Bikes for Enduro... The restart

[Eddy Gordo]

Such a sweet looking machine!!!

Hasn't got good write ups though. Wide chain stays because of the rear brake positioning seems to be a problem for most testers.

Serious, Hectic stuff, I must admit I didnt read any reviews on it, as I was eyeing the SX which I now have

However I like and dont like where the shock is mounted

[nonky]

Being a VAG and Knolly fan, this is one ideeeeeal setup...

http://i103.photobucket.com/albums/m130/kwaterbury22/allroad-side-knolly_decal.jpg

why would you drop the suspension on an allroad?

[nonky]

Bah. I've decided that I'm going to start saving for a new bike. Something a bit tighter and more playful than the Reign x, with a little bit more room in the reach department.

 

So far, I have a shortlist (haah!) Of bikes. At this point I'm not really worried about price as I have a while to save, so its basically about the availability and characteristics of the bikes themselves, and a real heart to heart with myself as to how much travel I REALLY need.

 

So far, the shortlist is...

 

Transition scout

transition patrol

banshee spitfire

banshee roam

ibis Hd3

pivot Mach 6c

Yeti SB6C

SC Bronson

kona process 159

Spez enduro 29

rocky mountain altitude

rocky mountain thunderbolt

 

 

Yes, the reign and trance aren't on there. Neither is the silverback. Reign for a very good reason - I already have a bulldozer. My reign x literally eats EVERYTHING for lunch, and I'm looking for something that is a bit more playful (not that it isn't, but - well, it's not an HDR) and a bit tighter. The new reign by all accounts is more of the same, so yeah. The Trance - well, there's just so many of them, and I've had giant for a while now. Plus it's almost the "old school" geo, which would put me on an xl to get the reach I want.

 

The silverback - meh. Not for me. This is going to be *the* bike, and for whatever reason it just doesn't tickle me in the right places.

 

So. The search continues, and intensifies. There will be a reign x up for sale just now, in very good nick apart from one ding that's been there since I bought it. No, not yet.

watch this:

 

http://gear.bikemag.com/2015-bible-of-bike-tests/all-mountain/specialized-enduro-elite-29.html

 

it's not the only test that rates the spez endure, as I have seen it on a few "best of 2014/5" lists.

[Captain Fastbastard Mayhem]

watch this:

 

http://gear.bikemag.com/2015-bible-of-bike-tests/all-mountain/specialized-enduro-elite-29.html

 

it's not the only test that rates the spez endure, as I have seen it on a few "best of 2014/5" lists.

yeah, I'm well aware of it. But this has really hit a weak spot... Always liked Knolly bikes, for somme reason. And the linkage intrigues me. Just trying ot figure out how I can get one here. 

http://fthumb1.mtb-news.de/cache/670/auto/1/1/fstatic2.mtb-news.de/f/n3/3f/n33fe9pxgw1o/large_Tri-Cycles36.jpgKnolly's 150mm travel Warden rolls on 650B wheels and, to be completely honest, I was a little apprehensive about that fact. You might expect us to say that bigger wheels are better, but their 26" Endorphin impressed me so much when I reviewed it last year that I did my best to hold onto the day-glo bike for as long as possible. The Warden that's reviewed here sports an extra 10mm of travel and larger hoops, but its geometry is somewhat similar to the Endorphin. There is also the fact that the bike is also unmistakably a Knolly: aluminum tubing, mostly external cable routing, that now familiar 'Four by 4' linkage, and sensible construction that includes replaceable ISCG 05 tabs, a threaded bottom bracket shell, and a pinch bolt 12 x 142mm axle. As always, Knolly's bikes are more about long term durability and function rather than whatever the latest trend may be telling you what you need to have fun. Knolly through and through. Our high-end SRAM build kit is combo'd with a RockShox Pike up front and Cane Creek's DBair CS shock, adding up to a $6,841 USD price tag, but the frame and same shock can be had for $2,795 USD should you want to assemble it how you see fit. 

 

While I might not call the Warden sleek looking, it does have a unique appearance that has grown on me over the many months that I've had it in my stable, and I'd say that it's more bruiser than streamlined. Cables are all strung externally, save for the option of routing the seat post's line within the frame, and Knolly has built-in a couple of clever options that allow for some flexibility should you find yourself making wholesale changes in the drivetrain department: not only is the multi-position front derailleur mount removable, the bike's ISCG 05 chain guide tabs can also be replaced or taken off entirely if they're not needed. Just as with Knolly's other machines, tire clearance on the back of the Warden is exceptional. Want to install some big 2.5" rubber for your upcoming day in the bike park? Go right ahead. There is also a standard pinch bolt arrangement keeping the bike's 12 x 142mm axle in place that, although requiring both 4mm and 6mm hex keys, looks burly enough to never have me worrying about it coming loose. 

 

The Warden's Suspension Explained

The bike's 'Four by 4' linkage looks a lot like a common four-bar design that has had a set of links added that only complicate matters, but there is a some sound theory behind the design. The Warden's seat tube position is a key factor in the layout, with its forward position relative to the norm allowing the bike's seat to be more out of the way when lowered for technical terrain, but the slack angle of the seat tube means that it's in roughly the correct position for pedalling. This fact, along with Knolly's desire to not have to use lengthy and more flexible seat stays, necessitates the secondary linkage that is used to both push on the rocker arm and tie the system to the seat tube. There is a degree of added complexity and associated hardware that comes with the design, but it has been executed quite smartly. There are also clevis pivots that join the rocker arm with DU bushings to save weight in a location that sees minimal stress, and the co-pivot at the top of the seat stay saves further grams by eliminating another set of hardware (pictured to the right).

 

Climbing 

There seems to be a bit of a competition to see who can make the longest and slackest mid-travel bike these days, which is all well and good if you believe that your sole mission come the weekend is to crush the downs, but there are still a few hardy few out there who take an equal amount of pride from scaling the impossible. Images of Knolly sender James Doerfling launching over chasms come to mind when one thinks of the Canadian company, but the 150mm travel Warden seems to have been penned for those riders mentioned previously, with it managing to claw its way up vertical tests like purpose-built rock crawler. That's not to say that the bike can't be ridden down the gnar or over said chasms - more on that below - just that I was surprised by what I managed to get up when aboard the black Knolly. I shouldn't have been, though, because the 26" wheeled Endorphin behaved in the same manner. ''In fact, the trickier the climb, the better it performs, with great traction on hand that seems to search out any available bite,'' were my words when I reviewed the Endo last August. ''Rear wheel spin was near nonexistent so long as I had the slightest bit of form, even when I was flailing up a stepped pitch that did its best to make my life difficult, and that fact always seemed to keep the bike moving forwards rather than stalling out.'' The Warden's chain stays are just 4mm longer than what the Endo sports, and the bike's larger diameter wheels give it a slightly better roll-over abilities on rough, stepped climbs, putting any failed attempts squarely on a lack of fitness or handling skills.

http://es.pinkbike.org/245/sprt/i/bigquotes.pngIf you stumble on technical climbs you should seriously consider a bike that will make the most of what skills you do have. The Warden can do precisely that, taking you from zero to hero so long as you can turn the cranks over and keep it pointed in the right direction - it's that good.

The Warden's ability to channel Spider-Man has a lot to do with how compact it feels when the switchbacks begin to seem like another is starting before you're out of the last one, and the lack of a travel-adjust fork never held the bike back - get used to how it handles and get on with it. And even though the bike grew in length by just a hair under an inch compared to the Endo, I still had the distinct impression of knowing precisely where its rear wheel was in such terrain. That's not something that can be said about a lot of the current crop of mid-travel bikes, so it was a nice change to literally be able to breeze up things that troubled machines who think it's only about the downs. Newsflash: there's mountain biking to be done, and that very often means climbs that are even more challenging than the downs that follow. With the Cane Creek DBair CS shock, meaty tires that can be aired down low enough to barely register on a gauge, and a stubby rear end that delivers traction to you on a platter, the Warden seems to be tailor made for just that sort of riding. I'm not going to go lightly here: the Warden is probably the best 150mm travel bike that I've been on when talking about technical climbing. 

 

 

Half the fun of the Warden is pointing it up silly climbs that your friends have bet that you can't clean. Be sure to make those bets count because they'll quickly learn their lesson and stop doubting you.

I believe that it makes a hell of a lot of sense to tailor your equipment to your weakness, which is actually the exact opposite of how so many people think when considering their next bike. Do you climb like the space shuttle but descend like a European in white bib shorts? Then consider getting yourself something big, slack, and more forgiving because you'll still be able to get it up pitches that your buddies struggle with on their cross-country bikes. Conversely, if you stumble on technical climbs you should seriously consider a bike that will make the most of what skills you do have. The Warden can do precisely that, taking you from zero to hero so long as you can turn the cranks over and keep it pointed in the right direction - it's that good. 

 

 

 

 

Downhill / Technical Riding 

 

All that rambling about the Warden's technical climbing prowess shouldn't out-shadow how much fun it is when you point it in the opposite direction. Remember what I said about the pendulum swinging towards bigger and badder mid-travel bikes? Add a few inches to the wheelbase, subtract a few degrees from the head angle, and viola, you have a bike that only works when you unleash the beast on truly beastly terrain. Those same bikes often leave me a bit deflated when I'm looking for fun rather than fear, but the Warden has an entirely different sort of character. Rigs likes this are purpose built to make you forget about your shitty day at work, your loud kids, and your fat wife yelling at you for buying this exact bike. It's nice how things can balance out like that when you make the having fun a priority, which is exactly what Knolly have done with the Warden, and they've done such a good job that it's going to take a four foot diameter cedar tree to wipe the smile off of your face. I found myself with the front wheel off the deck for long periods of time, first just to manual out of necessity, but then because it just felt like the right thing to. It feels good, very much like when you put your spare change in that little plastic box beside the cash register at the grocery store that supposedly goes towards summer camp for blind children. Yes, like that but actually a bit more rewarding. 

 

The Warden is impressively capable when the trail gets slow and techy, and its lively personality lets you pop around for more than just ****s and giggles, but also to get you through tricky sections when it's time to do work. It feels like quite a sharp handling bike when the speeds drop, and while that sort of attribute doesn't add up to bucket loads of confidence when it gets fast enough to make you take note of your exposed knees and half-shell helmet, it does mean that you can thread your way through some seriously tangled bits of singletrack. Handling certainly feels like it airs on the quicker side of things for 150mm travel bikes, but that's what makes the Warden what it is. 

 

Drawbacks? No bike is perfect, of course, and the Warden isn't the exception to that rule. Relative to other bikes with 150mm of travel and similar angles, the black Knolly felt a bit less confidence inspiring when the speeds picked up and momentum means that you you're going to stop a good twenty feet later than where you might want to. It's not as if I was being held back, however, but just that I've certainly felt more stable on other bikes of similar travel. Truth be told, this likely isn't going to be notable to most unless you've ridden a good cross section of 150mm bikes - get off your spindly trail bike and the Warden is going to feel like a rock and root eating monster that can't be fulfilled, regardless of my hesitations stated above. Knolly was also smart enough to spec the go-to combo of a Pike and a Cane Creek DBair CS, a one-two punch that's pretty hard to beat when it comes to suspension to bolt onto your all-mountain machine. I know there's politics, pricing, and promises involved when it comes to spec'ing a stock bike, but, at least at this point in time, there's no beating this fusion of ground levelling awesomeness. So, take what feels like factory-level suspension, add a dash of sharp-ish handling, then let a skilled rider hold the cake mixer and you'll end up with quite the sweet package. That said, there are more capable machines if you're looking for an all-out enduro race rig and elapsed time is more important to you than smiles, but those same bikes lack that special bit of friskiness that makes the Warden so much fun.

Edited April 2, 2015 by El Capitan

[Captain Fastbastard Mayhem]

This is the kind of bike I'm looknig for...

 

 Rigs likes this are purpose built to make you forget about your shitty day at work, your loud kids, and your fat wife yelling at you for buying this exact bike. It's nice how things can balance out like that when you make the having fun a priority, which is exactly what Knolly have done with the Warden, and they've done such a good job that it's going to take a four foot diameter cedar tree to wipe the smile off of your face. I found myself with the front wheel off the deck for long periods of time, first just to manual out of necessity, but then because it just felt like the right thing to. It feels good, very much like when you put your spare change in that little plastic box beside the cash register at the grocery store that supposedly goes towards summer camp for blind children. Yes, like that but actually a bit more rewarding. 

[Captain Fastbastard Mayhem]

why would you drop the suspension on an allroad?

#stance

[BSG]

why would you drop the suspension on an allroad?

Because you have the money to waste and you can! That's just the same as people putting low profile tyres on a Ford F250 dc 4x4 or any bakkie or 4x4!

[CubeD]

Because you have the money to waste and you can! That's just the same as people putting low profile tyres on a Ford F250 dc 4x4 or any bakkie or 4x4!

That allroad would be on air ride-so you can slam it for show and then lift it to drive with a flick of the switch. The Canadians do it best stanceworks, canibeat etc is a scene with slammed/stanced cars. I enjoy the look because it makes the cars look like the original concept drawings.

Back to bikes....

[CubeD]

160mm Chilcotin

[CubeD]

Sorry, stance explained better....

[Captain Fastbastard Mayhem]

160mm Chilcotin

Oh my shattered nerves.

 

You bastard

[Hairy]

http://enduro-mtb.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/Propain-Tyee-XX1-Race-ENDURO-Mountainbike-Magazine-7-von-15-780x520.jpg

 

http://enduro-mtb.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/Propain-Tyee-XX1-Race-ENDURO-Mountainbike-Magazine-11-von-15-780x520.jpg

 

http://enduro-mtb.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/Propain-Tyee-XX1-Race-ENDURO-Mountainbike-Magazine-6-von-15-780x520.jpg

 

http://enduro-mtb.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/Propain-Tyee-XX1-Race-ENDURO-Mountainbike-Magazine-13-von-15-780x520.jpg

[Guest]

6082T6 custom hand made in the UK frameset using top quality CNC Machined Components

http://www.dccycles.co.uk/ekmps/shops/denham03/resources/design/hero-empirereview.jpg

 

http://www.woodride.pl/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/MX6-EWO.jpg

 

 

https://vimeo.com/102830343

 

and then the next gen 3D printed Titanium frame MX6-R

http://fthumb1.mtb-news.de/cache/670/auto/1/1/fstatic1.mtb-news.de/f3/16/1623/1623201-yhang15u3jr7-large.jpg

http://www.mountainbikegarage.co.uk/handbuilt/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/parts.jpg

Edited April 26, 2015 by Bibi

[Bizkit031]

6082T6 custom hand made in the UK frameset using top quality CNC Machined Components[/size]

http://www.dccycles.co.uk/ekmps/shops/denham03/resources/design/hero-empirereview.jpg

 

http://www.woodride.pl/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/MX6-EWO.jpg

 

 

https://vimeo.com/102830343

 

and then the next gen 3D printed Titanium frame MX6-R

http://fthumb1.mtb-news.de/cache/670/auto/1/1/fstatic1.mtb-news.de/f3/16/1623/1623201-yhang15u3jr7-large.jpg

http://www.mountainbikegarage.co.uk/handbuilt/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/parts.jpg

Holy cow that thing looks mad so much work that has gone into that.

[Guest]

Ventana Zeus , Level 2 custom frame, 650B

http://fcdn.mtbr.com/attachments/ventana/883172d1396835118-zeus-evolution-year-20140406_181111-1024x768-.jpg

http://fcdn.mtbr.com/attachments/ventana/962484d1423402458t-2015-picture-thread-sba_150208_img_0388.jpg

Edited April 26, 2015 by Bibi

[Bizkit031]

Ventana Zeus , Level 2 custom frame, 650B

http://fcdn.mtbr.com/attachments/ventana/883172d1396835118-zeus-evolution-year-20140406_181111-1024x768-.jpg

http://fcdn.mtbr.com/attachments/ventana/962484d1423402458t-2015-picture-thread-sba_150208_img_0388.jpg

How short are those stays man?