Carbon meta 5.5… opinions?

Noticed the frame deals on merlin and wondered if anyone has any opinions on the carbon meta 5.5 as an all round UK trail bike able to handle a few alps trips.

Thanks.

Anyone…?

One last try… anyone any opinion on this frame…?

Personally I don’t like how Metas ride, just seem a bit sofa like.

Are they backed up by a warranty? After all the cracking alloy frames a carbon one may be a brave move

Would check the warranty thing. Wondered if the cracking was just the 2010 alloy ones? Thinking the carbon are ok.

You might get better answers on here:

http://www.commencalownersclub.com/

Personally I had an ’08 Meta 5 and loved it.

Suspension is probably not as effective as my Trance X, but it seemed more lively to ride. Very good trail bike IMHO. Lots of fun.

Not ridden the carbon version but I have ridden the alu one and I really liked it – probably more so than the Pitch I ended up getting. They were all over the place a year or two ago but they did seem to have some issues with cracking which seems to have meant a decline in popularity.

I think Remy Absolon won the Mega on a carbon one a couple of years ago.

Wondered if the cracking was just the 2010 alloy ones?

2009 alu frames.

Love my 2008 and I’m not gentle with it + have got triple clamps on it 😀

Thanks, shall check out the owners club link.

just check the warranty, merlin were quick to drop them when things were going wrong. All they did was hand out a phone no

Anyone know if you can maxel the back end? Are the drop outs both replaceable? Reading the owners club forum seems to suggest you can.

Anyone in here actually got one of these or all been put off by cracking stories?

yeah they come with a kit for the back end if IIRC. Quite an easy change.

Thanks Neil. Do you also happen to know the size of seat post required and the type of headset required? Can’t find either on the commencal web site.

My daughter has the 2008 alloy one , I swopped the QR mounts for 12mm bolt through made a huge difference to how stiff the rear was, before when climbing the rear brake would rub and it would change gear, that all stopped with the 12mm axle, I had a VIP Absolute 4x and it came with the extra drop outs , which fitted the Meta 5.5, LBS gave me an alloy 12mm x 135 axle so never went to Maxle. I think they ride great a lot of fun, very plush. I put a Pike 454 up front.I borrow it from time to time its a nice bike.

yeah they come with a kit for the back end if IIRC. Quite an easy change.

Easy, though by the time you’ve paid for the Maxle dropouts, the Maxle and the hub adaptors (assuming you haven’t got a 12mm hub already) then quite expensive. Dropouts could cost you £50.

The Alu bikes are great imo. Fantastic ride & suspension. Great downhill for a trail bike, good trail / do it all bike. Slightly heavy is all. Some 2008’s cracked. A lot of 2009’s cracked (including mine, which I’m still riding). Issue sorted on the 2010 and later frames. Too few have bought the carbon frames for me to have seen any failure reports. A few people have the carbon swingarm/Alu frame option. The carbon swingarm has less tyre clearance then the Alu version so will limit you if you want to run 2.4 / 2.5 tyres.

P.S. Off to look at Merlin now… 🙂

Thanks for the replies, sounds like it’s definitely worth a test ride.

Anyone know the seat post size? Looks like the meta 5 ALU is 31.6, is the carbon one the same? Hoping it is.

Also in the tech specs the 2010 has a 1 1/8th head tube. Can’t find specs for 2011 yet, anyone know if it’s the same?

P.P.S. Tech Sheet below for 2010 Meta 55 Carbon.
BICYCLE TYPE
marathon/enduro full suspension moutain bicycle
FRAME MATERIAL
Nuts carbon
REAR SUSPENSION TRAVEL
140mm
SHOCK LENGTH/STROKE
200X51mm
PIGGYBACK SHOCK COMPATIBLE ?
no
SHOCK SPACER DIMENSIONS
22,2x8mm
RECOMMENDED FORK HEIGHT/MAX HEIGHT
510 / 535mm
HEADSET DIMENSION
1 inch 1/8
HEADSET TYPE
integrated headset type campa 45°X45°
DISC BRAKE STANDARD
disc mount international standart
MAX REAR DISC/ROTOR SIZE
185mm
SEATPOST/SEAT CLAMP DIAMETER
30,9mm/34,9mm
BOTTOM BRACKET WIDTH
68mm BSA
ISCG MOUNTS/STANDARD
no
FRONT MECH TYPE
down swing 31,8 mm /down pull
REAR HUB COMPATIBILITY
135mmX10mm or 135mmX12mm

Thanks Johnny. Found that for the 2010 bike, though it looks like they’ve changed things a little for 2011. I’m pretty sure seat tube is 31.6 for example. May just give merlin a call.

The headset remains a 1 1/8th one, no tapered headtubes on Meta.

just check the warranty, merlin were quick to drop them when things were going wrong. All they did was hand out a phone no

My mate had his (2009 cracked frame) replaced under warranty reasonably quickly and without hassle.

Sounds good. Am a little worried about Madison pulling out of distribution though. It sounds like merlin just brought all the frames that Madison had left as a job lot. I wonder what impact this would have on any warranty claim?

New Commencal distributor:

http://www.decade-europe.com/

Stupid site needs flash, I don’t like them already.

Under construction as well do you want the email?

Thanks, got it now that I’m not on an idevice. Think I’ll ask merlin about this as they would be by first port of call. Would assume that new distributors would handle warranty claims for bikes sold through the old distributors though, or am I being naive? At least there are new uk distributors. Anyone know why Madison pulled out? Too many issues?

In case anyone else is wondering about this too, it’s got a 30.9 seat post (and comes with an easton ec90) and a head tube for an integrated 1 1/8th headset (not sure of exact size but it comes with a suitable headset).

i had a 2007 meta 5.5 alu. and the frame cracked, my friend had a 2008 meta and his frame cracked and ive spoke to others people out on the trails who have had theirs crack.

mrbump – Member

i had a 2007 meta 5.5 alu. and the frame cracked, my friend had a 2008 meta and his frame cracked and ive spoke to others people out on the trails who have had theirs crack.

They changed factory for MY 2010.

Where did it/your friend’s crack?

I wouldn’t worry about the cracking issue if buying new, 2 year warranty will sort it out.

I had a couple of ali ones (which both cracked) but they rode really well. Very capable bikes and tbh preferrred them to my 5spot, albeit quite a bit heavier.

My understanding is that they’ve sorted their failure issues out and they are now as robust as many others. I’m sure there will be some but I’ve not come across anyone who’s broke their 2010 frames yet.

mrblobby – Member
Thanks Johnny. Found that for the 2010 bike, though it looks like they’ve changed things a little for 2011. I’m pretty sure seat tube is 31.6 for example. May just give merlin a call.

When I looked I only saw the 2010 carbon frames. Hadn’t seen they were selling the 2011 frames as well. Bit more for those though.

Seatpost for 2011 exactly the same as for 2010. 30.9mm. The Alu frame takes a 31.6 seatpost, Carbon is different.