Hi guys!
Considering a 2008 Commencal Meta 5.5.1 to buy as a longer travel bike for the Alps later this year.
How is it, basically? Is the suspension design working as well as they say? Does it climb well, etc?
Thank you.
Yes, great bike! Traction is excellent uphill and down.
Everyone who's had a go on mine has had to be pried back off of it! 😛
Ignore the MBR types moaning about flex, it's not a problem in use at all. The one negative thing about them IMHO is the paintwork, which seems to scratch rather easily.
I've had a rip about on numerous metas. Very grippy, the rear end tracks superbly over roots and rocks, they climb superbly.....but......don't be misled by magazine articles which would have you believe it's a do-it-all-aggro-all-mountain-freeride-lite-super-wonder-mega-thing.
It isn't a short travel downhill bike on rough descents, nor is it an "aggressive" all mountain bike imo. It's at home on fast flowy but not overly rough or technical/steep trails. It jumps well but not brilliantly and they get ragged and sketchy on fast-ish rough descents.
Sizing and build kit is key. For me it's an xc bike that can tackle the rougher stuff if you need it to, but its far from being it's natural habitat.
if you can try out a Merida One-Five-O, very nice and a tidy spec to boot!
Thank you for your help; I think I'm going to go for it, it seems too good to miss right now. 😛
brilliant alpine xc (new niche?!) bike imo.
had mine for about 9 months, taken it to the alps and wales trips.
it is similar to the orange 5 in that the build defines it. burly light or in the middle.
change of tyres makes the bike; fast rolling(larsen tt) i covered the south downs way over a weekend, grippier tyre (high roller super tacky) and it's perfect for big hills.
I suppose those last two points could apply to any bike.
it is not a fast climber on any hill but when it gets really steep there is no lack of traction.
all in all a very nice 5.5inch bike.
HTH
Mate has just bought the XT build from Merlin on my advice - hope he likes it!
I demoed one and thought it was ace - marginally preferred it to the Pitch I ended up getting but the Pitch was better value esp on cyclescheme.
they are very nice, a doctor friend of mine has one, I'd say its closer to the Orange ST4 rather than the five, very very nice
I've had to fit a bash on my 2007, as I was hitting everthing with the big ring. I'm not an aggresive rider either.
I've had to fit a bash on my 2007, as I was hitting everthing with the big ring. I'm not an aggresive rider either.
I run 35% sag on my 08 and it's not a problem - does the 07 have a lower BB?
I agree about the build defining the bike. You can go very XC, and get it down to 27lb-ish, or a bit burlier for bigger hits.
It's probably my lack of talent and 17stone lardyness. I do seem to use all the travel quite easily
My brother has recently bought one from merlin and absolutely loves it,
had a shot and it is a really nice bike, at merlins price you cant go wrong.
Well, if my deal happens, then it might just be possible that you can go 'wrong' at merlin's price. Will post it here.