2021 MTB DROPS

I have been lucky in what have been tough times for a lot of people to have had the chance to ride more than ever. A combination of more of less time in the office and some suspicouolsy awesome UK weather. One of the downsides of riding more often and with the harder ground faster is the toll on my Yeti. It had quite significant upgrades after a tough winter - SRAM XX1 Eagle no less! I went from the old FOX Float X to an early X2 sourced from eBay (I know what you are thinking…BIG mistake…well, you are not wrong). The 36’s went off to TF and came bike like a brand new Fork so all set for a summer of shredding, well it managed a winter before the X2 decided to mix air and oil and the bearings eat themselves. So all this outlay in the last couple of months and a bike now stuck in the bike shop for while and me back inside on rollers I have found myself weighting my options while scrolling through the countless new bike launches these last couple of weeks. So here are my highlights and links to some of the new stuff Pinkbike, Vital MTB and bike radar I have been looking at.

Short on travel. Not on looks.

The new Epic and Epic EVO from Specialized are very nice looking bikes.

I have been tempted recently by the simplicity and robust nature of Commencal Meta range. Their 2021 range has dropped and yes they are obviously longer and slacker but the steeper seat tube is where brands are really catching up to pioneers like POLE.

On the other hand Pinkbike think the new - and absolutely gorgeous - EVIL The Wreckoning has gone slacker but not compensated enough for this with seat tube angle which has compromised climbing and the feel of being over stretched.

Yes, it's time to talk about that seat tube angle. To put it bluntly, I don't think the Wreckoning's seat tube angle is steep enough, at least with a 170mm fork. With the dropper post fully extended I felt more stretched out, with my weight further over the back of the bike than I would have preferred. The last few bikes that I've tested – the new Transition Sentinel, Guerilla Gravity Gnarvana, and Commencal Meta TR, all put me in a more comfortable, upright riding position due to their steeper actual seat tube angles. - Mike Kazimer Pinkbike