Review: Geometron G1

GeoMetron is essentially Chris Porter. If you don’t know who Chris Porter is, do a Google. Just make sure you have a brew ready before you dive in.

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By ben_haworth

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Review: Geometron G1

I really didn’t need to read this because I already want one.

What you may not be aware of is that the G1 is really fun and just plain pleasant(!) to pedal around much more sedate terrain. It’s roomy. It’s supremely well balanced regarding bum-saddle pressure and hands-grips pressure.

That’s what I used to tell people about my G16. It’s just a really nice, comfortable place to sit and spin your legs so it makes big days out much easier. You don’t have to be red lining it everywhere to feel the benefit of good geometry.

It’s great the review covers one area of the bike which could put people off – I want one but (like many others) had thoughts about whether the bike would be too much unless it was charging downhill over extreme gnar, which everyone knows it’s great at.

That ability to be great at all things, plus the durability built into the frame, not only with the build quality but with almost every thread being replaceable, and the adaptability with 29/27.5, 175/160mm options (and soon to be a 140mm option), and there’s nothing out there on the market that compares.

hmmm, a G1, deviate claymore or hope HB916? which would you get?

hmmm, a G1, deviate claymore or hope HB916? which would you get?

If the Claymore was available in alloy I’d have a much harder choice, as it I want to move away from a carbon frame so the G1 is the only option.

I’ve not had any failures or issues with my carbon Jeffsy over the past 3 years but it’s nice not having to worry when you get potato sized rocks clonking off the downtube.

After 5 years on my G13 I’d suggest a Geometron.

I’d like a G1, but the G13 is good enough everywhere for me that the extra travel looks unessesary

Honestly my G1 is the last non E Bike I’ll ever buy. For me there’s just no reason to have another one that doesn’t include a motor. I really can’t fault it. The help and support you get from the guys at their HQ is amazing too.

Had g1 for nearly 2 years now and from time to time I do wonder whether a reach of 495mm is a bit extreme for my 5’8″, and then I ride it again (don’t ride enough these days) and I realise that it just works so well.

Truly a great bike that is subject to so much prejudice from keyboard warriors – great review Benji.

I’m nearly a full year on my G15 and still subject to friendly ridicule on group rides – well, I think it’s bike-related ridicule and not character assassination.

It just feels ‘right’ riding this after years of riding so-called ‘XL’ sized bikes previously. I’ve not ridden a G1 as I’m scared I’ll like it enough to want to swap, and I’m not ready to!

these are starting to peak my interest! @sargey2003 & @tetrode – did you demo one before buying?

What did you come from and what made you go with the G1?

I did a demo at Geometron HQ of a mullet in medium. I was riding a medium Bird Aeris 145LT up until then (which is a fine bike itself) – I did a lap of the Geometron local loop and then rode the same loop on the Bird (with demo EXT Storia shock) – and I was shocked by how much harder it was on my regular bike having already seen the trail. Suddenly a bike with a reach of 455mm felt far too small.

I bought a frameset within weeks…

Well worth a demo, they will spend a lot of time with you.

@v7fmp I also did a demo at their HQ. I’m local to the area so it was easy for me to head over. Sam and Marcel got me set up on the right size bike and did all the initial setup, watched me ride around the car park and gave some advice before we did some laps of the trails around the Doward.

I came from a large 27.5 Jeffsy, went to a full 29 G1 large so it was quite a change but I had been eyeing up more slack aggressive bikes for a while. I went with the G1 in the end for a few reasons. I booked a demo with them at first because a couple of riding buddies from a local group had them and could not sing their praises enough, having gone through multiple different bikes before landing and staying on the G1. Their praise for it, as well as the demo day, the fact that they’re a local company, their customer service and help, and the value (yes it is good value compared to other bikes of the same cost) made me go for it. It was cool to have a bike completely set up how I wanted it, and I like the fact that I’m running Formula forks and EXT shock which isn’t that common.

Plus having it now for just over a year my riding has improved so much, from the confidence it gives me and the change in riding style it requires.

I was ‘this’ close a 20mths ago to buying a G1, as one of the few bikes that work well for a truly tall, and truly heavy, bloke.

Went with Pole Evolink in the end, as it was about 1/2 the price frame only as there was a sale at Pole. TBF, the Pole has been spectacular. Amazing bike, still riding it a lot and there have been no issues with the frame itself (although the RS plus shock shat itself, but was warranty replaced instantly).

Benji’s review, and all the comments here, are massively unhelpful. Please stop. Thanks! 😉

The reliability of a bike is super important to me, had a few frames over the years which had issues, some were quickly sorted and some took an age (and were a fault by design) to fix.

The G1 has been faultless in the 18months I’ve had it, its done 2000miles and 500,000ft of descending, its wanted a set of chainstay bearings and main pivot bearings in that time, and thats it, still haven’t had the shock serviced either.
Can set it up for local xc with a change of wheels and a bit more low speed, set it up for uplift days with more travel or somewhere in between. On the lookout for a set of boxxers, will probably end up buying the new ones when they come out.

Its the last non eeeb I’ll ever buy, it doesn’t get ridden as much now I have a kenevo sl, (which is basically a G1 with a motor), but when I do ride it, its quite the machine, silent and easy to ride quickly.

cheers for the feedback @sargey2003 & @tetrode and for your input @SirHC.

Is the G1 your only bike (apart from your Kenevo SirHC)? And are you happy to take it on XC bimbles to the gnarliest of gnar?

Living on the south coast, we dont have much in the way of steep gnar, hence why i enjoy my Norco Optic so much, so dont want to be overbiked for most of my riding, only to get the benefits a couple of times a year…??

certainly sounds like i need to book a test ride at the HQ and take one for a spin!

@v7fmp you might be interested in the G1ST kit that’s meant to be on the way, they were looking at their own custom version of the Saturn 16 for something shorter travel but seem to have decided to go with a kit that takes the G1 down to 140r/150f travel, that along with a lightish wheelset and trail tyres and you have yourself a trail bike.

I’ll be building mine with 160/170mm, 37mm mezzer pro forks, and supergravity tyres – which is probably a bit overkill for bedgebury or my local North downs here in the SE 🤣 I also have a hardtail for that sort of riding through.

@ta11pau1 – that does sound interesting and probably much more up my street. I would assume you can swap some bits out and make it long travel again for trips abroad etc.

I will give them a shout to see when it might see the light of day.

I also have a hardtail, which would compliment a G1 far better than the short travel Optic i currently have (which i might add, i totally love, so it might be hard work to actually part with it)

Keep an eye on the Geometron Facebook page for any updates.

And yeah, with the ST kit (and probably a swap of chain/seat stay mutators) the frame could be set up as 140, 160 or 175 rear – then it’ll take anything from a 150mm trail fork up to a 180mm dual crown. Not forgetting the 27.5 and 29 options…

Is the G1 your only bike (apart from your Kenevo SirHC)? And are you happy to take it on XC bimbles to the gnarliest of gnar?

Living on the south coast, we dont have much in the way of steep gnar, hence why i enjoy my Norco Optic so much, so dont want to be overbiked for most of my riding, only to get the benefits a couple of times a year…??

Yeah the G1 is my only MTB, and I’ve taken it on 50km xc routes around the FOD (wild boar chase etc) and it’s fine for those.

Most of my riding is on the same trails it was designed for though, steep, chunky, off piste kind of stuff so I would say that if most of your riding is not around that kind of stuff, you may not get the most out of it. Sounds like a shorter travel bike is best suited for your riding but worth keeping an eye on the G1ST.

Great review! What height are you to go for a large?

I originally built up the G1 with lyriks and lighter tyres, as at the time I had a hardtail as my other bike. 2nd wheelset I’d take it out when the hardtail wasn’t appealing. Its no xc whippet, but pedals really well for what it is.

I’m lucky enough that I have a 2022 stumpjumper (the one with flex rear stays) for local xc, have ridden on tamer trails, its great for that stuff, but when its fast/rough, I’m too use to big enduro bikes now.

There is a G1ST, Nicolai release the S1, but it didn’t offer what the Geometron people wanted:
https://www.instagram.com/p/CeWgQDGsgto/

I’ve got one as my only bike, although kids/life have got in the way a bit too much lately to ride it much! I’m very happy with it. I tend to ride round the Midlands, and get over to Shropshire when I can.
My initial concern was also whether it could be ridden on more mellow stuff, and when I went on my test ride they took me on a loop of that kind of riding. I thought it coped very well (so bought one) – the rear drifts so nicely because the length of the bike gives you more time to balance it. That’s a lot of fun and the main reason I bought it. It is a big bike and it excels in steep and off piste riding, but that isn’t all it can do…
You can’t completely hide the weight though, and if you just loop trail centres you might be better off elsewhere? It will ride nicely, but it will smooth out all the bumps and it’s best when you’re riding quickly – if you like to ride in a lazy style (nothing wrong with that!) it may make everything a bit tame. Get it up to speed though (and that’s not necessarily as high as you’re imagining) and it’s good fun. Oh, and if you’re weaving through tight trees all the time it might frustrate you… It is well worth the test ride to find out.
My favourite thing about it though was that I felt different riding that bike than anything else – I felt like I was low and ‘in’ the bike rather than on top of it. It felt very natural to ride and I helped with it very quickly. For reference I’m 6’2 and previously came off an Ibis Mojo HD3 (which I loved until it was stolen)…
In short, if you’re mildly interested do a test ride with Mojo. It’s worth it, either to realise what you’ve been missing or to avoid an expensive mistake! I think that all the taller riders out there may be pleasantly surprised by it though!