@gasgasser, it was Rutland who had it for £2599, knew I’d seen it somewhere!

https://www.rutlandcycling.com/bikes/mountain-bikes/whyte-t-130c-r-2018-carbon-full-suspension-mountain-bike_456627?utm_source=criteo&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=lowerfunnel

I doubt you’ll get them for 2x on an MTB, but I’ve been running a 1x Sram Eagle Oval ring for 6 months now and absolutely love it, I’m totally converted. As other have said you notice them working best on steep, technical climbs, you can just keep on powering and they seem to help improve traction as well, probably due to the smoothness of the power delivery. Elsewhere you don’t really notice them, but as a sadistic weirdo who likes steep, technical climbs I won’t be going back to a round ring.

My default answer these days for riding/casual shorts and in typical STW “recommend your own” style, check out the 7Mesh Glidepath. Light, incredibly durable and with loads of pockets they look great and I’ve yet to use a pair of shorts that feel this good to wear, they are just ace! The pockets are amazing as well, sounds silly to call pockets amazing but they really are, so well thought out, can easily ride with phone/keys in thigh pockets and not even feel them when riding. Not cheap I’ll admit, but worth the price, I’ve practically lived in mine for the last 18 months and they still look new!

It’s not so much the fork, but the rest of the spec of the RS just isn’t as “good”. On paper you’d say it’s possibly a little better, but the fact is the Fox shock doesn’t gel as well with the back end as the Monarch does. In fact I have jeard reports the basic Monarch RL performs better than the RT3 when used on the T130. The XT/Raceface drivetrain is good on paper, but out in the real world GX Eagle runs rings around, the shifting quality is just better, it feels better put together (a rarity for SRAM only a few years ago, I thought even their most expensive 11-speed stuff felt like crap) and the overall range and steps between gears are far superior. The less said about the latest XT brakes and their bite point issues the better as well, though to be fair, good as SRAM Guide brakes are, sticky pistons and levers are not uncommon, so realistically I’d budget for a better set of brakes down the line. I got 18 months out of my Guide RS’ before they were toast, but even then they were repaired under warranty, but running Hope Race E4’s now and not looking back. Basically, seek out an alloy S or stretch to a C R is my advice!

She’s bang between the Small and Medium sizes, I’d get her to try both really if possible. From experience I went large when on the borderline between large and XL, rode both and the XL just felt too long in the wheelbase for me and the large felt more lively and fun yet was still plenty big enough to be comfortable. I imagine it would be the same for rider on the borderline on Small/Medium sizes, smaller will feel more agile and lively, bigger will feel more stable at speed so it depends on what she’s looking for and prefers the feel of.

Shimano XT. Not convertible but you’ll get both front AND rear hubs for less than £100 and they’ll go on forever.

I’d rather have hubs filled with treacle than XT hubs. Or any Shimano hub for that matter. They’re cheap because they’re shit. I don’t normally beat down on products but Shimano hubs (and any other cup and cone hubs) deserve space on the shelf next to dual control and biopace. I used them for years and despite regular maintenance (done by qualified mechanics before anyone points the finger) they just died far too soon and I seemed to eat freehubs like they were going out of fashion.

Since moved to Hope and now on my second set and yet to so much as touch my newer Pro4’s after 2 years hard use and my older Pro2’s went 4 years without any kind of maintenance at all yet still span as smoothly as they did when new.

Saw it on Leisure Lakes, but it’s actually £2799, could’ve sworn it was £2599 when I looked earlier though!! Still a cracking deal at that price!

https://www.leisurelakesbikes.com/304701/products/whyte-t130-c-r-275-mountain-bike-2018-matt-petrolreeforange.aspx?currency=GBP&gclid=EAIaIQobChMI1MzKgbWk3AIVzrDtCh07PAITEAQYBiABEgIFvvD_BwE

Have owned a T130C RS for getting on 2 years now and I love it. Best all round bike I’ve ever ridden. Not the fastest, or the lightest, or the flashiest but it has been solidly reliable, rides incredibly well and is fine being taken down or hauled up anything I’ve thrown at it. Some good deals about at the minute too, I saw a 2018 T130C R on sale earlier today for £2599, which for a bike with the same carbon frame as mine and a GX Eagle groupset is insane value for money given it’s from a shop!!!

The alloy RS has in my opinion the weakest spec of the range, the Fox dampers don’t seem to gel as well with the frame as Rockshox models and I wouldn’t touch a Shimano 11-speed drivetrain if you paid me after so long on Eagle. I’d dismiss it and go straight for the C R, it’s a better spec, much nicer colour and will be a great platform to upgrade on, as the stock wheels are a bit weighty, but aside from that it looks bob on!

It’s not bad, but had that usual tendency of just giving up on short notice, plus it’s the only tire I’ve managed to slash a sidewall on so far. There’s better out there for sure. I’m liking the Maxxis Forekaster at the minute, it’s similar to the Nic but tougher, a smidge lighter and seems more predictable.

I avoid Shimano hubs like the plague. Why in this day and age they STILL insist on using cup and cone bearings is beyond me. Go for Hope or DT Swiss, much more reliable, don’t need the cones tightening every 5 minutes in order to be “maintenance free” and are just plain better. Honestly if they’re going to continue with cup and cone hubs they might as well bring back Dual Controls and Biopace, that’s how much I think of them!

No, they start from all over the place! The Mach Trails (1, 2 and 3) technically start from the the town of Machynllyth, the ClimachX starts from a car park a few miles from the town itself.

The last descent on the ClimachX is frankly, epic! My favourite man-made descent by a mile. It is pretty rough in places but there is nothing huge or scary on it, no massive jumps or gaps, it’s just proper! If you can handle red’s at places like CyB or similar welsh centres you’ll be fine. Technically the last descent is graded Red, or at least it was the last time I rode some 4 years ago. Never rode Mach 1, 2 or 3, but I hear they’re more natural feeling and not as fun, more old school XC in feel. ClimachX is a must-do if you’re in the area, the first climb is massive, no two ways about it, but it’s worth it for the last descent.

Picked up some bargain Truvativ Stylo carbon cranks from work recently as they were on clearance, nothing wrong with my X1 cranks other than them being scuffed to hell but for the price it would’ve been rude not too! Look ace and while they’re only 50 or so grams lighter every little helps! Bike has been pretty faultless recently during the crazy nice weather we’ve had in North Wales recently so been making the most of it (though it is now pissing it down!) Genuinely can’t think of anything I’d change on it at the minute, it’s just riding so bloody well!

I would probably run an Ardent Race on the front and a Crossmark II on the rear. My Whyte T130 came with a Crossmark II on the back and there is no way I’d want to run one on the front. Seeing a few bikes for next year with a Forekaster on the front and Crossmark II or Ardent on the rear, which would be a very fast but still capable setup. I run 2.35 Forekaster’s front and rear now and have been very impressed, they roll very well for the tread pattern, seem very tough and durable and the grip is most conditions is pretty good too.

I like the Forekasters! Granted they aren’t super grippy but they are fast as hell, have enough grip in most of the conditions I ride in and are nice and light yet seemingly pretty tough. I can imagine they aren’t great on steep, loamy trails but that’s not what they’re for. It’s a fast rolling and grippy XC/Trail tyre and if you remember that and don’t think of it as a lighter weight downhill/enduro tyre, I don’t think you can go too far wrong with it. Lots of bikes I’ve seen for 2019 are being spec’d with them so a few people must think they’re alright!

A large would be my suggestion. They come stock with a 50mm stem so if it is too long you can always run a 35mm stem and push the saddle forward. If she was 5’10ish then she could maybe get away with a medium, but at 6ft 1 myself I ride a large T130C and find it fits perfectly.

Cheaper because they use a cheaper production method and they’re heavier to boot. The X01 arms are some 100g or so lighter than alloy GX arms, the Descendant/Stylo Carbon arms are less than 50g lighter.

It’s a Salsa Spearfish?

Ermmmm in the sense that the S120’s geometry was designed this century? Might look like a Salsa but it sure as hell ain’t gonna ride like one (I.E, this one will actually (probably) be pretty good)

In my excitement to post the picture, I have now come to the realisation that it likely uses Shimano hubs… If so, I’m out!

I’ll just leave this here… I don’t need a new bike but if this rides as good as it looks, someone is going to have to restrain my wallet!

As above, the DUB cranks are not compatible with anything other than the specific DUB BB’s. Surely there’s GXP Sram/Truvativ still available in the length/model you want somewhere? I picked up a set of  newer style GXP Stylo carbon cranks dirt cheap recently

7Mesh Glidepaths all-day long. Light, airy but still insanely tough, I practically live in mine as they look great for casual use as well. The little details are excellent as well; the pockets are well organised and can hold a phone so well you won’t even know it’s there and they’re just long enough without being too long. Also have a light DWR coating so they repel light water splashes well too. Durability is next level, I’ve had mine for 18 months and by the time I usually get to this point with a pair of shorts they’re looking very much worse for wear, the Glidepaths look like new. Not cheap, but worth their weight in gold this time of year and they’ll cope with real 3-season use too. My 7Mesh Recon’s or Revo’s come out in winter and wetter autumn rides, but otherwise I’ll be in the Glidepaths. Can’t recommend enough!

I usually wait til something is a significant step up in performance terms, going on past purchases that tends to be every 3-4 years, not including my ’15 Mondraker  which was about as Alfa Romeo like as bike can possibly get. Taking that out of the equation and judging my old Mojo HD (bought in ’11, sold in ’15) to my current ’17 T130, the difference is insane. Geometry has progressed so much since 2011/2012, the XL version of the HD has a shorter reach measurement than a XS T130! Despite using bigger wheels my T130 has 15mm shorter chainstays, the seat tube is 2 degrees steeper, among other things. It climbs, descends and handles so much better. The only thing I’d say the Ibis has in it’s favour is the suspension, I absolutely adored the DW-link and to this day not many match it for pedalling efficiency and just sheer get up and go as that bike, the T130 is good in this regard but the Ibis was something else. While there is probably absolutely nothing “wrong” with your Trek (there was nothing “wrong” with my Ibis, I’d only slapped on a full XTR groupset the summer before I sold it) a modern bike will run rings around it out on the trail. Whether that’s worth the cost of a new bike is up to you, but the fact is a new bike will ride far, far better.

7Mesh MK2 bibs are ace, had mine since last autumn and they have been spot on, quality is very good, the chamois is soooooooo comfortable and they seem to breath well too. Can’t recommend enough, just like the rest of their kit really!

They are a bit dear, like all Oranges but I have to say I was well impressed with the one I demo’d earlier in the year. Fast, fun and while it was flawed in fairly obvious ways, some of them added to the character of the bike. First one was a deal breaker for me: inability to fit a bottle cage. But I knew that before hand and I was keen to see how it compared to other shorter travel 29ers. The rear suspension isn’t the most sophisticated, it feels simple and is not supple but my word the pop it gives you is great. Felt the back end was a little flexible as well but that may have added to the seamingly spring-loaded nature. Not for me, but overall I thought it was very good. Climbed well, didn’t feel heavy at all and was fun to ride.

Done, thoughts and prayers with you and your family Gnusmas, can’t even begin to imagine what you’re going through.

Liked the Minion DHF/Ardent Race combo I had on the T130 all through last summer, but absolutely loving the 2.35 Forekasters front and rear at the minute! The front isn’t quite as grippy as the DHF (which to be fair is a 3C, the Forekaster is DC) but my god the speed is unreal! The bike now carries speed so much better than before and they seem good in the wet too, dealing with deepish mud and wet rocks/roots well. Now if they did a couple of 3C versions of the Forekaster, Maxxterra for the front and Maxxspeed for the rear, now that would be incredible!

Lurked for years and then BikeRadar went to shit so joined the mass exodus!

I’m sure I saw that Tweeks had 29×2.6 Forekasters listed when I bought my 27.5×2.35’s a few months might be worth checking their site or giving them a call

I tested a new Ibiza FR last year with the 113bhp 1.0 turbo and while it had a tiny bit of lag over 2500rpm it shifted far quicker than I was expecting, to the point where I wondered if that bhp figure they gave was conservative! Funds don’t allow at the minute but when they do, I’ll be getting one, that Ibiza was ace, looked the dogs with 18 inch alloys was nice inside, can easily fit my large T130 in the boot with only the front wheel removed, was quiet, rode well, cruised well, had loads of kit and looks very “hot hatch” like without being needlessly OTT.

I’d be a little more hesitant to look for a Focus/Golf/Leon/Astra with a lower powered 1.0, really I’d want 120/130bhp minimum in car that size, but for a supermini 100-120bhp is more than enough, especially if it comes with a slick 6-speed box.

Exposure every day of the week. I’ve got a MaxxD and a Joystick and they are exceptional. An old work colleague had one of the very early Joysticks and the button failed after years of abuse, sent it back and they repaired it for £13. You just can’t go wrong with them in the long run. Yes initial purchase price is high, but you’ll get years and years out of them.

I think it looks pretty good. The colour scheme is ace, so nice to see something that isn’t completely black or some shade of grey for a change and at least the frame itself looks a little different compared to the norm, no “looks like a session” going on there! That S120 is really growing on me for sure.

The main selling point for Whyte to me is the durability, back up and the fact they ride so damn well. I’ve ridden a host of them, going back 7/8 years to the 146/T120 through to the latest T130 & S150 and not one has ridden like a lemon. They just seem to know how to make a bike ride well, the spec is always pretty sound for the intended use and they are reasonable value, even compared to the direct buy brands.

Rechecked source of the image and by heck it is a 29er! That thing will be a monster!

G170 looks like 27.5 still to me, the cassette looks bigger in comparison to the wheel compared to the S120. No details at all on the S120 yet other than what we can deduce from the picture. It’s a 34 SC fork so 120mm for sure and like other Whytes it’ll be 1x only. The spec on this C RS build looks similar to the C RS builds on the 2018 T130/S150/G170 so would guess price would be around £3800 if they stay in line with this years pricing, but it wouldn’t be surprising to see it closer to £4K with the exchange rates and year on year price increases. Can not wait to see what spec/colour/price a works version might be!

Hope Pro4 with Arch MK3 rims or i’d be tempted by the new Hunt Trail Wide wheels, look incredible value and a very good weight for a 30mm ID rim

Had Guide RS’s on my Whyte and had similar experiences, went to change the pads and the pistons were sticking, lever stuck on occasions too and often creaked. Great brakes when they worked, amazing modulation and decent power but in the end I had them repaired under warranty (the levers were replaced under warranty too), sold them on and got some Hope Race E4’s. Don’t think they’re quite as powerful but the modulation is good and they should be trouble free if my past experience of Hope brakes is anything to go by.

I quite like the G170 from a looks perspective, way too much bike for me and the riding I do but as an uplift/enduro/park bike it’d be a good choice. I was thinking my T130 would last me for a long time yet, it’s 2 years old in August and to be honest there’s absolutely nothing technically wrong with it… but having ridden a fair few short travel 29ers (Orange Stage 4. Yeti SB4.5 among others) I really want to try the S120 back to back with my T130!

Yeah a 130mm fork would be perfect. I hope they’ve gone down a similar geometry line to the S150, steeper seat angle, a tad longer reach, shorter fork offset and 40mm stems on all sizes. The seat angle is a tiny niggle I have with the T130, I wish it was just a tad steeper. 73.5 is fine and with a 34/50 bottom gear with eagle it climbs very well, but 74.5/75ish could be even better. Be interested to see the other models, whether it will be as extensive as the T130 or whether we’ll see one alloy model and two carbon ones as per the G170 and S150.

Speaking of the G170…

Purely for the Uncharted series, yes!!!! I’ve been an Xbox fanboi for years but Uncharted has blown my mind. Uncharted 4 is the best game I’ve ever played. Simple as that really, it’s epic!

Yep, several! First was a 456C, rode a mates and thought it would be great, bought one, built it up and within a few weeks was wondering why. Never have I ridden a bike that rode so harshly yet transferred so little power into forward motion. Geometry was good for the time, but it felt like riding a lump of wood.

My Foxy was a case of gradually falling out of love over an 18 month period. First rides were awesome, then it started to fall apart, then I realised it was just way too much bike and needed to be ridden 100% all of the time by a rider far, far more skilled and brave than I. Just as the bike felt like it was starting to sing, my mind just couldn’t keep up with what was going on.

My T130 is great, it’s not the fastest bike I’ve ever owned (the foxy easily takes that crown, both up and down), it’s not the lightest but it works brilliantly, has been super reliable to date, toes a great line between fast and fun and has never felt out of it’s depth or felt like too much bike. Working in the trade I got a stonking deal on it too, it will take something exceptional in all areas, ride, reliability and value, to prize it from me.