ROB’S WHYTE G 170C WORKS 2018 £5,499
It’s been nothing but good times for Rob and his G 170 this year
If you’ve been following my updates on the G-170 over the past year, you’ll know that I haven’t had much to moan about. In fact, as you can probably tell, I like this bike a lot. OK, the bottom bracket is slammed (it sits just 333.5mm off the ground), and this won’t suit everyone’s riding style. But, despite the odd pedal-clipping incident during our early encounters, I’ve grown to love just how confident this particular trait makes the bike feel through the turns.
Is there anything I actively dislike about the G-170? Well, the stock semi-slick Maxxis Minion SS rear tyre certainly isn’t ideal for damp UK conditions and, if I’m being really picky – which is part of my job, after all – I’m not sold on the lime-green paint job of this Works model. But then I generally like things to be black, because I’m quite boring. A few of the guys in the office have commented on the frame aesthetics too. I think it’s the bowed seat tube they don’t like, but I’m quite happy with it. OK, the Whyte’s lines aren’t quite as drool-worthy as those of the UNNO Burn I tested earlier this year, but the frame is distinctive, curvy and will fit a water bottle inside the front triangle (plus the complete bike costs over £2k less than the UNNO).
Why have I enjoyed riding the G-170 so much, then? I think its biggest plus is that I can ride it in a very instinctive way. There’s no faffing or thinking each time I hit the trails. I get on really well with the geometry (the 460mm reach on the medium seems to work really well for me, at 5ft 8in), the suspension feels totally predictable and beautifully balanced, and even after some seriously hard miles and proper punishment, the bike continues to feel solid.
The big question I always ask myself when reviewing a bike is whether I’d hand over my own hard-earned cash for one. In this case, yes, without a doubt – though I’d probably save a few quid by going for one of the slightly cheaper models in the range. www.whyte.bike