First Ride Whyte Part 3: G160

The G160 is the burliest bike that Whyte do.Unsurprisingly, it’s got 160mm travel at both ends, and the G-160 Works that we rode is dripping with the nicest kit. SRAM XX1/XO1 drivetrain and Guide RSC brakes, Hope headset and BB, RaceFace 6SixC carbon bars, SRAM Rail 40 wheels. Numbers are no-nonsense: 65/66 degree head angle, loooong (the Large has a 656mm, 25.8in top tube) and a seat tube which varies per size, but occupies the 74-75 degree boundary.I’m 5′ 10″ and tried on both the medium and large for size, medium felt just right.
I’ll admit to an element of bias when talking about this bike because orange is my favourite colour. But even the orange-sceptics in the office agreed that it was ‘a bit of a looker’.It climbs surprisingly well for a “Gravity” bike, in fact it didn’t feel like a 160mm gravity bike at all (in a good way…) when riding up the local steeps. That will probably have something to do with it having kept its weight down below 30lbs, making it almost a joy to ride uphill. Almost.So the descending came as a bit of a surprise, because it suddenly felt like a 160mm Enduro beast (again, in a good way…). On fast, open trails it just wants to go fast. When it gets more technical you can work it around or just plow on through – it has the manoeuverability and the travel to cover all bases.The Maxxis High Roller Front / Minion Rear is a great combo and it’s nice to see an off-the shelf bike that doesn’t make me want to change the tyres immediately.

A strong candidate for a ‘one-bike-to-it-all’ rider. In a good way.

Barney Marsh

Barney Marsh takes the word ‘career’ literally, veering wildly across the road of his life, as thoroughly in control as a goldfish on the dashboard of a motorhome. He’s been, with varying degrees of success, a scientist, teacher, shop assistant, binman and, for one memorable day, a hospital laundry worker. These days, he’s a dad, husband, guitarist, and writer, also with varying degrees of success. He sometimes takes photographs. Some of them are acceptable. Occasionally he rides bikes to cast the rest of his life into sharp relief. Or just to ride through puddles. Sometimes he writes about them. Bikes, not puddles. He is a writer of rongs, a stealer of souls and a polisher of turds. He isn’t nearly as clever or as funny as he thinks he is.

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