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maybe ‘enduro’ really is more what I’m after?
like most of the last three pages have been telling you? 😉
like most of the last three pages have been telling you?
.. but then someone recommends a Solaris? Not really an Enduro bike is it?
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.. but then someone recommends a Solaris? Not really an Enduro bike is it?
this is STW, i'm suprised that no-one has recommended a gravel bike and a skills course.
Kryton do you really think the suspension movement is what's making me slow on fire road climbs?
^^^
nah, thats all the pies and cakes you eat 😉
Molgrips the reason I'm repeating myself about the Genius, is that its an Enduro bike that switches to a useable 85mm suspension, then a lockout. In 85mm mode you steepen the HA a little also - a degree I think.
It seem to me that solves your issues - you have an Enduro bike for the downs, and XC platform for the ups and a lockout for the road.
If you haven't ridden a bike with the current twin lock give it a try, it really works very well which is why its much lauded in its current guise.
I think your current issues are weight, angles, wallow and tyres btw. The bike isn't designed for fast XC loops.
I'm aware of this and I'm not trying to do 'fast XC loops' on it. I just want to cover ground so I can get out to the big hills in a sensible time frame. This is mostly road and fire road.
nah, thats all the pies and cakes you eat
They definitely don't help, that's true.
".. but then someone recommends a Solaris? Not really an Enduro bike is it?"
Look at the geometry on a current Solaris - it's long and slack, with short seat tubes so you can drop your saddle miles - I can't see there being anything the Patriot can handle that the Solaris can't.
"Solaris is also 460mm reach and has a 68 degree HA, which doesn’t seem slack at all. Patriot has I think 65.5 when I measured it in slack mode."
No, the current Solaris has a 66 deg HA with a 120mm fork, slacker still with 130 or 140mm. And that's on 29" wheels, so more stable than with 26" wheels.
Well most bikes 'could handle' the local riding, it's a question of how good it feels and how much fun it is.
What reach do you consider 'long' ?
Canyon Spectral?
I can't believe no one has suggested a rocket pack or a sky hook yet.
Is disappoint.
“What reach do you consider ‘long’ ?”
Obviously it depends on how tall you are!
Cheapest answer is get fitter. New tyres, I'd have something like Butcher/Slaughter or Minion dhf/Minion SS. If you're thinking of a new bike eventually then I'll recommend what I've got. I've done 40+km xc rides and Enduro trails on my Bird Zero 29. Does both really well, depends how much of a skills compensator you need.
Cheapest answer is get fitter.
It's also the stupidest answer. What the jeff you do think I am trying to do every week?
depends how much of a skills compensator you need
Did you read the bit where I said I've done most of the same trails on my XC bike already? It's not that I can't do them on an XC bike, it's just that I want to do them on a bigger bike.
Geex was right. Carry on. I don't know what you're doing every week, overthinking things on here?
The Bird Zero looks interesting though.
Mojo Geometron
G1
A fab all rounder designed in Wyastone near Monmouth. I bought a G16 4 years ago and haven’t ridden another bike since. Sold them all. Bought a G1 now. (27.5/29)
Yeah lighter tyres are good for long XC and soft rubber wears a lot on tarmac or very hard trails. Loses it’s edges
If you can get your hands on an Ibis Mojo HD3, there's your bike. Mine is 160mm Lyriks front, 150mm rs piggyback rear, comes in at 12.4kg.
Went to Degla yesterday on it, a place I've been to many times on 3 different bikes and ended up with 50 achievements on it (while just having fun, I wasn't trying for pb's at all) and these were split between climbs and descents.
Seriously, a fast climber and still very capable on the steep stuff.
This is developing into a very Hora-esque thread.
As for too much metal – it’s ‘only’ about 31lbs.
Are you sure? That's pretty lightweight, reckon my full sus built up light is around that (not that XC FS can't be a lot lighter, but it does sound a bit "STW special scales").
I would expect 35lb+ even with a fairly lightweight build (in line with its intended use)
Could you swap the pedals out, or are you just not comfortable riding steep stuff on spds?
Are you sure? That’s pretty lightweight
As far as I know it's accurate. It's 26er remember, and air sprung. And it's medium. Might be wrong though it was a long time ago and it's had some kit changes.
Could you swap the pedals out, or are you just not comfortable riding steep stuff on spds?
I used to ride it with SPDs and it was better on the ups. But a bike like that makes little sense with SPDs and I really should get used to flats. The reason I have the thing in the first place is diversity so it should be different.
I’m aware of this and I’m not trying to do ‘fast XC loops’ on it. I just want to cover ground so I can get out to the big hills in a sensible time frame. This is mostly road and fire road.
Really does sound like e-bike territory. Otherwise you are looking at the latest crop of trail/enduro bikes, accepting that you will still be carrying a lot of bike around for 90% of the ride.
Really does sound like e-bike territory.
Yes, but there's no chance I can afford one of those.
I’m considering changing the bike, so what would be good for an hour of XC and road before some steep techy trails that I want to ride fast and confidently? A similar level of downhill capability to the Patriot would be good but just faster/easier on the XC.
I don't think there's a feasible solution here. Something like a long, slack, light-ish, aggressive ti or carbon hardtail with a burly semi-slick on the back would probably do it, but, just but.
Yes, but there’s no chance I can afford one of those.
Then it just comes down to making a compromise. As you well know, XC/road and steep rugged DH are at opposite ends of the spectrum in terms of ideal bike. Despite all the marketing bs, there is no bike that will excel across such a wide spectrum of terrain. If it was me I would be looking at short or mid travel full suss 29ers depending on how tough those DH runs really are and how much you want to attack them. If you have the skill set, then something like a Scott Spark could be ideal. This lad looks like he's having fun on the descents:-
But for me, I would need something a bit more forgiving for that sort of riding. Something with perhaps 130-140 mm travel. Anything bigger and you will be losing significant time on the uphill slogs, although your old Patriot is probably dog slow compared to even a modern full-on 170 mm enduro bike. The new 2020 Orbea Occam looks like a great all-round compromise to me and you can custom order with Fox 34 or 36 forks and a couple of tyre options for speed vs grip. I've just bought a new Canyon Neuron CF with 130 mm travel at both ends, which although I've yet to ride in anger, it climbs way faster than my 160 mm Enduro, which I considered to be a reasonable plodding climber in its own right. I have a feeling the Neuron is going to be almost as capable on the downhills too as the overall geometry is almost identical, but will find out later today!
Despite all the marketing bs, there is no bike that will excel across such a wide spectrum of terrain.
Of course, but that's not what I'm looking for. The question is, what is the biggest hitting bike that's not all that much slower at getting out to the trails.
If it was me I would be looking at short or mid travel full suss 29ers depending on how tough those DH runs really are and how much you want to attack them.
It's more that they are steep in places. Here's one of the big trails:
Obviously you're all going to chime in and brag about how you could ride it on a penny farthing, and yes, I could ride it on my XC bike. But I would like to ride it on a long travel bike.
There are other much less well developed trails that are steeper and sketchier. I have ridden them on my XC bike too but on the really nadgery bits (not in this vid!) I got off.
More:
Hah, I had no idea there were so many vids on these trails 🙂
I think the bit from 2.00 is roughly the same trail I did on that one XC ride - up to the 'f*******kin ell!'
WTF is your point?
WTF is yours?
Oh wait, it's 'I'm awesome!' isn't it? Ok well made now bugger off and spoil someone else's day.
Just curious, but do any of the suggestions so far make sense to you or are you still in search of a solution?
No they do, I'll take them all into consideration whenever it happens. But I do think I want more than 'trail bike' geo.
They look some fun trails!
I'm standing by my geometron G13 suggestion 🙂
As thats not in budget, what about that hardtail from the on one project thread?
You could get one of those on the go with bits off the patriot for £1000.
Slack, good on the steep bits up+ down and fast enough on the pedally bits.
Just the usual pointless drivel
You could always change it up, but feel free to carry on.
You could always change it up, but feel free to carry on.
He is kind of correct through. The way a Molgrips thread goes is a bit like this:
Moley: I'm trying to eat soup with a knife and fork, can anyone suggest a better option.
Everyone: A spoon.
Moley: I knew people would say that, but I don't like spoons and I prefer to use a fork.
Other people: A straw?
Moley: I knew people would say that, but I don't like the look of straws and the soup would be too cold once it reached my lips.
Other people: You could lap it from the bowl like a dog.
Moley: I knew people would say that, but I would like a more socially acceptable solution like knife and fork.
Everyone: A spoon!
Moley: But I don't want a spoon, like I said before, I prefer to use a fork. If you can't make a useful contribution, go away.
And so on. Until everyone gets bored and the thread dies 😉
Lol!
I love gassing about bikes as much as the next person, but that is a tellingly accurate description of some of 'Grips threads, it has to be said 🙂
Yeah, fair point, BUT the reason I ask weird stuff is that the obvious stuff is obvious and doesn't need asking. From my point of view - I ask something specific, and people don't know but come on and tell me something completely different, and berate me for not doing the thing I didn't ask about:
Me: How can I do X?
STW: Do Y instead.
Me: But I know how to do Y, I'm asking how to do X.
STW: Why don't you want to do Y?
Me: Look, do you know how to do X or not?
STW: Y will be fine.
Me: I don't care about Y, I didn't ask about Y, why are you going on about it?
...
But in any case this isn't one of those threads. This is cos I've never ridden a modern enduro bike, or even a modern trail bike for that matter, so I asked about it. It's been good except for the bits where geex posts.
You never will because by the time they're cheap enough for your level of tighfistedness we'll all be dead
Me: How can I do X?
Everyone else: You need to spend money to do X
Me: that's that ****ed then
it's ALWAYS one of those threads with you.
.
I'm not tightfisted, I'm hard up.
I'd rather be posting weird threads than be a total bastard on other people's 🙂
You think this is being a total bastard?
you really need to get out in the real world a little more mate.
you're also far from hard up