Retro is Right

I've heard great things about the ST4, and I'd like to try one at some point.

I used to have a Patriot and loved every second of it (on the odd occasion I got to stretch it's legs).

What does your Five weigh in at?

Tallpaul":2979mc0c said:

When platformed damped shocks offer comparable performance to a hard-tail when climbing, what disadvantage do they have?

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Slightly more weight, higher maintenance and the average rider has no idea about setting up suspension to work properly.

But in all honesty I'd take my 5 Spot over any of my retro rides if its going to be long, at a reasonable pace or over unknow terrain.

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Tallpaul":h8z3tdi9 said:

I've heard great things about the ST4, and I'd like to try one at some point.

I used to have a Patriot and loved every second of it (on the odd occasion I got to stretch it's legs).

What does your Five weigh in at?

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Not weighed it, but i reckon 28.5lbs. It's not the real weight though, it's the way it feels heavier.

andrewl":1fi079de said:

Tallpaul":1fi079de said:

When platformed damped shocks offer comparable performance to a hard-tail when climbing, what disadvantage do they have?

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Slightly more weight, higher maintenance and the average rider has no idea about setting up suspension to work properly.

But in all honesty I'd take my 5 Spot over any of my retro rides if its going to be long, at a reasonable pace or over unknow terrain.

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Length of ride is a huge factor.

You've hit on a very important point. Setting up suspension. I'm not sure that "the average rider" has no idea, but before buying one, you should definitely make sure you know what you're doing.

andrewl":1b81ojw9 said:

Slightly more weight, higher maintenance and the average rider has no idea about setting up suspension to work properly.

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I agree with both those things, but I was thinking that the sort of people who actually buy £2.5k bikes like this are more mature and way more serious about riding than someone who just buys MBUK and wants a FS because they are told they want one.

ratbane":1b81ojw9 said:

It's not the real weight though, it's the way it feels heavier.

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Fair point. But the saying it feels heavier implies it's more of a slog to ride, when your times suggest otherwise. Defo, it can't be as agile and nimble as the Explosif but then again I see that as a tool for a specific purpose.

I guess the point I'm trying to make is that if I could only have one bike for the rest of my life, it would be something like a Five.

Tallpaul":3buixpve said:

andrewl":3buixpve said:

Slightly more weight, higher maintenance and the average rider has no idea about setting up suspension to work properly.

Click to expand...

I agree with both those things, but I was thinking that the sort of people who actually buy £2.5k bikes like this are more mature and way more serious about riding than someone who just buys MBUK and wants a FS because they are told they want one.

ratbane":3buixpve said:

It's not the real weight though, it's the way it feels heavier.

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Fair point. But the saying it feels heavier implies it's more of a slog to ride, when your times suggest otherwise. Defo, it can't be as agile and nimble as the Explosif but then again I see that as a tool for a specific purpose.

I guess the point I'm trying to make is that if I could only have one bike for the rest of my life, it would be something like a Five.

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Can't disagree with you. It's a great choice as a one stop bike.

The O5 isn't a slog, what I'm describing is the way it makes you feel when you are riding it. The Kona is much more exciting.

Whenever I ride anything with sushpensione after about 5 mins I get bored and start wondering why I didn't stay sat on the sofa and just watch countryfile .

I would think I was being punished for something if I had to endure that level of boredom for an entire day

I've raced both my Xizang and my TREK Fuel EX* this past summer - as any one who owns one will tell you, nothing climbs like a Xizang - it feels like someone is pushing you up the hills sometimes! On other parts of the course though the Fuel is definitely faster - scary rocky descents you can just hold on to the bars, let go of the brakes and trust the bike to carry you through, rely on the 8" discs to stop you fast if they have to - on the Xizang these parts of the course require a lot more thought care and hand-cramp inducing use of the brakes. In the singletrack the Xizang is fast, but the Fuel is suprisingly nimble too - the rear shock means you don't lose forward momentum when the back wheel drops into a hole or hits a root, small obstacles like logs can just be ridden over. Flat out sprinting - well the Xizang weighed about 23.5lbs in geared/front suspension build, the Fuel is about 27.5 - it's just basic physics - the Xizang sprints like a whippet on crack, the Fuel sprints okay (pro-pedal) but you definitely feel like your fighting gravity a bit.

I know I feel a lot tireder after a few hours on the GT, but I also feel like I've really ridden the course. The Fuel is really what I think of as my 'play' bike - you can have a lot of fun on it without thinking about it too much!

Aesthetically - well I love most bikes, regardless of age, i do think my Fuel is a very cool looking bike, but probably not as timeless as th Xizang.

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perry":mtt1wr23 said:

Whenever I ride anything with sushpensione after about 5 mins I get bored and start wondering why I didn't stay sat on the sofa and just watch countryfile .

I would think I was being punished for something if I had to endure that level of boredom for an entire day

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You've hit the nail on the head methinx.

Countryfile here I come.

mechagouki":117nndbq said:

I've raced both my Xizang and my TREK Fuel EX* this past summer - as any one who owns one will tell you, nothing climbs like a Xizang - it feels like someone is pushing you up the hills sometimes! On other parts of the course though the Fuel is definitely faster - scary rocky descents you can just hold on to the bars, let go of the brakes and trust the bike to carry you through, rely on the 8" discs to stop you fast if they have to - on the Xizang these parts of the course require a lot more thought care and hand-cramp inducing use of the brakes. In the singletrack the Xizang is fast, but the Fuel is suprisingly nimble too - the rear shock means you don't lose forward momentum when the back wheel drops into a hole or hits a root, small obstacles like logs can just be ridden over. Flat out sprinting - well the Xizang weighed about 23.5lbs in geared/front suspension build, the Fuel is about 27.5 - it's just basic physics - the Xizang sprints like a whippet on crack, the Fuel sprints okay (pro-pedal) but you definitely feel like your fighting gravity a bit.

I know I feel a lot tireder after a few hours on the GT, but I also feel like I've really ridden the course. The Fuel is really what I think of as my 'play' bike - you can have a lot of fun on it without thinking about it too much!

Aesthetically - well I love most bikes, regardless of age, i do think my Fuel is a very cool looking bike, but probably not as timeless as th Xizang.

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thats interesting....ihave a 2009 trek fuel ex9 and have done comparable back to back rides on it and my 91 klein attitude with simaler conclusions......horses for courses really,both have their strong points,its good to have a choice.......i dont share this modern bike phobia snobbery thing.....i did a 5+ hour ride on the long mynd two weeks ago and toward the end was glad of a few inches of travel and discs.....the klein would have kicked the cr@p out of me!!!....the fuels do look the bizzo,i agree.....