Ive got the purple XT, and am quite happy with it. You look at the geo and know right away how it will ride: slack and confidence inspiring but it pedals comfortably and well due to the steep STA, firm suspension platform and lockout, and lightish weight. I had absolutely no surprises getting on it for the first time other than I was blowing through way more travel than I was used to (and still am). I use the full 170 on every ride, and I dont do anything that I would describe as big.
When I ordered it, I departed from my usual of getting a size Large for my 5'9/10 height and bought, for the first time in a LONG time, a Medium because of the wheelbase. My biggest concern prior to riding it was that it would be a big and awkward bike on the slower speed technical stuff that I spend a lot of time on - and my concern was that the wheelbase of theĀ large would be too cumbersome in that setting. After a couple months on it I think a large would have been fine too.
But Im glad that I went with the medium because it feels like a trail bike (and it still has longish reach) - I think that a large would have worked for me as well; better in some settings but worse in others.
One place where a large would be a big benefit is that it might allow me to use the under the top tube attachment points for something! Nothing will fit on a medium with a bottle in there. The smallish bottle BARELY fits using a side cage - ie, its touching the frame at the top (but I have the one-up pump mount making it a few mm worse than it could be).
Its a cool bike. Love love love the purple (huckelberry is their term). Its got me riding things that I have only hit before on a DH bike, and I can pedal to them easily.
Oct. 21, 2021, 12:38 p.m. - Ddean
Ive got the purple XT, and am quite happy with it. You look at the geo and know right away how it will ride: slack and confidence inspiring but it pedals comfortably and well due to the steep STA, firm suspension platform and lockout, and lightish weight. I had absolutely no surprises getting on it for the first time other than I was blowing through way more travel than I was used to (and still am). I use the full 170 on every ride, and I dont do anything that I would describe as big. When I ordered it, I departed from my usual of getting a size Large for my 5'9/10 height and bought, for the first time in a LONG time, a Medium because of the wheelbase. My biggest concern prior to riding it was that it would be a big and awkward bike on the slower speed technical stuff that I spend a lot of time on - and my concern was that the wheelbase of theĀ large would be too cumbersome in that setting. After a couple months on it I think a large would have been fine too. But Im glad that I went with the medium because it feels like a trail bike (and it still has longish reach) - I think that a large would have worked for me as well; better in some settings but worse in others. One place where a large would be a big benefit is that it might allow me to use the under the top tube attachment points for something! Nothing will fit on a medium with a bottle in there. The smallish bottle BARELY fits using a side cage - ie, its touching the frame at the top (but I have the one-up pump mount making it a few mm worse than it could be). Its a cool bike. Love love love the purple (huckelberry is their term). Its got me riding things that I have only hit before on a DH bike, and I can pedal to them easily.