"it's capable of writing cheques that the suspension can't cash."
IMO that's the biggest catch with the current crop of trailbikes. I rode a Smuggler for a little over a year and that's how I describe it. The geometry of the bike exudes stability at speed and provides great control, especially coming from prior gen 29er geo, but the suspension just can't keep up with the way the bike wants to ride especially on really loose, chunky stuff. You find the limits of that 120 really quickly unless you are really light. Despite a multitude of shocks and forks, I just couldn't get the suspension performance I wanted out of it, despite the geometry feeling great.
Oct. 29, 2019, 6:01 a.m. - Shinook
"it's capable of writing cheques that the suspension can't cash." IMO that's the biggest catch with the current crop of trailbikes. I rode a Smuggler for a little over a year and that's how I describe it. The geometry of the bike exudes stability at speed and provides great control, especially coming from prior gen 29er geo, but the suspension just can't keep up with the way the bike wants to ride especially on really loose, chunky stuff. You find the limits of that 120 really quickly unless you are really light. Despite a multitude of shocks and forks, I just couldn't get the suspension performance I wanted out of it, despite the geometry feeling great.