These look great. Some good footage of them on YouTube at the moment if you look for BKXC and the Singletrack Sampler. They’ve been riding a pair of them whilst on a Scottish trip they’ve been doing with DMBiS. The whole thing has come across really well if anyone is interested – the bikes, the company and the people from DMBiS. It’s all made me really want a Claymore. And to live in Scotland.

Just a quick ride round the local woods with my son. Good fun although still got the urge to ride as was only 4.5 miles. 

@intheborders – I was going to but badwireddog beat me to it. As you say, not relevant to you just a factor maybe for the OP (equally might not be!) Just sounds a bit ‘Gianty’ to me, which as I said seems at odds with their great reputation.

Fair enough re the Canyon, I haven’t ridden one but thought the reviews were good.

@intheborders – with Cotic, don’t you need to change the bearings at least once a year to keep your warranty valid? Sure I’ve read that and it always puts me off – I use my full suss in summer and a hardtail in winter, so I’d not want the hassle and expense of unnecessary bearing changes just to keep my warranty. Are they particularly heavy on bearings or something? Or is just a small print way of avoiding warrantying a broken frame (which I admit seems at odds with their reputation for being great with customer service)?

My brother is in a very similar situation and has narrowed it down to the Neuron linked above, the Specialized Chisel and the Cotic Flaremax (although Cotic don’t currently have any cheap deals on those, they’re on the Jeht). I’m a bit of a Spesh and Cotic fan but out of those I’ve advised him to get the Canyon Neuron – seems a great deal. Rocky Mountain bikes are nice but I’m always put off when it’s NBD by their 5 year warranty on alloy frames. As you say, you keep bikes a long time (I do too) so that might need thinking about – carbon and steel can be repaired after the warranty period, but alloy usually can’t be.

Pah, my mum is 72 and about 17 stones, so no one is going to listen to your ride advice. 🙂

@honourablegeorge – definitely worth trying. My full suss is the previous gen carbon Stumpjumper (the 14 going by Specialized’s latest nomenclature) and it’s probably the perfect UK trail bike unless you live in some of the rarer more extreme environs of the country like northern Scotland or the Lake District. Really light frame that can be moved closer to the Epic Evo with a 130mm fork and light wheels or closer to the Stumpy Evo with a 150mm fork and burly wheels / tyres. I wouldn’t get rid as it’s perfect for most of my rides and love its adjustability. Shame the Evo stole a lot of its limelight really and has pretty much replaced it for the 15 generation.
I just need a metal 170mm bike to sit alongside it now….

The list of locations I want to go to is so long I don’t think I’ll ever scratch many of them. Although now it’s got me drawing up in my head a list of attainable UK and maybe Northern European rides/locations that maybe I can realistically tick off. Probably a thread for another day…

Haha @wordnumb – a word of caution – I saw a woman attempt that just last week at the coast and it ended with the f bomb in front of a queue full of kids and the sea gulls getting extra lunch.

https://www.mtbr.com/threads/chisel-fs-thread.1232352/page-2

here you go @coconut – a couple on there who have ridden it and listed build weights.

I’ve just got a modern trail hardtail to sit alongside my full suss and I’m loving it so far. Biggest thing I’ve found to reduce fatigue / battering is exactly what chiefgrooveguru says above…. Don’t brake on the rough stuff unless you really have to. It really seems to make a difference to arm pump. But also what everyone says… it’s never going to be less battering than a full suss. I would like to try some 2.6 tyres rather than 2.4 at some point, and some fancier bars/grips, to see how much I can close the speed / comfort gap to my full suss. Looking forward to the experiment as my bikes have very similar geometry.

Me neither, that water bar is the furthest I’ve ever got. Wouldn’t make it that far at the moment either.

Did you make it to that point @sharkattack? That’s the bit that always finishes me on that climb!

Took it out for its inaugural ride, only 3.5 miles round the local woods to get a feel for it.
Pros – the frame and geometry feel spot on        – the dropper post seems really good for the price , think it’s a rebranded Tranz X                     – tyres seem decent for the money although the rear may need replacing for something a bit faster rolling.                                                               -the deore 10 speed seemed good, I’m used to slx 12 speed and it’ll be absolutely fine.                – the biggest positive surprise was the fork @Dogthomson – genuinely was half decent apart from a bit of clunking noise which is probably par for the course with these

cons – the Tektro brakes were pretty poor, hopefully they’re just bedding in… again I’m used to decent ones (slx 4 pistons) so some of it could be just the performance gap.
– heel rub – the chain stays are very flared for wide rubber. Nothing some old school lizard skins can’t sort I guess.

overall – think I’m going to be very happy with it! Re the level of hardcoreness it just felt like a trail bike to me, a nice all rounder.

Cheers, that did it! Flame away!

Just laughed aloud at this and woke up the baby- cheers!

I can’t figure out how to post a picture anymore, but it’s here in its purple glory!

@cp you’ve called it right – got the delivery message about an hour later! We’re now back on for this afternoon supposedly! The will they won’t they tension is ramping up!

I’ve definitely jinxed this by posting too early – DHL now not delivering today and giving a vague promise of Monday… annoying.

re hardcore – I said semi because there are definitely more hardcore hardtails out there – this has got a kick stand mount 😀 It’s certainly hardcore enough for me!

Rattle is the best way to describe it. Think it will either be the slx brake pads, the cassette or maybe the internal routing – but apparently this is really uncommon having checked on the Specialized forum on mtbr.

just need time to check through the suggestions above, but haven’t had it yet! Got a hardtail being delivered today so I could always just ride that instead!

I have now twice cycled through a full cosplay battle (I think that’s the right term) in my local woods. The first time they had giant fake swords and axes and seemed a bit embarrassed to be caught hacking at each other wildly and pretending to get hurt. The other time they had fake guns and were preparing for a shoot em up with some sort of laser tag system I think. The first encounter genuinely reminded me of a scene from the Paul Rudd film ‘Role Models’. Brilliant.

Guess I’ll just note down all the suggestions on here and work my way through them. Hopefully will be pads or cassette not quite right as easy to check and sort.

It’s a newish fox dps shock, and I’m fairly confident the rattle is from right at the rear of the bike, so hopefully can rule that out!

@pothead – I’m not sure but I hope not as not sure how I’d sort that!

@matt – haha think you’ve cracked it!

I’ll definitely try the cheaper simple things first – doubt it’s my bearings given its usage.
I’ll check the rotor too to make sure that’s tight.

I’ll check the cassette, good point.

Don’t think it’s the cables although I’ve only had a cursory check – it’s internally routed.

I’m pretty certain it’s from right at the back of the bike, but would be willing to check the shock bushings – except I don’t know how?

Thank goodness, me too. I’ll get back to sponging on my summer break.

@anagallis_arvensis
5.5% for teachers the workshy spongers are always on holiday, why do they need a pay rise ?

hoping this is a joke??

Thanks all for the suggestions so far. The Calibre looks great value, hadn’t considered them. The Orange looks nice but reading the description might be more in the robust and very stiff camp rather than compliant for general trail riding? Will see what test rides I can sort, just always good to hear real world experience from people on here!

Interesting re the Specialized helmet – I think I have a rugby ball shaped head and they fit me well too when other brands often don’t. Although I’m right on the cusp of small / medium I did manage to try on as they’re in lots of stores including Evans. Can’t go wrong with the Tactic (Evans selling off for around £50) or Camber which I’ve moved onto now as it was £30 in a sale!

Guy also edited that article to reflect something that many in the industry seem to forget…. Not everyone has access to that kind of money or tech. I’m an exact case of this – I own the carbon standard Stumpjumper 14 comp. It was the top of my budget (although it’s nice to know it can be upgraded in future) – Had it been 2k more upfront with only 1k drive train options as an ownership prospect I’d be out.

Guy basically admitted he hadn’t even thought of it as a problem until he saw all the comments on bike forums as he has constant access to all the latest and greatest tech, as will the Specialized designers. It makes them out of touch. He then added it as a con on his review, so fair play to him.

Hopefully by the time I’m in the market for a new trail bike Spesh will back track. If they build in so much geometry customisation they should include lots of options for building the bike up for all budgets too.

Or even more hopefully Cotic will start to offer a trail bike with either a carbon or steel rear triangle so I can finally buy one of those instead!

I live on the edge of Barnsley, and pleased the two main seats that cover the area stayed Labour after the exit poll seemed to suggest they’d both go Reform. My constituency went from Conservative to Labour too.

However, despite voting Labour this time, looking at some of the new cabinet doesn’t fill me with masses of confidence. I’m clinging on to the fact that no matter how bad people like Streeting are, no one could be worse than the last lot!

Also seems Truss is gone – that and Mogg are my favourites tonight! She seems to have done a runner now they’re about to call it!

On the launch video you can see an alloy one with what looks like normal routing. Don’t know why they don’t just launch them altogether.

I’ve read a bit more about the carbon one today, and I definitely think they’ve missed the mark with this one – as others have said, a shame given the success of the previous model and corresponding Evo and the recent winners with the Epic and Chisel FS.

I agree, and I’ve had 3 Specialized full suss bikes in a row. Not for me, I don’t want wireless shifting any more than I want an E-bike. People should have the option. Plus seems very expensive compared to previous models.

Ah well if it’s only 140/150 not really a competitor to the chisel at 110/120 so ignore me!

Was going to comment the same as you @fazzini – new stumpy supposedly out next week so if you’re considering one maybe wait for a comparison…

I’m confused by the hack thing??