PINKBIKE FIELD TEST
Value Full-Suspension Round Table
The five bikes that ended up in full-suspension category of our latest Value Bikes Field Trip had between 120 and 135mm of rear travel and cost between $2,300 and $3,000 USD, but were very different bikes out on the trail.
The Devinci Marshall was the least expensive full-suspension bike on test at $2,369 USD and is a great choice for someone who wants an aluminum full suspension bike that won’t break the bank but that’s still capable enough to get you into some rougher terrain. The Marshall's efficient pedalling platform won't hold you back on the climbs and the frame has excellent geometry so it’s a great option for someone who wants to buy a less expensive bike and then slowly upgrade parts as you go along.
The $2,369 USD Polygon Siskiu T8 is probably the best looking bike on test, but this isn’t a beauty pageant. Rather than being a speedy trail bike, the Polygon offers a more forgiving, active ride that’s best suited to rough ground and riders who aren’t looking to add KOMs to their trophy case on every ride. It’s got tons of traction on the climbs, but you won't be winning any uphill contests. It does however make an excellent an all-rounder for someone that loves rough terrain. The Siskiu T8 was the most capable on the fast, rough descent on our test lap, and felt incredibly solid.
Right in the middle of the pack is the $2,500 USD Giant Trance X. It's best suited to someone who values traction and forgiveness over efficiency and all out speed and who doesn’t mind reaching for the pedal assist switch when they're heading uphill. It's a good option for a rider who faces rough, rocky terrain that can beat you up over a long day in the saddle.
The Marin Rift Zone 3 retails for $2,849 USD and, while its roots are in XC and it feels quick and poppy, it's more capable than a traditional XC bike. When you get into rolling terrain and have a series of short climbs followed by short descents, you can really pump into the downhill and accelerate up the next climb. It's not the best bike of the bunch for rough terrain, but if you don't have rough terrain, you're going to be riding a whole lot faster on the Rift Zone than on a more active bike that prioritizes absorbing all of the chatter in the trail over quickness.
The most expensive bike on test, the $2,999 USD Ibis Ripley AF was the most enjoyable bike to climb, feeling like a value-minded rocket ship when you point it uphill. It was no slouch on the descents either. The Ripley AF isn’t the kind of bike that you go straight through the rocks and chunder with. Instead, it's a bike that comes into its own if you ride it with precision. It only has 120mm of travel and in no way does it feel like more than that, but it offers a good mix of suppleness, support, and enough ramp-up for most riders on the descents. It makes a great partner for a rider who wants to cover a lot of ground, possibly while pedalling hard, and have a hoot on the way back down. What more do you want from your trail bike?
That's it for the video reviews, but stay tuned for the Impossible Climb, the Efficiency Test and, of course, the Huck to Flat.
The 2021 Pinkbike Field Test was made possible with support from Toyota.
178 Comments
Are the cheaper brakes the same or worse?
Seems a bit unfair to constantly complain about an issue and not give credit when someone provides an easy solution to the problem.
I think the issue is the modulation changes with the bite point so you have no idea what effort to put in each time you apply the brakes, and that gets in your head. I just never fully trusted the brakes and I found it hard to let go and ride fast.
I have missed your presence on a few of the podcasts this spring and am glad you are back Mike. You and Timmy Ho's make my commute home on Fridays the best drive of the week!!! When you host the show its always entertaining. I REALLY enjoyed the value bike field trip series the past 2 years and your efforts are a big part of that Levy. Your technical knowledge delivered in a non-pretentious, approachable manner are appreciated by myself and many more.
In the few dealings I have had with Devinci staff I have always been impressed. In fact I spoke to Samuel (via phone and email) at your headquarters this week about a spare derailleur hanger and he was super helpful. Only issue is there is no dealer for about 60 km from where I live in Barrie ON. You need a central Ontario dealer.
But not getting what the big deal is. Organic pads are easily worn down and cheaply replaced when riding trails that necessitate metallic pads.
theloamwolf.com/2021/03/22/2021-emtb-shootout-the-grand-finale
They call it Pink Bike, not Pink ebike....
and you can also find the individual reviews on their channel as well
How about adapting content to new realities, not just replicating old templates in a new paradigm. How about a PB Blue Light Special kind review on stuff that’s in stock. Get it while you can. On scene correspondents. That would be fun. Like Black Friday brawls but only gnarlier
I mean, if I'm buying a ~$2500 bike, I'm probably not the rider who gets a new bike every year or two. If I'm keeping it for 5+ years, warranty might actually matter...unless they all have lifetime...then it doesn't matter.
"Ibis will replace your worn clevis or lower pivot bushings free of charge to the original owner for the life of the product. Bushings and o-rings are covered under this warranty."
Now....where'd I leave my flow chart and spreadsheet maker?
...typing this out I'm realizing the monstrosity that would likely be created if component choices are decided by a online vote. ....probably not the best idea.
At the end of the day I don't really care to hear about how bad Shimano's brakes are due to a wandering bite point, I've known that since 2014 when my M615s started doing it. And it sounds like it ruined the experience of a few of these bikes for Mike and Sarah. Give the testers their specs of choice and let them rip!
I have an idea related to the ongoing shimano brake issues, which could both benefit riders and take some heat off of PB for mentioning an issue that many will find unacceptable...
How about bringing in a few pro mechanics to try to ‘fix’ the issue, and providing their feedback on best practices to get the most out of these brakes if that’s possible?
There are users here who claim that a ‘proper’ fresh bleed will solve the issue. Why not put that to the test? If a consistent fix can be found, a lot of riders with these brakes will thank you (and Shimano should sponsor your Tim Hortons consumption for a year at least).
If no fix can be found, you can double down on your criticisms with the backing of several well respected mechanics.
The last gen Trance - www.pinkbike.com/photo/16064285
Now that's an ugly bike
The Sapphire swap was night and day difference over the Fox 34. I kept reading about swapping to the Grip2 damper and Luftkappe upgrades to make the 34 better. But I decided to stop throwing money at a product that should have just worked right out of the box and swapped to DVO. Setup was quick and easy with DVO suggestions being pretty much bang on.
The Topaz starts to show off when hitting drops and chunk. Really composed and amazing bottom out resistance. I also love being able to set my entire spring rate and mess with volume spacers to dial it in. Once again, DVO suggested settings were pretty bang on.
To my eyes, the Ripley is damn good looking!
I don't know what the RS Recon fork rides like these days, but last I had the chance to compare the two (4 years ago) there was a big difference in ride quality moving to the Fox Rhythm. Looks like 4 piston brakes on the T8 as well. Deore vs SLX is a whisper on a stream in my opinion, but is yet another step up for the price difference. If it were me buying one, I would take the fork off as soon as I purchased it and replace it with something nicer (and sell the take-off fork as new and unused) and then I would just ride the wheels off the thing! These look like great bikes for the money.
I've taken down your names, in case it sucks and I need to blame someone !
That's awesome news. Hope they get it to you in a timely manner so you can get some good riding in this season. Congrats on the new bike!
It's not in stock, but then neither are the others.
If you live where the trails aren’t burly, I get that a big bike might be overkill, but anywhere there are big descents with drops, gaps, rock gardens etc. the Ripmo would be the best “budget” bike.......if/when it’s available.
Polygon = 10y
Ibis = 7y
Giant = 10y?? Not sure though, their site is not very clear
Marin = ?? The word warranty does not show up on their site.....
Devinci = Lifetime
Overall pretty good imo. However you'll only know how good when you need to make use of it......
www.youtube.com/watch?v=3IjTtmcXyDs
People who appreciate Silverman will not appreciate Waki.
And vice versa...
@Thebluelion: IMO, they are not only similar, but actually the same. I might be wrong, but I think the limited Vander series are actually Bossnut and Sentry frames which are already ordered but then canceled by Calibre. The frames are then rebadged into Polygon Vanders.
Similarly the low end rockshox dampers including turnkey, motion control, and even charger 1 are sub par performing compared to fox grip rhythm/marzocchi z1/z2 forks as well as offerings from many other companies. With a charger1 or grip fork on the devinci even at 3-400$ increase from 2599 I suspect the bike would have been much higher in the review.
I wonder if covid parts availability played a factor in the low end fork spec on this bike as many suspension components are some of the most negatively impacted in terms of availability.
They're made from a lower grade of steel that wears out more quickly with metallic pads. They still work though.
Until I wore those pads out, I never needed a bell, wet or dry they would screech like a freight train slamming on the emergency brake even with a light pull on the lever!