So, I got to demo a R160, funny enough the same one that’s in today’s review on the front page…

http://singletrackworld.com/reviews/review-robot-r160/

I’m a real fan of short travel, lively trail bikes. I currently ride a SC v2 5010 and like the feedback a bike like that gives. I’ve had a few DW type bikes before (Ibis HD et al.) and other 160mm bikes and felt them just too much i.e. you have to put in a lot of work and always be going mach 10 to get them going… That not saying we don’t have the relief for that style of bike in the south west either…

So going into this, I was slightly predigest against the travel and perceived feel. I now know I was wrong to judge on that front. Like the singletrack review, the liveliness and drive out the corners was amasing. The front end came up really easily too, little effort to pull it up for manualing through ruts etc. All in I got very comfortable, very quickly.

The bike stood up and changed direction almost too quickly, something I have to adjust to – I can only put this down to the grip it managed to achieve. Pick a line, any line and the bike just got there and through it. The grip and handling translated into a bike that went very quickly and egg’ed me on to go faster. It felt like there was a lot left in the tank, but without the loss of feel / fun. Its got personality, and that goes a long way as they say…

Strava was my measure – although it stopped after the two first descents – and I got two out of two best times (Kom’s to be exact 😉 ) on our local hill. Not bad for a bike that was slightly too short and not really set up for me.

Lastly, finish was really nice, a lot nicer than the photos do it…

All in I really want a custom R160….

Cheers

I’m on my 3rd DW bike and generally I love the way they ride. I really want one of these and I haven’t ridden one. Now the reviews say it rides brilliantly, I’m going to have to start shaking the piggy bank.

Sam, I’d def. agree; this DW6 version has really built on previous iterations of the suspension design. The RBCo guys have done a cracking job with Dave. It really did ride as well as others say. Like I noted above, it just wanted more from you… almost encouraged you to let off the brakes and get on the gas….

It’s a great looking bike (minus the logo) but I’d never buy one, way too spendy for something I’d most likely take apart just because, well just because it looks like I should.

Are there any claimed benefits to the construction technique, or is this just a way of differentiating the frame from other companies?- most frames nowadays have heavily shaped and butted tubes (if they can still be called that) with supposed benefits in terms of weight, strength and stiffness.

I guess that I’m asking whether the only reason the frame is built with the materials used, is to enable a huge price to be charged, though I’m sure that Dave Weagle will be milking a fair amount for each frame built.

vinnyeh – not sure on the technical benefits but what the process enables though is it being fully customiseable. The production process allows them to alter the geo’ to anyone’s taste or wants.

Look at Paul Aston’s bike on PB for example. More extreme end of the spectrum on geometry. Same bike. Same suspension. Same price.

https://www.pinkbike.com/news/robot-bike-co-r160-custom-review-2016.html

Not many other processes allows that, and I think a lot of the reviews for this bike underplay the fact that you can have what you want with first class engineering backup / support.

I’d imagine anyone going into a purchase like this would have a few wants / ideas on their set up. It isn’t, or certainly isn’t trying to be an off the peg bike.

I thought it was to enable custom options – at least partly anyway.

Beaten to it with a more in depth explanation 🙂

I understand that it allows for custom options, but so do most other construction methods, with the probable exception of a pure carbon frame, due to mould costs.

If you’re providing a full customisation, then what is the designer really bringing to the table apart from some calcs as to the likelihood of failure? (note: I haven’t really thought too much about this- I can see for a hand cut and welded frame what you’re paying for, less so here.0

vinnyeh – your right, firms like starling, swarf et all can all make a very nice bike. But not like this one. This is uber tech geek, ultra high end materials management at its finest.

It is literally the best it can be with extremely tight tolerances.

What got me was they did it with retaining character.

I for one ‘got it’ having rode it and can see the considerations that have gone into it. I hope you get to see / ride one in the flesh as the bike itself seems to answer your question when your riding it (if that makes sense).

Carbon Wasp in leeds will 3d print you a mold of your bike design or design one for you, and then lay it up.

Id be interested to know how much that costs considering theyve cut the cost of a 100 grand cnc’d mold…in comparison to the R160. Im thinking of have a custom front end made for my Reign.

So you can definately get full custom carbon frames…

Interesting read though, would like to try one.

I bet it rides great, it should do for the money. Frippin ugly bastard though.

I got to ride it a bit over new year, the way they’ve built that one felt quite monster-trucky to me – not a bad thing, but definitely not subtle :). It is seriously great at smashing over stuff, and that DW6 linkage climbs phenomenally well.

Id be interested to know how much that costs considering theyve cut the cost of a 100 grand cnc’d mold

A main triangle mold CNCd out of steel is about usd$5000 in china.

Wonder where I picked up that figure Brant….Hope? 😀

Cheers.

Are there any claimed benefits to the construction technique, or is this just a way of differentiating the frame from other companies?

I think they claimed that using carbon fibre for the tubes (because it has directional strength/stiffness properties) and then titanium for the lugs (because its isotropic) is actually a better use of material than full carbon fibre or full titanium. But I suspect that’s a marginal gain – the key advantage is the full custom geometry it allows.

rusted bolt on a very expensive frame.

Im out on that alone (never mind i cant afford one)

rusted slight surface rust on a bolt on a very expensive frame demo workhorse

Fantastic looking bike and good review. Would love to have a go on one!

looks like a bamboo bike

Its not for me, way too expensive for my wallet

I think it’s a stunning looking frame. Always reminds me of the Ti/carbon bikes like the Specialized epic ultimate and Tomac’s signature Raleigh –