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Was practically set on a Covert ( have been looking at a particular 2012 medium covert) then came across the Titus El Guapo with CCDB. I'm surprised I haven't come across more of them out and about, maybe we will start seeing more now with the revised geometry.
Finding it hard to fault to be honest, Geometry looks good, lik it in Orange, and it's probably well plush with the CCDB (yeah, I will spend a little time tuning!). Im actually wondering is the EG a better frame even aside from price (linkage and ccdb in particular ). I know the 13 covert is probably a step up, but more pricey for me and i really dont like the graphics and colours ( anyone else reckon 13 covert colours and graphics suck?) i probably wouldnt pay the bit extra for the 2013 covert anyway, though there are def some material updates. The only thing is the 12mm bolt rear on the covert, EG is just 10mm, but it's hardly a deal breaker, have a transition bandit with the bolt thru and it does make a difference, but if the rear end is solid anyway it should be fine I reckon.
I'm kinda between sizes on the Covert too, which doesn't help, at 5'7" I'm smack between a small and medium. The EG looks better in this regard.
Btw, anyone with an EG at around 5'7" ? Should I be looking a at small?
Purpose will be AM and a few enduro races., and def donhill biased. Anyone using EG for this?
Anyone picked up an EG and regret it?
Anyone with the CCDB version in particular?
Thanks...
Other options I'm considering is a second hand tracer 2...but it's hard to justify against something new at the same price, especially when I'm running too other steeds also.
Or you could have another beer? The El Guapo does look nice though
Had a few beers but its more to do with the iPad keyboard :)!
I think...
Edit, sorry just copped you were referring to the beer to make the 13 covert look prettier 😀
Who are we to judge which bikes look pretty and which do not. One man's metal, is another man's poison!
"wondering is the EG a better frame even aside from price"
EGs used to retail at £1700 frame only before titus went under and on-one bought them. Afaik the only on-one revisions would be the 1deg slacker headtube, Taper h/tube, steeper SA, slightly longer ETT, stock shock, cable routing and colours
I'd not read anything to saying the tubing/factory/etc has changed
(though nothing to say they haven't?)
the c/stays on an EG aren't exactly wimpy. You can run a 10mm thru-bolt or bolt-up hub if you want stiffer than a standard 5mm QR
When I bought my V2 (current one is V3), I did sort of buy on the premise a maxle seatstay was on its way to fit for the V3 but that's not happened
Only thing with the chainstays to note might be they're not super short (440mm?). So perhaps manualling requires that little more effort
On the flip side I think it holds a line uphill a lot better than my Stumpjumper FSR did. and despite my V2's steepish 68deg HA it holds a pretty decent line downhill too, I'm thinking this is down to c/stay length and low BB?
Also longer stays give room for bags of tyre clearance. I've had (not used) a 2.4" Schwalbe Big Betty mounted on an Alex FR32mm rim with space to spare
Covert, spent a few months making the decision but I think what ever you get isn't going to be a let down
Where are you based?
The EG does look like a shitting dog
I would have had an EG recently. For the price they seem on paper to be really, really, really good. But two things really let it down for me. The first being the inability to get a test ride. Second being the fact that on a screen it looks so hideously ugly it makes me hide behind the sofa which is another part of the reason I wanted to test one so I could have a good look at one in the flesh.
Bought a pretty frame in the end which someone had made from recycled filing cabinets in a shed outside Halifax 8)
I was looking at both but bought a Covert instead my mate has a Guapo & always complains about low bb height.Built up my covert with 32 talas,reverb,1 x 10, etc & only weighs 28lbs.
Hmm, people often say the crapping dog thing about SC nomads too. The EG is very similar shaped to the nomad, and having owned a mk 1 nomad they def look better in the flesh than on paper. Personally, I actually like the way the EG looks and think the covert looks a tad boring
The low BB is a feature to me, have a bandit which is along the same lines. I read about the low bb thing, and it's a feature of modern gravity oriented bikes, and just takes a little getting used to.
EG is def lighter than the covert too.
Problem for me, is not getting to see one in the flesh alright
Covert up close is a thing of beauty. Also, all the bearings are larger on the covert whereas the EG ones a tiny. Of the top of my head mind, probs better to ask OO for the bearings codes
I'd say Covert 'coz I flipping love mine. Never ridden an EG but they look unbeatable value with the CCDB Air.
The CCDB is a great upgrade for the Covert, too. It blew through the travel too easy with the RP23 for me.
I've never seen either on the trails, though. It's all Santa Cruz around here.
Bearings look reasonably sized to me in fairness
http://www.flickr.com/photos/andy_mills74/7636982958/
Ed Oxley has an EG i think?
I'm sure theres a review somewhere on his website
http://www.great-rock.co.uk/
I did a skills day with him early this year and i'm almost sure he was riding it then
Just found it
http://www.great-rock.co.uk/2012/03/feeling-el-guapo/
The Covert I rode ('11 bike) was fairly neutral, didn't really inspire me, did everything fairly well though. Looked 'cheap' but then it was quite a cheap bike. New one looks a bit better now.
The Titus is one hideous looking bike. Shallow as it is, I wouldn't buy one purely on how sh*t it looks. Pretty good VFM though, but given the choice I would pick up a Mega for a few quid more if that was my budget.
Got an v3 El Guapo with the CCDB air and love it. Low bottom bracket takes a bit of getting used to (and some 170 cranks ideally) but the trade off for that is the great handling. Just had the high flow inner can upgrade done by TF and that should increase the amount of travel i'm getting and reduce the pedal strike issue (as i can run it harder so it sits higher up into its travel), but its a great bike and good looking in the flesh, although i liked it in photo's and thought the Mega looking minging tbh.
Would love a 12mm bolt though but like you it wasn't a deal breaker. running a 10mm bolt though and its plenty stiff enough,m would just be nice with a 12mm axle
Looked at a covert but couldn't justify the extra for less travel and not as good a shock.
The big downside to the EG is that you are buying blind. No chance of a demo.
I hired one from Plush Hills cycles, and spent the day tooling around the Long Mynd. I had to buy one after that.
Shallow as it is, I wouldn't buy one purely on how sh*t it looks
That's a bit daft; your vanity could be keeping you away from the ride of your life. You're not picking up some chick at the disco; ride is more important than looks in this case.
I have an '11 Covert built up with some fairly strong components. I agree with the neutral ride feeling and think to get the best out of it it needs to be pushed. Very composed bike that will do everything from 50km cross country rides to alpine uplifts. Love mine.
I've gone from a patriot/remedy/covert.
Only had the covert a few months and not been riding it as much as i'd like but it inspires lunacy, not as plush as the remedy so you know when you take lazy lines & make mistakes - far better to hit at speed and hope for the best 😀
How's the covert with a CCDBair? Miss the pro-pedal of the rp23 at all?
it's a hard call really...
seems the E.G. BB is < 4mm (its 13.6 inches based on 160mm fork) lower than the covert.
it's higher than the transition bandit I'm riding, which is 13.2, - so I don't see the fuss. as I say, it's a feature if anything, modern gravity bikes are all going this way
seems the E.G. BB is < 4mm (its 13.6 inches based on 160mm fork) lower than the covert.
it's higher than the transition bandit I'm riding, which is 13.2, - so I don't see the fuss. as I say, it's a feature if anything, modern gravity bikes are all going this way
The BB seems a lot lower than that in the flash, tho maybe thats when its in the lower setting? Good to see on-one providing decent geometry data, oh wait...
If that is based on the figures from the on one website then there was some debate about their accuracy on a massive mtbr thread about the EG. The pedal strike issue is something everyone mentions about them (even people with bikes that should be just as low). It's not a problem just a question of technique and maybe changing some bits around. I now run 170 cranks and don't wind the travel down on my talas on technical climbs to help it.
It's a tough call my wife has this one:
[url= http://farm7.staticflickr.com/6193/6041887545_4841053f01.jp g" target="_blank">
[url= http://www.flickr.com/photos/jimbosussexmtb/6041887545/ ]DSC04483[/url] by [url= http://www.flickr.com/people/jimbosussexmtb/ ]www.sussex-mtb.com[/url], on Flickr
Which I've ridden a bit and really liked so I bought a new one:
[url= http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8299/7988876587_8f124e214f.jp g" target="_blank">
[url= http://www.flickr.com/photos/jimbosussexmtb/7988876587/ ]DSC01091[/url] by [url= http://www.flickr.com/people/jimbosussexmtb/ ]www.sussex-mtb.com[/url], on Flickr
Gotta say at the moment it feels like it was a mistake, the different angles from hers make it feel less of a good all rounder and a bit more biased to the gravity side of things. I'm going to give it a while longer, but I can't help feeling I'll end up getting shot of it in the end.
interesting that, though it's more a gravity bias I'm after, have a transition bandit which I can't fault as a trail bike, so this is more more for gravity enduros and the like
Hmm, wondering if the quoted low BB height might be exaggerated by sag, on paper it looks ok. I do get pedal strikes a fair bit on the bandit, particularly during technical climbs. It's something hat takes getting used to, but is worth it when pointed down
Out of these two; covert.
Or just get a heckler.
As vain as it is, I couldn't own a bike as hideous as the EG. It really is that horrible.
always suffered pedals strikes on the past few bikes, just something to get used too. If you've got a bandit surely get a covert!! Welcome to demo mine...
Hmm, just looking at a sc butcher there, might be another option...