LONGTERM RIDES
Same-same but different for Rob in 2019
Introducing the first of our 2019 bikes – initial impressions of some of the machines we’ll be razzing for the next 12 months
I was rather smitten with my G-170 in 2018, and reluctant to give it up at the end of the year. When I found out Whyte were introducing a big-wheeled version of the bike, it seemed like the perfect way to continue the love affair. (Apologies if that sounds creepy!) I’d been keen to spend more time on a long-travel 29er anyway, so getting one on longterm test seemed like a logical move.
Picking the right model was a straightforward affair too. I’m not one for eyeball-searing colours, so the RS appealed from the off. More importantly, there’s little I’d want to change on there. Up front sits a RockShox Lyrik RC, which is a fork that’s hard not to like. The Super Deluxe rear shock is easy to get dialled in too, meaning that within minutes I was happy with how the suspension was feeling on the trail. I’ve reduced the air pressure in the fork slightly compared to what I would have ridden previously, to make things comfier on my wrist, which still isn’t 100 per cent after I broke it in July.
I’ve used SRAM’s GX Eagle drivetrain extensively and haven’t had any issues since they made a running change to the lower jockey wheel, and I’m a fan of their Code R brakes too, although the rear one feels like it needs a bleed. The
Maxxis Minion DHF and Aggressor tyres didn’t stay on long though. While they’re a great combo in drier weather, they struggle in moist conditions. To keep things consistent, I switched to the same tyres I finished 2018 on – WTB’s new Vigilante and Judge, which are better suited to sliding down slick hillsides.
The 29er’s geometry isn’t drastically different to that of the 650b bike – the bottom bracket is fractionally higher, the reach a smidgen shorter and the rear end grows by 5mm (as it does on the 2019 650b bike too) – so I’ve plumped for the medium frame once again. On the trail, I felt instantly at home with the size of the bike, although its bigger wheels and heavier tyres (especially the ‘Tough’casing rubber I’ve fitted) mean it doesn’t feel as playful in the turns and takes more effort to manual. I’ve also been buzzing my bum on the rear tyre. I’m more or less used to these things now though, after a few long days on the bike, and one thing’s for sure – this thing is bloody fast.