Im tempted by either one of these frame only in the new year/spring and was wondering what the general consensus was?

The bronson gets glowing reviews from every man and his dog but is it really that good?

Love the look of the Solo and gets good reviews too.

Mainly riding round cannock regularly but doing some Gravity Enduro’s next year, and big mountain rides planned, scotland, wales etc.

Would i be losing out with the Solo or would that be enough?

Thanks

Riding cannock myself most of the time and hard pushed to warrant more than my Soul with 120 forks.

Maybe go with something in between at 140mm rear with the option of 150mm front…so new bandit perhaps?

I would go Solo if only one of the 2…but then I ain’t doing enduros anytime soon.

I’m asking myself the exact same question.

I’m struggling to get away from my immediate reaction of ‘both’

Back in he real world, and having ridden both, I really didn’t feel that the solo was lacking and I genuinely thought it was a 140mm travel bike when I handed it back after riding the demo loop at a stainburn demo day (thanks stif!).

As ‘an mountain bike’ the solo is perfect. If you are riding the gnar-end of the riding spectrum (alps, bike parks etc) then go for the bronson. Anything else, solo every time.

Frame weight difference is minimal. I would go for a Bronson for that reason unless you’re doing the occasional XC race.

Mates did the demo day at 18 Bikes

Both went for the 5010 (hehe. oops SC)

I’ve got a Bronson carbon and for me its the perfect do it all bike, if ‘it all’ includes more rufty-tufty stuff like lakes, Scotland or alps. I think its light weight, pretty nimble handling and peppy suspension mean it doesn’t feel like a boat anchor on tamer trails.

I rode both at the recent Afan demo day. I can say that both were excellent, but I was surprised at how nimble the Bronson felt. I feel that ~120mm travel is about the ‘sweet spot’ for the sort of rocky, xc, trail centre riding I mostly do, so was expecting the Solo to be pretty much bang on, which it was. But I was still surprised at how nimble the Bronson was.

As others have suggested, I’m pretty sure the Solo could capably handle virtually everything the UK has to offer, but for big Alpine stuff the Bronson would seem the more suitable bike. I’m not sure the Bronson offers much in the way of a ‘disadvantage’ over the Solo for everyday UK riding though.

Nevertheless IF I were to purchase one (in a few years once I’ve saved up my pennies!), it would still be the Solo, simply ’cause I think it fits better with the sort of riding I like to do.

Have also tried both and gone for the 5OLO. Felt more than capable and pretty sure i wont be under biked anytime soon.
Also read on MTBR that the rear shock has a spacer in to set at 125mm – pop it out and 140mm – ta da.

Are we talking carbon? As the Bronson Alu with full XT and hope hoops I did the “lift test” on at CYB was disappointingly heavy in a medium

Carbon solo here. Was the full bling spec though which i wont get and was 26lb on the bathroom scales

Carbon for both (at £9k build spec!) in back-to-back tests. I wouldn’t consider anything else for such a purchase (if I could afford it!).

Mates did the demo day at 18 Bikes

Both went for the 5010 (hehe. oops SC)

And here one of them is. Still waiting for mine though 🙁

[/url] image by Jeevester, on Flickr[/img]