[Closed] Is the Whyte 46 still a great bike?

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This thing?
I doubt age has made it better than when I disliked it back in 04 seem to remember that it felt very much like you were sat/balanced on top of it rather than in the bike. I think the suspension worked fine but I was just pearched on top and it didn't really feel all that inspiring.

Don't listen to Mike, he's a ginger philistine (-:

In the tradition of 'I've got one', I really enjoyed mine. It's a 2007 model and was as good as anything else at the time. I'm not sure about now as I don't ride much all mountain these days. The main 'issue' is it's obsolescence; 26" and 9 speed. That doesn't worry me as I've never been much of a follower of fashion.

You can try it if we're anywhere near each other. Email in profile.

Cheers Miles

HTH (-:

Never had one but did have an '06 Marin which was essentially the same design. It had a very high bb so did feel perched however before I got rid of it I had fitted offset bushes and a -0.5 slackset which did improve it.
My current bike is a 2009 blur 4x so I'm hardly an authority on modern super long low and slack bikes though.

I had one of the early ones and Mike is right in what he says about them . maybe with a dropper post and a bit more modern kit they might be ok , it depends on where and how you ride . I would say if you like having sex in a hammock get the Whyte, if not get something more up to date.

In the same way a Series 1 landrover measures up to a discovery 4.

Don't forget the Alpine link slackened the head and dropped the BB... But, yeah, you're all probably right. It's a bit old hat compared to more modern tackle unless so you need to get a bargain.

Incidentally, are there many 6" travel 28lb bikes around now?

I've still got one as a mate comes over every year from NZ for a few weeks and he really likes it!
The alpine link slackened it out but it's still a bit short in the top tube & tall in the front compared to more modern geo.
All the kit on it seems to holding up pretty well. Def not a bad bike but not 'modern'.
Looks a bit like scientific calculator compared to a smartphone....

I had one, it was great. Things have moved on a bit especially in terms of improved geometry and suspension.

But as an all round trail bike it would be fine. Only issue would be getting the forks serviced - you need to check who still carries the spares and can do them.

Otherwise its just a frame with normal bits stuck on it.

It's got a front mech and 26" wheels = it's unrideable.

Fair point Trimix.Although I don't remember anybody ever moaning about 9speed or 26 inch wheels at the time!

If something [i]was[/i] good then, assuming decent condition, it still [i]is[/i] as good as it ever was. Something doesn't suddenly degrade or become less effective than it once was, just because a new and improved model comes along.

i own one still,and its great . i upgraded the rear shock to a ctd or rp23 ( i have both and im deciding which i like best ) and it was 2x10 but i restored to original triple . this thing is light and goes other anything . easy to throw around and has no limits even after nearly 10 yrs . i have a lapiere zesty 514 which is a few yrs old and its easily comparable. the adjustable suspension is cool . and seriously 26 inch wheels whats it matter ! i love the triple ring as i get more speed . i picked mine up for 500 on ebay ,worth every penny

would have probably have enjoyed mine with a dropper mine tried to kill me several times!
[url= https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/65/158655120_128b755fcf_b.jp g" target="_blank">https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/65/158655120_128b755fcf_b.jp g"/> [/img][/url][url= https://flic.kr/p/f29D7 ]Freeride time![/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/photos/nzrich/ ]Richard Munro[/url], on Flickr

I rode one then and didn't think it was good. Too high and steep for steep stuff, felt unnervingly "over the front" at all times. For the same reason, I didn't like Marins of the time, of which I rode a few (never owned any).

The design was logical up to a point - long travel to soak up the bumps, high bb so you can carry on pedalling through rocks where shorter travel bikes would be too bumpy for it. But really, it just proved that was not overall a good thing, as on the downs it was compromised. It really was a 6" travel XC bike with geometry to match and possibly people couldn't get t heir heads completely round that and had expectations it would do the sort of things one (then) expected 6" travel bikes to do. Which is didn't.

relliott6879 - Member

If something was good then, assuming decent condition, it still is as good as it ever was. Something doesn't suddenly degrade or become less effective than it once was, just because a new and improved model comes along.

I completely agree, if a bike is a great ride and ticks the boxes you're looking for in terms of intended use then it doesn't suddenly become a bad bike because fashion changes over geometry, wheel size etc. Components do wear out though and become difficult to replace as new "standards" are introduced so those factors do need considering.

Whether or not the Whyte 46 was a great bike I don't know as i've never ridden one.

Greyspoke has a reasonable somethingion. My 46 was my first full susser so obviously it was amazing. I'd gone from a crap and heavy hardtail with awful suspension to what, at the time, was up near the top end of what you could buy off-the-shelf. It was a superb place for long days out and the "long travel XC" moniker was very apt. The high BB meant pedalling over rough stuff was better than many bikes I've tried before and since. It was great on the technical and pedally Ullswater singletrack for example. There's no escaping the fact it was like sitting on a (tall) horse though.

I loved it and it did me proud (I had a great week in the Sierra Nevada on it), but I don't miss it and wouldn't have another.

I wouldn't bother, I made the mistake of getting one of these couple of years ago. Even though I gave it a quick test ride on the road the flaws didn't show up till I took it off road. The shocks where both shot and it was squirming everywhere. I can do most repairs myself so tried to go through the bike piece by piece, it was then I found every nut and bolt was virtually seized due to the age of the bike. My verdict is stay away get something newer it will save you money in the long run

I've got one (bought second hand recently) and I'm getting there in terms of loving it, but I've never really ridden a full suss before, I always dreamed of having one so ended up impulse buying one for sale down the road.

It has had:
- new front wheel bearings
- new frame bearings (expensive but very easy to extract and fit)
- new shock bearings and bushing
- new stem (the adjustable oversize one)
- very wide bar
- complete fork strip
- dropper post

- all new 1x10 setup (taken off a previous bike)

It has the alpine link which significantly slackens it and drops the BB. With all that work it is just starting to feel like it rides well

I'm very light and don't do anything foolish so I don't notice any of the squirminess or flex that reviews had a go at it for. Even with a cheap back wheel it is pretty light (for the amount I paid for it). I love the 6"-4" switch on the back which comes into its own with the alpine. I also love the fork. Once you get the hang of it it strips to pieces in minutes and having done that it now feels buttery smooth. I do long rides and some trail centre stuff. It's brilliant for both, giving me the confidence to blatter off/through trail centre stuff that always put me off on a hardtail but climbs and pedals fluently and quickly.

It's been a project that's kept me busy, it's taught me some new mechanical skills, and riding it is increasingly fun.

Weird tall, longish-travel bike with XC geometry. I borrowed one for a week when it was current and hated it with a passion. That said, I was on an AQR holiday in the Pyrenees a couple of years back and one of the other guesst had one and rode the wheels off it quite impressively.

He was a very good rider and probably would have been horribly fast on a Raleigh Chopper, but it didn't seem to hold him back anyway. God only knows how quick he'd have been on a better bike.

Personally I found the weird mix of height, long-ish travel and XC-type geometry mildly terrifying - the suspension wrote cheques that the rest of the bike couldn't cash - but I'm talentless, fussy and I never tried the alpine link either.

Compared to more modern stuff? Short, tall and twitchy I think.

A friend had one for a few years. I got to ride it quite a few times. To be honest I thought they were fairly rubbish. Even back then they felt too tall and not long enough.
Breaking was the best thing he ever did.

Tom KP

It's the only bicycle I've spent more than two grand on. Long gone now but I'm still on 26ers with front mechs.

It was always one of those bikes for me that when you were "on it", you really were and it felt like you could ride anything. But on an off day, it really felt like you were balancing on a unicycle six feet in the air.

Personally I loved it until I fell back in love with hardtails (thanks, Cotic), and eventually stripped and sold it in parts. But, I did the Dyfi on it a clean hour faster than I managed the following year on my Soul, and did the C2C in three days, so it was far from a slouch. As has been said, the Alpine Link made a big difference.

I often wonder how I'd feel about riding it these days, but as my main MTB is still that 26er Soul, I suspect i'd get on with it just fine...

would have probably have enjoyed mine with a dropper mine tried to kill me several times!

I recall it trying to kill you some ten or so years ago at Glentress...

I had a Marin Wolf Ridge, pretty damn similar to the Whyte, in the early-mid noughties and it was indeed like riding atop a giraffe.

Still?! It was always horrific.

triple

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[s]Is[/s]Was the Whyte 46 [s]still[/s] ever a great bike?

Philistines. I might still have one tucked away

[s]Is[/s]Was the Whyte 46 [s]still[/s] ever a great bike?

Yes. Name me another 6" travel bike that weighed 28 lbs or less 13 years ago.

All the paint fell off mine. Worst bike I've ever owned.

i love the triple ring as i get more speed

Hmmmm

Ideal trail bike for Josh Bender!

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I seem to remember it getting great reviews in the mags when it came out, for what that's worth.

I have a 2007 Marin Rock Springs which is very similar with fixed 140mm rear suspension and I think the Alpine link as standard.

I purchased it second hand for a trip to the Alps and it has now done 4 weeks in the Alps and a couple of weeks in Spain.

I have no idea how it compares to a modern all mountain/trail/enduro bike, but it feels much slacker than my 2011 Anthem X and it doesn't seem to stop me riding the same trails, at about the same speed, as my mates on our trips away and they have more expensive, more modern bikes...and those trips are awesome and make me smile and laugh a lot, which makes it a great bike!

All of the above said, only the frame and rear shock are original. Replacing the QR rear with a through axle and changing the wheels for some cheap All Mountain wheels made a difference to the rear flex, 150mm forks, wider bars, shorter stem and a dropper post have all improved things each year.

I keep thinking about replacing it but struggle with spending a few grand on a bike that gets ridden for a couple of weeks a year...maybe for next years trip!

To be honest, I cant help thinking that time won't have done the 46 any favours - I thought they were pretty awful things back in the day (short, steep angles, high BB, flexy). I doubt time has improved any of these things.

Angeldust - as with music reviews, you need to know the reviewer's taste to gauge whether the review result is likely to be relevant to you or not.

There was one particular reviewer who raved about these - I've never trusted a word he's said since!