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Home > Product Reviews > Full Suspension > Whyte 46 Reviews

Whyte 46

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Whyte 46
More about Whyte

Average Rating: 4 out of 5
No. of Reviews: 31
RRP: £2,700
Year: 2006

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Description:

6061 Quad-Link Link frame.

Maverick 100-150mm Adjust Travel fork.

Fox Float RP3 rear shock.

Cane Creek S2 headset.

Hope Sport rear hub.

Maverick front hub.

DT Double Butted spokes.

XM717 rims.

Continental Gravity Pro 2.3" tyres.

Shimano XT shift levers, derailleurs, cassette, chain, cransket and bottom bracket.

Whyte 201 seatpost.

Easton Monkeylite XC bar.

Maverick stem.

Whyte Lock On grips.

Hope Mono M4 180mm / 200mm Disc brakes.

Hope Hydraulic brake levers.

REVIEWS

1 to 10 of 31 reviews, to post a review you need to be a member - Join now.Page: 1 2 3 4

henry

Posted: 27/05/08

'THE BEST "SIX INCHER"'

Strengths:
the ups and downs

Weaknesses:
they dont make it anymore

Overall:
tops

Performance		100%
Reliability		80%
Value		100%

Overall Rating

93%

Nigel Marsh

Posted: 23/02/08

'AWESOME TRAIL BIKE'

Strengths:
laps up anything you throw at it and spits it out with utter contempt,it is able to handle any trail or conditions, eats up miles, once you get on you just dont want to get off, you will ride all day. it does every thing you ask of it , and then some! it has proper hard core work horse spec that delivers in spadefulls. this is a truly special bike, if you have never ridden one then you life is empty, shallow and pointless. of the list of 100 things to do before you die, riding a 46 must surly be number 1.

Weaknesses:
dont make them anymore

Overall:
THIS IS WHAT DREAMS ARE MADE OF!!!!

Performance		100%
Reliability		100%
Value		100%

Overall Rating

100%

Glen Watridge

Posted: 07/02/08

'EXCELLENT XC BIKE '

Strengths:
Light and Reliable

Weaknesses:
No Adjustment on the Maverick fork. This fork looks the business and does a great job on the trail but it doesn't like the real heavy big freeride hits.

Overall:
Excellent and reliable XC and trail bike and as AJ said "does exactly what is says on the box". The brakes are fantastic and the RP3 pro pedal works like a charm. I can see why they developed the RP2 as 3 settings is a bit of a waste.

Performance		80%
Reliability		100%
Value		80%

Overall Rating

87%

TS1

Posted: 26/07/07

'IF CARLSBERG MADE BIKES THEY,D MAKE THE 46 '

Strengths:
Its the whole package I.E. the forgiving ride, the mighty mavericks , the huge hopes, the way they all work so well together .

Weaknesses:
The paint chips off if you so much as look at it & the linkages get a bit creaky,but niether of these detract from outstanding performance.

Overall:
Young ladies go off to finishing school, officers go to sandhurst , but if you want to better yourself in the world of mountain biking then get your arse on a WHYTE 46, IT MAKES YOU A BETTER RIDER .
Ive just sold mine after 18 months and in that time its constantly blown me away. Ive been out on it 24 seven because, make no mistake this thing is addictive. When you first clamber aboard this huge, high ,gangly, creaking, springy bastard you feel totally over biked but within minutes your confidence starts to soar as it just gobbles up everything in its path , you find yourself going out of your way to re-visit imposible drop off,s and tough rock gardens that once had you sh*tting yourself ,just so you can attack them hell for leather and mock them as you float above on six inches of plush travel , and iff you over cook it ......relax and let the MAVS soak it up - and if youve gone too fast................ dont worry the huge HOPES will save your ass . This machine delivers in spades . Then when your mates and your breath catch up , lock it all down and ride it back up & do it all again. In a M.T.B. world full of diferent manufacturers offering false promises its nice to find somthing that both talks the talk AND walks the walk.
True the paint chips if you so much as look at it ( shouldve been annodised ) & the linkages start to creak after a while , but niether of these things affect the fun and my dealer easily sorted the creak out at service time , Also a lot of people like to slag the mavs off , but how many of those who slag em have long term experience of em ? I have & I loved em , yes I had to replace the seals but that was only £25.00 all done "in house" at my L.B.S.
Time marches on - Jon whyte has left the company - and in my humble opinion WHYTE have ruined the 46 for 2007 they,ve moved away from the 4-6 inch travel option ,theyve lost the HOPES and are offering it with an alternative fork to the MAVS! but dont despair, if your quick you can still pick up an original 06 model with all of the above for around £2500...(better bike less cash !!)...your last chance to own a legend .............SO WOT ARE YOU WAITING FOR ???????????????????????????????????Ive just bought one of them - all singing - all dancing CARBON SPECIALIZED ENDURO S.L.,s. and at the time of writing this review, rather than bieng stoked about the new spesh I,m hoping I havent been to hasty with the old whyte.
watch this space.

Performance		100%
Reliability		100%
Value		100%

Overall Rating

100%

A J

Posted: 27/12/04
Updated: 24/05/07

'DOES EXACTLY WHAT IT SAYS ON THE BOX! - SUPERB'

Strengths:
- Better build quality over last year’s model. My paint is lovely and the welds look just fine.
- The bike climbs like a hardtail, but takes the downs like a 6" DH bike.
- Awesome stopping power, improved rear end over last year too.
- Actually very good value when you add it all up!

Weaknesses:
- Get some Intense Tyres.
- Learn some DH skills before taking this bike out. You'll need them to keep up with the bike!

Overall:
The best all-rounder I've ever ridden. I was torn between this and the Patriot 66 FR. I like to ride very hard and was a little worried cos I'd been out on several Patriots and loved em, but the Whyte 46 performs just as well on the downS, tracks better and you can ride it all day long! I dont regret my buy in any way. It's worth every hard earned penny.

Performance		100%
Reliability		100%
Value		100%

Overall Rating

100%

chris johnson

Posted: 10/02/05
Updated: 24/05/07

'THE DOGS BO**OCKS!'

Strengths:
plusher than a flying carpet.

Weaknesses:
you might not want to get off.

Overall:
The story:97 Mount vision nicked from my garden shed so I needed a new steed. Read reviews of Whyte 46.

The man: I once met Jon Whyte whilst riding in Swaledale. I was on one of his Mt Visions and so was he, accompanied by 2 mates who were on prototypes. They were testing the bikes on the coast-to-coast route. I rode with them for about 5 miles and he seemed genuinely interested in my views on his bike: It's nice to see an MD who is not aloof; willing to listen to opinion and who speaks from experience - the marin/whyte marketing is true.

The shop: I went to Aire Valley cycles and enquired about the bike. No pressure; Bernie suggested i take it for a test ride and seeing i was undecided about the new Mt Vision, suggested i bring along a mate and take them both to compare!

The bikes:the mount vision was the preferred bike on the tarmac - sharper steering and faster. We thought it was a done deal, until we hit the trail. The Whyte ploughed through everything, with no fuss whatsoever. It felt v. stable, the fork tracks superbly; I found myself seeking out rough sections just to experience the superb suspension (akin to a 6 year old jumping in puddles with new wellies). In comparison the Mt Vision felt jittery and lacking in confidence. The downhills were a revelation - it encourages you to go; I could well do myself an injury on this bike.
They are both great bikes. It just depends on the type of riding you prefer. I must stress that i am a x-country rider, but want comfort as well as speed.
It's a lot of money, but i talked the missus into calling it a 40th birthday present, even though it's not until May (tee hee). Aire Valley did me a great deal as i was willing to pay up-front.

Go on, sell a kidney - you will not be disappointed!

Chris Johnson (almost 40, going on 6)

Performance		100%
Reliability		100%
Value		80%

Overall Rating

93%

Scott Parkinson

Posted: 20/04/05
Updated: 24/05/07

'EVEN BETTER!'

Strengths:
Superb frame and paint finish (see my review of last years bike).
Rock eating suspension.
Very efficient.
Climbing traction.

Weaknesses:
Gravity tyre on the front. Get rid of it and get a michelin Hot s 2.5. Yes its red but your front end grip will be amazing! Either that or a schwalbe Big Betty. Also, those childish TARA stickers on the swing arm make it look cheap. I covered mine with some sticky-backed acrylic.

Overall:
I got this frame as a warranty replacement as my 04 46 was damaged by fitting a wrongly made Alpine link. ATB were superb and I was riding a 05 frame within 2 weeks.

I cant believe this is the same bike. It rides so much better than my 04 46. I've ridden both bikes at Afan, Coedy and Glentress and the 05 feels so much better. The back end is stiffer and the suspension seems to take the hits better (although this could be due to the newer shock).

I made an observation about the bottom bracket height in my last review but I can now see the benefits. My friends ride 05 orange 5's and are forever bashing pedals and having to pick and choose when to pedal. On this you can just pedal through anything.

Also, with the new Alpine link fitted, the b/b lowered and the head angle slackened the bike has become a dh speed machine. Don't get me wrong, it wont turn it into a Gemini or 223 but if you have a 46 then get the Alpine link, its worth every penny. It makes it stable at higher speeds so you push yourself harder.

My only gripe is the travel adjuster on the rear. Get rid of it Mr Whyte. It's ugly and with a Fox rp3 pro pedal shock there is no need for any travel adjustment.

In short, this the best bike I have ever ridden. It might not look the best but the suspension performance and the though that has gone into this bike is astounding.

Performance		100%
Reliability		100%
Value		100%

Overall Rating

100%

Martin Kells

Posted: 02/05/05
Updated: 24/05/07

'SUPERB. AWESOME. FANF##KINTASTIC!!!'

Strengths:
Truly a magic carpet. It's soooo... comfortable. It climbs like a monkey on steroids and soaks up everything on decents. Agile on singletrack. Build spec is superb with virtually no upgrades. required.

Weaknesses:
You WILL find yourself going faster than your ability. No bottle mount (got a cat eye stadium, still bourght the Whyte though!)The XT chain rings, they seem to be made of cheese. Soft cheese at that. Frame is noisey. Paint quality seems still to be an issue, though it could be that he paint work gets a lot more hammer due to the terrain and speed that you can do.

Overall:
Despite the weaknesses, these do not detract from the fantastic ride. Which is what it's all about!

The weaknesses are only nitpicking. If i had too, i'd buy another tomorrow.

Go buy one!

Performance		100%
Reliability		100%
Value		100%

Overall Rating

100%

Steve Musitano

Posted: 31/08/05
Updated: 24/05/07

'TOP BANNANA'

Strengths:
Suspension, Brakes, in fact everyting mechanical, also the ride generally. It is a fantastic bike, that you can ride all day and give it what for on the way down. It just eats it all up and wants more. A very plush bike indeed.

Weaknesses:
PAINT - After 8weeks the bike has more chips than McDonalds. Its been back to ATB they say 'Paint is within spec' - Pah!! sorry but for a bike this price its not good enough.

Overall:
It is a cracking bike and a joy to ride. The RP3 rear shock works really well, but would like to feel more from the ProPedal lever. The Maverick forks are simple!!! and superb.
The bike exudes confidence in the rider and your riding (so much, i have bust my collar bone and im 42)...doh!
Is it worth the money? Ohhhhh YES, but any bike in this range should be. If you test ride one you will want one...!!

Performance		80%
Reliability		80%
Value		80%

Overall Rating

80%

Mike Knowles

Posted: 09/09/05
Updated: 24/05/07

'MAKES ME LOOK GOOD '

Strengths:
Climbs like a mountain goat thats been shot up the a**e. Forks "what rocks" The mavericks are the best around.
I appear to be riding faster and can stop quicker. Cannot fault the spec its the perfect ride.

Weaknesses:
Will change the tyres to the Michies.
My ability to hold on and my constant references to my ancient footwear

Overall:
Possibly the best all round bike I have bought. The whyte 46 can be ridden all day every day. Carry a spare pair of Sugoi gusto shorts you might need them.