WHYTE T 130 SR
£2,299 A full-on British bulldog brawler, despite cheaper spec
hyte have some serious balls pitching the lowest-cost version of their latest trail bike against a trio of direct-sell bargains, but the T-130 SR’s cutting-edge handling, sorted suspension and cunning cost-effective spec outweigh its extra mass and kit sacrifices when it comes to flat-out trail blasting.
WThe frame
The 2019 T-130 is stretched and stiffened but sticks to Whyte’s proven format and practical detailing. Its gear, brake and dropper lines are all internalised and sealed with rubber gaskets. The single-ring specific ‘SCR’ frame design allows for a broad main pivot, there are ISCG tabs on the BB and room for a full-size bottle. It’s 27.5x2.8in or 29x2.3in tyre compatible, and the only bike here that gives the full claimed travel (130mm). The pivot terminals, links and shock yoke are all seriously stout, and the suspension bearings are covered by free lifetime replacement.
The kit
On paper there’s a big spec disparity with the direct-sell bikes, but the UK brand have used all their experience and ingenuity to keep performance close. The Whyte-branded crankset is solid underfoot and runs on external bearings for extra longevity. Shimano’s SLX gearing is light in feel and reliable, and shifting across the SunRace cassette is OK, if not outstanding. The TRP Slate brakes are limp on power for four-pots though, and can be variable in feel. While the WTB-rimmed wheels are heavier than the DT hoops here, they come set up tubeless with a dual-compound Maxxis High Roller II/Rekon double act that delivers all the float and flow advantages of 2.6in tyres. The fat Whyte grips weren’t to everyone’s taste but the 780mm bar and 35mm stem give the T-130 a real handling advantage, especially when paired with the short 37mm offset of the Fox 34 Performance fork.
The ride
This ‘Optimised Trail Offset’ gives a super-light, instant-reacting steering feel that makes wheel placement and traction control exceptionally accurate. The longest reach (470mm on the large) and slackest head angle (65.5 degrees) on test give you more time to react, as well as a more stable footing to handle incoming trouble from. Add the wide bar and supershort stem, and the T-130 SR has confident swagger for days. While the longer wheelbase means you sometimes need to take the long way round in tight sections, the OTO setup stops the Whyte flopping off-line like some slacker-angled bikes can. The 75-degree seat angle keeps you
perfectly poised for getting power onto the ground on steep climbs.
Whyte have got the suspension architecture and damper tune spot on to make the most of the handling too. We didn’t have to do anything to the fork and shock, apart from setting the sag. While it shares the same initial smoothness as the Canyon, which helps with slow-speed rock crawling and ragged-edge traction, the mid stroke is much more supportive in standard trim. We never had to reach for the pedal lever on the shock and there’s a better platform to push against. Despite having the shortest travel on paper, it handles bigger hits better than the other bikes, so you can plough into trouble without worrying about getting kicked off-line. The fork is sorted too, and the 2.6in Maxxis tyres on wide rims give a huge amount of grip and extra impact protection.
The T-130 SR’s high overall and wheel weight are an issue when it comes to accelerating and prolonged altitude gain. They make the bike harder to chuck around if you haven’t got speed on your side, but also help stick it to the ground. The stout frame means there’s no trace of flex or fumble, even when you’re really pushing your luck, and we regularly kept pace with 160mm and 170mmtravel bikes on black-run bombing raids. You’re going to want to at least fit a larger front rotor though, sooner rather than later, because well-modulated speed control is the obvious weak link in an otherwise full-gas package.
THERE’ S NOT RACE OF FLEX OR FUMBLE, EVEN WHEN REALLY PUSHING YOUR LUCK, AND WE REGULARLY KEPT PACE WITH LONGER TRAVEL BIKE SON BLACK RUN BOMBING RAIDS
Heavy, with limp brakes, but brilliant handling and sorted suspension give it the aggro win