bike by molgrips[/url], on Flickr
I could bang on about how it’s pure and simple and how suspension is for marketing led sheep, but I won’t. It’s bumpy as ****. First ride out on my local loop I set off downhill at my usual pace and almost broke both my wrists and the bike. Bastard uncomfortable. It’s definitely no replacement for a FS.
However taken on its own merits it’s an absolutely stunning bike for its purpose. I built it for the South Wales Valleys, where long epics (if you start in Cardiff) mean 10 or 15 miles of road, some trails over the mountains followed by more road home. And it’s superb at this – steep head angle means super sharp handling and the riding position is the perfect balance of efficiency and handling. Don’t have to worry about being too stretched out because my weight’s not over boingy suspension forks.
After 7 months or so I’ve figured out how to ride it – standing up, moving around a lot and heaving on those wide bars in a higher gear. The opposite of how you ride a long travel FS.