Before I bite the bullet, any owners not like it? Anyone ride it SS?

Chap I rode with last night had one.

It went well (Bos forks), although he said it was a bit hard work (compared to his FS) on a fast rooty off-piste Glentress trail. But looked quick elsewhere.

He had gears, but we did do +3000ft in only 16 miles.

I borrowed one for a couple of days. Quite agile and playful but very harsh ride

Have had one for a few months now and use it for the local trails near me which are reasonably rocky and usually take some climbing to get to.
Running XT 1×11 so cant comment on the SS setup but I find mine a big bundle of fun although a little harsh to ride at times though in my case using carbon rims on a HT probably doesn’t help.
I have a FS for more descent orientated rides but love the Switchback for most of my ‘trail’ riding, though at 175cm I am right on the edge between the small frame (which I have) and the large.
Running with a XT drivetrain/brake set, 150mm Pikes and LB/Hope wheelset.
Cant seem to get images to work at the moment but standard STW response bike pic can be found here.

Love mine, it’s a really capable, balanced, and agile little bike.

Local trails are predominantly rocky and rooty, with some nice steep stuff as well as some flatter singletrack. Handles it all really well, possibly a touch harsh at the back but then it is a hardtail. I’m running the 142×12 dropouts, and I wonder if the 135 QR dropouts would add a little extra ‘give’ in the back end.

It’s also an accomplished technical climber, which was a pleasant surprise.

Running mine 2×10, with 140mm BOS forks and a Superstar Ryde Edge wheelset.

Crap camera phone picture :

Can’t comment on the SS thing, but I love mine. Really love it and reckon it’s one of the best bikes I’ve owned. I don;t think it’s that harsh – nowhere near as bad as my previous BFe, Chameleon or Sub Zero. It is harsher than the Slackline 853 that it replaced but that did have a 135mm QR rear end, skinny seat tube and 1 1/8th head tube.

My Switchback has relegated my Rune to garage queen – in fact, the Rune is being broken up and sold to fund a Ti version of the Switchback! It’s pretty much the only bike I ride from trail centres to natural Welsh rides.

I cannot rate the Switchback highly enough. As has been said above it’s a truly capable and enjoyable frame. the only thing that would hold it back is the build choice and the rider.
I cannot comment on SS as mine is geared.
so, in answer to your question “does any owners not like it” I don’t like it…I love it!

Wow. Fast and overwhelmingly positive. Sounds good, here goes! Would love the ti – but just cant stretch.. next time!

A quick extra piece of info if you please, how lardy is everyone? (genuine kitted guess)- I’d read on another forum that someone found it really flexy.

roughly 12st kitted out. I haven’t noticed any overt flex, but I guess that may depend on set up (surely you’d feel flex from the wheels before the rear end wanders?) and there’s definitely no lack of power through the cranks due to any BB flex

90kg with kit, dont feel any flex though I run my Pikes firm and am on carbon rims.