So ‘they’ all think I should ride a Bandit, I counter with suggestion that would get me banned at the likelihood that riding one would bring on XC love that dare not say it’s name and have me reaching for the lycra. I love my Covert, even though I can’t answer questions like would it be better with Talas forks than the Float ones it currently has and would XO be better than X9 (I have no idea what that meant so just go ‘probably’)when folk meet you on it they assume you built it yourself and you know what you’re talking about which of course I didn’t and don’t.

It’s shiny, it’s black and the seat post thing goes up and down and other than the handlebar thingies being a bit wide it’s been a dream to own and I love it, so does my dog who goes wild every time I reach for it.

Now I’ve just had an email from she who knows everything cos her boyfriend runs an online magazine sending me this link that some young guy has won a local downhill event on the flaming Bandit, so all my reasoning for the Covert goes out the window. (although I suspect he’d win such an event on a grocery delivery cycle)

So you lot seem to know what you’re talking about, what is the difference between the two other than one came out last year and one this.

Don’t know who they are.
But I have a Covert and its mint as an all day bike that can then tackle a bit more gnar on the down bits.
The Bandit is similar with slightly less travel and a bit lighter.

Putting the two against each other, Id say the Bandit would be the better all rounder in most conditions.
However if you want a bike you want to use in most conditions and dont mind a bit of extra weight, but will then happily push your self on some downhill courses, the alps etc then the Covert is the better all-rounder.
Its all personal and what you want from the bike.

However, I lent mine to a 15 year old lad who came second in a downhill competiton in wharncliffe with a flat front tyre, so they are very capable going downhill, and Im always surprised how quick they’ll get you up.

A bike is a bike, a good rider will still be a good rider on any bike.

The bandit and Covert are similar. Obviously the Covert is built to handle more abuse, will be heavier and better at going down than up.

Don’t torture yourself over the decision, they’re both great bikes. Think about the riding you do and if the bike is right.

I have a Covert. A bandit would probably be absolutely fine for most of the riding I do. But I like having a bike that’s strong enough to handle anything I personally would throw at it. Would I do a 20 mile XC ride and expect to keep up with super light 4″ bikes, hell no, but would it make it round, yes. I wouldn’t do huge drops on it like you would on a dh bike, but it’ll do most things.

I don’t know why people agonise over decisions like these!

Just needed convincing I’d made the right choice is all, those two posts pretty much sums up what I thought, but then I ride with such a bunch of bike whores, always looking for the next thing, she rides a bloody Zesty ffs and calls me whatever..
I’m not into long XC I can get up everything I need to and I did buy it with the occasional foray into the alps in mind. So ta for that, statistically the kid would have gone faster on the Covert if it’s heavier, heavier things tend to go faster down I’ve noticed, my big mate always trashes me downhill on open hills with no technical turns or anything to slow him.

And the Talas v Float question what’s the difference?

I prefer float as there is less to go wrong and it appears smoother,
never been bothered about dropping the front for climbing etc

And the Talas v Float question what’s the difference?

Talas forks have adjustable travel, so you could lower the front to stop it wandering on really steep climbs.

I’m a Bandit owner, but would also happily ride a Covert. As already said, there’s a pretty big amount of overlap between the two bikes. If you’re not fussed on the slight extra weight, which seems to be the case, then the extra travel of the Covert surely isn’t a bad thing! 🙂

Covert because mtb is actually about going downhill, the going up is just a means to end, anything else is losing sight of why we are here (on stw). Preffering xc over going downhill to do fast corners and jumping is like quitting sex so that you can spend more time perfecting your chat up techniques.

Preffering xc over going downhill to do fast corners and jumping is like quitting sex so that you can spend more time perfecting your chat up techniques.

Quote of the week for me 🙂
(I mostly do xc)

Preffering xc over going downhill to do fast corners and jumping is like quitting sex so that you can spend more time perfecting your chat up techniques.

Yep, about sums it up and is quote of the week for me also.

But…. that kid did still just win some downhill against Elite Factory riders on downhill specials, on a bloody Bandit, which correct me if I’m wrong is supposed to be more about XC. Edges seem to be becoming blurred.

i prefer marzocchi or rhock shox forks.
🙂

But…. that kid did still just win some downhill against Elite Factory riders on downhill specials, on a bloody Bandit, which correct me if I’m wrong is supposed to be more about XC. Edges seem to be becoming blurred.

Maybe he was just way more awesome than the other riders – perhaps a new talent. Imagine what he could do on DH bike? (anyway the race was in kent, isn’t it flat as a witches tit there?). Anecdotes don’t make science. I get overtaken by kids on shoppers when DHing all the time, does that make shopping bikes better for DH or am I just abysmally crap..

PS thanks for the props on my quote..

Covert because mtb is actually about going downhill

or not as the case may be

love the quote toys19 🙂

This is the exact dilemma my mate is in.

This could turn out to be an interesting thread

yunki – Member
Covert because mtb is actually about going downhill
or not as the case may be

Yunki have you been watching me ride?

only discreetly… 😳

When you look at the rear triangle of that Bandit, they just look like thin bits of tube and you think which would you rather have under you if your belting down some horror story rock bit, even dyne here (it’s how we speak)in Sunny Kent where we do actually get some gnarly bits (North Downs to Sea Level has got to be 800 ft +) not mountains but as big as your Chilterns or Surrey Molehills and like the man so succinctly put it, the going up is simply the means to a dynehill end and the pub.

North Dynes

Hah then this comes along and puts it all in perspective, get an old clunker!

Derek, I was going to post that too, they are doing jumps that even with jet assist, airbags, caterpillar tracks and wall to wall carpeting, I just couldn’t do..

I don’t tihnk you need a travel adjust fork on the Covert. I have a 160mm fork without adjustment (Deville) and never feel like I need to lower it. My front end is pretty slammed with a 3mm spacer under stem, zero rise stem and 1″ rise bars, just keep your weight central/push down and it’s fine for climbing steeps.

Same dilemma here? Bandit or Covert? Leaning towards covert I’m already crappy uphill and usually last up among mates so the weight of the covert does not bother me, i’m also first down and rip past my mates on the downs so covert should make me even faster.

Friend just bought the Covert as the Bandit for all day riding was too heavy.

Well I can get up pretty much anything I need to on mine, that Bandit is just the latest ‘must have’ fashionistas Surrey hill girls accessory, Covert is for regular down to earth folk, like moi.

derekrides do you think the covert would run ok on set of rockshox revs rlt ti forks 150mm as it might save a bit of weight over a set of fox 36’s

I wouldnt worry about weight saving on the fork, get the fox and start smashing the downhlls.

Tested a very well spec’d Covert a few weeks back after a huge downpour, rode up a local hill in pretty wet and muddy conditions and loved it. Sat back and spun up the hill nice and steady like… Can’t see how any lighter bike would have made a jot of difference in those conditions.

Got to the top, turned round and holy cr*p the Covert gets down well. Bloody flew down. Again, definitely no way a lighter, less travelled sibling would have been better – for me certainly.

Win win that one. I thought the covert rocked. Nearly bought one.

No good asking me technical stuff, i wouldn’t have the first idea, this one has got floats I think they are and the one I had before had vans, I don’t even know what the difference is, except the vans were heavier.

It’s why I’m here, to read up on stuff like this so when folk ask me i sound like I know what I’m talking about, which sadly i don’t. It’s shiny, black, cool and rides well, that’s enough for me.

I’ve been mincing with the Bandit / Covert dilema for a few months now. I demo’d a Covert a couple of weeks ago and loved it, loved the 36 front end (never ridden them before) and the angles. It looped out on a couple of steep tech climbs but had 10mm under the stem which was only 50mm long. I was still in the ‘but is it just too much bike for UK riding’. You all have convinced me that the Covert is the way. I guess I was in the same dilema in ’99 between the Heckler (then 100mm) and the Bullit and went for the Bullit without regret, though I was 12 years younger then my riding has got bigger if anything. Thanks guys, Covert it is. Hmm, now what colour? I do like the look of the new blue option. Is anyone running zero stack with a 70mm stem? My instinct tells me this would feel right.

good call, i do like Orange, but mines white, Ive got 5mm stack and 65mm stem. 745 bars and in line post.

Buy a blue one and post a picture. Looks very nice on the web but would be good to see in real world setting. Spend some cash for STW 😉

I have the orange and love it. I went from a bullit to a covert, natural progression..
Crappy mobile pic

Aw, ok then, but only as its you guys. 😀

The orange does look sweet. You don’t get the full anodise effect on their web site. My current Heckler is orange though, fancy a change.

that orange looks wicked could be changing my mind from black!

“Leaning towards covert I’m already crappy uphill”
Heres a logic I’ve not thought of before ..

“Bandit, which correct me if I’m wrong is supposed to be more about XC”
Its a 140/130mm FS. I thought it was a ‘trail’ bike of sorts. It will do XC (as a covert will), It will do ‘all mountain’ (likely not that far off a covert? just with a little less squidge?)

I don’t think it helps that the build-ups transition seem to photograph (often?) have semi-slick tyres on. I’m guessing they’re trying to differentiate it from the covert? If you compared it to bikes similar to it then you’d find burlier builds used to advertise it more likely?

Toys19 that is a very nice ride, very. Like the white rims, but imagine how they would look on a blue frame? Only kidding, or not… Shit, maybe I should have bought a Covert!

just noticed orange not on this years colour

who’d ride a transition anyway 🙂

I like the orange.. The rest of the bits were just pretty much transplanted from my previous bike (bullit) .

what weight are you guys getting to I was hoping for around 30lb