Still no news? Perhaps being built in the UK Rocket Max style and can’t cope with demand? Loving my Soul so would be interested to try a LS Flare

Hopefully having a go on the C RS later this month. Review on another MTB site posted this morning of the Works, very much echoes my views on the T130 but with 29 inch wheels. I don’t think Whyte make “fast” bikes per say, but they are solid, reliable and fun to ride. If they could make them a little (ok, a fair bit) lighter and pedal a bit crisper they’d be even better.

From memory its been close to 2 years or more, fairly convinced it’s been closed on the last 2 demo days I’ve been on there, which are every March time. Shame as it’s a good section of trail!

Not a chance unless you are extremely fit or on an e-bike! As a relatively fit 20-something, my PB up there is around 17 and half minutes in summer with a slight tailwind. Generally hover around 18-20 minutes as it can get busy on weekends and traffic can have a big impact. Even if I could match my PB 3 times in a row it would give me just 2 and half minutes to get back down again and that ain’t happening!

A few of us from our Wednesday night ride group did a lap of the blue with a slight detour to the last section of the red and got round in 50 minutes last night and riding solo I’ve done a black/red mash up in about an hour and 15 minutes with a few short stops to refuel and take a breather. Doing a full red in an hour would be manageable I imagine.

Still a bit off I think the full groups are due towards the end of March so I would imagine the mech/control unit will follow in April/May time. Pricing wise you’re looking north of £900 for the mech/unit/battery and charger judging on the cost of the full groups minus the bits you can buy currently.

I’m interested to see how much easier it would make a full frame swap. Presuming rear brake cable is external and if you had two frames fitted with headset and BB that could accept all the components, I imagine a competent mechanic could do a full swap in no time!

7Mesh Eldorado is my top choice. Reasonably priced, the fit is great and the quality is top notch. Highly rated by off.road.cc as well as other mags too.

Nothing yet, but given the debacle with XTR I expect them to show it off later this year with availability to follow some time in 2020. FWIW get GX Eagle, it’s damn good and Shimano’s track record since they left 10-speed behind has not been brilliant. They f***** their brakes up at the same time and the 11-speed SLX/XT/XTR setups I’ve tried have been nowhere near as good as their 10-speed equivalents. Happily been running X01 Eagle for two and half years and also running GX Eagle on the hardtail and they’re both spot on.

Lawman – do you have boost or normal cranks on your G13?

Don’t own one sadly, just borrowed one on demo for an hour or so, so can’t help on the crank question I’m afraid :(

A slightly longer travel Saturn with more clearance would be towards the top of my wishlist for a new bike. I liked the G13 when I sized down (i know, I know, that’s not the point!) from a longest to a longer on a demo day, just didn’t like the lack of water bottle bosses. Otherwise I loved it, fast, stable yet agile and pedalled well too. Basically a Saturn shaped G13 please!

You can’t run the Pikes at 170, the stanchions and lowers aren’t designed for it. I’d take that air spring out right now if I were you before you cause some damage!

+1 for Chromag. Have 2 Ranger stems (one 50mm, the other is 31mm) and 2 sets of Cutlass bars and they’re both awesome. Feel rock solid and they look amazing. Wouldn’t want to use anything else these days!

As above, have the Tech 3 E4 and Race E4, so same levers and different calipers. Race is lighter but prefer the ergonomics of the Tech 3 lever. Wouldn’t bother with the Race unless you’re really counting the grams. Think there’s about 20g per brake in it or something silly, really not that much.

Mine was built to around 28lbs with a 150mm Fox 32, 1×10 XT, Reverb and Stan’s/Superstar wheels with Hans Dampfs, so mid-ish weight build. My new 27.5 MK5 Soul, which is a large and has about 10 feet of extra Reynolds tubing in it (maybe overstating… slightly… but it is a much, much longer frame, admittedly with nicer tubing though) with a similar build (GX Eagle, reverb, Hope E4 brakes) and burlier 120mm Revelation fork is just under 27.5lbs, so they’re not heavy. Without knowing your full build kit it’s hard to say, but from the sounds of it should be easily under 30lbs. I’d much rather have a slightly heavier frame that rides nicer than a lighter one that isn’t as nice to ride, and I’m known for being a weight weenie at times!

Cotic BFe. Loved mine, just a tad small for me. Lovely ride from the steel frame too. I had a C456 and replaced it with a BFe, the BFe was far, far better.

@duner, as posted earlier based on the £1900 RRP of the whole group, take out the bits aside from the shifter and mech (chain, cassette and crank) and the cost is around £1k at RRP for the mech and shifter. So still a lot!

One other thing I did notice from reading through a few articles online was the fork fitted to the bikes equipped with the new groupsets… Look like MY2020 Pikes with the RC2 damper from the Lyrik, now that is something I can on board with!

General savings on current eTap groups seems to top out around 25-30%, I’d expect the same for this before long, but even so that’s still at least £700 on a rear mech and shifter! I’m not normally one to be put off by price, but that is mental!

Well given the group is £1900, it’s easy enough to work out, just take out the cranks, cassette and chain as they’re shared with regular Eagle and you’re there. It’s £1000 at RRP pretty much. One. Thousand. Pounds. For a rear mech and shifter. I’m out!

It’s here

https://singletrackworld.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/sram-axs-ditch-the-cables-and-go-wireless/

Grips can make a big difference, but bar flex can be felt too. I have 2 sets of almost “identical” Chromag Cutlass carbon bars, they’re slightly different specs, one is 25mm rise, the other is 20mm, but the difference in flex between them is insane! The 20mm set really do give a lot, I removed the BB from the bike they’re fitted too with the bike upside down and the BB was in so tight I had to really hang off it to get it out. The bars flex so much the spacer on top of the stem touched the floor! The 25mm ones on the other hand are much firmer feeling, almost to the point of feeling a tad harsh (nothng like others I’ve ridden though). Same stem, forks and wheels on both bikes, so can rule those out as a variable. I do like them though, I currently have the 20mm version on my T130 and 25mm on my Soul, may swap them over at some point, will see.

Easton always did great carbon bars, though the 35mm ones were overly stiff imo. My old 31.8mm Havoc carbons were ace. OP, are your Renthal bars 35mm? Over time I’ve come to the conclusion 35mm bars are just unnecessary, especially for carbon. Stick with 31.8mm imo.

Old 26″ maxxis tyres were (and seemingly still are!) notoriously under-sized. The 2.3’s were more like 2.1’s. They did offer a 2.7 Minion DHF that was closer to 2.5, think they stopped that a long time ago though! 27.5 and 29 Maxxis tyres seem to be better in this regard, my 2.35 Forekasters come up very close to that on a 26mm ID rim and other Maxxis tyres I’ve used have been similarly close.

Another vote for the 1x Reverb remote, so much better than the old plunger design. Also the wheels I’m currently switching between the Soul and T130. Hand built 28h Pro 4’s built with Sapim D-lights onto Stan’s Arch MK3s. Stiff and compliant in the right places, very tough, easy to setup tubeless and haven’t missed a beat in over 2 years.

Because they want to release their top rate components and make sure they are absolutely spot on. They should be commended for not dropping their high standards just to make money.

They don’t have it wrong, just high standards.

Nothing wrong with having high standards, what is wrong, and something that is really starting to piss me off about the industry in general, is showing new kit off months before it’s available. It’s quite clear this wasn’t (and still isn’t) completely ready for production when they launched it 8 MONTHS AGO. Launching the groupset when only some of it is ready, and allowing people to mix and match even when they said it won’t necessarily work well, is just taking money. Nothing else. This seemingly falls at the door of Shimano EU rather than other Shimano distributors, but even so, the fact it is allowed to happen is pretty poor. It’s the same pretty much everywhere, bar a few exceptions. Amazing new kit is shown on here, Pinkbike (insert other cycling media outfit here) etc and 9 times out of 10 it’ll be months before you see it in shops. The industry is slowly destroying itself and the good work of a few brands that do the decent thing and wait until new gear/bikes are actually ready is not going to slow down the process.

Rant over!

Been on my radar for 18 months or so, nice alloy frames and the geometry was always seemingly ahead of the curve a little and the seem very well priced in the US at least. They do have a UK distributor, Shorelines, but they have the alloy frames listed for just under £2k, so I imagine the carbon ones will be a bit more. Still good value compared to some others but not ground-breaking. Tbh the full builds look much better than the frame.

Love what they’ve done with sizing though, working in the trade it’s downright confusing for the customer when they’re looking at one bike that’s long a medium and another is a short large. It might just be me but I think it looks awesome too. The Trail Pistol is right along the lines of the kid of geometry I’d look for if I could build my own bike, be interested to see if Shorelines get any demo bikes along the line, I’d love to give one a go!

7Mesh Eldorado is great. Splits the difference between a base layer and jersey, I have both the SS and LS version and was happy wearing both as a single layer in summer. Wick well and dry quickly too. Fit is ace as always from them and unlike their other gear they’re very well priced.

If you can get hold of one the Duffbag Monster does the trick with just the front wheel off. I’ve used mine for in hotels etc. and storing in the back of the car when I want it to be a bit more stealthy.

I’d give up on that idea unless you can find one second hand. I waited 4 months to arrive 3 years ago. Then they seemed to go quiet. Someone is claiming to sell them on Amazon under a different name, so ordered one before Crimbo, turns out it’s likely the same folks still ripping people off 3 years later… It’s a shame as they are really good.

EVOC do a similar kind of thing but it’s a fair bit more expensive, looks pretty good though!

Have lived in the following since early November when riding and it’s a setup that hasn’t missed a beat, if anything most of the time it’s been too warm!

Craft Fuseknit LS Baselayer – great value, comfortable and I think it’s a smidge more versatile than my old Endura BaaBaa. Maybe not quite as warm but more than enough for me.

7Mesh Strategy Jacket – Gore Windstopper fabric and fleece lined in key areas around the chest. Water-resistant and has 3 pockets which is nice. The perfect compromise between a jersey and a jacket for MTB use. So good I’ve got two! (also got a 7Mesh Recon for crimbo which is very similar but does without the fleece lining and pockets, better for slightly “warmer” days)

7Mesh MK2 bibshorts & Strata Tights – more versatile than bibtights as the tights clip into the shorts. Tights are fleece lined and if anything too warm. DWR coated too so repel light spray well.

7Mesh Revo shorts – these things are the dogs! Light, breathable but the waterproofing is off the chart! Expensive, but so worth it when it’s hammering down or the trails resemble a river.

I’ve got a few other bits and pieces from 7Mesh and Craft, I’ll just keep interchanging as conditions improve (or worsen!!) Could do with a proper waterproof jacket really, want a 7Mesh Guardian but they are serious £££. Will continue saving as their gear is next level. Pricey, but it all looks and performs like new after 2 years hard abuse and it is just so nicely made and designed, definitely a brand for those who want the best and appreciate nicely made kit!

Nope, no way I’d go back to 11spd. Others opinion may vary but in my experience it seems like Shimano & Sram had a major brain-fart when it came to designing their 11-speed gear. Pretty much all the 11-speed Sram stuff I’ve ridden, right from NX through to XX1 felt like it was about to fall apart any moment, while Shimano seemed to try and make their kit more Sram like and in the process ruined everything that was good about their 10-speed kit, which was always faultless for me. I actually “upgraded” from a 10-speed Saint shifter (basically rebranded XTR but waaaaaaay cheaper), XT mech with a OneUp RAD cage & 11-40t XT cassette with Hope T-rex to a full M8000 XT setup and genuinely wanted to go back. M8000 is not Shimano’s finest hour!

Now on both bikes I have Sram Eagle, one with full X01 Eagle and the other with GX Eagle and aside from one instance of a jockey wheel failing, they’ve both been perfect. The shifting is slick and consistent, the gear range is perfect and the ergonomics are great. I say go for it, the price some places are chucking Eagle groupsets out for at the minute it’s a no brainer!

Didn’t really gel with my Foxy Carbon, it rattled itself to pieces far too often, the pressfit BB creaking like hell and it while insanely fast it seemed to take a lot of effort to ride it how it was meant to be ridden, frame and fork felt insanely stiff, almost felt like it needed a bit of flex to help it gel rather than skip across the trail. It was also so quick downhill it scared me quite frankly! Very much against the trend but if it wasn’t quite as long, stiff and crazy slack and a bit more reliable, it would’ve been one hell of a bike, because it climbed like a billy goat on crack and my god it looked good!

The less said about my On One 456c the better. what a pile of steaming turd that was! Like riding a plank of wood!

Have used their hubs over the last 8 years or so, but never bought the wheels. Too heavy, too narrow and often a PITA to set up tubeless as well. New rims have been longer overdue really. Be interested to see how they match up to Hunt’s offerings weight wise, the 30mm version of the new rims with hubs needs to be circa 1,800g just to be competitive really. I know Hope prioritise durability over weight, but a little less heft would sell a whole lot more wheels!

Also, whats with the wheels? Have a Hope logo but different name? Finally getting with the times and producing up to date rims? Heard there’s updates to the cranks as well and did here mumblings on here of new brakes, could a big year for Hope!

Be interested to see the geometry when it’s released, looks ace! The HB160 looks incredible in the flesh, but it is very conservative and has a bit too much travel for me. Heard mumblings of a frameset/rolling chassis option and PB mentioned they’re looking to do a full carbon frame including the rear end in the future… One to keep an eye down the line I think!

7Mesh Glidepath are the shorts to have if love pockets! The fact they’re built like a brick outhouse yet are nice, lightweight, breathable and have impeccable fit is the icing on the cake! They’re ace, have practically lived in mine for the last 2 years when its not raining on a ride. Good review of them over on NSMB:

https://nsmb.com/articles/7mesh-glidepath-shorts-reviewed/

DW link so not interested, that’s for trail bikes

If memory serves a little known DH racer called Sam Hill had some alright results on a DW-Link bike like the one below…

Does this mean that a lot of new skool geo and offset bikes require this to ride them?

It was he case even before fork offset became this weeks industry “thing”. I bought a Foxy Carbon in 2015 and coming from a much, much shorter Ibis, the concept of riding over the front of the bike was truly alien. The fact is that despite all the bumf about being more centred on the bike, with most bikes that are on the longer side for a given size (470mm+ reach in a large for example) you have to consciously make more effort to get over the front of the bike and the slacker they the more this is the case. It’s easy enough to adapt too, I’ve just found that (on the Mondraker in particular) it demands more core strength to ride like that all the time, so the bikes can feel a bit more tiring on longer descents or longer rides.

Don’t get me wrong, the way bike design is going is making them better, faster etc, but they generally all demand you ride a little different and the more extreme the geometry the more exaggerated your body position needs to be.

Can’t beat the hunts for that kind of money. I run a Hope Pro4/Stan’s Arch MK3 combo and that’s been awesome, but a fair bit more than the Hunt’s to be fair. Really I don’t see much that beats the Hunts for value for money really!

Can pick up the default Maxxis Minion DHF/DHR for less than £35 for the cheaper dual compound versions, that’d be my go to tyre on a bike like the Offering. Should be good all-round, plenty of grip, tough and roll ok. If you wanted faster rolling you could always get an aggressor or Forekaster on the rear.

Not yet, but my Monarch Plus will be in need of a service soon so will be having this done, will try to remember to report back! I got it as a warranty replacement for a standard Monarch as RS don’t produce the normal Monarch in 216×63 anymore and the Plus is the wrong tune, so it’s always felt a bit harsh. Will try the Tractive tune and see how it goes!

I did wonder how long it was going to take for this thread to appear! Longer than I thought I must admit! As I beleive I said at the time, a large is by far and away the best size for you, even with the longer top tubes of more recent models.

Love Hope hubs, but really don’t get why their wheels are so popular. They’re either narrow and heavy (Normal Enduro’s and Tech XC’s) or just plain heavy (Tech 35W). I’d suggest a rebuild on some lighter rims/spokes and lighter tyres. Those claimed weights for your Maxxis tyres are well off, both will be over 950g each. Just for a reference, I’m running Pro 4’s/Arch MK3s with Sapim D-Light spokes and 2.35 Maxxis Forekasters, verified weights below:

Maxxis Forekaster 2.35: 715/723g
Hope Pro 4/Stan’s Arch MK3: 1716g
Sram XG1195 cassette: 357g
Hope rotors inc bolts: 301g
Stan’s sealant & valves: ~ 175g
Total wheel weight: 3.987kg

Granted that’s a pretty light setup, but just shows how much you can save just by swapping rims and tyres! And that weight is including rotors & valves/sealant which others have missed so not a lot of cash you drop over a kilo.