Right it’s been some time now and I’ve still not got me a new bike! At the moment I own a marmite 5, which I love by the way! But I’m wanting 27.5/650B full suspension, its got to be carbon and fairly high endish. I’ve already tried a Santa Cruz bronson but it was not for me, has anyone tried the bronson and solo? If so is there much difference?
All help appreciated.

If it has to be 650bs then I would go Norco Sight Carbon.

Scott genius hits a revision for 2014 MY.

My first gen 27.5 bike is killer but moving towards lighter 32 floats and fox’s nude rear shock and this will be a raceable yet solid descender.

I’ve already tried a Santa Cruz bronson but it was not for me, has anyone tried the bronson and solo? If so is there much difference?

I will be in a couple of weeks 🙂
what sort of bike are you trying to build, what are you going to be doing on it. I would own a solo and a bronson if I could and use them for completely different things

How about an Ibis Mojo HDR?

What was wrong with the bronson?

Test 🙂

The 2014 Scott Spark 720 is a cracking bike with enough travel for most UK riding. A mate got one and it just feels right.

I mainly ride trail centres (dalby twice a week), a bit of moorland etc, I ride the downhill and technical sections as hard as I can which I really enjoy, I’m not after a big travel bike though.

As far as the bronson went, its the bike I wanted so much but I kept having pedal/crank strikes when pedalling, don’t get me wrong that can be easily done on any bike if you pedal on the wrong angles etc but from going on the bikes and style i ride it seemed to be a lot on the bronson, I found it faster on the flowing and flat stuff but a bit slower on the tight stuff.

Scott genius was recommended to me but as of yet ive not tried one.

Are you sure that pedal strikes weren’t due to too much sag in the rear shock?

The problem with demoing bikes, is that often it’s the bike set up that dictates whether you gel with the bike in the short time you have with it.

BearBack – Member
Scott genius hits a revision for 2014 MY.

My first gen 27.5 bike is killer but moving towards lighter 32 floats and fox’s nude rear shock and this will be a raceable yet solid descender.

32 Fox fork on a bike like that sounds like a terrible idea.

Scott genius was recommended to me but as of yet ive not tried one.

I demo’ed one I May, Great bike, rode lovely unlike the Peddle striking 650b Cube I tried. But still not good enough to tempt me away from 26″

dirk_pumpa – Member
What was wrong with the bronson

bikeradar reckoned the bronsons suspension was too harsh- so they swapped out the forks/shock and still gave it 4.5 stars

http://www.bikeradar.com/mtb/gear/category/bikes/mountain-bikes/full-suspension/product/review-santa-cruz-bronson-carbon-13-xx1-am-w-enve-wheels-47848/

A pal has the Cube FS, likes it.

He’s a big lad and tbh we didn’t realise it was a 27.5 until he mentioned it.

http://www.cube.eu/uk/bikes/fullsuspension/stereo/stereo-160-super-hpc-slt-275/

I had the bronson for 24 hours and rode it 20miles, i took a shock pump with me and adjusted the suspension front and rear a good few times and still no joy, personally I think it’s dangerous as at one point it nearly threw me off the trail and a fast speed.

Plus one for Norco Sight

Have to say I’m quite surprised about the pedal strikes you experienced. Been riding mine for atleast two months now with Pikes and a CTD Fox shock and havent experienced a single pedal strike and my OH has rode it who previously demoed a TRc and hated it because of the low BB height and he didnt have any problems with it either. Even though you’ve ruled it out my vote is for carbon Bronson because I ride one and love it.

Hi
A mate of mine demoed an alloy Bronson and a carbon Solo back to back.
Hated the Bronson but loved the Solo from the off and ordered one straight away.
I Did a car park test and it felt nice but way to soft and small for me.
It’s blinded up and apparently weighs 24.5lb if that matters to you
Cheers
Steve

personally I think it’s dangerous as at one point it nearly threw me off the trail and a fast speed.

Which reinforces the fact it probably wasn’t set up right, as the internet isn’t rife with people suing SC for their horrific pedal strike injuries…

its got to be carbon and fairly high endish.

What a wonderfully pointless pair of criteria! I’d be looking at a Spark or Genius I reckons.

Steve, What do you mean by

it felt nice but way to soft and small for me.

I’ve been looking at getting a SOLO, but did wonder how it would feel.. I had a Heckler which I hated as it was to “Cramped”, and now wondering if this may feel the same??

Guess I really need to do test ride.

Compared to my 29″ Evo Stumpy the Bronson’s BB felt high. The problem I found with the Bronson is that it’s just way too stiff to the point that it’s skittish and harsh when you’re going quick. Probably fine for big guys but it just beat me up and had no compliance.

Seen the new Heckler geom Nick?
Looks like it’s now sorted!
Not worked out the 50L0 yet.

What a wonderfully pointless pair of criteria!

Perhaps they want a bike people talk about, rather than just seeking out a fun ride.

Bragging rights, not trail related giggles?

Cube Stereo Super HPC 160 – quite simply awesome!!

I’ve been riding my carbon bronson since july. Just not getting on with it as well as I’d hoped/expected. If I can ever nail down the reason why I’ll be able to report but for now im just guessing and going through a process of elimination on various factors.

Bb on a bronson is comparatively high btw. 1cm higher than other 650b bikes ive compared it too but it feels high and the numbers sometimes dont tell the whole story.

Teeto
I just mean that the frame was very small for me-think it was a medium and the owner is about 2 stone lighter than me so the set up was all wrong.
It was his first ride on it on Sunday and he raved about it.
Cheers
Steve

I tried a Bronson, but couldn’t get on with it, just felt like a typical Santa Cruz (short & steep), which will obviously suit some people, but i’m not one of them.

I prefer something a lot longer in the TT & slacker in the head angle.

It’s a safe bike for them though, they might be quick to market with bikes, but they never really push the boat out with designs. There are a lot of better bikes out there IMO (26 & 27.5).

I’m with the majority of this thread regarding Santa Cruz bikes, never ridden a Bronson but the blur LTc I had was the most over rated bike I’ve ever owned both the five I had before it and the canyon strive I have now out perform it in every way.

Devinci troy

kelvin – Member
Seen the new Heckler geom Nick?
Looks like it’s now sorted!
Not worked out the 50L0 yet.

No, but I’ll go check it now…
Cheers for the heads up.

🙂

Trance Advanced maybe?

I’m amazed there’s only one mention of an Ibis Mojo HDR. I’ve been riding mine for 4months or so and it’s awesome (brings the trail alive, blah,blah,blah). By far the best bike I’ve had the chance to ride.
To be fair, there’s a lot of choice out there now. Just get testing…

Njee20 – I set the bike up my self and adjusted it either way whilst on the trail to try to get it perfect but never did. As far as the childish comments go, I want what I want for me and no one else,
carbon – for lightness.
High endish so I don’t mess about upgrading as I go.

I can see there are a lot of people out there with more show than go but I can tell you that aint me.

So I need to go try a solo or a couple of scotts then!

The problem is there are too many to choose from, then you get something and the next thing comes along………:-/

Mojo’s won’t get old for a long time yet I don’t think.

+1 sort of the the RM altitude above, my mate has that one and loves it. I tried the Alu and wasn’t 100% sold and much prefer my Blur LTc. Though the carbon one is meant to be better. They are also releasing the “Rally” versions for 2014 which are effectively the endro race bikes (1x etc)

32 Fox fork on a bike like that sounds like a terrible idea

Then choose the enduro race LT version with 34mm forks.
Nothing wrong with a 32mm fork though.. They’ve done me we’ll for all the technical xc that BC offers.. Granted not with the same reckless abandon my current genius 27.5 with 34 allows!

Turner Czar?
http://www.turnerbikes.com/2013-turner-bike-models/czar

29ering init.

http://www.cube.eu/uk/bikes/fullsuspension/stereo/stereo-160-super-hpc-race-275/

I have one of these ^.. Really good machine, climbs well, descends well.. All I could ask for really.