Bit of ramble…
So the origins of this bike go back to building up an on-one big dog last year. Until then, I’d only ever had one MTB on the go and that was my 2016 Orbea Occam AM – 140mm each end, full carbon, something like 29lb. I loved that bike and it took me to Morzine, Wales, Scotland and even some Bikepacking duties thanks to the shock position. It was a really versatile bike.
But I fancied a hardtail to complement it and wanted to have a go at building a bike from frame only. The big dog was announced and with the promo at only £150 for the frame, that sealed the deal. Once I’d got it built and rode it for a while, a few things became apparent. I preferred 29er wheels, the low BB made cornering really fun and made you feel more ‘in the bike’ on descents, and the geometry was just better. 65 head angle vs 67 and steeper seat angle made it in many ways a better climber and descender, despite the relative lack of travel and rear suspension. The Occam was done for really as there was just more I liked about the the big dog and too much overlap between the bikes, so I started looking at options.
I was basically after the same geo as the big dog, but full suss and something a bit burlier to move it into a different bracket and get away from that overlap. But I still wanted it to be decent to pedal. I sold the Occam last November and started the search, which of course has been hampered by the supply issues. But the Vitus was announced and when I saw the new design, compared the geometry and looked at the spec/price, I felt this was the bike that ticked all the boxes and luckily managed to pick up one of the limited ones available.
Sitting on it and pedalling, it feels exactly like the big dog. There’s a few mm difference in some of the geo measurements but it’s as close as you could expect to get, which was a relief buying direct. It’s heavier though at around 32lb. With the steep seat angle it climbs well and I didn’t notice much pedal bob, but you can feel the weight. Some of that will be in the tyres too. Assegai and Dissector is too draggy for the current conditions so will move the Dissector to the front and put an Aggressor on the rear.
On the descents, I think it will be a beast. I only managed a few tame-ish runs in the local woods so not a proper test, but everything suggests it will be very capable.
So, as a complement to the big dog, I reckon it’s absolutely spot on and look forward to getting it out on some trails that will be more suited to it. If I didn’t have the big dog though, my first impressions are that I don’t think I’d have it as my only bike. It’s marketed as a do it all trail bike, but at 32lb with Fox 36s etc, my feeling is that it would be a bit too much bike for anything more ‘XC’. I’d probably go for something like a Transition Spur, Ibis Ripley, YT Izzo I think. Well, that’s my first impressions anyway but of course will need more time on it. Perhaps the tyres will make a difference to that view.
Hope that’s of interest to anyone considering one.
