Have you ever had an MTB that felt 100% right?

Not 100%, but my old Kona Explosif with 100mm Fox Floats on it was pretty near it, as I rediscovered the other day when I took it for a nostalgic spin!! My Dialled Alpine is the other near perfect one. I’ve never got anywhere near perfection with a full bounce!

@ BillOddie – you think this makes sense?
There may be a 100% perfect bike for you and a particular place you ride but that doesn’t make the bike perfect for you.

OP:
ideal for your type of riding

“Self-justification”? Yeah ok.

Yes. I’ve made one change in two rides, the bars (only cos they were free). Normally I’m adjusting bars, worrying about stem length, seat angle etc etc.

My old SX Trail was a bike that I loved bit it was flawed; the seat angle was too slack so climbing steeper stuff was a pain. You had to get in a really funny position to stop it wandering about. It was great fun on the way back down though.

My old Big Hit was amazing after the rear shock was Push tuned. Probably better than the Demo 9 that it replaced which was still an ace bike.

I agree that no bike is perfect all of the time. My current Banshee Rune is a bike that I love but it can be hard work. Being quite slack it encourages you to ride as fast as you can which is great until your having a Doris day. Then it feels like a handful.

2. Kona Pahoehoe – the frame size and proportions were good, but it was the space it gave me around the saddle to try shifting my weight about, finding the right balance for each part of the ride and so on. I basically learned how to ride properly on that bike.

I then changed it up to a Ti hardtail that didn’t feel right, before switching to a Cotic Soda, which I built up myself. I guess I’d learned enough to build it up right, so it feels just right.

My riding is probably more a function of these bikes than the bikes being right for my riding, but it all works for me.

Right now my Commencal Supreme 6 build is 97% right, next year when it gets upgraded with XX1 it will be 100% right for me and my ridding.

I had a 2007 Stumpy Expert which was perfectly balanced and great fun. Sold it at the end of a guiding season with BV in fear that I would snap it the next year.

Now riding a Rumblefish which feels just right, incredibly confidence inspiring downhill and not too shabby up them either

that Commencal looks really high. Like a circus bike 😯

My BFe/Lyriks/1×10 is pretty close to my perfect hardtail, just a tad heavier than ideal.

Worst: Ellsworth = worse. A awfull collection of angles with a high BB

Best: Blur 4X but odd VPP

Bland: Any Specialized. Designed to be neutral and likeable/comfy for all.

Current::)

If your riding has the least bit of variation in it, then there is no such thing as a 100% perfect bike.

Disagree.. Depends on your attitude.
No bike is perfect in all situations if perfect means magazine-test-rated-perfect-for-those-trails kind of thing, but there are bikes that can be fun to ride pretty much wherever you are – that’s more about rider expectations than the bike. Within sensible limits of course, so assuming not many of us are DH legends as well as time-triallers on the same bike. Remember when we had one bike for everything? ) Were you any less happy as a rider then? Maybe, maybe not.

(edit for attempted clarity of waffle)

A! What is it with this cryptic stuff.

I rather like my Nerve AM; although I’ve changed everything on it apart from the frame, forks, reverb and xtr rear mech!

I am strangely drawn to a Five 29 for some reason though……. 😉

Hora – I think saying all Spesh bikes ate bland is a bit harsh. They’ve made some fab bikes in their time. Things like the 2005 Enduro / SX Trail were so far ahead of the competition it wasn’t funny. They were the firstccompany of the time to build a bike that could be ridden up a hill and thrashed down again like a mini DH ring.

My SX Trail was only recently retired and it still felt good to ride…in fact around places like Cannock it / I felt faster than I do on my Banshee.

Surely a neutral bike is a good thing? No dodgy handling quirks means you can just ride the thing as fast as you can and focus on the trail and not worry about riding round said handling quirk.

Surely a neutral bike is a good thing? No dodgy handling quirks means you can just ride the thing as fast as you can and focus on the trail and not worry about riding round said handling quirk.

I reckon a neutral bike will be just that, good with splashes of great. The bikes that divide opinions are probably the ones that are closest to 100% right for some people. Off the peg you will be very lucky to get your perfect bike, building up too unless you can get to know what you want. The smallest thing can turn a great bike into awful for some people. Being 1/2″ out of comfort can be enough. Pushing a saddle back or stem forward a little bit can change the balance enough to make it feel wrong despite how good it could be for someone shorter/taller/longer

I think bland is abit harsh yes. Definitely neutral feeling handling.

Can’t think if any problems with this.

Bland: Any Specialized.

How can a bike be bland? Must be the rider with an abundance of blanditude. And yes i do have a specialized. I used to hear the bland accusation thrown at Honda motorbikes. If you find riding a bike bland – you’re doing it wrong.

edit: except road bikes – that’s a given D

I feel like my setup is about 95% there now. I do wonder if I will ever consider it 100%…