10 Enduro Bikes - Ard Rock Festival 2018

Aug 3, 2018
by Tristan Tinn  
Dan Stanton s Stanton Switch 9er FS handmade in Matlock UK. The bike is a 160 140mm travel 29er made from a combination of Reynolds 853 and 631 with a steel front end and alloy rear end. The dual linkage system is CNC d with a CNC d dg leg to brace lateral movement. Custom geometry is available.

Stanton Headtube detail
Stanton linkage detail
Dan Stanton's Stanton Switch 9er FS, handmade in Matlock, UK. The bike is a 160/140mm travel 29er made from a combination of Reynolds 853 and 631, with a steel front end and alloy rear end. The dual linkage system is CNC'd with a leg to brace lateral movement. Custom geometry is available.

EWS racer Martin Ziestman s Knolly Fugitive pre production prototype 29er with 150 135mm travel. With Industry9 305 enduro aluminium wheels.
EWS racer Martin Ziestman's Knolly Fugitive 29er with 150/135mm travel. With Industry9 305 enduro aluminum wheels.

MRP Ribbon Air Fork 150mm
Box Components drive and a Chain Tamer device
MRP Ribbon Air Fork 150mm and Box Components drive and a Chain Tamer device

Martin Ziestman
Martin Ziestman

Martin Ziestman s cockpit
9point8 Fall Line 200mm dropper post
9point8 Fall Line 200mm dropper post

Micheal Eastons Bergamont Encore 650b with Ridge Pro carbon wheels Funn finishing kit a carbon chainstay and an aftermarket offset shock chip.
Micheal Easton's 27.5" Bergamont Encore with Ridge Pro carbon wheels, Funn finishing kit, and an aftermarket offset shock chip.

Tracey Moseley s Trek Fuel EX 2017 29er with 140 130mm travel and 22 speed XTR
Tracey Moseley's Trek Fuel EX 2017 29er with 140/130mm travel and 22 speed XTR

Prototype rear Proguard
Prototype shock
Unmarked Fox DPX2 shock and rear Proguard

A new addition to the family for T-mo
A new addition to the family for T-mo

Joe McEwan s Starling Mummur with 29 wheels and 150 145mm travel. The bike is single pivot and runs silently due to the main pivot being in line with the chain. This bike is a pre-production Taiwan sample as Joe looks to outsource to meet demands. Custom geometry is available.

Starling Murmur details
photo
Joe McEwan's single pivot Starling Murmur with 29" wheels and 150/145mm travel. This bike is a pre-production Taiwan sample as Joe looks to outsource to meet demands. Custom geometry is available.

Ben Smith-Price s Pace RC129 29er hardtail made from Reynolds 853 featuring a 65 degree headangle panier mounts internal dropper routing with slide-out dropouts to increase chainstay length or run singlespeed. The frame is capable of taking up to a 150mm travel fork.

Pace RC129 29er hardtail
Ben Smith-Price and his Pace RC129 29er hardtail
Ben Smith-Price's Pace RC129 29er hardtail made from Reynolds 853 featuring a 65 degree headangle, pannier mounts, internal dropper routing, with slide-out dropouts to increase chainstay length or run singlespeed. The frame is capable of taking up to a 150mm travel fork.

Steve Peat s Hightower LT 29er with 160 150mm travel XTR drive and brakes Burgtech finishing kit and Peaty s sealant link lube rim job tape and valves.

Peaty with his Hightower LT
Peaty s Products
Steve Peat's Hightower LT 29er with 160/150mm travel, XTR drive and brakes, Burgtech finishing kit and Peaty's sealant, link lube, rim job tape and valves.

Joe Flanagan s Scott Genius 700 Tuned 2018 29er

Joe s Cockpit on his Scott Genius
Marshall Master Joe Flannagan - aka 1 part of Trippin Fellaz
Joe Flanagan's Scott Genius 900 Tuned 2018 29er


Liam Moynihan s Canyon Strive 2017 650B 170 160mm

Liam Moynihan and his Canyon Strive
Moynihan top cap detail
Liam Moynihan's 2017 27.5" Canyon Strive, 170/160mm


MENTIONS: @tris400d / @trek / @Canyon-PureCycling / @StantonBikesUK / @KNOLLYBIKES / @SCOTT-Sports


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170 Comments
  • 64 0
 Imagine Tracey winning with chest mounted baby
  • 24 9
 Redefining shaken baby syndrome
  • 47 3
 ”Holy sh*t my gopro is crying.. wait what”
  • 6 0
 On a bike from 2017 no less! haha
  • 8 0
 Can't get a baby mount in the frame. Tut tut
  • 8 0
 2019 trend mount a baby on your chest because water bottle is 2018.
  • 10 0
 With only 130mm rear travel and 2x transmission. What a Legend!!
  • 1 0
 @mikeyin19: I had to double take on the 2x11. huh.
  • 3 0
 @chyu: Baby's nickname: Superboost
  • 2 0
 Baby wears xl fanny pack ! Oh dear lol
  • 56 7
 That starling looks awesome
  • 6 0
 And believe me, this beauty rides as smooth as hell !
  • 3 26
flag OffTrackBouncer (Aug 3, 2018 at 23:13) (Below Threshold)
 External headsets on chromo frames,,,,, the horrors, I thought that nightmare was over.
  • 19 4
 On the other end of the spectrum, that Knolly..... it looks like they mounted the cranks on the chain stay.
  • 4 0
 To me it looks like something I've welded
  • 8 0
 I like the Stanton's Switch much more.
  • 4 0
 @Triber66: certainly an acquired taste. it grows on'ya
  • 5 0
 @OffTrackBouncer: what exactly is wrong with "external headsets on chromosome frames"?
  • 4 0
 He was actually referring to chromoly frames Wink @BedsideCabinet:
  • 2 4
 @Triber66: Yes he was thank me,,,, hahahaha wait for it. Then buy the Chris King extended cups for $200.
  • 3 0
 Peaty's on Ardent lol.
  • 37 0
 Congrats to T-Mo on the new edition the her family,i hope she comes back to a few select rounds of the EWS to remind Ravanel what's up.
  • 4 0
 that would be awesome, really awesome.
  • 30 2
 22 speed XTR... I had to read that twice.
  • 14 1
 "twice" ahahah
  • 13 2
 They have a new development on shiftable chainguide. Now they can have 2 chainrings upfront.
  • 7 0
 What’ll they think of next!?
  • 2 1
 @chyu: I think this is the first we've seen it in a race setting. Exciting!
  • 1 0
 @pyrmud19: @pyrmud19: I'm pretty sure Nico Lau and Greg Callaghan both at Cube have been running double chagrining XTR at various EWS races over the past few years
  • 1 0
 @bthomson84: you're right
  • 29 10
 Aaaaaahhhhh: thanks for showing such sexy bikes... talking about those Stanton, Starling and Pace bikes of course, which are total wonders compared to the boring standards we often see... F*ck carbon btw.
  • 20 5
 The Stanton is yet another addition to the British family of stunning bikes made of straight steel tubing. Love it. Everything about it. American bike industry is slowly moving into the shadow in the game for style, originality and authenticity. If they haven't made it drunk curvy, they exchanged passion for session. Brits are kicking it these days!
  • 4 0
 I agree. although small American brands are still authentic and have the i dont give a f*ck attitude.. (i.e Canfield)... hope they stay like this. That said, 2 of my 3 bikes are designed by a Scott, with a maple leave stamped on the frame. ; ).
  • 3 2
 @Lagr1980: add on guirilla gravity we are def. continuing our no f*cks given attitude. Maybe that’s why we has trump and clinton in a race, we don’t give a f*ck. We just want to build and ride bikes damnit Smile
  • 3 1
 What are you guys on about, the rear end looks awful and doesnt fit the design at all...
  • 3 6
 I like the stanton,
But to counter what your saying
Theres some connection to british teeth and welds
The comnection is that they usually look bad....

Do they not know how to setup their welders?
And on the subject of british bikes, the oranges look like an old foes retarted british cousin with ugly teeth (welds) i dont understand the love for orange, people hate on foes, but the mans fabrication and detail is something to behold.
  • 3 0
 @englertracing: A lot of the love for Orange is down to their simplicity, in the UK typically (not now as we are enjoying a unique summer where it is actually dry) it rains a lot and we need a bike we can just throw in the shed without worrying about pivots / too many bearings etc developing play when we take it out on a cold, muddy November evening. We are also a sucker for home made products so brands like Land Rover, Jaguar , Orange and small niche products all do well here. As for the welds aesthetic appearance, well that (like Foes) is in the eye of the beholder, it actually makes some people want to buy them.
  • 2 3
 @sewer-rat: Your missing the point on the welds, Side by side, from a laymen to an expert, its brutally obvious that the worst weld on a Foes, is superior in every way to the best weld on an Orange. Its the difference between an Extremely highly skilled welder, and a modestly skilled welder. Google them, its plain enough to see on google images
  • 1 0
 @englertracing: BTRs look nice but if you look for some of the nicest welds take a look at Firefly bicycles, from Boston (they make one/few xc frames but mainly road bikes). It's just weldporn.
  • 2 0
 @englertracing: not missing the point at all, believe it or not I actually understand welding also. Long and short of it is just because they don’t finish them / blend them doesn’t mean they aren’t good!! I’m not an Orange fan, I ride another UK single pivot that many others think is probably uglier lol but that’s cool and I like it!! No welds on the rear end is nice but it’s cast, so there’s probably something you won’t like / get with that also, and I’m fine with that, for me that’s part of the appeal (I run the technical side of a foundry and precision machine shop so to me, this eutopia!!)

Peace


m.pinkbike.com/photo/15740976
  • 1 0
 @sewer-rat: With out looking at the pic Im gonna say you ride an empire.
  • 1 0
 @fatduke: tup yes and I’m incredibly biased
  • 3 0
 @sewer-rat: Yeah I ride an alpine 6 and a Five I've become immune to the weld, field gate, RSJ, heavy bike, never changed look and which ever comments the carbon community can come up with.

If you like the ride why change it.
  • 1 1
 @sewer-rat:
Tbh when the empire came out i had dreams of a full billet dh rig, i saw the empire and it got me excited at the time, and i do think it looks better than an orange
  • 2 0
 @sewer-rat: also foes does NOT blend his welds, they are just big fat consistent, consistenly beautiful stacks of dimes look at some closeups, world class tig welder that man is.
  • 1 0
 @englertracing: yeah i agree on that one, got an old zig zag 4 x frame in the shed Pimp
  • 16 1
 Good to see a rare front derailleur in its natural habitat
  • 2 16
flag Joelukens00 (Aug 4, 2018 at 13:28) (Below Threshold)
 I really don't agree with you. You must be really old
  • 15 2
 Stanton Switch, so sweet.
  • 1 0
 That looks nice. I’d like to know the numbers on that one. Sa looks atleast 76
  • 3 0
 @won-sean-animal-chin: Good eye measure:https://www.stantonbikes.com/product/switch9er-fs-pre-order-deposit/
  • 1 0
 @satra: 2500GBP for a frame!
  • 2 0
 @satra: haha thanks. Thought the cs might be shorter with the steeper sa. 445 doesn’t fit me. Beauty bike though
  • 9 0
 Have to say, Dan Stanton has done it again, simply stunning bike with the Switch 29er FS, 1st saw it at the London bike show and wanted one. Women's race is already decided then! T-Mo has to be one of the best female riders of all time and should be in the MTB hall of fame.
  • 15 4
 From an eye massage with the Stanton to an eye beating immediately with the Knolly
  • 2 1
 Indeed
  • 11 1
 i love that hard tail
  • 10 3
 I LOVE my Fugitive!! And love Knolly as a company. Customer service is impeccable. Noel and the team have been so supportive. Grassroots company with a soul. KNATION!!
  • 2 1
 How did you get one?
  • 4 0
 @kabaroo: I sweet talked them and got a preproduction frame and Knolly converted it to the LT version. Knolly rocks!
  • 1 0
 @Satn69: damn, you must be one hell of a sweet talker...
  • 10 1
 Peaty's rim job tape? Smile
  • 2 0
 yes I saw that too. What's that? :-)
  • 5 1
 So many EXO Ardents and other smooth single ply, even on Peaty's ride... No rocks and loose steeps? Or are 29ers forcing everyone onto lighter rubber and just hoping for no punctures?
  • 26 5
 There is no use for Ardent regardless of compounds, wheel size and terrain. One of the worst tyres ever made.
  • 2 0
 @WAKIdesigns: It's quite good option for a rear tyre. At least you could buy it in 26".
  • 5 0
 @WAKIdesigns: obviously not if some of the pros still rock em!
  • 3 0
 @rideRB: What was that number u just said? Ha
  • 4 2
 @bohns1 I don’t know, all I remember from demo days of RM and Kona was how sketchy few bikes felt and everytime I thought WTF is going with those tyres, I stopped and looked ooooh... Ardent. I even bought a HT with Ardents on and it was as shitty as Schwalbe Fat Albert or worse. Terrible climbing grip, terrible cornering, fkng awful. Even old Nobby Nic was ahead of it and that says a lot
  • 1 0
 @bohns1: They must be giving them out.
  • 2 0
 @b1k35c13nt15t: the 2.4 is a completely different tire tho.. Not saying it's great...Theres reviews on the 2.4 that aren't too bad
  • 1 1
 @bohns1: i’d rather use 2 Minions SS
  • 1 0
 @WAKIdesigns: heavy climbers.. But hey..... Run what Ya brung!
  • 2 0
 @WAKIdesigns: In the right situation and for the right purpose, the Ardent is a good tyre, and the 2.4 is a great front tyre. Horses for courses. As you suggest, Maxxis did themselves a disservice by putting it OEM on bikes when it should only have been aftermarket for drier hardpack XC areas like here in Canberra.
  • 1 0
 @iamamodel: it stands no chance against predictable bontragers that rule this segment. I’d rather run the XC grade XR2 than Ardent.
  • 6 0
 Mmmmmm slack hardtail (insert Homer Simpson voice) drools!
  • 12 9
 That Knolly just looks awful. Starling, Stanton and hardtail all looking proper.
  • 8 1
 Oh man! So much a matter of opinion. I’m. a total sucker for Gulf livery. Love the look of Knolly's in general, and especially in those colours.

However, I do have to agree with you about the hardtails. They're at the opposite end of the design spectrum, but that works too. Maybe I just like bikes. Lol
  • 2 0
 i like it, the only thing i don't get with Knolly is why do they bend the toptube up at the seatpost? i'm sure there must be a reason but it would look a lot cleaner if they followed the line thru to the seat stays.
  • 5 4
 Ugly Knolly bike. Pivot used to have a bunch of weird bends like that. Looks like a drunk beer belly on a bike. Im all for style and am fine with curves but that hurts my eyes. Sure it rides great tho
  • 1 5
flag englertracing (Aug 5, 2018 at 22:38) (Below Threshold)
 @toooldtodieyoung: do you like fat chicks too
That knolly is uglier than an old tripple stay specalized demo.
  • 3 0
 The Alu brace on the Starling looks like it could be straight off a 1996 SC Heckler back end....
  • 5 1
 I don't get the chain tamer device. I thought clutch mech's had made this sort of thing obsolete.
  • 1 0
 That tamer looks like a dental appliance.
  • 5 3
 Loving all the steel and ali framed bikes, a pleasure to see.. You can keep the rest of the over priced and over rated carbon fibre ones.
  • 1 0
 What is “aftermarket offset shock chip” on Micheal Easton's 27.5" Bergamont Encore:is it a aftermarket offset bushings, or something different?
  • 5 2
 The Starling looks like a 1920's bike!!
  • 10 0
 Hipster Enduro.
  • 1 0
 @jclnv:
I think he builds them at home by himself
Guarentee you cant do any better.
  • 1 0
 @englertracing: I doubt I could. But then I'd never buy a bike built by someone "at home by himself".

LOL.
  • 3 0
 22 speed! Mind. Literally. Blown.
  • 1 0
 Anyone know what the rubber looking valve covers on Peaty's bike are? Thought I saw them somewhere before and they just slid off and protected your valve.
  • 1 1
 They're called peatys push ons available from uberbike
  • 1 0
 I just added that Pace to my list of hardtail frames may be part of my next build. 65* head angle and pannier mounts! oh baby.
  • 2 0
 SCOTT "so light you can hold it up with your private bits" lol
  • 1 0
 Name of the undersaddle bag on Micheal Easton's 27.5" Bergamont Encore please?..
  • 1 0
 I might be wrong but looks like the Tubby from South African brand Farr - I've got one, great little unit. Believe they ship worldwide now too.

ridefarr.com/product/farr-tubby-mini-race-bag
  • 2 0
 shame we don't get to see "normal" people's bikes
  • 3 0
 We did...Easton's Bergamont. He's a normal bloke who spanners out out a motorbike shop on Westgate Road in town, and an awesome rider to boot.
  • 1 1
 Not saying it will, but that Stanton rear tyre looks like it will rub on the seat tube while compressing. That knolly is ugly as f. Rather have an Orange than that!!!
  • 1 0
 does anyone know what the name of the color of the stanton is?
  • 1 0
 Maroon. Obviously
  • 1 0
 Black Lava
  • 2 1
 Some good looking bikes there!
  • 3 3
 What’s that thing on the Knolly’s chainstay? Looks like the chain runs through it
  • 1 1
 As mentioned, it's a Chaintamer. It pretty much completely eliminates chain slap and makes it silent. Don't know how I ever rode without one now that I've got it fitted...
  • 1 0
 Bars on that Scott? Does anyone know? Combo stem and bar together
  • 1 0
 Syncros Hixon.
  • 1 0
 is the neg air chamber for T-Mo smaller than stock?
  • 1 0
 Advanced wheel balance on that Stanton... cutting off side knobs
  • 1 0
 Peaty making that pint look heavier that the bike
  • 1 0
 Pace. Finally back in the game!!
  • 1 0
 This Switch9er... i'm in love! (づ ̄ ³ ̄)づ
  • 1 0
 Martin Ziestman does not abide chainslap.
  • 2 1
 That's a lot of dropper post on that Knolly hahaha
  • 1 0
 The starling switch looks pretty sick, Needs some prettier welds tho.
  • 1 0
 STANTON FTW, omg, schwing
  • 1 0
 lol Steve Peat's rim job...
  • 4 3
 So, no more 27.5 bikes?
  • 11 1
 27.5 for life?
  • 4 12
flag ryan83 (Aug 3, 2018 at 17:03) (Below Threshold)
 Like it or not, in less than 5 years and 27.5 will be limited to niche gravity bikes.
  • 3 15
flag Drtschker (Aug 3, 2018 at 17:04) (Below Threshold)
 27.5 is dead! 29er enduro life
  • 11 2
 @Drtschker: Tell that to Sam Hill.
  • 2 1
 @endurocat: He's just trying to keep it interesting
  • 3 4
 @ryan83: or just limited to smaller sizes. 29ers are pinned in the bike park
  • 2 1
 @endurocat: He'll be on 29 soon enough!
  • 2 1
 @knarrr: They are Indeed
  • 7 2
 For some reason mtbers think they need a bigger outer diameter tire than dirt bikes. I started on a 29 but then moved to 27.5 and haven't found a 29er that is fun to ride yet. I'll just pick up the discounted XL 27.5 bikes and have more fun while saving my money.
  • 4 2
 @casman86: Humans are half a horsepower, not 50. That's why low rotational friction is massive.

Go ride an Evil Following and get back to me. The most fun bike regardless of wheelsize.
  • 6 0
 @jclnv: So wouldn't our lack of horsepower benefit from the significantly lighter rotating mass and terrain pumping ability of 27.5? I think for the terrain I like to ride personally, 27.5 makes a lot more sense. I haven't ridden an Evil. I was considering an Insurgent frame but all of Evil's geometry seems short reach. I'm 6'3" and want to try the long reach, steep STA of Transition's bikes. Probably a Patrol but I would demo a Sentinel before ruling out 29s altogether.
  • 2 0
 @casman86: have at her! At my height I'll stop looking like a circus bear perched on top a small wheeled bike and continue to smash on the wagon wheels.... Yes, some of us do need bigger outer diameter wheeled rigs!
  • 2 0
 @casman86: Yeah to be fair Evil's are pretty short reach. Maybe try the new Stumpy. People love to hate Specialized but that new bike is pretty mega. The Evo 650b sounds like it'd ge right up your alley. It's basically a half price Geometron.

Regarding wheelsize. I think it's pretty much accepted that 29" maintain speed easier. If we were braking then pedalling every 100m or so maybe acceleration would be more critical. A tall guy like yourself should be all over 29". Not due to the big guys need big wheels BS people like to bang on about, but because you have a much higher CoG (even taking into account the longer wheelbase of bigger bikes) and riding a bike with more BB drop adds stability.
  • 1 0
 @jclnv: What pretty much made up my mind on wheel size was demoing a Rocky Mountain Altitude and Instinct back to back. The Altitude felt so much better and more fun to me. The bottom bracket drop on the 29er felt bizarre to me and the bike just wasn't fun in comparison, but to be fair the Instinct was not the BC edition. I moved to Bentonville, AR recently for the trails. We have jumps and short downhill trails all over the place, including a recently opened downhill park with shuttles close by. I think if the trails I rode were more basic natural style I'd be about the 29er life. I'll probably attend the Bentonville Outerbike event in October to really figure out what suits me.
  • 1 0
 @bohns1: Haha, sometimes I do see pictures of me riding and think 29s would look more proportional but maybe just a longer wheelbase will get rid of the circus bear look.
  • 1 1
 @jclnv: until it fall apart !
  • 1 1
 @casman86: They just fit me better and give me that in the bike feel.. I've been on them so long now that they honestly feel like 26 for me.. I was on them when they were all semi trucks with long stays and shitty geo.. Gary Fisher and the first 29 fsr stumpy comes to mind.. They've come a long way.
  • 1 0
 @casman86: weird.. I demoed the instinct on the shore.. Nothing smooth or tame about it.. Had an absolute blast.. Felt like cheating... Gap jumps and tables felt completely natural.
  • 2 0
 @bohns1: I'm a lean 6-4 with a custom Instinct XL (non-BC) fox 36 grip2/dpx2/carbon wheels/dt240 that I built. It's insane. But there is a transition period tho. You can't just demo a 29er of you are new to them and expect to have the "real" feel. It takes a few rides to adjust to the axle height and differences. Not something you can just bang on for a day and make the choice if you haven't spent a bunch of time on one already. Skinnys were harder at first but now back to normal. Corners require a bit more body throw to really lean into. It's all good now aside for me still grabbing way more brake that I'm used to as the speed it carries it rediculous at times. Super fun.
  • 1 0
 @Svinyard: Guess I don't know any different... I've been on 29 since 2010...They just feel like normal sized wheels at this point.
  • 2 2
 Trek looks like they're copying Canyon styling on top tube
  • 3 0
 I think that's a three year old fuel ex though...
  • 1 0
 @j-t-g: nothing's changed on the ex in the last few years.. I'm on a 16...still rips!
  • 1 0
 @bohns1: Yeah, you're right. I had a black frame and never noticed. I guess this color just shows it more clearly.
  • 1 0
 @bohns1: 2017 saw a major change for nearly everything for the fuel.

My point was that they've had this shape for a few years already
  • 1 0
 @j-t-g: Of course.. That's what I said as in last year and this year and even the 19s are unchanged... Just meant I'm still on my 16 which I barely notice a difference on between my buddies 17 after I put a 140 pike on it... Very negligible at best!
  • 1 0
 Long live PEATY!!!!!
  • 1 0
 Prognarcore
  • 2 3
 Would be great if Knolly had a bike big enough for their rider. That thin looks tiny. And ugly????
  • 2 0
 It's an XL frame, one of the biggest on the market (open to correction though). I'm 6'5" and make any bike look small...
  • 1 0
 @Mzietsman: yeah, you're not a short lad.... Razz
  • 1 0
 @Mzietsman: apologies your height explains it then. Sorry
  • 1 1
 Starling Murmur!!!!
  • 2 3
 Front derailleur WTF?!
  • 8 0
 It is rumored that Tracy rarely walk on liaisons while carrying supplies enough for everyone on her backpack so it's logical.
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