Thanks honourablegeorge, that’s really good info, would like to try the higher stuff you mention, wondering whether time of year may limit options?

Anyone else got any trail recommendations?

I ran my asr5c with 140mm 32’s and was great climbing and crazy fun descending.

This pinkbike review has it running 150mm revs and they seem to think its good.
http://www.pinkbike.com/news/yeti-asr5-carbon-test-2011.html

If I still had mine id be putting pikes on!

Did a custom build alpine 160 with brand new hope tech v2s, sold them on within 6 months. Hope-less.

Had formula r1 before and went back to them for a bit. Much better for me.

New shimanos seem to be the way now though.

I have avid xo’s currently and rate them.

I ran a superstar plasma on my 160 with no issues, pretty heavy though. Perhaps just try a top guide as you have a clutch mech… I have e13 xcx on my enduro and that is very good compared to the cheaper superstar top guide.

OP – your requirement has yeti sb66 written all over it. Slack, pedalable, quick and lively on the descents….

140 or 150mm rear travel won’t be much in it… A bolt through rear axle would make the difference. I also find the fork you run will be the major factor in how capable the bike is. I was very disappointed with a fox 32 150mm, so would only consider a 34 or pike or maybe a rev at that travel.

Another good frame if you can find one would be a stumpy evo…

Mine during Mega qualifying…

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DHR_Scanned_Image_20110810-1[/url] by dan45a[/url], on Flickr

then just one in the kitchen..

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IMG_0356[/url] by dan45a[/url], on Flickr

waldo1 – No didnt let any air out…wish I’d had more time to check properly. There was about 20mm clearance on the back to the stay. about 15mm on the fork to the brace.

They’d just tried a 2013 stumpy evo and that was pretty close on the rear, fox 34 fork was ok. Sounds like cnud above is getting ok with his stumpy…

A guy from mojo was in the shop the other week and confirmed the fox 160mm 36 26er fork is fine at 650b.

I just got some 2013 fulcrum racing 3s for £334, they feel amazingly fast compared to my mavic aksyiums and not a stupid amount of money.

If like last year a lot of pedalling uphill. Was good fun though!

Here’s my old one just to keep you going, gone but not forgotten, amazingly capable bike. new one seems to be an even better all rounder.

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Alpine 160[/url] by dan45a[/url], on Flickr

Fair points….

Just wanted to know if there was an obvious difference or a crapper one.

Thanks taxi25 – Front bonty is 40grams heavier with tyres fitted to both.

Both have bladed spokes…

Just can’t get any info on the bontragers??

Good news is you are the right end of the lake, lots of hire options in riva and torbole. I didn’t use it but an uplift shuttle goes from torbole a few times a day with lots of route options.

Other must do is mount baldo cable car, lots of hire places near the cable car there as well.

Sorry my advice is a bit vague but i was there on a family holiday in june but didnt actually go riding as we had a heat wave with temps nearing 40 degrees so chilled out drinking beer and wine.

Stunning place, enjoy 🙂

Euro – I agree, think with the fox 34 fork the stumpy evo is very capable and if longer rides are your thing its the one to have.

Enduro comp is air suspension though I thought?
http://dirt.mpora.com/fresh-produce/dirt-100/2013-dirt-100-specialized-enduro-comp.html
Its just abit slacker looking at the geo. The 2013 enduro really does climb well, I’ve had a carbon zesty and its just as happy as that on the ups.

I do a mix of riding so just wanted a bike that does it all hence the enduro.

Blaengarw is worth a look. Not far from afan.

These are worth a look, strong, light, wide, proper UST so no rim strip needed. All for hope hoop money!!

Rear hub looseing issue can be solved with an free upgrade part from easton apparentyl.

http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/easton-haven-mtb-front-wheel-2012/rp-prod82854

A guy at my LBS has gone from a mk2 Nomad to a stumpy Evo and really loves it, he says its quicker every where for him so seems a good choice.

Fair enough but the comp weighs in at just over 29lbs so there’s not much in it. With the newer enduro they say pedalling platform is much improved and seems good to me as don’t even think about locking out. Even though it can’t with the ccdb air.

At machen if I go up turners lane which it’s absolutely fine. If I go up via Lower machen it’s fine until the last bit onto the top, got to hike it the last bit, don’t think I’ve had got up there in the asr5 anyway.

I’ve had an alpine 160 before and that is much more bike and a different beast again, lacked the trail zip of the enduro but seriously stable on a full on dh course….

If you have concerns about being over biked you thought about the stumpy evo?

Dan – I went from a yeti asr5c with 140mm forks to a 2013 enduro. I haven’t looked back, the yeti was rapid and great fun but the enduro suspension is in another league when to terrain gets more techy.

The enduro climbs unbelievably well, my strava times around cwmcarn xc loop are about 1 min slower on the enduro. But the descents are all quicker. I’m not that bothered by the times but that hopefully gives you an idea how well the enduro goes.

It’s definitely not too much bike for trail centres as I was a bit worried about this before I got it. Now it’s the bike I can get on and ride anything. From normal red routes at the trails centres to Cwmcarn dh, afan masts, machen dh, gravity enduro, longer xc loops in the beacons.

Rosss – Let me assure you that a do it all 160mm bike is the way to go, i changed from 2 bikes to 1 about 3 months ago and havent looked back.

I’m on a 2013 spesh enduro built up at 29lbs with fox 36’s.

Raced Gravity enduro last weekend, then a 52 mile chairty cycle trail ride saturday, last night did a 15km loop with 600M of tough climbing and 2 super techy DH descents that would not have been enjoyble on a 5″ trail bike(i know from expierince). This weekend I’ll be hitting afan for just trail centre stuff.

For uplift days and alp holidays I have a tougher set of wheels with my 2.5 super tacky tyres fitted which give i the grip and stiffnes need to hold difficult lines.

These new 160mm bikes really do it all. Go for it! 🙂

Agree on Blaengarw as you are in the area. On route down I’d look at the Climax near Machynlleth, mainly for the final descent, serious fun!

Yes, I did it yesterday and it was simular in places to a mini DH race, I think due to all the stages being set on the one hill. The 2nd stage had 2 long pedalling sections which suppose puts it more as enduro as a DH bike would have really struggled.

It was great fun! excellent dry dusty tracks.

I’ve done all the mini enduro series so far and they just keep getting better. Looking forward to the next 🙂

Enduro owner here does it all, haven’t looked back. Recently went through OP’s dilemma.

I did try the sb66 – very good quick bike, but sizing a bit long. Tried a nomad didn’t like the riding position.

Didn’t try the mojo HD, love the look but I discounted for the geometry being a bit dated so thought something new may be around the corner. Then the HDR came out and really don’t get that.

Sat on the enduro and it just felt right.

650b is growing rapidly so you may want to go that way to future proof the investment. Spicy or Bronson would be my pick of them. But for me it’s a 26er for the next few years 🙂

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Machen mountain[/url] by dan45a[/url], on Flickr

Thanks creamegg, you confirmed my fears.

Any good sections to head to once down in machen, what about rudry? I’ve basically been looking for strava segments.

I’m not sure about mine. I prefer the feel of my odi Yeti grips, odies feel softer and slightly thicker which I prefer.

Dont think they look that great either, might take mine off if I still don’t get on with them this weekend.

Meant to say Sent email

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I did a tour of California with my wife 2 years ago, Tahoe was awesome we did the flume trail, Wife was pregnant with twins so didn’t do anything to tricky. Views were amazing!

We stayed down in Carson city as was lots cheaper than hotels by the lake.

Went down to Yosemite after tahoe and the scenery there are just as good!

Did LA, santa barbra, big sur, santa cruz, san fran, Tahoe, Yosemite, death valley, vegas. Over 3 weeks, Best holiday ever!

Thanks Ecky-Thump, good info. Just got to plan which day I do it now, and sort a suitable hire bike.

Do you recommend a 160mm or 180mm bike?

Got a timing question…If I take the bike shuttle torbole up to do the 601 trail, how long does this take from meeting the uplift to getting up and then coming down at a steady rate. thanks!

2012 onwards ST’s are actually 1590g, which is very light for how strong they are. Mine stand up well in gravity enduros.

I would say it all depends on the OP’s intended use. Why would you run a 1900g wheelset if you are not doing gravity type riding.

Oscillate Wildly – if you are concernded about tyre profile and wider rims perhaps look at other rims that are lighter than flow ex’s. Arch ex could be it..

I swapped my flow/pro2 on my enduro to ST’s for trail riding. They are definitly faster engaging and quicker rolling but like sandal100 says the tyre profile is not quite as good on the flows.

For me I prefer the speed of the ST’s for trail centre riding, especially longer routes, but swap to the flows for uplift days and holidays.

Perhaps SX’s are the middle ground, but I dont think they are much wider than ST’s. Easton Havens could be a good option, they are wide, UST, strong and the newer ones don’t suffer the hub issues…

My mate has a YT wicked Pro and really rates it. He came from a Nicolai healius FR so knows a good bike. He hasnt looked back..

30psi back, 25 front. ‘They were light but just found them soft compared to mavic.

I’d go for arch for the extra strength.

I weigh 68kg and managed to dent and bend my crests on 26″ build within 12 months riding I ride mainly south wales so I’ve changed to mavic crossmax and haven’t looked back.

OP I went from a defy to a giant tcr advanced (1/2 price from wiggle) and the difference was dramatic for me. The wheels probably played a good part in that, but i only upgraded to mavic aksyium so not so light.
i did cut 9 minutes off my 21 miles training loop instantly…. I haven’t looked back.

If you want it just get it.. 🙂

Thanks again for the comments.

I’ve since taken the sworks for a couple more rides in this 29lb guise and its feels plenty quick enough going up, and very comparable in feel to some of 140mm trail bikes i’ve had, but so much more confident on the desents.

36’s feel amazing coming from a trail bike with 32’s. As suggested above RS Pikes could very well be a good middle ground with there low claimed weight but I’m not spending any more cash on it as I simply dont have it 😕

If I want to do a long punishing ride of distance I turn to my road bike… If I want to have fun for a few hours, then enduro is where its at 😀

cool thanks…gonna try it sunday 😀

Ddmonkey – just got back from 1st ride on enduro with the crossmax st’s, they are noticablaby quicker and faster rolling than the flow/pro2’s, pedalling up felt easier as did rolling on flatter sections.

But.. I did notice the grip difference due to the tyre profile being narrower. Not a big difference but non the less not quite as good. St’s feel just as stiff as the flows, so no noticeable difference with tracking-holding a line.

So suppose it all depends on what riding you plan to cover with them. I’ll be keeping the crossmax st’s on for trail centre bashing and long Xc rides and putting the flows on for uplift days and alps trips.

For gravity enduro racing…. I think I’ll use the st’s.

Hope this helps.

Cossyrush – sent you an email