Privateer Bikes. 15% off Black Friday

£3,824.15

161 P4 Raw.......
m u s t......r e s i s t....

That Ohlins one is particularly lovely isn't it !!!

I had a car-park ride on Katy Curds one at FoD but we had a few gear slippage issues which meant i didn't really get to learn a lot from it... But the P2 was lovely for me, however i do like them smaller than some i admit.

Under £4k for an Ohlins equipped enduro bike?!?! That's amazing value! Makes the £7-9k Yeti from yesterday look ridiculous.

No good to me

As I already have one 🙂

Cracking bikes, folks

(just rubbish customer service)
https://flic.kr/p/2nBL3hj

(just rubbish customer service)

Really?

I don't even own one and I've found them very helpful on several occasions.

What's happened for you?

Really?

I don’t even own one and I’ve found them very helpful on several occasions.

What’s happened for you?

I was going to buy a new one - at a time when there wasn't a lot of stock info. And they were just plain unhelpful / off hand. As I live about 5 miles away from their HQ, I asked of I could tty a P4 for size - they said "no".
Fortunately the coffee shop/ bike shop across from them has a P3 - so I sat on that.

I needed a new cable retainer for the head tube - the general consensus on the 161 site on FB was they will probably send out one free. Or they were 9.99 for 3 from CRC / Ragley.
Privateer suggested I might want to pay 10.00 for one - and that wasn't including postage.

I now realise just how good Cotic & Bird are ...

I had a talk with myself and decided not to splurge at this time.

I'm going to see the year out and probably get a Bird with Formula bits next year.

As I live about 5 miles away from their HQ, I asked of I could tty a P4 for size – they said “no”.

There's a difference between a company HQ being setup for demo's and/or having stock to try out (in which case, you might also need to book with them in case they are already busy), and it just being where they distribute their pre-boxed stock from...

Worth taking that into account, no...?

^ sure- and that is what I was trying to do. I didn't even want a demo - just to sit on one for size.
They have always been quite friendly and up for a chat when you are outside. It a warehouse - but AFAIK they are assembling bikes there.
Nest time I am there I will check it out.
Bird and Cotic are only too happy to give information / advice.

All that said - I bought one anyway.

Makes the £7-9k Yeti from yesterday look ridiculous.

Er, make that £9K to £11K... OUCH.

Has anyone ridden a 141 and a Bird AM9/Aether 9? How do they compare?

Yeti riders need something to show Santa Cruz riders who made the best life choices.

Has anyone ridden a 141 and a Bird AM9/Aether 9? How do they compare?

That's my conundrum. Haven't ridden either of them yet but much prefer the look of the Bird frame.

I rode the bird Aether a few weeks back, was toying with the 141 as an alternative but haven't swung a leg over it.

(caveat, I'm a lanky sod)
So the bird in xl is longer than the p4, but it's longer than a long thing. It was the first bike I think I've ever ridden and thought wow, this fits, this must be what short people feel like all the time. So it's the first time weighting both wheels at the same time has ever really been a thing and as a result my views might be a bit biased...

It pedaled brilliantly, tracked over everything, winched up and over with a tiny kick of the pedals, it wasn't a sprightly feeling climber but strava says it was quicker in a 15-20 minute climb than my faster feeling following.
Down hill the front wheel tracked remarkably, held traction even when lent over and stamping the pedals. The rear just followed by the length put it in funny places. I'd get used to that over the course of a few rides.
It was pleasantly poppy of lips but definitely suited my wheels on the ground approach well.
The fork felt very stiff (140 like ultimate) but that's a setup thing.
The rear I'm undecided on, had an rs deluxe on it and it felt like it was either blowing through or way too firm but the oring told a different story. I think it would be awesome with a coil on but not sure if the rs just wasn't setup right for me or just not the right shock, that said it's a five minute setup for couple of hours demo so a lot of that could be dialed in.

The thing that's sort of pushed me away from the privateer is lots of the comments I could find said it's not great up hill and frankly, if u want a bike which isn't good up hill I'll get something with the travel to make the trade worthwhile. In a mid travel bike I want good up and good down not "rides like an enduro bike up" and "not an enduro bike down" .

£3,824.15

Dammit. Work C2W limit is £3k. Oh well.. 😬

It was the first bike I think I’ve ever ridden and thought wow, this fits,

I'm 6'2" and been riding since the 90's. I went through exactly the same thing when I went from a 26" Cotic Bfe to a Geometron. It felt like witchcraft.

In a mid travel bike I want good up and good down not “rides like an enduro bike up” and “not an enduro bike down” .

That's it, it's a heavy lump of a bike with the geometry to make you feel very brave but without the travel to really take big impacts.

For me it's not different enough to the 161.

(Does look mint though especially in Ohlins spec and I've been looking at it since long before today!)

^ sure- and that is what I was trying to do. I didn’t even want a demo – just to sit on one for size.

Hope let me do that with the HB.916 when I was deciding on size. Let me sit on an H2 and H3, and even when the H2 out to see if it would fit the Thule 591 (it does)

I’m 6’2″ and been riding since the 90’s. I went through exactly the same thing when I went from a 26″ Cotic Bfe to a Geometron. It felt like witchcraft.

Odd thing is my big bike isn't exactly small already @ 515 reach but yeah, witchcraft. I just couldn't get over being able to dip my heels without losing the front or push through my toes without the rear slipping.

It's another reason why even though I'm tempted I'm enjoying my XL Hello Dave that is bigger/longer than the P4 and at 6'6" is the first bike I've felt at home on.

6ft 3 and the P4 is nearly perfect
May need a longer stem

I’d been looking at the standard 141 for ages but knew that I would have blown a load of cash putting coil suspension on it, so when the Ohlins bike was released I bought one straight away (The fork is air but is very good). With an extra 15% off it is a bargain.
It climbs really well, each pedal stroke drives you forward and it is very easy to get up steep and techy climbs. For most descending it is really balanced and easy to to manoeuvre it just comes a bit unstuck in really fast sections with big compressions (I just need to do some more press ups 😀).

Size P2 at 5’9”

If Privateer released an Ohlins 161 I’d probably buy one to see how I get on with it, but I suspect it would be overkill for most of my riding.

Can you not convert a 141 to a 161 with linkage changes or are the different?

Good question - no idea.
TBH the I can't see why not