Privateer 161 (Gen 2) review

BikesRecommendedReview

by Ross Demain April 2, 2025 15

The Privateer 161 (Gen 2) has great geometry, a decent build kit, external routing (yes!) and rides very, very impressively. There’s a hell of a lot to like here.

• Brand: Privateer
• Product: 161 (Gen 2)
• Price: £2,789
• From:Privateer Bikes

Pros

• Great spec
• Sorted geometry
• Good value for money

Cons

• Heel rub
• Suspension stuttery at slow speeds
• No raw option like the Gen1

The new 161 from Privateer may remain pretty close to the Mk1 161 in terms of the key geometry numbers but there’s been a whole host of changes implemented. Visually it’s a very different looking bike and that hasn’t gone down well with portions of The Internet Commentariat. It’s certainly a bike that looks better in the flesh – especially after you’ve experienced a few rides on it. It’s one of those bikes.

Closer inspection reveals more than just different shaped top tube and a new paintjob. The two main things that initially intrigue are the flipchip in the rocker (that allows the use of a 27.5in rear wheel for some hot mullet action) and, more significantly, the revised suspension kinematic, called A-L-P (aligned linear progression). You can read more about A-L-P in our launch story from last year.

The previous Privateer 161 was a great bike… once you’d worked out how best to set up the rear. Which wasn’t easy to be fair (it basically ran best with less sag than you’d expect). The new rear suspension is supposed to be less changey in its leverage curve. It’s still progressive but in much more of linear-ish way. And it still needs careful setting up (more later).

The second generation 161 frames have longer rear centres, longer wheelbases and longer head tube lengths on larger sizes. There’s still size-specific chain stay lengths (each flip-chippable into two lengths), the steep AF seat angle and full insertion seat tube.

In keeping with the Privateer brand name, there’s an extremely pleasing degree of user-friendly features on the 161. Not only does the bike NOT have thru-headset routing, it doesn’t have internal routing at all. Halle-freaking-lujah for some sense in the bike industry. This is a bike you can maintain and repair as quickly and easily as possible. The clamps do a good job of minimising cable rattle too. It really throws into relief just how much of a pointless pain internal cabling can be.

On a related note, the pivot hardware is single-side accesible with one tool. Within the pivots are full complement 42mm Enduro Max bearings with higher-quality seals and high-pressure grease keep them protected from the elements and run smoother for as long as possible.

Oh yes, the top tube hump. Part of the reason for this feature is that each size of Gen 2 Privateer 161 now has having clearance for a 600ml bottle as well as a dedicated tool mount. Function over form.

In terms of build, you can see for yourself in the spec sheet below that it’s a compelling collection for the money. We would comment that the tyres are rather overkill (MaxxGrip rear tyre? oof!) and that the 180mm travel dropper is er… underkill(?); 200mm or more please on larger frame sizes. While we’re moaning, higher rise bars on larger sizes and shorter stems all round would be nice.

Setting up

As per Privateer’s recommendations I set the 161 up with 15mm sag on the rear. Privateer is quite specific about measuring the sag amount rather than using a percentage due to the lever effect of the rear wheel (30% on the shock shaft equates to more at the wheel and leads to an over-active, energy-robbing behaviour).

Privateer also has some recommended suspension settings for their particular shock tunes and this was where I started. This was high sped compression (HSC) 8 from closed, low speed compression (LSC) 12 from closed, high speed rebound (HSR) 3 from closed and low speed rebound (LSR) 10 from closed. They provided two sets of settings – ‘race’ and ‘general’ riding and my settings were taken from the latter.

The fork was set up with 20% sag and Privateers base settings were again used – HSC and LSC 8 and 12 out from closed respectively, and HSR and LSR both 5 out from closed. After a couple of rides I started tweaking the shock settings and ended up happy. I also adjusted the fork settings to suit, including removing a volume spacer (the fork ships with two pre-installed).

The bike ships with Hunt Enduro V2 alloy wheels but I had a set of the new Hunt Proven Carbon Trail H-Core wheels on test, so I fitted them and kept them on for pretty much all the test (and at the time Privateer were offering a free wheel upgrade to enduro version of these). The only other real change from stock was a Bontrager G-Spike on the front to cope with the filthy winter conditions that most of the test was conducted in. The bike weighed in at just over 16.7kg on our workshop scales with the carbon wheels and that monster 1,400g front tyre.

The ride

The geometry and sizing (details below) of the P3 size work for me. I’m 183cm and the fit feels spot on whether it’s sat down pedalling, or stood up for descents, the numbers just work. The genuinely steep seat angle puts you in a really efficient and comfortable position over the pedals whether you’re grinding up a long, steep climb or just sat spinning along. That 80° seat angle, coupled with the roomy front centre and decent stack height give you a nice upright position.

If you find 80° too steep for your tastes, you can always slide the saddle back on its rails a bit. However, we’d probably recommend experimenting with higher handlebar positioning first. Geometry is a funny old game, that’s often about changing numbers up front to induce an effect at the rear, and vice versa.

The suspension offers a great platform for pedalling and plenty of support for climbing, with a good firm feeling and an impressive lack of bobbing. The 161 G2 isn’t going to win any prizes for being the fastest climber, once shod with duly capable tyres, but it’s certainly far from a chore to pedal up hills. It’s happy to spin away to get you to the top but it’s also not afraid of steeper, techy climbs, and it can happily claw its way up them. If you want to add some extra zip, fit some lighter, more supple tyres. It makes a massive difference.

After a couple of rides I switched the chainstay to the longer position (458mm) and this improved the technical climbing even more with the extra length added to the feeling of traction on looser climbs, and lets you stay in the middle of the bike rather than slamming your chest onto the stem to stop the front from lifting. Embrace the bigness. The stable suspension and excellent geometry massively offset the so-called ‘heavy’ overall weight of the bike.

For a bike like the 161 though, going up is often just a means to an end. Going down – and going down fast – is what this bike was built for, and at that it excels. It’s not 100% perfect out of the box but it’s pretty damn close. It lets you ride down, and into things, as fast as you dare. Point it down a track and let it run, and it’s a genuinely impressive descender.

The whole geometry and shape of the bike just feels natural, neutral, predictable and this gives you the confidence to drop into anything, and stay relaxed hitting jumps and drops. It stays calm and composed, even if you’re not, and it gets you through steep and fast and rough and nasty, techy trails with zero issues.

With the chainstays in my preferred long setting you feel really centred on the bike, with the tall stack adding to the feeling of being ‘in the bike’ with your weight nicely between the two wheels. This lets you concentrate on riding and having fun, and you can rail berms or lean in and slap the inside of rutty turns easily.

That same position and feeling lets you drop into steep natural tracks without being over the front or having to hang off the back, which in turn adds control. And when things start getting a bit too rowdy, the Hayes Dominion brakes have worked as well as any other top end brake I’ve used recently and have a lovely light lever feel but with anchor-drop power.

At slower speeds the rear end can feel a little stuttery on rough rocky tracks or webs of roots, and feel like it’s hanging up slightly. I’d like to try a coil shock at some point to see if this helps. But hey, this is a bike for going quick on and once you get a bit of momentum and get up to speed, the rear suspension wakes up and irons out rocks and roots keeping things feeling planted. The quicker you go the better it feels.

I’m a big fan of the Fox 38 Grip2 and combined with the aggro rear end you can just full throttle into anything and smash your way through. Whether it’s sea of boulders and bedrock or steppy, square edged hits, the rear end and stout fork keep you on track and get you through, or you can just load up the supportive rear end and pop off lips to easily gap rough sections.

Overall

Our rating

If you’re looking for a hard hitting enduro bike then the Privateer 161 G2 is a great option and should be on your list. It has great geometry, a build kit that needs nothing majorly expensive changing (including top end suspension), has external routing (which is a plus for me), rides just as impressively as the spec list and to top it off is under £3k. There’s a hell of a lot to like and not a lot to dislike really.

Privateer 161 (Gen 2) specification

• Frame// 6061-T6 Aluminium, 161mm
• Shock// Fox Float X2 Performance Elite, Custom Tuned, 205x60mm
• Fork// Fox 38 Performance Elite, 44mm offset, 170mm
• Wheels// HUNT Enduro Wide (Proven Carbon Trail H-Core tested)
• Front Tyre// Maxxis Assegai 29×2.5in, 3C MaxxGrip, Doubledown
• Rear Tyre// Maxxis Minion DHR II 29×2.4in, 3C MaxxGrip
• Chainset// Shimano SLX 170mm, 32T
• Brakes// Hayes Dominion A4, 203/180mm
• Drivetrain// Shimano SLX, 12 Speed, 10-51T
• Stem// RaceFace Aeffect R 35, 40mm
• Handlebars// RaceFace Turbine 35, 800x20mm
• Grips// ProPalm Soft Lock-on
• Seat Post// OneUp, 180mm
• Saddle// Privateer Cro-Mo

Geometry of our size P3

• Head angle// 64°
• Effective seat angle// 80°
• Seat tube length// 440mm
• Head tube length// 125mm
• Chainstay// 448/458mm
• Wheelbase// 1,287/1,297mm
• Effective top tube// 607mm
• BB height// 30mm BB drop
• Reach// 490mm
• Weight//16.7kg

Ross was wearing..

Review Info

Ross Demain

Ad Sales Manager

Ross pairs his childlike excitement for bikes with a complete disregard for the wellbeing of his ribs, or his rims. Best known for riding cheeky trails, his time is also spent trail building in his local woods, drinking beer, eating pies and entertaining his two children.

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