Close to pulling the trigger on the 2012 11speed model, anyone have any photos of them? 🙂

Cheers
Andy

No pics I’m afraid – but it looked just like the catalogue after I built it. I thrashed mine around the Blue route at Swinley this evening to 17th place on Strava. So they can be quick 8) .

I bought mine to replace a rigid 29er SS. Suspension aside, it’s not dissimilar. Needs a carbon seatpost though. What else have you ridden to compare?

I would also say that once the Alfine settled in and cable stretched and adjusted, it never misses a shift, even in the muddy gloop of the firetracks today. Mine’s an 8 speed. I find that sufficient, but I have ridden SS and will be converting the io id too.

I’ve never ridden a steel hard tail… i’m coming from an an alloy canyon fs.

Fancied giving one a go… i’ll look at the carbon seat posts, i think i saw someone recommend a USE one.

Cheers

What size do you ride and how tall are you? I’m 5ft 10 and i’m torn between a 17.5″ & 19″ (hoping to try one next week though)

I’m about the same height as you 5’10.5″ and went with the 19″ as it had the same geometry as my Kona SS 29er. It is a perfect fit. I posted a thread with the same question and answers fell into two camps. If you like a small bike then the 17.5 may be better. I wanted pretty much what I had before with front suspension and smaller wheels.

It’s only my second mountain bike, although my son has a Giant Trance which I’ve ridden too. Compared with FS, it is very fast climbing, and I think the hub helps with shifting, it’s firm at the rear (hence carbon seatpost) and is a nice ride. For the money, you can’t go wrong in my opinion.

And now for the good bit… Rode back to the car park covered in mud, rinsed down the downtube and put it on the Thule 591 rack and drove home. In the time it took to stop, and mount, the guy with a FS next to me hadn’t finished cleaning it. Yes it’s covered in dried mud now, but I won’t bother cleaning it, I may lube the chain before the next ride. But I know its performance won’t be impinged. It’s a great all weather bike!

If you are near Swinley, you are welcome to test ride it.

Hi Mate, mine arrived last week. I bought a 2012 model from Bikes 2 U direct. I am just under 6ft and bought the 19inch, which is perfect.

I took it out yesterday for its first ride. Fantastic, the thing that strikes me the most is how quiet it is. No chain slap or rear mech clatter.

I swapped over the stem and bars (wider and shorter). The stock tyres are terrible, so they will go next.

A fantastic winter bike. No issues with only 8 speeds, managed to get up every climb…

Get one.. 🙂

This is mine as a SS as it has been since the end of December. I have the 8sp Alfine which has been fine, but thought I would give SS a go and havent really looked back. Now has some lovely Pipeworks rigids on (Thanks Ton), but dont have a pick of that set up. With the Afine on it did feel a bit sluggish and heavy at the back but I should probably put it back on and see if I was imagining it

What brand are those front mudguards?

Mine is a mucky nutz. Works pretty well for a small bit of plastic, the only issue is the lack of space around the tyre but that is a RS brace issue. The tyre in there is a Bonty Mud X 2.0 and it is fine, but I would struggle with something like a High Roller in thick SDW mud.

Great, sounds promising (with a carbon seat posts)… I’m hoping to try one at the weekend.

Are the frames the same as the Latitude ones in term’s of geometry/ride?

Cheers