You know where I’m going with this one…

Tempted by a carbon Whippet, I ride mainly xc, lots of climbing and plummety descents.

What are they like to live with? Build quality etc Any regrets?

I’m pretty happy with mine – certainly no probs with build quality. Feels like a fast, agile bike although I’m not necessarily the rider to really do it justice.
I find it a real handful on the descents, tbh. I’m not sure where the problem lies – The obv answer is the rider. However, I’d just relocated to riding in the Peaks when I got it, so all of my rides have been on new trails in winter conditions, been quite tricky in places (e.g. Cavedale in pishing rain). Also, I rode a scalpel for years which is the definitive head-down race bike and was way more comfortable taking stuff on with that. Generally though I’m v happy with it, just feel there’s something not quite working for me on the downs.

Garry Lager + 1 I agree with pretty much all of his points.

Loving mine. Especially the long, low geo’ and quick acceleration. Only downside is it creaks at all component interfaces (BB, headset, post). You get used to it after a while! To be fair to On One i haven’t worked through all options to eliminate the creaks yet.

Had one, top tube was too long (even in small, i’m 5ft6) and I sold it. Felt fast when you wanted to accelerate. Creaked though as mentioned above.

Depends what you mean by “plummety” descents. Mine is fine on trail centre stuff (e.g. Kielder 100 course) but not tried it in Peaks etc, as I have a Cotic Soul with bigger forks and tyres for that. All the other comments about acceleration, climbing ability and general sprightliness are bang on – no creaks or quality issues on mine either (was mostly a self build though so my fault if they do arise). Great race bike, but probably not a do-it-all machine.

Im not a Whippet owner but do have a Carbon 456, it was a toss up between this and the Whippet, as I wanted something for racing on but also good for more techy trails! The only reason I didn’t go down the route of the Whippet was because with the geometry, the front is VERY low, which is not good for techy downhills etc!
So I have built my 456 with 100mm forks, with a 90mm stem and can say it is perfect for all round use! Fast up, confident down! I had a Cannondale Rush before, and there was now losses going to hardtail, and actually feels better downhill on the 456!

Plummety descents

… Nothing too techy & hard core “rad”. Just ‘off the brakes’ plummeting back down after all the ‘kin climbing that we have around here!

^^ most of the above reads as positive. I think? 😕

I think they are great bikes. As others have said, long and low makes it a fast racebike, but less of a handful than the scott scale I had previously. Feels good with 120mm forks and bigger tyres for proper trail days, but as a carbon race bike for £299 it is peerless. If you like old school handling you’ll love it I reckon.

…great. I am used to ‘pingee’ (?) light hardtails so this may just fit the bill 🙂

But probably with a 100mm SID front end.

But probably with a 100mm SID front end

Excellent choice. I have exact same.

The Whippet came out just after I got my carbon 456 and I thought about trading in and then I stepped back and reminded myself the 456 is the more versatile frame. It will take 100 – 160mm forks, so it can be set up either racey or more trail orientated.

It’s also a standard external bb and a fairly normal style of headset so no issues with press-fit / internal bearings and creaking etc.

The 456c frame is only slightly heavier than the Whippet and if you can live with the looks, its surely a better bet?

mtbtomo has it spot on for me as well…Thought about the Whippet but overall felt that the c456 was going to be more versatile and for not much additional weight penalty.

Hmmm 😕

Nuke, could you please e-mail me a photo of your 16″ Inbred?
I will probably buy a 16″ Whippet, so I would like to know, how much seatpost would be showing. (Your inseam length is same as mine)

My Whippet fell apart on its first outing which was more than disappointing.
The non driveside crank arm fell off and the rest slipped out damaging the press-fit bottom bracket which, half way through a lap, solo, at the Strathpuffer wasn’t ideal.
After that I kind of lost interest I the bike and hung it up in the garage for a few months, cursing it every time I saw it.
Since then I’ve had it out maybe a dozen times or so. 10UTB and a few local rides. One of the reasons I bought it was for events so I could be a bit quicker but I rode my Golden Willow back to back at 10UTB and was a descent bit quicker. Perhaps that was down to familiarity more than anything else but I expected a wee bit more from the bike.
Looking back perhaps a C456 with a U-Turn fork would have made more sense for me as it would be a little less focused but I would rate the Whippet as: Okay.
I’d perhaps look at some of the Chinese carbon frames you can get on eBay and see if you can build cheaper. I particularly like the look of the Niner Air Carbon-a-likes that are out there.

I like mine but probably wouldn’t buy again for no reason but the press fit bottom bracket. The first bb I fitted was a sram and it was a good fit but a change of cranks meant a new bb and the (fsa I think) bb I bought from on-one was loose in the bb shell and on the crank. I mean rattle around and fall out when you turn it upside down loose, I should have sent it back. I bought a shimano bb to replace it and that is fine but it is now playing on my mind that I may have hassle in the future.

Otherwise I can’t add anything not already covered above, it’s a long way from a ‘hardcore hardtail’ but if you are thinking of getting one I’m sure you know that. The price is good for what you get.

I don’t think you can blame a bike for the components you put on it. I love my whippet the press fit BB is a pain but thats the only drawback

My Whippet fell apart on its first outing
[…]
half way through a lap, solo, at the Strathpuffer wasn’t ideal.

Now I know it’s easy to be wise after the event, but surely a shakedown ride or two is a good idea, whatever the bike?

I have one,

Bad Stuff:
-Limited to BB92 (it’s actually an 89.5mm) which suck, I’ve had mine since October, and I’m one 2nd which is on its last leg – this is a Sram BB incase you’r wondering.
-Long top tube, not great when you’re 5’9″ and have a 34″ inseam, a 16″ isn’t an option, even with a 400mm post.
-Hard to bunny hop and descend on – but hey it’s an xc race bike, you’ve just got to concentrate.
-Poor tolerances, the chain line on mine is really at the extreme, but it still works(shifting), just about.
-Mine weighed in at circa 1450g, not the 1300g claimed.

Good Stuff:
-Price – couldn’t get a better bike, for what I do, for the money.
-Plenty strong enough
-Great geo for racing, and it manages trail centres too (I put the stem the ‘right way’ up, risers not flats and sensible tyres and I do ‘play’ on it. Perhaps the head angle could do with being a degree slacker?
-Stiff under power, yet relatively forgiving rear end.
-Looks quite nice (red & white).
-Climbs like a daemon.
-Very Stable in the corners.

Now I know it’s easy to be wise after the event, but surely a shakedown ride or two is a good idea, whatever the bike?

True enough but irrespective of where the ride would have taken place the end result would have been the same.
Fortunately I couldn’t be arsed that year so I just helped another team and slept instead 😀