Whyte T-130C Works - Review

With the first roll-out, the Whyte impressed me with how planted it feels. Its steering feels deliberate - the front wheel will track the smallest movement of the handlebar and the rear wheel tends to grip rather than slide around. I learned quickly to choose a line and point the bike exactly where I wanted to go, and to avoid the temptation to continually adjust the bike's trajectory to avoid minor obstacles. Commit and Whyte's mid-travel trail bike will hold its line over a surprising array of bumps, rocks and uncertain surfaces. Ride with uncertainty and the T-130 will wander. The steering is not overly quick. In fact, the T-130 feels remarkably stable in any technical situation, but it rewards precision.




Seat angles and climbing: Steep seat tube angles may be the rage at the moment, but the Whyte T-130's not-so-modern seat-tube angle reminded me that there were valid reasons why seat tubes hovered around 73 degrees for nearly a hundred years. Setting bike-fit ergonomics aside for the moment, seat tube angles around 73 degrees set the rider behind the crank circle, just enough so that when the rider pushes hard on the pedals, much of that pressure is countered by the saddle. This takes a huge load off of the rider's upper body - muscles that would normally have to counter those pedaling thrusts.

The rider's weight plays a significant role in countering pedaling forces, but when a rider climbs or accelerates strongly, pedaling thrusts quickly overcome the rider's weight. As seat tube angles pass 74 degrees, the rider's seated location over the cranks begins to emulate a standing, out-of-the-saddle position. Very little pedaling force is directed into the saddle and almost all pedaling effort that exceeds the rider's weight must be counteracted by the rider's arms and torso. That can be a significant energy waster on a long trail ride.




The advantage of seat tube angles beyond 74 degrees comes into play when climbing very steep pitches. In those situations, the exaggerated angle compensates for the steepness of the terrain by shifting weight forward and placing the rider in a similar position over the crank-circle as a 73-degree angle would when climbing more moderate grades. Where I do most of my riding, climbs are steady and peppered with technical challenges, so I prefer a 74-degree seat tube angle, which is a good compromise between long-ride pedaling efficiency and a good technical climbing position. The Whyte R-130's cockpit ergonomics were a similar compromise between the emerging "rider-forward" geometry and the more moderate numbers of a good XC/trailbike. The front tire stayed in contact with the earth, I never worried about traction while I was scratching up technical climbs, and I could settle into a comfortable pace for long ascents.

Handling: I could trust the T-130 to get me down almost any technical descent. With Maxxis High Roller II tires mounted to Whyte's house-brand 30-millimeter-width carbon rims, I could find sufficient braking and turning traction to keep the rubber side down on almost any surface (Note: not-so grippy Maxxis Ardent 2.25" tires are listed in the specs). Cornering the Whyte took some getting used to, because the weight balance between its wheels is such that both tires tend to break traction at the same moment. Overcook a corner and instead of a typical rear-wheel drift, both tires will slide until they can find something to hang onto again. It's a much faster way to turn corners, but it feels less secure than dragging your rear tire around does. Another up-side of the Whyte's edgy turning style is that you can set up for any kind of corner the same way - establish a lean and it will find its way around. It carves a tight arc and, as mentioned, it can be steered with remarkable accuracy should you need to alter your line.


As delivered, the T-130's Fox suspension was tuned exactly how I set my bikes up for Southern California: Soft enough in the first part of its travel to help the tires find grip on loose, gravelly soil, and firm in the mid-stroke to keep the fork and shock from blowing through their travel when braking hard, or when dropping down boulders and rocky chutes.

Typically, a 120 to 130-millimeter chassis will feel choppy at speed when it runs out of wheel travel, and the evidence that leaves behind is sealing fluid seeping from pinholes in the tires where they bottomed repeatedly against nasty things. Not so with the T-130. The Whyte felt quite smooth at speed, and rarely lost its composure when it was in over its head with speed and terrain. I was especially impressed by how stable the Fox 34 fork felt. I attribute some of the T-130's ride quality to its capable suspension, and as much to the bike's long and low stance. Even when I was leaning well off the front or rear, it always felt like I was within the "safety zone" of the chassis.




Pinkbike's Take:

---

More images in the review galllery.

---