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Cam - Interesting that you felt the new Shimano brakes are on par from a modulation perspective. I haven't used the new ones but couldn't get on with the older ones due to their more grabby nature. I like my Hope E4s for sheer reliability and feel but wish they had a bit more oomph for my 100kg mass hence why it's also interesting you feel Shimano wins on power over the Codes and Dominions.

Thanks, that's helpful. I'm a mix of singlespeed FS and ebike FS so sounds like the new Shimano is the way to go for the latter.

Re the box drivetrain - are you finding an increase in reliability over a 12 speed set up? Better performance when coated in filth and less susceptible to a less than good set up? I'm tempted but only if it gives me a more durable drivetrain that offers better performance in manky conditions. If it still carries the same issues as a 12 speed then i struggle to see the point. 

On a gearbox front there is also the Effigear which allows you to customise the number of gears. Less gears equals less drag and weight as far as my understanding goes. There is also a trigger option for shifting the effigear. Joe at Starling Cycles as a proto knocking around i believe using the Effigear. 

That said, based on the shifting issues with GX on my Levo i suspect it will be e-bikes that finally drive the gearbox shift. 

If only someone could persuade Sturmey Archer to upgrade the seals on their three speed hub. Relatively light weight and you'd have down, flat and uphill gears.

Lovely bike. I wanted to like my XL G13 a few years back but never really gelled with it. I think that was partly down to my riding style/bad technique where whenever i get towards my limits my weight tends to drop to the back of the bike which i don't think is particularly helpful on a long reach, slack head angle bike. So at 6ft 3 even though i should be riding an XL I'm going to have a demo on a Large G1 and maybe sneak a 50mm stem on there. Will be interesting to see how it feels.

It will be an interesting comparison. As you say, the support provided by the cushcore is excellent although i'm still slightly nervous of using them on away trips where you're further from base and could be faced with a tyre that can't be sealed which calls for an inner tube sub in as opposed to the call it a day and push the bike home option i have now. I don't find changing tyres particularly bad but it's not something i would like to attempt trail side!

How does the Tough Casing compare to a Maxxis DH casing? I've been running a cushcore in the front with a Specialized Hillbilly Grid 2.6 on my fs bike but after being unimpressed with the tyre and being swayed by AJ i've just opted for a Maxxis MaxxGrip in a DH casing for winter. Given how thick the DH casing felt i chose not to put the cushcore in on the assumption that the DH casing would provide a lot of the support that was previously provided by the cushcore but now having second thoughts. 

BTW: great review as always.

Hi, do you know when you'll be putting out the follow up to the Jones Plus initial review?