Well done Commencal – Meta TR 2021

https://singletrackworld.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/2021-commencal-meta-tr-29-is-lower-slacker-steeper-and-meaner/

440mm seat tube on an XL with 515mm reach, AND a 200mm dropper as standard?! What?

Oh and a 64.5 degree HA on a 140mm rear travel trail bike. And a 78 degree seat angle.

Looks nice too!!!

Bloody good show, Commencal.

Looks gorgeous even with the semi-flaccid seat post.
These numbers are “trail” now, we’ll be needing a new category (or legitimising “downcountry”) soon.

I’ve liked these for a while and was waiting to see what the new one would look like. It looks very, very nice. Sticking with pressfit BB’s though, unfortunately.

Can’t wait to see the new Supreme DH. I’ll take one of each please.

Yeah they look great. Nice to see a spread of models hitting different price points too 🙂

Now just need to wait for 2 more years for when they release the next one with threaded BB. Then I’ll be finally good to buy myself a Commencal

Yeah PF is a strange choice on an alloy bike, but a big thumbs up for the geo and dropper spec, especially on the big sizes.

Although, the size chart might be a little optimistic – it reckons an XL is good for between 6ft 2in and 6ft 11in 😀 I’d say at 6ft 11in you might want something a bit bigger 😀

That’s a looker for sure… Good looking numbers too. A lot of bike for their “trail” model though

Hmmm…. just as I was about to pull the trigger on an AM9!

Hmmm…. just as I was about to pull the trigger on an AM9!

Sort of looking at the Medium and Large thinking I’ll either be a bit cramped seated or a bit stretched out on the downs coming from a 665 reach and 619 ETT.

Stunning bikes but agree with comments about pressfit BB – not good! Although some interesting alternatives out there now to solve that.

Sort of looking at the Medium and Large thinking I’ll either be a bit cramped seated or a bit stretched out on the downs coming from a 665 reach and 619 ETT.

Thought you’d already ordered some bits for your AM9?

The Race version with the red lyric, red coil and gunmetal grey frame looks damn nice though…

Thought you’d already ordered some bits for your AM9?

Yeah, only the axle and the bb that wouldn’t fit on a meta frame

Hmmm wonder what the AM29 will look like if they’ve moved the TR29 on so much with the geo.

I’ve found the press fit bb on my (old model, ~2013) meta am 29 to be pretty trouble free tbh. Not any more faff than a threaded really. Think it’s down to up the fact it’s a completely sealed tube. I’d prefer threaded but wouldn’t let it out me off the bike if I wanted it.

I’ve found the press fit bb on my (old model, ~2013) meta am 29 to be pretty trouble free tbh. Not any more faff than a threaded really. Think it’s down to up the fact it’s a completely sealed tube. I’d prefer threaded but wouldn’t let it out me off the bike if I wanted it.

Wheels MFG screw together PF BBs are brilliant so it’d never put me off.

Looks stunning but 34lbs for a trail bike😳😳  that really is getting a bit much for a trail bike. How heavy and how much travel will the am version be

Brilliant as the wheels bb, my old commy wouldn’t take one as the swing arm means there’s a ‘dent’ in the bb shell. I think the new ones are better but I’d check.

Last years AM29 was 160/170 29er with a fox 36. I reckon: Fox 38, 180mm front, 170mm rear.

“Super enduro”

I don’t think commencal have ever been bothered about weight, not one of their priorities.

A buddy bought last years version and it’s really good, especially considering it’s outstanding value!

I’m sure both our trail bikes are heavier than most but the fun kinda hides it!

A lot of bike for their “trail” model though

Odd isn’t it. Half the world is taking starting to take to ‘trails’ with no more than their glorified road bikes and the other half is using bikes which not that many years ago would not have looked that out of place in an amateur downhill race!

Lovely looking bike but how is that a trail bike?

“Lovely looking bike but how is that a trail bike?”

If their local trails are anything like the Andorran WC DH track, then it’s a perfect trail bike!

Everything is becoming more capable, it’s just evolution.

Road bikes are fitting bigger tyres, going slacker and becoming gravel bikes.
XC bikes are getting 120mm travel, dropper posts and becoming ‘down country’ bikes
120-140mm trail bikes are getting 140-160mm travel and going slacker and becoming mini enduro bikes
160mm enduro bikes are getting 180mm travel with 29er wheels and not giving a crap about weight, and becoming super enduro bikes.
DH bikes are getting 29er wheels and going faster than ever.

Gears are going from 11-42 to 10-52. Forks are going from 34 to 36 to 38mm.

Progress. Bigger is better. I think… 😀

Looks lovely, but £3k for SRAM SX and Revelations on an Alu frame?

The real innovation is on the cheap one. Eagle chainrings on shimano cranks and wireless rear mech.

Looks lovely, but £3k for SRAM SX and Revelations on an Alu frame?

Yeah I know, £600 cheaper than just the new SC 5010 frame…

Yeah it’s also less than most Fabergé eggs but that’s also a meaningless comparison. But FYI (I just checked), you can get an alloy Hightower full bike for £3.5k. The prices really aren’t all that different.

Commencal were always a great value brand – I bought a Meta in 2007 for a grand. I’m sure all those are better bikes, but even the cheapest one is £2200. They look great, but they’re quite expensive was my point.

They look great, but they’re quite expensive was my point.

yeah I got your point, I don’t think £2200 for a pretty good all round 140mm trail bike is quite expensive in a world where you could get a whole bike for less money for a  frame that does pretty much the same thing. I guess it depends on your given value of “quite expensive” I guess.

I thought it was pretty good VFM personally.

For £3k there are other manufacturers where you’d probably get Pikes and a GX Eagle groupset on an alloy frame. Given that Commencal are a direct model (I think) then their comparisons are probably the likes of YT, Canyon, Radon etc

I’m not bothered about the weight. I want stout forks and proper tyres and if they add a few pounds so be it. The size and shape of the frame is much more important when it comes to climbing ability and this is a step in the right direction.

I’ve ridden plenty of lightweight trail bikes that climb horribly compared to my Geometron. They might be light but they also want to pop wheelies and wander from side to side when you’re winching up a gradient.

This is pushing it a bit for the trail centre mincers but you’ve got plenty of other bikes to choose from.

I’m not sure that when Commencal use Trail as a moniker that they have trail centres in mind! Sure it’s a lot of bike, but those angles give all the possibilities for having a big day out without ever feeling over or under biked. Like Tallpall says, it’s just the march of progress.

I just checked Strava and I have ridden over 10,000km and descended nearly 500,000m on my Meta v4 and only replaced the press fit BB once. It’s never creaked.

But I dont think I’ll be replacing the Meta with a new 2021 TR29 if that adds 5lbs of weight.