PRIVATEER’S NEW NUMBER
The 161 rules on paper, but what about on the trails?
Privateer Bikes, as the name suggests, have built their 161 frame around the needs of the weekend warrior. The goals for this debut bike from the people behind Hunt Wheels were to allow riders to climb with minimal fatigue so they can plummet down the hills with vigour, maximising the fun factor, but also to make it an easy machine to work on.
A few of the details that help with this include external gear cable and brake hose routing, with additional guides to prevent rattle, and a threaded bottom bracket with ISCG-05 tabs. There are two bearings in the driveside main pivot, to share the extra load due to it being o set to make room for the chainring, and the rocker link is a single piece, to maintain bearing alignment and maximise bearing life while increasing sti ness.
The four-bar linkage suspension design delivers 161mm of rear wheel travel, controlled by a RockShox Super Deluxe Ultimate shock. On the full build, this is accompanied by a 170mm RockShox Lyrik Ultimate fork. The drivetrain is 12-speed Shimano SLX, with an XT rear mech, while Magura MT5 brakes handle stopping duties. Hunt Enduro Wide wheels with Michelin
Wild Enduro tyres keep the bike rolling. Finishing kit includes a OneUp dropper post, Fabric saddle, and Race Face bar and stem. There’s nothing here that you’d need to change to go racing.
Privateer’s geometry is race-worthy too, including a progressive 80-degree e ective seat angle and a 64-degree head angle. Reach numbers span 445mm to 515mm across four sizes. The smallest is built around 650b wheels, while the rest are 29ers. Each frame gets size-specific chainstays, which shows there was no expense spared in the 161’s design, so it’s amazing to see the whole bike come in at £2,989 (or £1,489 for the frameset).
Our technical writer Seb has a frame in for some long-term testing, so we’ll let you know if it’s as good on the trails as it sounds on paper. www.privateerbikes.com