Excited doesn’t quite describe it. After a two month ish wait, my medium Tyee frameset finally arrived last week and after invisiframing I got it built up last weekend and finished a few bits this week. Lots of great touches on the bike, including lots of shields for the bearings, it will be interesting to see how they change bearing life. The cable routing was a slight pain with the cable exits set up for the Euro brake orientation.
Smaller than usual for me (5’9”) at 450 mm reach, but with a decent stack, 48mm stem and 38mm rise bars, the overall fit is superb, really comfortable when pedalling and very confident when it gets mega steep.
For a bike that’s quite a big hitter, 170/160 travel, heavy duty tyres, inserts front/rear and a Formula MOD coil, this is a seriously poppy bit of kit. I’ve had great fun discovering new ways to link features that would have been beyond me on my old bike. It feels like the main weight of the bike is very central, which makes it feel really manoeuvrable and quite chilled when jumping. The Formula MOD coil is very impressive too, turning 8ft plus drops into silky smooth landings. Interestingly, I definitely need to shift my weight forward a bit in the corners as my front wheel has started to wash out a few times today.
It’s a very different bike to my Sentry Pro, not as quick yet on slightly longer, fast trails but the Tyee far exceeds it on very steep stuff, jumps and trails where agility is needed. Lots more to come as I get used to it. 🙂
I’ve been too excited to take pictures in the wild, but here is a starter for 10 until I get some decent pics out and about:
Great. I don't think I've ever seen a Propain in the UK, but they are popular in Europe. At Finale they were one of the most common bikes, and they have a good reputation. They come close to the top in the Enduro Mag brand surveys. They support some excellent pro riders.
They had a very appealing sale on the Tyee around Christmas, did you take advantage? I dithered for a week before ordering a carbon frameset, but it's not arrived yet. Same colour and shock as you have chosen. I was reluctant because I wondered if the sale signaled a new model on the horizon, but the stock levels seemed so high that I changed my mind about that. There are a couple of improvements that could be made to update the geometry and change the cable routing. But the value was killer and I made it sound good sense if even I try the frame in preparation for a new model 😂. I went for a size XL. The reach is 50mm shorter than my current bike 😲 I have also ordered a angle adjust headset to give some options.
What weight spring did you choose, and how much sag did you end up with? My current bike has an underwhelming air shock, so I will be interested to try a coil again, especial the Formula shock which has a reputation for good small sensitivity.
Is the purple a hangover from a previous bike?
I reckon that'll be bloody brilliant 😀
Now that looks a giggle...
I'm even struggling to criticise the wall, gravel or inspection hatch.
very nice.
I did look at them, but at the same height to you, i was worried it would be too short (current bike is 480mm reach).
@theOO yes, I took advantage of the sale, including all taxes, VAT and shipping, it came in at just over 1200 for the frame and shock (inc bearings etc), which is not bad at all for this, they may even still be in the sale price. When yours does come, it’s worth checking the calculated VAT is correct, Propain sent through the import paperwork amount in Euros but incorrectly said it was GBP, which added £50 or so. Chiltern, the shippers, sorted it as soon as I told them. At 72 kg I went for the 400 lb spring, added preload within the manufacturers specs and have 32% sag which feels fine so far.
Heading out for more testing later and then planning where we need to go over the next few months, Dyfi is on the list! 🙂
Lovely looking frame and that's a great price.
I have the Mod shock on my newest bike and it's been great so far, really supple but not wallowy despite being set up at 180mm travel.
That is a great price indeed. Can't think of anything else that comes close.
Got some nice technical trails done today, it felt and even smelt like a summers day, too dry and dusty if anything. The bike excels on really steep, technical stuff, with the added bonus of being really agile to flick it round tight switchbacks and put it where you want it. Surprisingly, everything feels spot on, so no desire to change anything. Which makes my fingers twitch a little. 🙂
Bit generous to treat yourself to a full week of new bike, most of us only get a day. Unless you're getting six more, in which case I salute you.
so no desire to change anything
*cough*
Pedals and stem.
*cough*
The first six days were teasing and expectation … if I was a bit quicker at getting it all built up, it would have been a day. My wife is quite sure it’s been a new bike week. Husband? I have a husband? 🙂
Pedals and stem, what can I say, I like splashes of colour and may also lack taste? And unusual colours frequently come up in sales at really cheap prices.
Anyway, when the weather turns vile, it gets a mudhugger which takes people’s attention off everything else. For the sake of everyone’s visual comfort, I will avoid posting pics when the mudhuggers go on.
That's a mint looking bike. They're one of the direct sales brands that still seem like a bargain compared to Canyon and YT.
I was so close to buying a Hugene but the Privateer sale happened and made my mind up.
I could live with the pedals and stem, but those orange grips N0! And those brake hoses aren't playing ball, I'd have taken the levers off the bar and fettled with the hose fitting, turning the hoses to sit better, but I'm a bit OCD with my builds.
Great price all in considering the post Brexit UK shafting taxes n fees but they need 1cm or so adding to their reach for me, just my personal preference though. Each to his/her own.
It is a cracking bike, had mine for just over a year and I love it. The bike is much more capable than I will ever be.
I was surprised with how well it climbs given its travel and size; obviously is a weapon going down. I also like the fact that there are not that many around in the UK. Enjoy it!
https://flic.kr/p/2ohuGEj
@mr spicy that’s a lovely colour, one of my favourites for cars and bikes!
@noeffsgiven yeah, I prefer my GE1 Evo grips anyway, so they will go on, either black or moss. Those orange ergon grips are a bit more neutral if that makes sense, I always stick them on for a new bike or when I’m playing around with set ups.
And yes, I will adjust the cables a bit at some point, I’ve already changed the rear but just want to enjoy before I mess around again. I got slightly caught out by all the cable lengths so ended up not using what I had planned originally 🙂
so no desire to change anything
Also valves (blue!) and tyre logo alignment
Only the front valve is blue but that’s not the front wheel that’s staying on the bike, my Horizon front is just awaiting me getting round to getting a 203mm rotor bracket, black valve on that one 🙂 although I do actually like the blue so no hope for my sense of taste then…
The bike is going really well, I’ve been out on it most days, even if just to head to the local jumps area. It continues to be pretty awesome on jumps and bigger stuff, the most noticeable feature is how it inspires confidence and just feels chilled, which keeps me relaxed and less likely to dead sailor 🙂
We went to Hopton today, mainly on the various downhill tracks, it was pretty much faultless, lots of fun whilst feeling plush and comfortable, enough to leave me feeling fresh after lots of climbing and descending. Still not as quick as my Sentry on the odd section, but notably quicker on others, more to come!
Nothing wrong with the little touches of blue considering most forks and shocks have a bit of blue anodising on them, full marks for the grip change, as for the bottle cage refer to my thoughts on the orange grips 😁. Still a mint looking bike though, but that's a lot of headset spacers for lots of climbing.
I've got same forks, bar rise and almost same headtube and stem length but struggle on climbs with anything over 10mm under the stem.
It feels fine on the climbs, maybe it being a bit shorter helps? Yesterday I went up something steeper than I’ve managed before, and went past someone on an eBike who had to stop because it was too steep for him to keep going. 🙂
I love the bottle cage but don’t miss the orange grips!
I’m familiar with the Tyee now and it really is a piece of kit 🙂 5000 feet of fun descending (and ascending) in the last two days. Not many weeks ago, I was looking at teenagers doing the big local gap jump lines and thinking that I’d never be at that level. Yesterday I did the biggest gap I’ve done by a fair amount, and today I hit that intimidating (to me) jump line, relaxed and fuss free. I’m still bemused by my progress on bigger features since getting the bike, I think it’s going to be a very fun year! I will leave it a lot longer before posting any more updates. 🙂
Had a CF 29er for a couple of years. Upgraded quite a bit since I’ve had it. Nothing comes close for VFM and weight. I’ll maybe swap it for the newer frame when it comes out