SHAND SHUG
£1,350 Scottish monster truck with chunky 29in or plus-size rubber
Based not far from Edinburgh, Shand build all kinds of bikes, including expedition, commuter and gravel steeds, inspired by the rugged Scottish terrain. The whole process, from design to building to welding to painting, is done at their premises.
Shand describe the Shug as a “full-on trail shredder” and have designed it with big tyre clearances (up to 27.5x3in) to maximise the amount of grip on offer. They offer a standard-geometry frame, or if you want to go full-custom it’s £299 on top. That said, the measurements are very modern, and we don’t think many trail riders will need to make changes. For £2,095 (with stock geometry), Shand will throw in a headset and Cane Creek fork too.
The frame
Reynolds 853 tubes are TIG-welded together to form the front triangle of the Shug, which has a reassuringly slack 64-degree head angle and long reach (490mm on the large size), plus a 74-degree seat angle, marking it out as the most progressive bike in this test. At the back, Dedacciai stays extend 435mm from the bottom bracket, keeping the back end fairly tight for a plus/29er bike, and finish in a pair of neat cowled dropouts, which feature an IS-standard brake mount. The driveside chainstay connects to the BB shell via a plate, to maximise tyre clearance. Shand have built the frame with a 130mm fork in mind and kept the front end nice and low, which should help keep the front wheel loaded.
The kit
In their frame-and-fork package, Shand spec a 130mm-travel HELM fork from Cane Creek, either air or coil, fitted with a Hope headset. Our model had an air spring, and its unique axle system proved easy to use. While we’d rate a RockShox Pike or Fox 36 fork over the HELM, it remained smooth throughout testing, and was ably assisted by the plus-width 2.8in tyres Shand supplied, which contributed to a much suppler, grippier ride.
These Schwalbe tyres – a Magic Mary in ADDIX Soft compound up front and an ADDIX Speedgrip Nobby Nic at the rear – were mounted on a set of 35mm-wide Hope wheels, while Shimano took care of the stop-and-go components. The stubby stem held an almost flat handlebar, accentuating the low feel of the Shug’s front end.
The ride
Plus-size tyres were all the rage a couple of years ago, but we don’t ride many bikes with them these days. However, when we do, we’re reminded that they really can have a place on an aggressive hardtail. With the huge tyre volume soaking up smaller trail chatter, the Shand rumbles along with almost surprising speed. That’s thanks not only to the bump-swallowing nature of the fat tyres, but also the grip afforded by the sticky front tyre and the comfort provided by its damped carcass. We reckon that in a straight line (and probably through the corners too) the Shug was the fastest bike of the four here.
That’s no doubt helped by the geometry too. With plenty of distance between the front and rear axles, straight-line stability is rock solid, and it’s hard to knock the bike off-line thanks to that slack head angle. You’re also almost never going to feel like you’re about to be pitched over the bars either, because the Shug’s low-slung bottom bracket keeps your weight low and central between the axles.
In its stock shape, then, it’s a rapid bike. However, it’s not quite as nimble as some of the snappier bikes in this test. That straight-line stability means it’s not so superquick to react, while the extra tyre volume steals a little of the liveliness that’s on show elsewhere.
It’s also worth bearing in mind that if you go for the plus tyre option, you’ll need to be very accurate with your tyre pressures, as we’ve found that a PSI here or there can greatly impact on the ride feel. If plus tyres aren’t your thing, we reckon that slinging a set of 29x2.6in rubber onto the Shug is unlikely to greatly hold the bike back, nor turn it into a bone-shaker.
The other noticeable thing about the Shug is its front end, which is markedly lower than that of the other bikes here, despite the taller tyres. This means your bodyweight is pitched forward a little more. On the plus side, this weights the front tyre nicely in flat corners. However, on steep tracks, despite the security offered by the slack head angle, you may feel further forward on the bike than you’d like. If you’re going to be riding these trails regularly, a higherrise bar might not be a bad shout.