Forum menu
Hey up, been reading for a while but never posted.
Has anyone got ideas regards 29er enduro bike. Im looking for a new bike in this category.
Budget 3.5k
Thanks in advance
Have you considered a specialized enduro 29er?
Vitus Escarpe VRX 29
Whyte S150 (might not be beefy enough for proper enduro)
Santa Cruz Hightower (std or LT)
Transition Sentinel
YT Jeffsy
Trek Slash
Transition Sentinel
Enduro would get my vote, very capable bike. Excellent on the downs and probably one of the best pedalling enduro bikes on the uphills. Has made my short travel smuggler redundant!
Intense carbine? Only say that as I'm testing one next week! Transition sentinal looks good
Intense Carbine Expert builds are within budget.
Rocky Mountain Instinct BC edition
This might be worth a read too....
https://www.pinkbike.com/news/ridden-and-rated-7-long-travel-29ers.html
Transition Sentinel would get my vote, initial feedback has been very favourable.
Got a Rocky Mountain Instinct BC - Rides fantastic.
The new one has more travel as well..
I have a Nukeproof Mega 290, which seems to fit your criteria. Bird have just released a 150mm travel 29er too which also looks interesting.
To be honest, there are a lot to consider, even if you rule out all the trail bikes that could handle a bit of Enduro...
Pick a colour, and/or decide whether you want a test ride first.
Process 153 29
Bit heavy but a few upgrades , esp lighter wheels and it's a ripper !
Orange stage 5/6
Cheers for the ideas guys.
Maybe I should of said (philjunior) I would consider a trail bike that is pushing enduro line so to speak.
Within that thinking I have seen a ex staff bike pivot switchblade.just within budget. Not many about on pivots, anybody had one?
I have been looking at intense carbine for a while. And now they are a bit cheaper. Read good things and bad. My between a lot and xl. I run a scramble heckler at min. Xl. But theye run a bit small apparently.
Cotic Rocket Max would be on my list if I was looking one.
TR Sentinel or Orbea Rallon
Cue stock plug http://pedalsbikecare.co.uk/2018-orbea-rallon-m10-in-stock-now/
It's a grand old time to be into aggressive long travel 29ers :p
Rocky Mountain Instinct, when I had the RM element I borrowed a instinct and was hugely impressed really works well.
Orange 29er, we had a alpine 29er in the family and it was rapid, moved on for a
Santa Cruz hightower, no one in the family especially the owner of bike liked the vpp suspension, sold in USA whilst riding for a
Yeti 5.5 thing, very balanced bike, I have the sb95 so may be biased, great bikes mine eats bearings.
Moral of the take, ride a few first and see what you like.
I will be looking for a frame that runs a coil shock next time as I miss a coil shock
You'll be able to find a good deal on 2017 Specialized Enduro 29 at any LBS and get more bang for your cash, although for 2017 the bike was revamped, it was revamped again for 2018 meaning prices for 2017 are low.
Alternatively, the Orbea Rallon looks a really nice bike, it's what I am looking to replace my 2017 Enduro with.
Rocky Mountain Instinct
Mine would definitely be enduro capable with an enduro capable rider on it 🙂
2018 model even more so. (Getting one for £3.5K might be difficult)
Saw a guy doing downhill on a Whyte S150 on the weekend. Most definitely a capable bike. (or was it a G160..?)
Depends on your priorities regarding geometry and where you'll be riding it, but my current shortlist (for your budget) would probably be...
Cotic Rocketmax
Orange Stage 5 or 6 (pricey though)
Bird 29er
Mega 290
Orbea Rallon
Whyte s150
I've ridden a fair few long-travel 29ers now and there are some great ones that just have shorter chainstays than I would like - plus there are big differences in pedaling characteristics.
Do some demo-ing once you have a shortlist.
My short list would be Bird AM9, Transition Sentinel, Whyte S150 and maybe the Cotic RocketMax. Though they are not going to be discounted to the extent that the Spesh Enduro will be. Depends where priorities and riding preferences.
I've been demoing a few recently and my thoughts are.
Transition Sentinel, super capable in the rough but very very heavy and a slog uphill. The large was also too small for me at 188 cm and the XL is huge!
Cotic Rocket Max: Very stable but even the XL was too short for me and felt steep with a 140mm fork. The xfusion suspension was also a little agricultural and it didn't pedal amazingly. However it was superbly grippy and tracked well, placebo or the steel frame I don't know.
Orbea Rallon: I really rate it but it's 4700 once I've done the upgrade's I like. Also every man and his dog has one or is ordering one around my parts (south wales).
Whyte S-150: Only done a car park test but the XL felt spot on. Thinking of the RS model with new rims (the wtb ones are super hefty) and swapping the guide r's with shimanos on my current bike. Really keen for a test ride on one in March.
Mega: In between sizes, also 450mm chainstays! My current mega am has 445mm stays and i'd definitely like to go shorter.
Jeffsy: Massively overrated, demoed one at FoD and felt short, twitchy and 'on top of the bike'.
Trek Slash: Really like but every single review has the thru-shaft shock imploding!
"Maybe I should of said (philjunior) I would consider a trail bike that is pushing enduro line so to speak."
I still haven't ridden one properly but the Trek Fuel Ex straddles that line nicely- it's basically the next generation of the 29er Remedy I have (which is The Most Succesful Enduro Race Bike Of All Time, tm, despite also being basically a trail bike)
Forgot to say, the new Vitus Escarpe 29er looks very promising too.
Dunno how you'd arrange a demo of one though.
<span style="color: #444444; font-size: 12px; background-color: #eeeeee;">Jeffsy: Massively overrated, demoed one at FoD and felt short, twitchy and ‘on top of the bike’.</span>
Not just me then.
There's a few demo days for Vitus actually despite them being a direct brand through CRC. MBR demo day at FOD in April (they were there last year so likely to be there again) and there's an offroad.cc demo day in London on the 4th March with a basic MTB track. I'm eager to get a test ride of the 27.5 and 29 Escarpe VR models and the sentier VRS.</span>
The VRX Escarpe isn't a lightweight but it's built properly burley - lyrics, DT Swiss E1700 wheels etc. It's not as long as the Nukeproof mega but an option if the op wants something beefy to monster truck over everything and isn't worried about weight.
Escarpe VRX 29 £2430 with BC discount, no demo (unless Wiggle do some now as they own CRC), done a few rides on mine and loving it, bit heavy, ~33lbs but used to a 30lb bike, Lyriks (charger 2), 150mm Reverb, Eagle GX, DT 30mm wheels etc (bit slow freehub but can be changed), total bargain. Was considering a Whyte S150 but couldn't justify/afford the extra grand for near identical spec and only 1-2lbs lighter
Cheers again guys.
We tend to ride all dayers in lakes and mountain rides. Usually rocky decent and techy climbs
I do like a good techy climb so whatever I go for has got to have that about it. The hard thing I guess is what you give up downhill
As mentioned above, the Spesh Enduro 29 is a great bike. I recently took advantage of the silly offers on them.
Yes the 2018 model has adjustable geo (7mm lower BB and half a degree slacker on request) but thats not going to make huge differences.
I was pleasantly surprised how much of a good climber it was, place the suspension in the climb modes and off you go. I'd not be surprised if it makes my other lighter shorter travel full susser redundant soon.
Should say i would like it as light as poss. But it's not everything.
Cotic Rocket Max. I discounted the Transition as it is too expensive, too heavy (and my current bike is no lightweight until you compare it to the Sentinel) and more into the DH bike category than All Mountain/Enduro. I've test ridden a Hightower and it is v.nice too. No better than the Rocket Maxx on the ups or the downs but if you want fantastic plastic the SC would be a good bet.
If you want light, then Id say your options were narrowed!
the £6.5k specialized is still over 32lb
<p style="margin: 10px 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; background: #eeeeee; line-height: 1.2em; color: #444444;">If you want light, then Id say your options were narrowed!</p>
<p style="margin: 10px 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; background: #eeeeee; line-height: 1.2em; color: #444444;">the £6.5k specialized is still over 32lb</p>
Have mine at Sub 31lb. It doesn't feel like 31lb when riding it, climbs exceptionally well, if not one of the best or the best in its class. I had a Transition smuggler which was the same weight, Enduro was the less tiring despite the longer travel.Some bikes ride lighter than the numbers suggest, others feel like they have lead boots on.
tbf I considered my old Process 153 light at 14lkg, certainly want things to be robust for enduro
going up a wheelsize will always increase weight, my new Process 153 29 I reckon I can get to 15kg if i throw some cash at it
Good reviews on dirt magazine for the dirty dozen 29er enduro bikes at the moment:
They hint the best bike is yet to be reviewed, the rallon is my guess.
I have one, so far so good, pedals and climbs like you wouldn't believe a long travel 29er could, yet to be tested in anger downhill, early impression are its going to be impressive.
Orbea Rallon V definitely deserves a place.
I was in the same boat and as the last two months have done nothing but research and test 29ers. IMHO the Orbea Rallon has to be wort a thought if you don' mind the wait that is. I ended up going for one and could have got the M10 for less than 3.5k. But ended up upgrading the wheels, fork, shock and the brakes for just over 4k.
I couldnt look past the warranty, the weight and the value for spec I ended up with over other bikes. Plus the fact I was able to pick what colour it was going to be.
just orderd a Rallon yesterday as well, M10 with factory fork, coil shock 150mm dropper and codes, decided against the extra wait for choosing a colour though and went for the standard red/black. still not getting it untill near the end of may.
got a decent chunk knocked of the £4800 it comes up at on Orbea's site
How do these bikes do as normal trail bikes? I'm after a 140ish trail bike but all the new bikes are 150ish - surely 10mm can't make that much difference?? S150 and AM9 look good deals.
Having ridden a few I preordered the AM9 to replace my Remedy 29er. Doesn't feel like a big bike until you need to be.
I'd certainly consider a S150 or AM9 as a trail bike. A riding mate has an S150, replaced T130 and G160 as a do it all trail and enduro bike. The AM9 reportedly pedals well so would be a good trail bike.
@alextemper: have you ridden the AM9 ?
I demo'd an S150 a couple of weeks back and liked it (coming from a 140mm 27.5 Trance).
Felt pretty much spot on 'out of the box' with no suspension fettling beyond initial sag setup.
Didn't feel especially fast downhill, but my Strava times say very much otherwise.
The biggest difference was the confidence it inspired - I rode straight into stuff that I've not felt comfortable riding before (namely a couple of bits on a Jacob's Ladder that usually psyche me out), though I was suffering from what I can only describe as 'leg pump' by the bottom - I put this down to my outmoded off-the-back riding style, but I assume I'd adjust in time.
The main linkage being quite wide left a bruise on my right calf, and the heel rub on the left chainstay after one ride was something to behold - budget extra for Invisiframe!
Guide brakes were shockingly bad.
<span style="color: #444444; font-size: 12px;">How do these bikes do as normal trail bikes? I’m after a 140ish trail bike but all the new bikes are 150ish – surely 10mm can’t make that much difference?? S150 and AM9 look good deals.</span>
Depends what your 'normal' trails are likre really.
I went between a Slash & Fuel EX for quite a while, being fortunate enough to race for a Trek dealer it meant very extended demo's.
The Fuel I rode was a 140/130 bike & my own one is a 150/130 bike compared to 160/150 on the Slash.
In reality, there isn't a massive difference in the geometry - the Fuel EX is essentially a shorter travel Slash (don't believe the official geometry charts, they are miles out). Probably the biggest difference is my Fuel 9.9 is 26lbs on the nose & my friends Slash 9.9 is 32lb. That with the extra travel, makes it a bruiser of a bike, unless you've got some big hills to ride most weeks. Living in the south of England, I don't, so I went for the Fuel.
I like the fact that I can put a coil shock on the back, go racing & it's still only 27.5lbs.
I've raced DH on it, loads of enduro's up to EWS's & I do trail ride on it too. I would not be doing that on a Slash, or any other big 160mm travel 29er.
I've got friends with Rallons etc, who went from short travel stuff to big bikes. They don't go noticably faster on the downs, and well, proof will be in the pudding when we go racing. They are noticably suffering on the ups now though.
Even as someone who races a reasonable amount, racing still probably accounts for 5-10% of my riding, I'm not having a bike focussed on that which compromises on everything else.
@Roverpig, I rode it back in September while the trails were still running well and was left really impressed by it. Doesn't feel like you're riding a 150mm travel 29eruntil you point it downhill or into the rough stuff. Pedals well and has a fun side to it if you want it play about and pop off features rather than plough through them. My Remedy is very versatile and this certainly this looks to fill its shoes and then some.
Thanks. A 65 degree, 150mm 29er sounds as though it would be an absolute monster, But you obviously found it more versatile than the numbers would suggest. Look forward to hearing how you get on with it.