Over the last couple of years I have found myself standing on start lines wishing I was on a fast and light hardtail. Specialising in ultra distance races and rides means that bike changes are inevitable to suit situations and conditions but for fast starts, quick laps, and smoother courses the simplicity, agility, and direct speed of a comfortable hardtail is a distinct advantage.
When I left Extreme Endurance earlier this year I decided I wanted to ride a top class hardtail and was offered support from Enigma bikes. Based on the south coast, they specialize in handbuilt titanium and steel frames. Besides the obvious quality of the frames, the idea of riding for a quality UK company really appealed, particularly in the current economic climate. We have some fantastic engineering companies in this country and I'm proud to be riding a great example of this.
The frame is made from Columbus Life triple butted tubing. This allows very thin wall thicknesses and low weight with no loss of strength. Along with some beautiful tube manipulation (check the brake and chain stays) it also gives a superbly comfortable ride which damps trail chatter and leaps forward in direct response to rider input.
The bike has many touches of unique craftsmanship; dropouts are minimalist and elegant. Alignment of the frame is laser accurate. Cable guides are perfectly positioned and finished. Graphics are minimalist and understated but very cool at the same time. The feature that always seems to draw attention is the engraved bottom bracket shell - it's a nice touch that marks the Enigma as 'a bit different'. As my northern friend Stuart commented "It's Gucci Steel!".' Quite.
Kit wise, I've kept things light by running KCNC bars and stem and a set of top class handbuilt wheels from Bertie Maffoons Cycle Co. The Stans/Hope build is tubeless, stiff, and easily serviceable. A slight concession to weight has been made by running a USE suspension seat post. I can live with the extra grams because the suspension post means you can sit down through rough stuff in a way you couldn't with a standard post. Other than that, I have kept to my usual reliable mix of braking and drive chain.
Geometry wise it's pretty clear what this bike is made for; the 71 degree head angle makes for fast steering in singletrack. If you are looking for a bike to hurl down something steep and rocky then look elsewhere. However, if you are an accurate and agile rider who loves twisting and turning through woodland singletrack at road bike speeds there are few bikes that will exhilarate and reward as much as this. In a world of line numbing full suspension it's easy to forget just how snappy and fast a quality hardtail can be.
Oh yes, and if you like being stopped and questioned about your classy and unusual bike then this could be just the bike to flatter your Ego....
More about Engima at www.enigmabikes.com
Make sure to hop over to Rich's excellent blog, where you can read more about his epic rides www.richyroth.com
