Yes it’s time for everyone’s favourite weekly, rushed, not-proofed roundup of new bikes and bike stuff: FGF!
This week’s edition is even more rushed than usual. Why? Two things. The sun is out (still!) and so too is school. So that means the window a classic Friday Skive Ride is pretty tight. TTFN!
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Raymon Ravor Ultra
- Price: €4,799
- From: Raymon Bicycles
This most excellently named Ravor – respendent in Blu-Tak colour – is a mixed wheel eeb with 150mm of travel at either end. That suspension is handled by relatively modest tier RockShox Select+ stuff. Which, without wishing to be overly presumptuous, is likely to be the key compromise in achieving this bike’s similarly modest price tag. In terms of geometry and fabrication, there’s some nice stuff to seen on the Ravor Ultra. It’s nicely low and slack. The standover is decent. As too is the dropper post insertion. The chainstays are lengthy (which is either a Good Thing or a Bad Thing, depending on your riding). What’s that you ask? The motor? Well…
Yamaha PW-X4
- Price: N/A
- From: Yamaha
The Raymon Ravor Ultra uses Yamaha’s latest PW-X4 system (100Nm, 800w peak), paired to a whopping 840Wh removable battery in the down tube. From my previous experience of Yamaha bikes (such as the Yamaha YD Moro 7 and the Haibike Nduro 7) I’m expecting the new PW-X4 to be rather… er, quaint in its aesthetics or interface. I’m also expecting the actual ride experience to be excellent. How many people are prepared to look past the initial aesthetic and – let’s be honest – the not-Bosch-not-Avinox-ness of this bike to give it a chance? Well, you tell me.
Shimano Deore M7200 Drivetrain
- Price: see link below
- From: Freewheel
Way more interesting – and important – than the new XT/XTR wireless stuff. The new Deore (don’t call it SLX okay?) is finally here for us to ahve a proper go on. Read all about it here.
Shimano Deore M6220 Brakes and RT-6B750 2.2mm Rotors
Deore goes Servo Wave and LV mineral fluid. And thicker 2.0/2.2mm rotors. Caliper features: Dual diameter 4-piston design, low-viscosity hydraulic brake fluid, caliper seals with consistent rebound speed, rigid two-piece design. Lever features: smooth SERVO WAVE power curve, clean look with hydraulic hose following parallel to bar, durable alloy lever, I-SPEC EV compatible.
Jagwire Pro LR3 Disc Brake Rotor
Jagwire’s new premium rotor “engineered for improved heat management, consistent braking performance and enhanced durability during demanding riding conditions.” Floating init. Available in 140, 160, 180, 203 and 220mm sizes, 6-bolt and Centre Lock. The 220mm rotor uses a 2.0mm construction, while the rest are 1.8mm thick.
Jagwire Elite Disc Brake Pads
Jagwire: “Jagwire Elite Cooling pads utilise lightweight aluminium cooling fins integrated into the backing plate. A graphene thermal transfer plate pulls heat away from the semi-metallic compound and rotor and into the cooling fins. Fins help prevent brake fade and warped rotors.” Here’s hoping they don’t rattle about like a lot of other finned pads can do.
Singletrack World Magazine 167
- Price: £12.00
- From: The Singletrack Shop
Well, this issue appears to gone down very well with folk. Which is very pleasing. And as such, it’s probably a very good issue to get hold of if you’ve been contemplating taking out a subscription with us (or rejoining the cause). Have a click, do the flick, and see how you get on. You won’t regret it. It’s a really good issue this one.
Forum Thread Of The Week
The winner this week is pistonbroke for the Things that shouldn’t be sold at auction thread:
The winning FTOTW in FGF gets a prize. Yo, pistonbroke please email editorial@singletrackworld.com for a random prize. Don’t forget to include your postal address please.
Singletrack Magazine Strava Club
- Price: £0.00
- From: Strava
The existing ‘unofficial’ Forumites Strava club appears to have quietened down a bit so I thought we should kick off an official STW Strava club. As our profile on it proudly states: “The world’s biggest clique. Possibly the world’s least competitive Strava club.” Drop by. Say hello. Fling some kudos. All that sorta jazz.
Stale Goods Friday – 2017 Identiti Mettle
- Price: £3,599 (or £4,948.35 in today’s money)
- From: Fresh Goods Friday 355
Nearly a decade ago we wrote: “It’s the first proper full suspension enduro bike from the British dirt jumping brand, and it features 160mm of travel front and rear in an alloy frame that’s built with toughness and durability in mind. Rear suspension is a four-bar linkage, and it uses sealed cartridge bearings at each pivot point. But how’s this; each bearing is exactly the same size, which if you’ve ever had to rebuild the back end on a full suspension bike, will be very much appreciated. All pivot hardware is able to be adjusted with a 5mm hex key too – how good is that?”
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The Identiti Mettle looks relatively inoffensive compared to some of the old bikes you’ve posted.
I bet they didn’t sell many though. I don’t think I’ve ever seen one before.
Still a good looking bike that old Identiti, IMO.
I’ve ridden some older-model Yamaha-equipped Raymon bikes in Spain and been impressed both up and down. If you can get beyond the branding and aesthetics I think they offer a lot of bike for the money.
The Identiti looks like what Orange bikes should/would look like if Orange had decent welders.
I like the Raymon.
Blimey, thought that was Deore wireless stuff for a minute! Then zoomed in on the shifter. Boo 🙁
The Identity just looks like a bike – so refreshing – good design feature on the pivots, nice strong forged and machined bases for all the bike points.
Iirc the Mettle was the last bike Michael Bonney helped design.
My BIL has a Yamaha powered Raymon and it’s been great. The big issue for them is that Paul’s were bashing them out for £2.5-3k.
On the whole dinsour skeleton thing, we’re currently working at a very very rich persons house and he has dinosaur skeleton in their, which he paid millions of pounds for. The worst bit is, that it’s not even his main residence, so like the gym and the pool etc. no one sees it (other than his staff of course). What a waste of a cool thing.