1. The weight (approx 28.5 lbs) is outstanding for a bike with this much travel and traction is superb. I find technical climbs easier on this than a hardtail since I can get and maintain better traction. I don’t even use the 4” TARA setting that much. I tend to stick to 5” with the ProPedal adjustment on and then swap to 6” for the downhill. [TIP: To make TARA adjustments easier, lift rear of bike by the seat tube and then adjust TARA QR position]. 2. The suspension (custom Fox Float RP3 and Maverick DUC-32) are extremely robust and easy to setup. The length of the DUCs travel combined with the rake sometimes mean comedy pogo moments if you dive off drop-offs but they have yet to let me down. 3. The brakes are damn good (Hope Mini MONO M4) , sometimes a bit too good! I don’t suffer with excess noise from mine. 4. The frame is extremely capable and can soak up anything short of freeride without difficulty. 5. Support from Whyte (through ATB Sales) has been good the couple of times I have needed it although don’t expect Whyte to ever meet their own dates for releasing next year’s models!
Weaknesses: All minor niggles so don’t over play their importance, but worth knowing:
1. Paint job is nice, but chips very easily. For a bike this expensive and aimed at all mountain / technical trail riding this is simply not good enough. This is a past complaint I think and not one that Whyte have effectively solved yet. 2. Big Grippers work well but take a bit of getting used to. Weakness is that you need to get a special adapter (Rocky Mount Maverick Adpater from Sideways Cycles) to fit the bike to a bike carrier like the Thule Velovise. The down tube is so high I don’t think the Thule ProRide 591 arm is long enough to reach it, so you’ll have to go for a fork clamp carrier. 3. It gets darn creaky after a while (might have something to do with a pressure washer – I know, I know…!). 4. It is a bit of a wheelie merchant, light front and good cranks make for wheelies on technical climbs. 5. Rake on the forks means that it is a little twitchy on descents and around switchbacks can drop-into the turn very quickly. I am going to try the Alpine link to see if this calms things down.
Overall: I would highly recommend this bike to anyone who can afford it. It has helped my confidence and riding ability hugely. I don’t subscribe to the argument that a bike can be too good. I have not found another trail bike that suits a 110kg, 6’2” ex tight-head prop any better. This means I can climb (at a suitably dignified pace) to the top of a trail and merrily throw myself off the top with confidence. I test rode mine on Whites Level at Afan Argoed, this a good test to see what it is capable of doing.
Strengths: These shoes fit wide feet very well and with velcro straps are adjustable enought to make them snugg but not restrictive.
They are built to last and survive cackhandled cornering without letting your pinkies paying for it.
Cooling mesh is excellent in the summer and the sole is stiffer than a 16 year old Brit at Ibiza Airport.
Weaknesses: The tread is just long enough to make clipping-in with SPDs a touch tricky. I'm using Shimano M545s which have a cage in addition to the cleat, the cage is the problem.
Overall: Excellent. The stiffness of the sole really helps get the power down and they are robust enough to protect. But buy a pair of SealSkins for wet days.
Be warned the Body Geometry Technology means you walk like John Wayne when you are off the bike!
