New Whyte S120!

Anyone else managed to get a ride on one yet?

I demo’d one on Saturday. Strava times were impressive climbing equaling my best ever on a climb I use all the time, but didn’t get any confidence on the way down a very wet trail as the Crossmark II on the rear didn’t handle wet roots very well.

Been looking forward to riding it since it was announced and now very confused. Feedback from the previous day when it was dry was that everyone had absolutely loved it.

Keen to hear if anyone else has been on one.

I’m chomping at the bit to hear more about this..  It’s right at the top of my list for a new marathon/GT7/ do it all bike that will allow me to reduce the number of bikes clogging up the house.

FYI, Mboy of this parish has a S120 demo bike at The Missing Link, Droitwich.

Friendly & knowledge chap. I’ve had a few Whytes from him.

I really liked the look of this bike initially and thought it could be the new one for me then I compared head angles and it seems a bit too slack for me and from my limited understanding not going to climb particularly well?

Any thoughts?

I have not ridden one, but the relatively steep seat angle should mean it’ll climb really well – assuming the suspension is nice and efficient.

My main concern would be the short chainstays may limit the rider’s ability to move about to find traction on climbs and give less stability on descents.

Have a look at the Orange Stage 4 if you want something steeper, I had a demo recently and it’s a very fast XC/trail bike which is surprisingly light. I’d love one if it had the Whyte’s head angle, ironically.

Thanks Chakaping that’s interesting I will take a look at the Stage 4 (I previously owned a Four RS).

Ive also looked at the Spark 910 (not RC) which looks a pretty trail friendly bike that’s capable at distance XC.

First climb at Glentress on the S120 was 11m26 vs 13m21/31 on the carbon S150 and T130. Never felt like I was going well at all as legs didn’t feel at all warmed up. Equaled my best ever time up that hill and I’d say I was a lot fitter when I set that in 2013, very likely on a scandium Niner hardtail.

Judging by one climb on Strava my feeling was it is an incredibly quick climber even though it didn’t feel it.

Interested to see what anyone else who has ridden one thinks, that wasn’t a steep climb but the two minute gap really impressed me when I checked the times.

@stevemtb sounds like you were impressed with the S120 climbing which is good.does it feel lighter than the T130?

What was it about the decents that didn’t inspire confidence – tyre choice or more than that?

Going to try and get hold of one for a demo round here if I can.

@stevemtb sounds like you were impressed with the S120 climbing which is <span class=”skimlinks-unlinked”>good.does</span>it feel lighter than the T130?

What was it about the decents that didn’t inspire confidence – tyre choice or more than that?

Going to try and get hold of one for a demo round here if I can.

Weirdly I wasn’t blown away with the climbing when I was on it. Certainly didn’t feel slow but my legs were heavy as it was first climb of the day. But when I checked the times I was massively impressed with the speed it got up there considering I didn’t feel on it.

Descents was 100% rear tyre, it had a Crossmark II on the back and it felt lethal on soaking wet roots. Checking reviews this is a pretty common view. Never had anything trying to step out over a root when flat out along a fast bit of trail until that did. I have no doubts with that tyre swapped out it would have been hugely competent, on a dry day though suspect that set up would have been setting my quickest times around most trails at Glentress up and down.

I really want to get back out on it again but they’re not exactly common, the rep had only managed to grab a single medium for the demo day and he said it was a battle to even get his hands on that one before heading to Scotland.

I’ve got a T129 but an early, flexy double chain ring one. Decided I’m keeping that as my all day XC bike, so not getting a S120, and getting either a S150 or T130 as my go-to/fun/trail centre bike. Got a G160 for uplift days/steep stuff/Alps so really can’t decide what fills the gap best. Riding the 160 on Sunday for the first time in a while to help make the decision.

Thanks @stevemtb (I don’t know how to do the post quote thing).

Interesting that you would chose the T130 over the S120, but as you’ve a T29 I can understand that.

I like the look of the S120 but would want to definitely swap out the brakes and probably the hubs and rims which is a bit of a pain on a £3.5k bike….. but that alone wouldn’t really put me off.

How tall are you and was the medium a good fit and did it feel light-ish?

Anyone spent long enough riding one of these yet to compare it to its competition?

Giving this a nudge; keen to hear some feedback on this bike

Rode a S120C RS a few weeks back on a demo day. Tyres had been changed for a mahoosive HRII on the front and the forekaster switched to the rear. Total overkill front tyre but it felt good. Felt like it needed some lighter tyres and wheels, felt a little porky to be honest. Given the cost involved, I wouldn’t be in a hurry to replace my T130 with one. Would be keen to try the Works though as it felt like a bike with a lot of potential if it was lighter.