Is Whyte 46 still All Mountain top dog?

[Jonnyc]

Is there anything else which beats it mix of low weight and excellent suspension?

[mccreaky2000]

yeah any other bike, it is still very light but the problem is the fact that it will break as soon as you do anything 'all mountain'

[tankslapper]

http://www.orangebikes.com/2007bikes/images/600/5-Pro-18-001421.jpg

[tankslapper]

or this - although can be heavy!

http://www.santacruzmtb.com/nomad/nomad.jpg

[tankslapper]

I rate this - although lite!

http://www.leisurewheels.co.uk/smsimg/7/1457e52006.jpg

[tankslapper]

But if you want a real fight there's this:

http://www.mbaction.com/archive/bionica1br.jpg

[Jonnyc]

Surely all of those are over the 30lbs mark and don't have as much travel

[barry_kellett99]

Depends what you would describe all mountain as?
I would say its a bike that you can pedal up fairly quickly and descend on fairly quickly, and that can take some abuse.

My Meta5 is definitely not light. But it climbs superbly. Its also tough enough for my lack of downhill skills.

[Jonnyc]

I see it has now changed it's fork choice

http://www.whytebikes.com/whyte-2007/images/w46_r1_c1.jpg

[blur lt]

Here is the proper version

[Steveb]

I thought the Meta5 was now considered the best AM bike? Least all the mags seem to say so.

[Jonnyc]

I thought the Meta5 was now considered the best AM bike? Least all the mags seem to say so.

Yeah well that was sort of the basis of my question,

I haven't seen a review of the the latest incarnations of the whyte (talas, dhx, avids)

Have any mags done a head to head recently between the 3 big guns?

Meta 5
Whyte 46
Specialised Enduro

[tankslapper]

Surely all of those are over the 30lbs mark and don't have as much travel


Granted the Nomad is a tough nut to push below 30lb but the Whyte-E5 and the Orange 5 I've seen built at a paltry 25lb. As Barry says it depends what you describe 'all mountain' as.

[Steveb]

Not sure if the Whyte was included, but one of the mags did a big AM test, with the Spesh, the Meta won i think. or at least came joint first (with the Spesh).

Out of the box a 5.5.2 (rrp £1700) weighs 29lb. We've built them up as light as 26lb (yes really) and as heavy as 38lb. It's about the most versatile frame out there.

[tankslapper]

26lb!!!! ffs! How did you manage that?

Johnny

you need to decide what is 'all mountain' a 30lb bike handles 'better' downhill than a 25lb but doesnt climb as well - obviously. A 38lb bike is good at DH crap at up hills - so the question should start with 'what is the optimum weight for an AM bike?' for me probably 28lb-29lb light enough for the ups heavey enough for the downs and capabable of an all day epic.

My mate raves about his Whyte E5 - but this has come as a result of a broken metatarsal having moved from the Nomad - the E5 doesnt go DH as well.

IMHO

[kenny]

Is this an AM situation. 3 hr up, 1 hr down x 2hr climb up, followed by 2 hrs down on this day.
http://i69.photobucket.com/albums/i49/kennyNI/Tour%20du%20Mont%20Blanc/TMB-2.jpg

Intense 5.5. Currently at 29ish lbs (and another excuse to put in that pic)

[andyh]

Not sure if the Whyte was included, but one of the mags did a big AM test, with the Spesh, the Meta won i think. or at least came joint first (with the Spesh).

Out of the box a 5.5.2 (rrp £1700) weighs 29lb. We've built them up as light as 26lb (yes really) and as heavy as 38lb. It's about the most versatile frame out there.

Think that was in this months MBR and the Meta won, Spesh was close behind.

However I still think my bike is best !

[timH]

Dirt did a full test of 5ish inch full sussers spread over a few issues recently, can't remember what won, but the meta and prophet did well I think, they liked the hustler too.

[barry_kellett99]

Dirt did a full test of 5ish inch full sussers spread over a few issues recently, can't remember what won, but the meta and prophet did well I think, they liked the hustler too.

I dont think any of them "won"

Which is why I like their reviews. What is perfect for someone is completely far from it for other people. Personally I would never try and haul a 40lb 6" full suss bike with a BB about 3 stories above the hubs around anywhere!

But hey, whatever floats your boat!

[tankslapper]

Think that was in this months MBR and the Meta won, Spesh was close behind.

However I still think my bike is best !



O.K. What's your bike?

Oh! And then there's great bikes by Foes and the Mongoose Canaan!

TS

[timH]

Personally I would never try and haul a 40lb 6" full suss bike with a BB about 3 stories above the hubs around anywhere!

I assume that was directed at me, it's not the weight that counts but what you do with it ;)

[barry_kellett99]

I assume that was directed at me, it's not the weight that counts but what you do with it ;)

Exactly
Just because its white, doesn't make it light, and my bike climbs much better than all my lighter hardtails before :)

[ColB]

gotta agree with you there BK, my Meta climbs much much better than my Stiffee every did and I reckon it is a good 3 or 4 lbs heavier maybe more, the whoel geometry of the bike feels so much better making the ups easier...

[AndyL]

The line between the top end mairins and the Whytes gets pretty blurred these days...

If there were as many ups as downs and it was an all dayer, the 46 is my weapon of choice. I reckon mine had pretty much what you could call all mountain/trail riding, and my skills were the limiting factor in what it could do. A lot of people didn't get on with the fork, but as a mileage eater in utter comfort with 6" travel letting you climb seated and able to take a bit of stick, its darn good.

Shorter rides on steeper trails or more jumpy/droppy stuff and the G spot comes out to play. Its heavier by about 5lbs, but stronger and stiffer. Climbs OK but only when you wind on a lot of propedal, which means its not as silky smooth.

The fashion has moved from 6" either end "all mountain" bikes to 5" "trail" bikes as i think people who need/want 6" travel are really wanting something to go better downhill so dont mind some extra weight. A 5" trail bike can be made pretty light and strong but wont cope quite as well pointing down, but as its only 5" travel you wont be taking on DH courses on one...

Marketing or reality? discuss.

[kenny]

That's the whole problem. The inches of travel has defined what a MTB is, and what type of riding you should be doing on it, as opposed to the qaltiy of the ride for what you want it to do.

Ask a motorbiker, mx'er, etc how many inches of travel they have. Will they be able to tell you? In my massive smaple of 1 mx'er, he didn't know how many inches.

Answer: Marketing

[baz]

Absolutely. Geometry and component choice define a bikes use more so than travel. Compare a light 46 with 6" travel to a Transition Double (http://www.transitionbikes.com/2007/Double.cfm) with 3.5". I know which I'd rather climb cavehill on.

[davy]

I would say its a bike that you can pedal up fairly quickly and descend on fairly quickly.



It all depends on the rider :)

[tankslapper]

There's always this...

http://www.foesracing.com/mountainbikes.cfm?view=xct507

[johnboy]

There's always this...

http://www.foesracing.com/mountainbikes.cfm?view=xct507

This is an awsome bike, would luv one if I could get a frame cheaper lol

[tankslapper]

This is an awsome bike, would luv one if I could get a frame cheaper lol

It was in WTMB dream bikes - says it all really! Buy one in the U.S. I guess is the answer!

TS

[adamkprice]

What about the Yeti 575 http://www.yeticycles.com/Bikes/Bikes575.cfm

Its sub 30lbs and very strong, climbs like a goat, and is seriously quick on the decents

[Jonnyc]

How did you hoke this out from June?

[baz]

Perhaps he sells Yeti bikes...

[monty]

gt force 1.0 all the way :D

[D.J.]

Absolutely. Geometry and component choice define a bikes use more so than travel. Compare a light 46 with 6" travel to a Transition Double (http://www.transitionbikes.com/2007/Double.cfm) with 3.5". I know which I'd rather climb cavehill on.

Surely the thing that defines a bike's use more than anything else is the rider. The MX comparison is interesting and sort of backs up the logic - mx'ers will be more interested in their engine size and power (in MTB terms the rider is the engine) than their suspension.

But at the end of the day it's what bike YOU like riding best that is important, not what some magazine tells you.

By the way, that's a great photo Kenny.