ROB’S TRAIL COMMENCALMETA V4.2 ORIGIN £2,322*

The Meta is more about fun than munching through the miles

My Meta may not be the lightest (around 15.5kg), slackest or longest bike out there, but dear Lord, it’s so much fun! On blasts around my local woods, its solid build, impressive balance and stealth-like performance have made it a joy to ride. Even more so now winter is finally over.

I’ve switched the Maxxis Shorty tyres for some dry-weather numbers, going with an old favourite up front – a 2.5in Minion DHF Wide Trail in the ‘3C MaxxGrip’ compound. It’s not a super-fast roller, but is well-damped, offers superb traction and its high volume makes things feel smoother. That’s good because, even after a service by SRAM, the RockShox Revelation fork still feels a little lacklustre on successive hits. It’s better than it was, but there’s still room for improvement.

At the rear, I’ve fitted a Maxxis Aggressor, also of the 2.5in WT variety. It’s not a tyre I’ve spent much time on, but so far, so good. The tightly-packed tread may not fare too well in mud, but I’m hoping it won’t see much of that.

I’ve upgraded the brakes too, from SRAM Levels to SRAM Guide Ts. The lever feel isn’t drastically different but the bigger four-piston callipers give more power on long descents, where the Levels struggled.

The final change is something I’m not allowed to talk about just yet. All will be revealed next month! www.commencal-store.com