Posted by: Vikb
Posted by: Endurimil
It does. Admit was more using the weight in hand feel as reference. But to me if was to go back to the whole one bike for everything situation would lean to the Stylus as it can take more in the end as it was built for it. Where as the Wideangle or Rootdown is the second bike choice for more general riding shall we say more leaning to XC and more moderate trails. At least that is how view the frames.
Personally if I have a choice I'll choose the lighter more flexible frame. I just hate how stiff hardtail frames ride and there are loads of frames like the Rootdown being ridden hard all over BC [amongst other places] and not exploding into pieces. Not that I would suggest the Rootdown is a particularly light/flexy frame in the wider hardtail market. That said if you are someone that regularly breaks a hardtail frame your needs are different than mine.
It is definitely personal preference. And for a while from 2007 on was on the one bike thing so if you can only have one to me get one that can handle a lot. My original Stylus was that. And when got the 2007 Samurai which was more XC and such was still definitely more overbuilt then what is now. Raced the Samurai, rode it on gravel, XC, big rocks, and downhilled it off Camp Frotune. It took getting crushed by a vehicle to break it.
Hmmm… probably is why you rarely see those older Samurai, TRL, and Stylus frames for sale anywhere online. They just fucking keep going. LOL
Since already have the hardcore HT went with the Rootdown as the replacement for the Wideangle to do more of the other kind of rides which was already using the Wideangle for.
Admit did have some nervousness around the Rootdown. Because past experiences with 29er hardtail frames haven’t been good. Reality is the geometry at the time sucked and left much to be desired.