere vaguely scary.

    So tragic that the company screwed up a bit, they were doing fantastic but seem to have been become a budget brand.

    Toasty
    Full Member

    On a similar Meta note, has anyone tried 2008/2009 and 2010 for comparisons? I would ponder updating my 2008 sometime, I'd just be paranoid of subtle geometry changes, the 2008 fits like a glove.

    TheSouthernYeti
    Free Member

    2008 Owner….. personally I love it. Have given it plenty of abuse and never had any issues…. cue massive failure halfway round skyline today.
    Mine is set up with a TF Tuned cheapo fox shock and pikes.
    Have been considering upgrading to a carbon one.

    juan
    Free Member

    They are fantastic bikes, the rear wheel is stuck to the ground

    Crag
    Free Member

    Agree with most of the comments above. Very good suspension action which inspires confidence. And despite them being heavy they still pedal quite well.

    Had both 08 & 09 (both broke!). Can't comment on the ride of the 2010 but the build quality looks far superior and I've yet to see a report of a broken one. However, considering the historic failure rate, still not the sort of bike I'd consider buying second hand.

    retro83
    Free Member

    To add a bit more depth to the soppy love letter in my first post, here are its (2008 model) strengths and weaknesses as I saw them:

    Good:
    Brilliant traction uphill, especially with pro-pedal off. In fact I never used pro-pedal at all once I got used to the bike.
    Feels very confident downhill and loves trails like The Wall at Afan where it is alarmingly easy to pick up speed.

    Bad:

    Rear swing-arm is flexy. I remedied 100% this with a maxle kit, I think a 10mm axle in the normal dropouts would be almost as good though.
    Main swingarm bearings difficult to remove (no pinchbolts so need to be pressed in and out).
    On slow techy descents like the Beast in the Peak District and under heavy braking , the suspension is not as good as horst or DW link bikes (still good just not *as* good).

    ftr1873
    Free Member

    Overall a really good bike. When blasting through singletrack and on downhills it gives confidence, finds grip and generally lets you away with being a little stupid. I found it was ideal to further my skills and confidence. The main negative points are pretty much what retro says, the frame is not the stiffest, although a maxle and good set of wheels will help and the back can sort of hang up a little on slower technical descents. It actually climbs pretty well, I only use PP on smooth climbs.

    jonnyseven
    Full Member

    Love mine. Had 2007, 2008 and now 2010. New ones are better build quality, and any issues seem to have been sorted with a change of design and the factory making them.

    Climbing ability is good, rear wheel keeps traction well, shortish top tube helps with getting your weight in the right place to keep the front from wandering. Descending and singletrack superb. 2008 models were flexi at the back, 2010 less so.

    As above the bike is confidence inspiring and this was probably one of the reasons for a few people having cracking issues as well as the manufacturing. Lots of people out there riding bikes with no problems at all. I broke a 2003 enduro as well as the above which at the time was the bike to inspire confidence so maybe some of its down to me doing more than the bike was intended for.

    Frame is heavy but I'm happy with that, and it doesnt look like it belongs on a farm (orange 5). Might be happier with the carbon model. Real Cycles and Freeflow have end of season bargains to be had on 2010 models as well..

    pypdjl
    Free Member

    the rear wheel is stuck to the ground

    Not good for jumping then!

    Crag
    Free Member

    Some very good deals to be had at JD's in Ilkley – great to deal with too.

    Pro's for £1350 http://www.jdcycles.co.uk/bikes/mtb-full-sus/meta-55-pro
    Carbons for £2200 http://www.jdcycles.co.uk/bikes/mtb-full-sus/meta-55-carbon

    DrP
    Full Member

    I've an '08 VIP (medium)with Pikes up front, maxle out back.
    Absolutely love it – really versatile bike from all day XC epics, to hooning it around the Alps.
    As the angles are 'normal' (i.e not super slack) you can sometimes tell it's NOT a DH bike when hitting some of the steep stuff (well, it isn't a DH bike is it!), but on the climbs it is magic! If you've got the legs, and as long as your tyres have the grip (let a few PSI out), this bike'll climb a tree! I mean it really is the best climbing bike i've ridden….

    Here's me voiding my warranty on a 5 inch AM bike..

    DrP

    juan
    Free Member

    Ok a bit more details 😉
    I live in the south of France, so you expect the stuff around here to be very rocky and non flat. It's up or down. The bike is a very good climber. Unless I am racing roadies on a tarmac road, I never lock the suspension. However I wouldn't use iT with a RP23 as it kinda interact against the suspension.

    To repeat my comment above, the rear wheel is really stuck to the ground as the system works very well. Both on climbs and down. I have never been so fast on ta bike since I have mine. It has a a very good traction up and the system is very efficient down. Due to the amount of travel of the "virtual" chainstay, the bike is a bit sensitive to brake jack, but problem solve with a maxxis high roller super tacky on the front.

    I did not noticed the "flex" in the swingarm but again down here is not much of an inconvenience.

    Kuntoilija
    Free Member

    Metas are great bikes, but have all too much quility issues at least in 2009
    models. My frame has also a crack in place where all 2009 Metas will brake in time I suppose. (top tube/seat tube weld)
    Warranty case has now taken four weeks and and they said from Merlin
    that it can take 3-6 weeks to get solution. I would never buy a second
    hand 2009 Meta. Hopefully 2010 Metas are different.

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