Field Test: 6 Downcountry Bikes VS the Efficiency Test

Nov 4, 2022 at 11:39
by Mike Levy  


PINKBIKE FIELD TEST

6 Downcountry Bikes VS the Efficiency Test

Words by Mike Levy; photography by Tom Richards

Look, I know that most of us are here for the good stuff, whatever kind of fun singletrack descent that might be, not some boring-ass gravel road climb that's too steep, too loose, and definitely too long. But the reality is that most of us have to pedal up the mountain, hopefully on a trail rather than a road, and while many riders are just happy to get to the top, others want to get there a little sooner. That's where bikes like our six short-travel rigs can make the difference between, "Never again!" and "Let's do another lap."
Efficiency Test Results

1st Allied BC40 - 2:34
2nd BMC Fourstroke LT - 2:35
3rd Ibis Exie - 2:35 (Tied w/ BMC for 2nd)
4th Lapierre XRM - 2:37
5th RSD Wildcat - 2:42
6th Evil Following - 2:44

But while all six are going to be pretty good at ascending, some or more good than others, which is why I grunted my way up yet another terrible climb while the stopwatch was running. At the end of the day, it was Allied's 120mm-travel BC40 that was quickest over the same distance and with the same watts put to the pedals as the others, with the BMC and Ibis' new Exie tied for the runner-up spot just one second behind.



The 2022 Downcountry Field Test is presented by Quebec City Mountain Bike, Sweet Protection and Specialized Ground Control Tires



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170 Comments

  • 250 2
 Next time you should do locked out vs open. And road, gravel, and technical singletrack. And 3 repeats each. I know 18 runs per bike sounds like a lot, but it'd be totally worth it!
  • 325 3
 I kinda want to banhammer you for this idea haha
  • 94 0
 @mikelevy: hire @dangerholm he could maintain those watts just by staring at it
  • 23 0
 1 donut after each run to keep the nutrition even.
  • 32 0
 @mikelevy: Just charge him $8
  • 11 1
 @DizzyNinja: And he needs to redeem himself for inventing through the headset routing on mtbs ... This sounds like a fair punishment.
  • 2 0
 And blind folded without a water bottle.
  • 4 1
 @oscartheballer: while riding the Grim Donut
  • 5 1
 To make sure all variables are considered, I would recommend adding in, 3 peats of with and without water bottles, at each condition. Only than we will know which bike is the most efficient.
  • 1 33
flag SixxerBikes (Nov 7, 2022 at 18:43) (Below Threshold)
 @mikelevy: leave it to Levy to get legitimately frustrated that he rides and reviews bikes for a living...literally this guy can't even feed himself healthy green vegetables and whole fruits to save his life.
You can dish it, but can you take it?

peace
  • 13 0
 @SixxerBikes: leave it to sixxer bikes to not realize that jokes are a thing. Sad.
  • 38 0
 @SixxerBikes: My girlfriend won’t let me leave the table until I’ve eaten my broccoli.
  • 2 0
 ...and with different tyre pressure (let's say 10 PSI, with 2 PSI increments/run), also for different height/frame size, and different body weight. I know it sounds like a lot, but I don't care! Razz (PB community will pay you the beer and sandwiches for this project)
  • 4 0
 @mikelevy: I mean you should always do the standard efficiency test cause tradition, but don't you have an intern you could pass the other couple tests on? *Coug* Kaz *Cough*
  • 1 0
 They should have to bunnyhop a fallen tree at speed.
  • 1 0
 I’m disappointed there are no skinsuits. It’s not downcountry without skinsuits.
  • 1 0
 open and locked would mean 36 runs for Levy boy Smile
  • 63 0
 Please do a Tire field test where you do the same set of tests and different combinations of tires. Use the same bike. Such as using the Allied, and then testing the Spec Ground Controls, maxxis rekons, Schwalbe wicked wills, etc. Extra credit for changing up the front and rear such as DHR II front, Rekon Rear. etc. I suspect the timing differences would be more drastic and instructive the differences noted here and in other field tests.
  • 6 0
 You'd love www.bicyclerollingresistance.com
  • 1 0
 That was not a good advertisement for the Ground Control.
  • 43 1
 The RSD beating the Evil is a bit of a surprise.
  • 9 0
 Yeah, and the RSD is considerably heavier. Would beat it by a little more if weight corrected.
  • 40 1
 This is, obviously, a hyper-scientific test and I'm not just here to watch Levy sweat and hurt.
  • 7 0
 I like that maybe they just wanted an excuse to test RSD's one full sus bike despite it being the black sheep/ trail bike of the bunch. It ticks a lot of boxes at a great price... not often seen these past couple years but something RSD does well across their offerings.
  • 12 0
 Well not really. I’ve owned two Evils and they’ve both been disappointing at climbing.

(Awesome DH though!!)
  • 22 0
 This field test has been a home run for the little company from Toronto. They're going to sell a loooot of bikes.
  • 16 0
 @big-red: I understand your saying "lot", but my mind read it as "loot" to make it more authentic.
  • 2 3
 You mean sometimes the "better" mouse trap is not necessarily "better"? Who would have thought that adding all of that scaffolding might not actually do all that much?
  • 7 5
 @corposello: I'm just here to hear how many times Levy says, "fined owoot" or "lock owoot"
  • 4 0
 @rich-2000: I agree with you.

My Following was so much more painful at climbing that I reviewed the marketing material again and didn't see anything glorifying its climbing ability. There were clips of riders pushing it though. It certainly had a DH sled feel to it when pointed down though!
  • 9 31
flag sanchofula (Nov 7, 2022 at 11:24) (Below Threshold)
 Not really, the Evil actually has a high end suspension that works (moves better and easier) whereas the RSD is a very simple single pivot, single pivot o smooth terrain would climb better (like a hardtail) when set up firm. I imagine the Evil could have been firmed up, but then that defeats the purpose of having a bike that descends well.

This is a kind of a dumb test, literally splitting hairs with a one second difference over a two minute climbs doesn't hold water. If you pick a bike for climbing gravel roads fast, it's not gonna bean Evil, but if you climb a gravel road to go down a single track, an Evil is gonna be a better choice.

When I climb gravel, it's just to get to and from single track.
  • 9 1
 @Dopepedaler: I feel attacked
  • 12 0
 @sanchofula: Delta link is just a linkage controlled single pivot. Not really 'high end' as you claim. That said, their suspension's generally work really well.
  • 6 0
 @mikelevy: I can’t take credit for this (think Seb might have said it in a podcast) but the test set up only tests your power at the crank. It seems that’s worth 10 seconds in 3 minutes. Partly weight, partly pedal bob or whatever you want to call it.
But what isn’t measured is how much effort you are putting in to generate those 300 watts. A non ideal position on the bike, and anything you are doing beyond spinning the pedals, including steering and balancing, are costing you energy and in the real world is going to tire you out more, whether racing for money or chasing your buddy.
  • 21 0
 @sanchofula: Evils' Delta Link is a single pivot, linkage actuated suspension design. Similar to the Kona Processes, Marin Alpine Trail's, and Commencal Meta's. This RSD is a Horst Link, similar to the Norco Sight, Transition Sentinel, Specialized Stumpjumper etc.
All full suspension bikes just move their rear wheel through a specified arc (path), and push on a spring at different rates at different points of the wheel's journey.
Nowadays in these comments, you've gotta do better than "moves better and easier" or if you do, back it up with objective data.
And this test is exactly how an efficiency test should be run; they run an abbreviated simulation and then interpolate the data to span across x metric.
Oi. I feel like I just fell for a troll's clickbait.
  • 2 1
 @jmhills: maybe, maybe, maybe the “scaffolding’s” main function isn’t efficient climbing? I don’t have an Evil, and maybe even have a healthy suspicion of them in their historical dodging of pinkbike field tests, but let’s be open to the possibility and not give shit to a company not doing Horst link or dw knockoffs.
  • 4 1
 @rich-2000:
What Evil bikes did you have?

My Evil offering (140mm) pedals very well, especially during standing pedaling (which to me is important, others my prioritize other attributes).

Compared to my old Transition Scout (125mm) it pedals a lot better. Compared to my even older Ibis HDR (135mm) and the Ibis Ripmo (145mm) I demoed it's almost as good seated and about the same during standing sprints.

I think people often have different opinions on which bike pedals well, and it probably has a lot to do with how you pedal your bike. To me, most bikes pedals ok while seated, but some really suck when standing up which sort of kills my motivation
  • 2 1
 @rich-2000: I had the offering v1 and it had the typical single pivot climbing traits: ok and relatively efficient until there was anything technical....then not so great.
  • 2 0
 @mikelevy: the dulcet tones of your Canadian inflection are my ASMR.
Heart-Wannabe Canadian
  • 2 0
 @big-red: Definitely will consider this as my next bike provided the wife doesn’t kill me and the prices don’t skyrocket after the exposure on PB. Support Local!
  • 4 0
 @eldsvada:

I had a V1 following. It peddled about the same as my 170mm YT Capra V1!

Then I had a Offering V1, which pedalled about the same as the following. It wasn’t aweful, but was disappointing for a 140mm bike. I demoed a pivot switchblade at the same time and that was night and day better, as was the Intense Primer v1 I moved to.

I also demoed a wreckoning (v1) and that was a right dog at climbing.

But people don’t buy evils to climb on, they have slack actual seat angles. they do pedal very well out of the saddle, very firm platform.

The following was so so at decending, the offering was great. With a push 11-6 the suspension was something special, one of those rare ‘stars aligning’ moments. I’ve had quite a few bikes since and not many have felt as special as that ‘pushed’ offering.
  • 4 1
 @rich-2000: My Offering climbs better than my HD4 did according to Strava and feel. Main problem with the Offering for climbing is the short chain stays on steep stuff
  • 1 0
 @rich-2000:
We agree on the out of saddle pedaling and downhill traits at least Smile

As mentioned I probably have relatively smooth pedaling, and as such is less sensitive to seated pedaling.
I'm also barely 5'9 (on low gravity days), and as such not that affected by the seat tube angle, though I did prefer it in the high mode (but I run it in low to get a low and nice BB with my 150mm fork).

I've been considering switching it to high mode and putting a 140mm fork and a -1 angleset on there to get similar geo with steeper seat tube angle.
  • 1 0
 @chubby5000: look at the big brain on this one. For the record I upvoted you.
  • 3 0
 @rich-2000: I have an 11.6 on the v3 following and it’s pretty incredible. Even at 120mm their stuff seems to just work really well with a coil.
  • 2 0
 @BamaBiscuits:

Would love to try a v3 following. But since brexit Evils have gone from ‘competitive’ to ‘super expensive’ due to them being imported into spain first.

The evil following v3 frameset is now £3800 / $4400 dollars including taxes.

My evil following v1 cost me £2600 years ago. And I picked up my v1 offering direct from spain before brexit for £1.9k in a black friday sale.
  • 36 0
 If someone ties, you've got two 2nd place finishers and then a 4th and 5th place.
  • 12 1
 Ah...but not when one comes alphabetically before the other. That is the tie-breaker.
  • 4 0
 the website probably doesn't have the code for a tie in a numbered list and someone didn't care to go fix it manually
  • 3 3
 If all races were ordered this way, then theoretically I could come second place against the worlds fastest pros. You know, if they all tied for first place.
  • 2 0
 @kcy4130: I've never seen a MTB race were they had ties....but simply not getting disqualified by getting lapped would probably be a massive challenge by itself...
  • 1 0
 I always thought the tie goes to the runner but I think there are only cyclists in this scenario.
  • 3 0
 @RadBartTaylor: You don't get disqualified when you are lapped. You get removed from the course and you are assigned a finishing position based on that.

I have never, and will never finish a pro race on the lead lap. But I have plenty of "finish" results!
  • 1 1
 Why not two 3rd?
  • 32 7
 Evil is offering a fundraiser for Alicia Leggit who was seriously injured. Anyone who donates $5 or more is entered into a raffle for a Faction 2. Looks like Pinkbike isn’t joining in the effort to do a fundraiser or to advertise Evil’s support.

www.gofundme.com/f/alicia-and-her-family-with-medical-costs
  • 8 1
 If you're going to state it, you should probably post the link to Evil's fundraiser. I couldn't even find any mention of said raffle
  • 3 1
 @nickfranko: It’s posted on the Evil Facebook page. It’s the most recent post and has details of the fundraiser.
  • 6 0
 @nickfranko: Here is the quote from their newsletter.
"Folks who donate $5 or more (including all previous donors) to Alicia's GoFundMe campaign before November 25th will be entered to win a Faction II of their choosing. You pick the color and size. We will randomly select a winner from the donor list, so feel free to insert your support and name more than once."
  • 2 1
 Probably best for Evil to just donate cash to Alicia.
  • 2 23
flag SixxerBikes (Nov 7, 2022 at 21:38) (Below Threshold)
 Hey Pinkbike....how dare y'all stay so quiet about this critical injury. What the actual f*ck is wrong with y'all? Post up everything under the sun (except showcasing that experimental gene altering vaccines are poison with zero long term studies), but won't post up the gofundme for an injured rider. YIKES
  • 4 0
 @SixxerBikes: it's up to her if she wants it to be shared, and right now she's got far more important things to think about than what anyone in the PB comments section wants to read.
  • 1 0
 @toooldtodieyoung: sweet, so I'm already entered. If I donate again do I get another entry?
  • 2 0
 @Marcencinitas: and pass such opportunity do involve more people, awareness, branding, maybe get even more money for Alicia?

The F-up part is the need for all this money. Healthcare should be at the heart's interest of the nation.
  • 2 0
 @Tambo: I just happen to subscribe to the newsletter. That's the way I read it, though. From what I understand, every time your name appears on the donor list with a contribution of $5 or more you get an entry.
  • 8 0
 Very interesting to see the times. With less than a 7% difference between all of them, I think this speaks much more to the rider than the bikes. The RSD is impressive though with a 10lb disadvantage on static weight.
  • 1 0
 Yeah I thought it would be like 20sec slower! Half the price of the others, descend far more better and you only lose 1 to 8 seconds on a 2min40 climb... well, I know which bike I would chose! lol
  • 9 0
 Could we get the bc40, the fourstroke, and exie in a test with the spark, epic evo, top fuel? *crosses fingers*
  • 2 0
 Yes we need this, pretty please
  • 5 0
 @mikelevy I feel this test should be repeated just to make sure figures are accurate, 3 runs each makes a good average as a minimum and its only 15 ascents :p, a superhuman reviewer like yourself should love to indulge in the numbers.
  • 2 0
 In my first year course on experimental design, I was taught that you need at least 11 tries in order to exclude outliers. @mikelevy you are going to be soo fit in the name of science!
  • 4 0
 It'd be interesting to compare out of the saddle sprints. Like a start line or sprint finish in xc. I'd guess it'd be hard to be consistent power output from one bike to the next tho. Seated efficiency is super important of course, but being able to sprint (without locking out) is important too. Not just for xc, for trail riding, where there's a little tech uphill where you have to sprint into it to be able to make it up.
  • 1 0
 I'm thinking that advantages/disadvantages there would show up in the trail climb segment. (for which they did not share times).
  • 4 0
 I stood up while climbing the same portion of our course on all the bikes, maybe a 300-400ft section of the climb. But yeah, what the bike is doing when you're working really hard and not thinking about being smooth is super important.
  • 1 0
 @mikelevy: I think you'd see the DW Link flex against the Allied and BMC when pedaling smoothness goes out the window.
  • 5 0
 When dealing with differences of 1 second for places 1-3, I feel like not hitting the exact same line every time and started at the cone instead of behind the cone could make the difference.
  • 14 0
 For sure, that's why we do try to stress that this is just fun bro-science and not real science. I was on pretty much the same line (only one line up the steep part was rideable without spinning out) but yeah, the small gaps like that mean that the bikes are essentially tied in my mind.
  • 2 0
 @mikelevy: Or further apart Wink
  • 4 0
 I feel this could really up the bro-science level by adding some accellerometers on a few places on the body. Because it could tell you something about the real efficiency. As in: how much energy does your body need to use to put down a certain watt number on the pedals. Power meter will not tell you that.
Besides that, it would be cool to see Levy sweating up a fire road with a vest all full of wires and electronics.
  • 3 0
 @mikelevy Curious what power setting you are using for ensuring you are on target?
3s power?
10s power?
NP or AVG?

Not saying you are not consistent or anything, just curious as to which setting you find best for the process. Thanks
  • 4 1
 The Allied seems to be the winner on multiple levels for this Field Test. It even makes an old slow and dedicated winch and plunge type lacking any sort of grace think about it. However, the biggest issue I have with any of these bikes, save the Evil and the RSD is that anyone who is a bigger person (over 200 lbs) and/or rides aggressively will destroy one of these very quickly.
  • 2 0
 Agreed. The durability thing is why a lot of us who are hard on gear have been riding bigger bikes even as our long-distance trail bikes for many, many years. Honestly, with the right tires they pedal fine on those big rides. There are finally some durable looking shorter travel bikes with good kinematics. Kona, Norco, Transition and a couple of the bikes in this test. The PNW brands seem to get it. It's a good time to be alive.
  • 3 0
 If Allied, and Gorilla Gravity (and WeAreOne) make US-made carbon. Why is allied so much more expensive than GG? Do they use different techniques? Is one better than the other? Does Allied charge more because they can and people willing to pay that much? Can GG make a bike exactly like the BC40 using their technique and doing it much cheaper?
These are questions l want to know
  • 16 0
 I can't speak to the differences in MSRP but for manufacturing, Guerrilla Gravity does use a more automated process whereas Allied is laying carbon by hand. Different types of carbon as well. I'm not sure the BC40 frame would weigh as little as it does (or look the same) if it was built using different carbon and via the same process Guerrilla Gravity employs.

More info on Guerrilla Gravity: www.pinkbike.com/news/guerilla-gravity-us-made-carbon-frame-smash-trailpistol.html
  • 7 1
 GG makes very good bikes, but if you want a 4lb frame thermoplastic ain't gonna do it.
  • 8 9
 I'm gonna go with: Allied charges the 25% "Road bike company" tax. Wink
  • 2 0
 Yes. They just different. No, but all prices are as high as the market will bear. No.
  • 3 0
 It'd be great to see some sort of reference point for bikes on climbing efficiency.

So if you've done the DC bikes, what time would a well regarded XC, trail bike, or enduro bike do it in?
Appreciating that there will be other factors such as tyre choices given an XC bike won't run the same tyres as an enduro bike but it'd be interesting to see the variance.

So often we read about how well X bike climbs when I'm relative terms it doesn't.

Thanks for the test and content anyway!
  • 1 0
 Agreed, that would be good. We were using the same hill and same course for many of the different Field Tests but not possible when we do these ones on the road.
  • 6 0
 As a local, that climb is a bitch
  • 2 0
 My bad. I thought it said BB drop. Not BB. Agreed all those things come into it. And agreed that those things would come into it. If we're comparing a "bike brand" for how it climbs I'm just saying it makes more sense to try to eliminate as much variables in terms of how much watts you have to put in just to overcome the limitations of build difference. I think BB changes would be an onerous amount of work and what's more I don't want levy eating grease coated donuts as it somewhat of a challenge to get that stuff off. But for strict climbing I think it is worthwhile having one set of wheels with tyres that you swap out.
In the same vane as changing wheels being overkill to not evaluate bike for bike one could argue then that control tyres themselves make it not comparing the bike itself as the product manager intended for it to ride a certain way based in the tyres they spec. Alternatively it has been argued that often times bikes are in fact inappropriately specced with too light tires to make them seem lighter. Not sure of the correct answer but I'm sticking to my opinion that for pure climbing test control wheels are the way to go.
  • 2 0
 I would argue with the same power output at the pedals and control tires, the results of this test are mainly driven by weight and drivetrain effciency. IMHO the biggest difference between bikes is not whether they get power from the pedals to the ground, but whether the rider can efficiently produce power.Just imagine if poor @mikelevy had to ride an XS bike with the dropper down, there would not be much to suggest the results would be any different, but certainly it would be exhausting.
  • 3 0
 So, can anything save the LaPierre? Would a different shock or shock tune or modified linkage help? Do y’all talk about that?
  • 5 0
 The shock uses a digressive tune that I suspect is responsible for a lot of what we're feeling on the trail. That said, many riders will prefer that solid, very efficient ride under power over the more forgiving action of some of the other bikes.
  • 8 0
 @mikelevy: Many riders would prefer their bicycle also stay intact.
  • 5 0
 @nskerb: I wish all of these bikes had some downtube protection, but I do feel bad for that Lapierre rock strike - it was a big and pointy one. I don't think any frame w/o protection would have survived, but who knows?
  • 3 0
 @mikelevy did you consider wearing a HR monitor to measure your effort to maintain 300 watts for each bike? Hard to imagine this being equal across all bikes.
  • 2 3
 How would an HR monitor affect wattage output? 300W is 300W whether you're at 130bpm or 200bpm. There's an argument for consistency of output, but as highlighted multiple times, this is bro science. More likely that how many times he rode over gravel vs hardpack or how aerodynamic he was would have just as big of an impact. Time spent standing and mashing would also be an interesting variable as the 300W at the pedals would still be eaten up by the suspension
  • 4 0
 @hatton: A touch beyond bro science, but interested if Levy felt dramatically different trying to maintain 300w between bikes.
  • 2 0
 @hatton: body position affects your ability to put out watts. look at any cyclist put in a hard acceleration and their ride posture will change dramatically.

Yes 300 W is 300 W, but 300 W perfectly upright with no upper body engagement will be a different physiological effort than 300 W on a race machine with an aggressive posture.
  • 2 0
 @yambaman: For sure, the RSD and Evil both put me in a more upright position that doesn't feel as natural when you're pedaling hard. I talked about it in a video a bit.
  • 7 1
 @hatton: 300W is measured at the crank. It doesn't tell you anything about how much energy the body had to use to produce 300W there. Heart rate is a reasonable proxy for that, if you control all the other variables well enough.
  • 1 0
 @ak-77: so we're asking which bike fits Mike Levy best?
  • 1 0
 I always think this for an efficiency test too.
The work at the pedals is the drive train efficiency, probably heavily driven by the wheels and bearings as well as the suspension and eliminates much of the geometry influence on efficiency.
The majority of the real efficiency difference would be a system test. The most important component of the system being the engine and position of the engine... heart rate is well correlated to effort so should be measured to make this a valid test (I get that it's only a bit of fun though). The spoken word from Mike suggests that maintaining 300W on some bikes is significantly harder than others, but the results show only a small difference, mostly within the marine of error of the test design.

It's impressive that Mike is holding 300W consistently on a number of over 2 minute runs without any fatigue. He must have a good FTP.
  • 1 0
 @hatton: Well, partly. Partly we're also asking which bike puts him in a good position to climb fire roads. But there's more to it. The motion that pedal bob induces, also requires you to use more energy to maintain position on the bike, aside from the loss of efficiency. The same holds for the residual motion of the body induced by terrain which is not absorbed by suspension.
  • 1 0
 That'd be fun but all variables would go out the window. Strava says I can hit similar times on all-out flowy trail segments using either my Epic Evo or Stumpy Evo. But while I can continue after the segment at unabated speed on the EE, I'm in a ditch puking my guts out on the Stumpy. Must be some interesting bro-science to compile from that.
  • 2 1
 Would love to see a tech climb test. Efficiency on a smooth climb seldom applies to mountain biking. Lugging a bike uphill over ledge-ups, root carpets and around switchbacks would be more relevant.

I suspect that a lot of bikes that score “meh” on a road climb are much, much faster in the proper setting.

You can always lock out the rear for the odd slog up a paved road (just don’t forget to open that shock for the down!!).
  • 4 0
 The Impossible Climb video comes out tomorrow. Probably.
  • 3 0
 Looks like the top 3 were pretty much tied. 1 second isn't much. I feel like Henry would have given you some stick for this, where is he?
  • 1 0
 @mikelevy Management needs to set this test up with more on the line. Consider the following: you have to pound 6 donuts before starting, and thereafter have to pound another donut at the top of every run. It's the only way to make sure your results are consistent, rooted in science, and completely objective.
  • 1 0
 Not going to lie, I think we need to mix it up and make it more funny/interesting/real.
  • 10 7
 "some or more good than others" c'mon Levy it's "some be betterer than the others" please work on that.
  • 5 0
 I am slipping!
  • 2 0
 @mikelevy would be cool to see a @cotic-bikes FlareMax in this test next time around since... ya know... they actually call it a downcountry bike on their website.
  • 1 1
 Possibly the most predictable test lol basically went from the more trail style bikes to the more xc race bikes. So I think to counteract this we should have Mike levy do uphill sprints 5x in a row on different terrains on every bike to really see what bike is more efficient in all senarios.
  • 3 0
 I don't think I would spend 6k more on a bike to shave 4 seconds off that climb and then like the downs less haha
  • 3 0
 Could you please also post the average watts?
  • 4 0
 All the bikes were at 300, give or take one or two watts.
  • 2 9
flag hatton (Nov 7, 2022 at 13:42) (Below Threshold)
 @mikelevy: 300W for 2.5 Min and you're that out of breath? Time to hit up zwift setup.
  • 11 0
 @hatton: It is certainly Zwift season here in BC now. It also needs to be a number that I can easily repeat over and over again while also talking a bit and not pedaling squares. I was at 4.7w/kg for a lot of the summer, 325-ish FTP doing the shorter test because the long one makes me cry. Over a 2.5min climb, I'd be happy to pedal harder but I don't think I'd be talking much haha I very much enjoy working hard and looking at numbers like a dork.
  • 5 0
 @hatton: 4.4 W/kg ain't nothing to sneeze at.
  • 1 0
 Respect on the w/kg. Just giving you a hard time, I'm sure you're pretty fatigued after all the field test rides... appreciate the suffering for us
  • 1 0
 @mikelevy: 4.7W/KG is outputting good power - we wouldn't be close on climbs.
  • 3 0
 @njcbps: I’m a pos for the other 8 - 10 months of the year, though. I’d trade some useless short-term peak fitness for more consistency but I’m more of a roller coaster kinda guy haha
  • 1 0
 @mikelevy: How! 300w is rather impressive.
  • 4 0
 @mikelevy: Breaking! Stoner guy has damn near Pro like FTP.
That's a really solid number.
  • 3 0
 @SunsPSD: Thanks for the kind words but I ride with actual pros sometimes and they can pedal away from me at any second of their choosing like I'm standing still - it's a whole other ballgame! I wish I had a lot more focus growing up and training when I was younger because that's when you build the kind of strength/fitness base that I'll never have, regardless of how I train now. I'm a stoner for sure, and I honestly think that's been a massive help. I absolutely love getting high AF and smashing myself, whether that's inside or outside. You'd be surprised (or maybe not) how many pros on the road and dirt live that life haha
  • 4 0
 Huck to flat please
  • 11 1
 Canceled it, sorry. Just uphills now.
  • 20 0
 @mikelevy: Huck to uphills, you say?
You've got my attention.
  • 2 0
 What was the variation in wattage? Don't tell me you hit the same number each time!
  • 1 0
 I'm just here to suggest @mikelevy performs so many iterations of efficiency tests that he goes cross-eyed and his gooch looks like a can of open tuna.
  • 2 0
 All I see is @mikelevy wearing his helmet in a crooked way.
  • 9 0
 The helmet was straight, my head was crooked.
  • 1 0
 I bet the impossible climb on these things is super challenging. How else could the call it impossible? Can’t wait!
  • 2 0
 Ah shit just seen that got answered.
  • 2 0
 Did you wear a chamois though?
  • 20 1
 I wake up in a chamois
  • 1 0
 @stiksandstones
It depends.
  • 2 1
 I bet you could set the Exie up with a longer stem and you could have climbed faster. Hump
  • 1 0
 Yes, I believe the deciding factor here is position on the bike and the aero drag.
  • 1 0
 @mikelevy do you have your tire pressure and fork setting available? If not, no worries
  • 3 0
 Don’t remember suspension settings but fork pressure is usually on the high side of recommended for my weight, maybe a bit over. Tire pressure was probably 21 front, 23 rear.
  • 1 0
 Just reminding you all that the next episode of pink bike academy is out in 11 hours.
  • 2 0
 Upduro
  • 1 2
 Honestly. Who cares how well they climb on fire roads. XC bikes should all be tested on impossible technical climbs. In my opinion that’s what XC bikes are for.
  • 3 0
 We talk/write about how they compare on technical terrain in the reviews, as well as which bikes excel in that sort of setting. This video focuses purely on efficiency.
  • 3 4
 For the climbing tests you need control wheelset as well I think. Unless hubs don't make a difference? Smile
  • 22 2
 I think you also need to control chains. They make a difference. And frames! They all need the same frame.
  • 3 1
 Control bottom bracket and chain too then.
  • 1 7
flag cameronbikes (Nov 7, 2022 at 11:03) (Below Threshold)
 @hllclmbr:

It is the same as control tires. Hubs spin more freely if different quality. I never realized how much people like to comment before thinking on this website
  • 3 0
 @cameronbikes: are you claiming that bb bearing don’t spin more freely base on quality, or that a clean properly lubed chain won’t make more difference than the hub and bb bearings combined?
  • 2 0
 @ultimatist: underrated one!
  • 1 2
 they don't in this type of non technical riding.
  • 5 0
 @ultimatist: They also need to clone Levy so they can eliminate fatigue. They can deploy the clones as a fleet of unpaid interns when not at bike tests.
  • 2 2
 @pink505: 300 tired watts is 300 fresh watts and always will be.
  • 4 0
 @numbnuts1977: don't deny us our clones with logic!
  • 4 0
 @cameronbikes: Ever calculated the difference in Watts between a completely unloaded hub that spins for 10s and one that spins for 100s? Compared to tire construction and pressure, it's completely irrelevant.
  • 3 1
 @ak-77:Agreed, and its also irrelevant because if you took the high end hubs from a 10K bike and put them on the 4K bike, you no longer have a 4K bike. The bikes are tested on their build, less tires which is how it should remain.
  • 1 0
 @numbnuts1977: They should test them with the default tire too, just to show how much difference it makes. In fact, they should really test the tires in a separate rest. That would be super interesting.
I would totally watch a full Field Test series only about tires. @brianpark are you listening?
  • 1 0
 Downcountry Big Grin Big Grin Big Grin
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