I managed to ride a few bikes (Orange Segment, New SC 5010 & RM Instinct) at a demo day yesterday and also spent a fair bit of time watching and chatting to other folk there. Most of what I learnt isn’t news, but it helped to reinforce a few points.

First, and most obvious; the most important factor in the performance (up and down) of a bike is the lump sat on top of it. I saw people pushing lightweight XC bikes up a tiny climb and (sometimes the same) people throwing those same XC bikes around like they were downhill machines.

Second most important factor is tyres. It was wet wet wet yesterday, but in general it’s very hard (for me) to judge bikes with different tyres as the level of grip can vary so much.

Next most important factor is suspension set-up. A bit of time spent getting the suspension dialled in at the start can have a huge effect on how you view a bike.

Next is cockpit set-up i.e. bars and stem.

That’s not to say that there aren’t differences between bikes. There are, they can be quite dramatic and it is fun trying different bikes. But they are just differences and (in pretty much all cases) not really better or worse. Even on relatively short tests I’d be thinking “ooh, this bike is great here, oh, hang on I don’t like it here, oh, now it’s great again …). Although I had great fun I mostly just confused myself and the only clear conclusion was the first one; it’s not about the bike, just pick something you like the look of from a company whose values you want to support and ride the crap out of it.

Here endeth the lesson.

That confirms I’ve been doing it right for years never demoed a bike always bought what I liked the look of.

A bit of time spent getting the suspension dialled in at the start can have a huge effect on how you view a bike.

+1 think my 1st test of the segment was ruined by the previous riders messing up the setting and then me being in too much of a rush to ride it

Although I had great fun I mostly just confused myself

I do relate to that but I did come away very impressed by the one bike, but another which i thought I’d enjoyed onthe demo day, on a longer demo I ended up hating. I do think you need to take sometime afterwards to think thru went on with what demos but it’s like a taster menu.. you can see what you’d really like and next time demo something specifically for longer

So? Is it time for a change of bikes for you going from what you tested?

To be fair, most of the “test riders” were 12-14 year old kids, on bikes far too big for them.

To be fair, some of those kids could ride. OK, lots couldn’t and you have to wonder how many seriously wanted to buy a new carbon Santa Cruz, but fair play to them for playing out in the rain for so long. The future of the sport looked pretty secure.

As for reflecting on the event afterwards; I agree, but I suspect that a bit of time just lets me twist the experience to fit my preconceptions and I end up back where I was before the test ride. But maybe that’s just me 🙂

roverpig,

Were you at Tarland yesterday by any chance? If so how are the trails?

Wet 🙂

If you’ve been before then the trails were holding up fine and are clearly very popular, which is good to see.

roverpig – Member
I managed to ride a few bikes (Orange Segment, New SC 5010 & RM Instinct)

How was the new 5010, especially sizing? Does the new longer tob tube mean that upsizing is a past issue for SC?

Not been before, hoping to get up there soon but between work and a 2 year old i’ve not made it yet.

To be fair, some of those kids could ride. OK, lots couldn’t

Much like the majority of us then! 😀

you have to wonder how many seriously wanted to buy a new carbon Santa Cruz

See above!

Pretty sure my next bike will be purchased before it’s even landed on these shores. No test ride for me. Just have to hope that I have enough experience to tweak those variables until it works the way I want.

How was the new 5010, especially sizing? Does the new longer tob tube mean that upsizing is a past issue for SC?

Not sure. Standing up the large 5010 felt right to me (I’m a large on everything else as well) but the seat tube is now super steep so it still felt a bit cramped sitting down (I think it had something like an 80mm stem as well).

Not been before, hoping to get up there soon but between work and a 2 year old i’ve not made it yet.

I’m glad it’s there and that it seems to be so popular, but I’m probably the wrong person to ask as it’s pretty much the opposite of the riding I enjoy. Give me a mountain to myself and I’m happy.

The blue is swoopy with berms and bumps everywhere and good fun. The red I can’t seem to get the hang of (but I’m sure that’s just me). The line is obvious and you can just roll along it, but I find it hard to carry much speed and the line is narrow in places. It’s a good test of balance and I really should try harder to carry speed through the whole thing (mind you, it’s been very wet both times I’ve been). There is also an orange trail full of jumps. You can actually just roll over them all, but having done so I’m happy to leave that trail to those who like to jump. There is also a small pump track which can be a good work-out.

It’s tiny though. Each trail is only about a kilometre long with a short track running up the side to access them all.

All in all, good fun if you’ve got an hour to kill and want to work on your skills, but I’d take a day out in the hills if I had the time.

Much like the majority of us then!

Oh yeah, don’t get me wrong, most of those kids could ride me off the trail and I’m glad they got a chance to play on some fancy bikes for the afternoon (whether they were serious about buying them or not). I guess it still works for the manufacturers (brand awareness etc), so everybody is happy.

Agree in set up but otherwise a little surprised. I found demo days v useful, many highly rated bikes didn’t suit me so glad I didn’t make an expensive mistake. Demoed my new bike three times and felt great from the start.

I think it’s mostly just my problem with over analyzing things. You jump on a bike, find it doesn’t suit you and dismiss it. I jump on the bike, find it doesn’t suit and start wondering whether it would actually be ideal if it just had a different x, y or z. Or I find a bit of trail where it works really well and start wondering whether I could work round the bits I didn’t like. I suspect that yours is the better approach though.

Don’t beat yourself up – I fannied around for over 2 years before pulling the trigger. And even at the end was almost tempted by an Enduro that I didn’t need.

Frankly there is too much choice now. And most bikes are bloody good these days.

ride me off the trail and I’m glad they got a chance to play on some fancy bikes for the afternoon (whether they were serious about buying them or not). I guess it still works for the manufacturers (brand awareness et

Hope I didn’t offend! Was meant in jest!

No offence taken mate.

i have never demoed a bike either

For me demo’s have worked really well
Back in 04 it sold me the massively long travel 125mm spesh enduro was in fact perfect for me, back then I was looking at lots of other shorter bikes, it also convinced me that the sub 5 was something I liked the look of but not the ride.
Later on the Nomad vs Blur Lt decision was resolved that both were great but the nomad was too much bike for most of my riding.
I tried the whole orange thing again and still didn’t click

In between that I’ve probably tried 20-30 other bikes which have either confirmed what I thought or really changed my mind about a bike.

Demo bikes are one of the reasons that my mate (lbs) has got Rocky Mtn off the ground as a new brand to the area, putting people on bikes convinces people that it’s right for them.