Field Test: Stumpjumper vs Remedy vs Process vs Bronson vs SB150
On paper, the five bikes we placed in the trail / enduro category seem pretty similar – they all have carbon frames, between 140 – 153mm of travel, and head angles between 65 – 66 degrees, with a few minor exceptions. It's a different story out in the real world, though, where numbers don't always directly match up with expectations. Nerd out on geometry charts and dive deep into the kinematics of a bike all you want, but there's no way to really tell how a bike will handle heinous climbs, gnarly descents, and everything in between, until you actually hop on and put tires to dirt.
That's that how we all ended up gathered in Whistler, home to some of the best bike testing terrain on the planet. All of the bikes saw plenty of ride time, along with the requisite hucks to flat (for science). As the trail / enduro segment of the Field Test came to a close we sat down to discuss our top picks out of this group of high caliber candidates.
Specialized Stumpjumper 29
• 140mm (R) / 150mm (F) travel
• 29" wheels
• Carbon frame
• 66.5° head-tube angle
• Weight: 28.2 lb / 12.8 kg
• Field Test article
Pros
+ Great generalist
+ Active suspension provides tons of traction
+ SWAT sure is convenient
Cons
- Geometry is a bit conservative
- Not all that efficient under power
- Specialized's dropper post is a miss
• 140mm (R) / 150mm (F) travel
• 29" wheels
• Carbon frame
• 66.5° head-tube angle
• Weight: 28.2 lb / 12.8 kg
• Field Test article
Pros
+ Great generalist
+ Active suspension provides tons of traction
+ SWAT sure is convenient
Cons
- Geometry is a bit conservative
- Not all that efficient under power
- Specialized's dropper post is a miss
Trek Remedy
• 150mm (R) / 160mm (F) travel
• 27.5" wheels
• Carbon frame
• 65.5° head-tube angle
• Weight: 29.1 lb / 13.2 kg
• Field Test article
Pros
+ Versatile, well-rounded package
+ Impressive suspension performance
+ More of a long-legged trail bike than a bruiser
Cons
- Knock Block is silly
- Run of the mill pedaling manners
- More of a long-legged trail bike than a bruiser
• 150mm (R) / 160mm (F) travel
• 27.5" wheels
• Carbon frame
• 65.5° head-tube angle
• Weight: 29.1 lb / 13.2 kg
• Field Test article
Pros
+ Versatile, well-rounded package
+ Impressive suspension performance
+ More of a long-legged trail bike than a bruiser
Cons
- Knock Block is silly
- Run of the mill pedaling manners
- More of a long-legged trail bike than a bruiser
Kona Process 153 Carbon
• 153mm (R) / 160mm (F) travel
• 29" wheels
• Carbon frame
• 66° head-tube angle
• Weight: 31.7 lb / 14.4 kg
• Field Test article
Pros
+ Surprisingly adept climber
+ More fun than fast
+ Extremely stiff and solid feeling
Cons
- More fun than fast
- Not a featherweight
- Suspension isn’t as deep or supple feeling as some other bikes
• 153mm (R) / 160mm (F) travel
• 29" wheels
• Carbon frame
• 66° head-tube angle
• Weight: 31.7 lb / 14.4 kg
• Field Test article
Pros
+ Surprisingly adept climber
+ More fun than fast
+ Extremely stiff and solid feeling
Cons
- More fun than fast
- Not a featherweight
- Suspension isn’t as deep or supple feeling as some other bikes
Santa Cruz Bronson
• 150mm (R) / 160mm (F) travel
• 27.5" wheels
• Carbon frame
• 65.1° head-tube angle
• Weight: 29.4 lb / 13.3 kg
• Field Test article
Pros
+ Ideal all-rounder, as long as you have the proper terrain
+ Efficient, calm and composed climber
+ Excellent cornering performance
Cons
- Not the bike for riders looking for the absolute longest and slackest option
- There's no 29" version...
• 150mm (R) / 160mm (F) travel
• 27.5" wheels
• Carbon frame
• 65.1° head-tube angle
• Weight: 29.4 lb / 13.3 kg
• Field Test article
Pros
+ Ideal all-rounder, as long as you have the proper terrain
+ Efficient, calm and composed climber
+ Excellent cornering performance
Cons
- Not the bike for riders looking for the absolute longest and slackest option
- There's no 29" version...
Yeti SB150
• 150mm (R) / 170mm (F) travel
• 29" wheels
• Carbon frame
• 64.5° head-tube angle
• Weight: 29.9 lb / 13.6 kg
• Field Test article
Pros
+ Very stable at speed and in the steeps
+ Excellent grip in wet and loose conditions
+ Good pedaling performance
Cons
- Expensive
- EXO casing tires aren't the best choice for a race bike
- Slightly limited rear tire clearance
• 150mm (R) / 170mm (F) travel
• 29" wheels
• Carbon frame
• 64.5° head-tube angle
• Weight: 29.9 lb / 13.6 kg
• Field Test article
Pros
+ Very stable at speed and in the steeps
+ Excellent grip in wet and loose conditions
+ Good pedaling performance
Cons
- Expensive
- EXO casing tires aren't the best choice for a race bike
- Slightly limited rear tire clearance
Editors' Choice
Mike Levy: Trek Remedy
As some of you already know, I want a bike that feels relatively quick and efficient on all types of climbs, and I want that without having to reach for a pedal-assist switch. Call me crazy, but I enjoy climbing and I don't ever want it to feel like a chore.
And when it's time to come back down, I want a bike that rewards how I like to ride, which is like an idiot. Yeah, I want to be rewarded for being an idiot. I don't need to snag any KOMs on the descents, but I do need to take dumb lines, skid a load, spend a lot of time on one wheel, and generally be a goof.
The Bronson, while quite the monster on rough and fast ground, is just too forgiving, and it always felt like I was sitting into too much travel, even at lower sag numbers. The SB150 is an out-and-out race bike in my mind, and it's too long and slack for me to ever call it my one and only. The Stumpy does everything pretty damn well, but you know how I feel about climb switches, and while I have a great time on it, it's not my preferred geometry, either.
Mike Levy
Discipline: Trail/Enduro
Height: 5'10"
Inseam: 33.5"
Weight: 168 lb
Notes: Technical Editor, shit disturber, drives a ridiculous blue Mini.
Discipline: Trail/Enduro
Height: 5'10"
Inseam: 33.5"
Weight: 168 lb
Notes: Technical Editor, shit disturber, drives a ridiculous blue Mini.
That leaves the Process 153 and the Remedy that have similar amounts of travel but perform drastically differently. I'd be stoked to call either my only bike, but when I picture myself out on a huge day with some huge climbs and equally huge descents, I see myself on the blacked-out Trek before the sand-colored Kona. Surprisingly, to me at least, the bike that I just chose as the one for me doesn't have 29'' wheels and isn't the most efficient, which really underlines how these machines are a sum of their design, geometry, and build kit rather than being defined by just one factor like wheel size or suspension action.
Daniel Sapp: Trek Remedy
The SB150 was on my short list, and it'd likely be my top pick if I had a bunch of enduro races on my calendar, but if I could only choose one of these bikes or have nothing at all, I'd go with the Remedy. Why? It's fun. It makes me want to ride, and do so in a variety of terrain without worrying about whether the bike is up to the task or not. I think that I would feel equally comfortable riding it at home in Pisgah as I would anywhere in the Pacific Northwest.
When we were filming these videos we were in Whistler, BC, where the terrain is quite different than where I live in North Carolina, which is why I had it as my fifth pick for riding in that area. However, if I were selecting a bike for my home trails, I'd have the Stumpjumper as my second choice. It'd be a good, versatile option, and I really I like having that SWAT box. I love that I can just grab the bike and go on a four hour ride with nothing more than a water bottle and I don't have to strap anything to the frame, fit it in a pocket, or bring a bag. It's freeing. I'd probably up the fork travel by 10mm, which would make it be a little more able to hold its own against the other bikes in this category.
Daniel Sapp
Discipline: Trail, Trail/Enduro
Height: 5'9"
Inseam: 32"
Weight: 152 lb
Notes: Technical Editor, his southern drawl compensates for our Canadian accents.
Discipline: Trail, Trail/Enduro
Height: 5'9"
Inseam: 32"
Weight: 152 lb
Notes: Technical Editor, his southern drawl compensates for our Canadian accents.
The other bikes are all amazing, but as a blanket choice for a variety of riding, and as a bike I would like to spend more time on, I'd take the Remedy, 27.5" wheels, Knock Block, and 2.6 tires included.
Mike Kazimer: Yeti SB150
I'd obviously be happy to have any of these five contenders in my garage, but it's the Yeti SB150 that's at the top of my list, with the Santa Cruz Bronson coming in a close second.
My rides typically involve plenty of climbing before the fun really begins, and while I don't mind taking a few seconds to flip a compression lever, the fact that I can leave the SB150's shock wide open and ride all day without thinking about it is a definite plus. The steep seat angle (the steepest out of all five bikes) earns it another point, which gives it a very comfortable position for grinding out the miles.
Yes, the Stumpjumper, Remedy, and Process all have a quicker steering feel, but I'm not convinced that makes them any better at getting through technical climbs; if anything, I prefer the more relaxed handling of the SB150. It's certainly not sluggish, and it's very manageable even if you do find yourself on mellower trails, although hopefully those are just the appetizer before a healthy serving of the rowdy stuff.
I'd obviously be happy to have any of these five contenders in my garage, but it's the Yeti SB150 that's at the top of my list, with the Santa Cruz Bronson coming in a close second.
My rides typically involve plenty of climbing before the fun really begins, and while I don't mind taking a few seconds to flip a compression lever, the fact that I can leave the SB150's shock wide open and ride all day without thinking about it is a definite plus. The steep seat angle (the steepest out of all five bikes) earns it another point, which gives it a very comfortable position for grinding out the miles.
Yes, the Stumpjumper, Remedy, and Process all have a quicker steering feel, but I'm not convinced that makes them any better at getting through technical climbs; if anything, I prefer the more relaxed handling of the SB150. It's certainly not sluggish, and it's very manageable even if you do find yourself on mellower trails, although hopefully those are just the appetizer before a healthy serving of the rowdy stuff.
Mike Kazimer
Discipline: Trail/Enduro
Height: 5'11"
Inseam: 33"
Weight: 160 lb
Notes: Managing Tech Editor, self proclaimed winner of all Mike vs Mike videos.
Discipline: Trail/Enduro
Height: 5'11"
Inseam: 33"
Weight: 160 lb
Notes: Managing Tech Editor, self proclaimed winner of all Mike vs Mike videos.
Levy is all about doing skids and riding like a goon, but me, I'm more about speed. Going fast up and downhill is a big part of why I ride, and the SB150 felt the most stable and controlled out of this batch of bikes. The Process' back end was a little too short for my liking, and the Stumpjumper has more of an all-round trail bike feel than being something I'd want to race the Whistler EWS on.
The SB150 has plenty of travel for smoothing out extra-rough tracks, but it doesn't bog down when you're standing up and sprinting, or pumping through flatter sections of trail, which makes it easier to maintain speed. How much traction a bike delivers on the descents is another factor I consider, and while it's hard to quantify, the SB150 and the Bronson felt like they tracked the best and instilled the most confidence when I was coming into a chewed up corner, or plowing through an off-camber section of trail.
Yes, the SB150 is expensive, and yes, a little more rear tire clearance wouldn't hurt, but the ride quality is outstanding, which is why it'd be my pick out of these five worthy options.
Author Info:
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for mid stroke. You get both.
If you were to add a larger (>6’ >200lbs) rider to the test roster, they might need a xl to accurately review the bike as well. Opposite would go for having a smaller test rider (5’6 150lbs) as well.
I’m 6’3 200lbs myself, if you need a larger guy next year lemme know! And don’t worry, I’ll still bring donuts n beer!
Don't forget the hush puppies aka corn dodgers..
Currently rides a Hightower.
Also capable of putting down a couple of horse power over the average bloke.
Get him to do some testing!!
If I've done it any one can because, I'm one LAZY Mo Fo
Srsly most people I know who weight over 100kg have too much bodyfat...excluding footballers and weightlifters..
Given the choice mostly go e, especially when its raining!
Maybe the fat f*ck likes to lift huge f*cking weights and is therefore heavy?
Turner's RFX v4.0 Enduro is the real deal. Considering that it is only their second carbon offering, we expected it to have at least one glaring shortcoming, but truth be told, it checks all the boxes. Dave Turner didn't overreach when he penned his first carbon fiber long-travel chassis. He incorporated trail-proven numbers and suspension metrics into a conservative frame design that was optimized for carbon construction methods - and that is a good thing.
Turner has been punching out winners in aluminum for over two decades, and has collected a substantial fan base along the way. The RFX v4.0 offers loyal customers a chance to make the jump to carbon and follow Turner into the future. And, for those new to the brand, test-riding an RFX will be an unexpected pleasure. David Turner is one of the more talented riders to occupy the top seat of a bike-making business, and his vision of the perfect mountain bike - versatile, balanced, and confidence inspiring - reflects a lot of saddle time. As an AM/enduro racer, the RFX v4.0 is all of those things - with a big serving of attitude. - RC@
The rfx would have won and that’s why you all didn’t include it. I get it. Sell mor treks.
Between all your comments in the last month (most of which mention Turner) and your comments over on Bike Mag asking the same thing ("why no Turners?"), I have to assume you're here astroturfing.
No need to ride if you know what you're looking at.
I have an insurgent and a wreckoning. Love both. Both ride completely differently. Wheel size def matters
Its like buying a new 26" bike that has modern designs to a new 29er that was a catalog frame. The 26" would probably perform better regardless of the wheel size. But when all bikes are close in capability (Like in this PB test) it comes down to who has the best solutions and designs.
Good rims are becoming a problem tho
Nomad 3 is almost the perfect bike for me, but just a tad more pep on the climbs is always welcome, and I’ll take a rowdier ride in exchange for it.
Just wish pricing wasn’t so out of whack vs YT and other online brands. Meh, I ride so much and get so many years out of these bikes, I guess all is well in the end.
Pole - Nicolai Geometron - Sick Bicycle Co - Yeti SB150 - Transition Sentinel - Bold Unplugged
What are some others?
Well.... I'm now 55 and have been riding the SB5.5 with a 170mm fork and that bike was perfect on the rough Mount7 DH terrain.
As I get older, I certainly prefer to have a good pedalling bike for the ascent and lots of travel for the way down, feels great on the old joints, and the ones that have been recently replaced ;-)
I'm on the new Remedy 8 and I agree. It's a little bit slower on the descents than my old Reign - took me a little while to get up to speed, but man this thing rips if you want it to. It's so nimble and is a real quiver-killer bike in my opinion. It's like an every-man bike, for regular mountain biking.
Hard to believe the Bronson was rated as such a good climber. I thought the whole point of the new linkage was to get more plush at the expense of a little efficiency? BIDK
On my V2 bronson, by the time I felt the shock was tuned to get the plush feel I wanted it it pretty much lost any pedal benefit over the Enduro it was replacing. (I did think it sit higher in it's travel) I still hit the "cheater switch" when I was tired...
Because the bikes shouldn't need a cheater switch, that's why. I get it - the switch is easy to hit and instantly makes every bike efficient. That's a pretty cool trick.
Okay, so every single bike has a pedal-assist switch that firms them all up so now they're all efficient and there's not much to say about it. But just imagine how well our bikes would pedal if those dumb switches were never invented? The switches are a crutch for designs that have forfeited the ability to pedal efficiently in favor of active suspension, which is just fine for a lot of people. But bikes can be better; there are long-travel rigs that don't need dumb climb switches, with the big Polygon and any full-suspension Mondraker coming to mind, among others. There are tradeoffs, no doubt about that, but a lever that keeps your suspension from working isn't a solution. It's a crutch. I want my 150mm to pedal relatively well while remaining completely active and open.
Also, we shouldn't need expensive electronics to get it done.
The opposite end of the spectrum. Suspensions with generous amounts of platform give you a harsher ride.
Some people love climbing . So make a bike that concentrates on pedal platform.
If you tolerate climbs and love DH then make a squishy rear suspension with a climb switch.
Both types of bikes are needed depending on the riders preference.
Let's start making bikes with individual character pertaining to riders personal preferences.
No need to have bike test any more!
Thank you for your generous insight.
It's 2018 BTW.
I don't think he's talking about platform - While the Remedy has the Reaktiv platform damper (which in my opinion ruins the ride), it would pedal relatively well without.
It's possible to design suspension that is both plush on the descents and pedals efficiently without much bob and pedal feedback. So why don't more designers do it??
Anti squat is what is used to create platform through the chain tension pulling back the shock. Creating resistance.
This reduces the bobing sensation you don't like when pedalling.
Anti squat is always reduced after initial compression of shock that's when the frequencies that create bobing are reduced to create a pedal platform.
This will always be at the expense of small bump sensitivity.
If you read the authors reviews carefully they all point out this fact.
So at the cost of a little small bump sensitivity some companies like Mondraker or Yeti design their bikes to be efficient around the SAG point and with less chain tension deeper in the travel, while others like Specialized on their Stumpjumper seem to be going for all-out low speed grip which may suit the Average Joe or people with slow awkward techy trails better. Horses for courses.
Your words.
Bikes that have less platform are better for slow awkward trails. Like double black teck trails?
The trails I prefer to ride.
Well then I can't argue with anything you stated.
Pinkbikes review of the Foxy was very positive on it's climbing attributes but I just read one where they were still hitting the climbing switch. And if the Polygon reference was about the React 2 play suspension or whatever they call it. Sure there was some good initial reviews when they were new. But that's about the last I've seen of them? Sure don't seem to be taking on the mountain bike world by storm???
I mean, if someone truly has the suspension equation solved, especially without higher cost and needing to have it plugged in I'm all for it. I'm not wanting to flip a switch, etc. But so far it seems like there is always some kind of a "tradeoff" or compromise to be made. So you just gotta pick what compromise you want to make...
I can assure you a Yeti won't be your cup of tea then... but the geometry already shows that this thing won't like to go slow...
It’s like an $8k bike...a tire swap is the last thing to be bothered by...
Let’s be real, half the time even if a bike comes spec’d with a casing you can jive with, it isn’t the tire you want....don’t think I’ve ever had a bike come stock with the tires I wanted.
Remedy is definitely more at home in the air
I feel exactly like Mike detailed above and I feel the fuel ex is that perfect balance. I cant give up the 29r for climbing and keeping up with the racers. I have a stock fuel ex 9.8 and its insane fun up and down, blows away the Hightower sadly. I took it enduro racing, ran diamond jump lines, hucked rock drops. sure it falls apart on high speed rocky sections and I already had to rebuild the rear twice, but it takes a big hit. 5' to flat no problem. I rented the 2018 remedy and rode most the big jumps in Post Canyon Oregon. ill have to say, I thought the remedy would be a big step-up on the downhill and it wasn't, maybe it was the basic fork, but it was a big step-down on the uphill. I think with fork dampening tech now we dont need the travel we once did and that extra 20mm is not needed. also with wide rims and 2.5 rubber we compensate for at least 30% of the loss. 130mm is all you need these days imo for everything but DH.
Yeti Con: Expensive (costs $8500)
:shrug:
that Hightower was a big friggin' expensive mistake and I wouldn't even sell it to a friend.
reactive w/ 4 bar is waaaay smoother that the Hightower vpp. I even think the Hightower was a step down from the tallboy lt that I'm sorry I sold. As a huge SC fan I'm pretty bummed. I wear a Trek t-shirt now.
Now we are seeing 29ers with 170+ rear travel in Enduro offerings which is the new Long Travel. Then there are 120mm XC / Trail bikes so - it's a mash up.
Let me know if you re back in town this winter, would be fun to ride again.
Cheers.
I'm kinda bummed! What's the deal?
The western part.
If it were me, any of those bikes would be a dream though!
.
What I can say is that I bought a Foxy 29 XR frame set, and I swapped the rear shock to an Avy tuned Superdeluxe before ever riding it. My size L before pedals/ bashguard/ and tools were added weighs 28.1# and it is simultaneously the most effective climbing AND descending bike I've ever been on. And it also turns insanely well. My climbing and sprinting speeds are notably faster on this machine.
Previous bike was a similar high quality build (I reused everything except the suspension) Yeti 5.5 and the Foxy blows it away.
My Foxy 29 is also the first bike that I have felt truly comfortable on, fit wise. They are expensive, but I wouldn't be on any other bike at this time.
~ take care
I'd take the Aluminum Slash over any of the bikes tested. I have a Slash 9.9 and it's my 1st carbon bike. I can say for me, carbon wheels, cranks and frames are not ideal. If the Slash didn't have impact resistant carbon in the lower part of the frame my front triangle would be history I'm sure. Colorado just has too much loose rock that likes to hit the frame. I gotta have carbon bars to save my hands, otherwise f-carbon.
When is some of: unno burn / spesh enduro / hope hb160 / pivot mach6 / yeti sb6 / giant reign / Radeon swoop / YT Capra going to be compared (so slightly more travel and mainly 27.5 compared to this selection)
so I hear words like "I liked carbon rims, tyres, dropper posts", "shock is good for climbing" ....
Uhmm... isn't that test suppose to compare BIKES, I mean FRAMES, not the components?
Would it be more correct to assemble each one of these bikes with the SAME components and compare them??
With this kind of logic we should ride 26" single speed hardtails with V-brakes because everything else is cheating.
Btw. not mentioning your love for 29" which is basically cheater wheel size, that makes everything easy, especially on downhill you just roll over everything without much effort.
But I guess that's the price you have to pay to be "edgy"
Is there a “super enduro” comparison like this, couldn’t find it (word enduro mentioned too much)
The reviewers loved the Trek. I see loads of Treks on the trails of Washington.
I have no idea where you get the idea that west-coasters hate Trek.
I did my demo of the stumpy finally. Gotta say, my initial impression riding up a fire road is that you guys were on crack! I even stopped to make sure which way the blue lever should be so I wasn't in lockout or something. I know that will sound like BS, but it's true. Suspension was super composed and this was a 1x11 Alu Comp demo bike with low end boingers.
As pretty much is always the case I felt the shock was under damped for my weight. 6'2" 255 so Duh! But I did not mess with the shop sag set up and only added a little more rebound. Though I did let some air out of the fork. Since it was just a 24hr demo I did not add volume spacers like I would if it was mine. (which doesn't change the dampening, but the faster ramp up feels better along with letting me use less psi)
For sure the more I rode and the more tired I got I did get to a point where I would flip that lever to climb back up the fire road!!! (actually end of the day on the way back to the truck FR climb I used the lock out too, but I was loosing air out of the rear at the time. Tubes??? WTH?) BUT, gotta say there were very few instances on the trail where I was disappointed in suspension feel or forward progression. And anytime pointed DOWN it was super plush!
So in the end, I guess I have to admit I wasn't riding different models back to back like you all were. AND, for sure to each their own. Tomato/Tamato. MAYBE your not on CRACK. But I sure didn't think the Stumpy suspension was a CON... I was using some cheater switch on both Ibis's I rode this summer too... But I've not rode a trek with the Reactive. (been awhile) and I've never rode a FS Kona nor the SB.
NOTE, after riding the Genius there were some times where I missed having that instant click to traction control to stand and hammer up a climb. There are a lot of ravines to traverse where I was riding, you would drop in and then it would be rocky switchbacks to get out. So you'd dive in fast and since I'm a hack I'd have to scrub speed to take the swtichback corner and sometimes I'd be in a poor gear choice and struggle to make it out! On the Genius I'd flip that traction lever and it dropped down to 110mm and it was like a super boost to stand an hammer out of those ravines. It's not like a gear change in that situation where you need to throttle your pedal stroke to let it shift while also trying to keep enough momentum not to get stopped up the hill etc.
Course, I should also mention this was the first Shimano shifter I'd used in years. (that wasn't at a bike park and didn't really get used) So at first I struggled finding a good position/function with the shifter. So the first few times I dropped into a ravine I just wasn't on with shifting. And as the day progressed I adapted and was cognisant enough to drop gears before I hit that climb! Also, I didn't love the gearring jump to the 46, I often felt when climbing that the gear selection was either too low or too high spinning up a big climb. (course on the other hand I was LOVING that 46 as I got tired though the day! Even with the odd gearing jump!)
For sure the geo is a bit conservative. But for a "trail bike" it's not bad. It's a compromise as the high BB left me feeling like it was just that, bit too high/tall feeling? It was very nimble though! And then the low BB setting was much!!! better for how I ride but I could for sure feel the slacker seat post angle, feeling more off the back all of a sudden. But I just pushed the seat WAY forward to compensate, raised the post a touch more, flipping some spacers over the stem to lower the bars and scoot them away some and rolling the bar forward and I was super comfortable on the bike from there on.
Actually the high BB was fine climbing up the fire road and some general up/traverse trail stuff at the start. (nimble in the rocks, etc.) But once heading back down a "small jumps" trail I immediately felt the bike didn't carve like I wanted. (also little to no berms on that trail) Bike also felt too short once I started going down. First I lowered/rolled the bars which helped with the feel but not the carving, but then I remembered the high/low thing and that was the fix!!
For me, I'd love to see the EVO in an "s4"? XL. Even wonder if they should look at an XXL for the regular stumpy? OR I wonder about trying a 2 degree slacker angle set and a slightly longer fork on the regular stumpy to get the geo more to my liking???
Anyway, overall I totally liked the bike. Gotta say for the most part I've liked every bike I've demo'd this summer!! Great time for mountain bikes! My least favorite was the Sentinel. The thing was a pig! And the wheel base is SO LONG that it was a chore in tight stuff/switch backs. And as much fun as it was at the bike park it just left me thinking it really deserved more travel in the back for that purpose. But the fit was perfect for me!!! Reach/stack/cockpit length. Makes me think the bike needs a +1 degree angle set and a 150 fork to trail ride?
SO, next is to see what kind of Trek demo's I can get around here!