You do one helluva fine job on presenting ANY bicycling topic. I’m retired now from both the Navy and a follow on career as a federal wildlife LE Officer. I have a custom Chumba Stella ti that I built up for off road bikepacking. But life got in my way and career injuries took away the fun from off road thrills….unfortunately. So now I’m looking at an AllRoad option with Pinion gearing (Carver, Niner, etc)….i also own a classic Porsche--they designed this thing--seems a natural choice!). Again, Bravo-Zulu--well done on another great review!!!
Thanks for another great review. Looks like a really nice ride. Bought a Priority 600X last month and love the lack of a traditional messy chain and all the maintenance that goes into it. Thanks again and keep up the excellent content, Steve
Thanks for this video Neil! I agree, this is indeed a dream bike. I estimate this bike as shown to cost about $7,000 (given the $4795 base plus add the wheels, brakes, bars, etc). For many of us that cannot justify this price, the aluminum framed Priority 600x at $3,500 ($3,300 currently on sale) is a much better value and plenty good enough to enjoy the benefits of this low maintenance drivetrain. I swear, Priority didn't pay me to say this - just my opinion.
@@cjohnson3836 I've had a 600x for around two years and I would definitely consider it an all terrain bike. That's to say roughly a 90's mountain bike. I mainly ride gravel and single track and it does great on both. i obviously don't bomb double black diamonds on it but, with a dropper post, I ride plenty on techy downhill trails. If anything I see it as underbiking and making me a better rider. I love it.
@@sangredelobo8388 And I've taken my road bike onto a rock garden because YOLO. Doesn't make it a trail bike. 600X has touring geometry. Its optimized for a completely different ride characteristic. There's nothing wrong with that. It doesn't make it a bad bike to recognize its not a trail bike. A Chromag Rootdown isn't a touring bike. Different tools. But it takes more than big tires to make a trail bike. And there are rigid bikes that are more capable that a 600X, even with a suspension fork. Especially as they've evolved to be contemporarily defined. Head tube angle and 29" wheels have more to do with performance gains than suspension. "All Terrain Bike" is now nothing more than a buzz term that Russ Roca is trying his damnedest to make take-off because he's upset that gravel became popular with racing crowds and needs a new hipster thing to snub people with.
thank you. your delivery in these presentations is to the point, appreciate your personal preferences, it helps to fit my own level of riding in line with what you are explaining. I like this bike and have not heard of it.
I had the pleasure of meeting Steve this weekend at the Master Builders Bike Show. He is a true class act. Expertise and passion. And this bike is SO gorgeous in person. I wish it were also available as a poster so I could put it on the wall and drool 😂
I am a subscriber and I really do enjoy your channel very much. I have to admit that a video like this one, Kind of adds to the difficulty of trying to define the value and utility of various bicycles, different categories, different use cases, etc. Even during this video you put some emphasis on how the bicycle
This is a very good video and very informative, but I have to admit that it continues to blur the lines of what kind of bike should you pursue for what kind of use case. You made reference to how well the bicycle performed during downhill single track… But is that a critical capability for a bike packing bicycle? A lot of these so-called bike packing bicycles, are designed in a way that there’s barely room for a bag in the central triangle.Originally, Bike packing Riggs did not rely so much on racks in Panniers😊. It was more about soft luggage that could be connected to the various frame pieces of the bike and not require full on luggage like a world traveling bike touring Rig. we seem that the industry has evolved to really having no clear-cut standards. I remember watching a channel where the guy had a Kona rove, with a large interior triangle for a large bike packing set upThe rear had a typical seat post attached sleeping kit and then Top tube and handlebar bag.. now we’re back to hard luggage and interior triangles that are too small to mount a large frame bag that could carry so much of the equipment in the perfect position for Balance wait. Some of these bikes you’re lucky if you can even fit a small tool kit in the middle frame. Taking the easy way out and just saying just pick whatever you want… Whatever makes you happy…It seems to indicate that there are really no good quality standards for bike packing. Kind of makes me feel like just go buy a truck checkpoint and Collett a day. All these other options and boutique brands seem to just make it so complicated. It makes me worry how gravel bikes started to invade the mountain bike space to the point where they stopped making the best quality mountain bikes affordable for the average person.
@@visusest I wonder if it was actual "play", or because the Onyx hub doesn't have the clunk that a traditionally pawled hub does. I've heard people call this windup, but I haven't experienced it, but maybe they're referring to the softer engagement. I can start pedaling in gears I wouldn't even think of on other hubs because of the instant engagement.
Damn, this looks like a dream bike! I really like the carbon fork over a suspension fork. Seems like an awesome lightweight option for a titanium frame - particularly when a Pinion is involved! 😁
Now you showed me my total dream bike!! There is a local bike manufacturer here in Istanbul, Soulrider. He makes bikefitted steel and titanium bikes for your exact body measurements. In the future I was planning on having him design a Pinion gearboxed, Trek 1120 looking bikepacking bike with lots of bottle and rack mounts. This is the exact thing I had in my mind. Funny thing, couple of weeks ago I asked one of my friends that if we could design in in Midjourney with giving spesific brand choices like pinion gearbox etc., yet now yjanks to you revireing this, I don't need it lol.
I run 27.5 plus on my steel Esker Hayduke and this frame has a very similar Geo. I think those carbon hoops would help take out the sluggish feel of the mid fat tires on the climbs. I have heavy i40mm WTB alloy rims. But I’m a firm believer that wider is better. Do they sell those rims?
Tell me more about the flex you felt with the onyx hubs please. I just built up a carbon fat bike wheelset with onyx hubs on my Ti fat bike with pinion. I’m hoping I didn’t make the wrong choice
Definitely been looking at a pinion gear bike for bike packing. I am seeing more brands offering pinion bikes. The down side is that if the pinion needs repair and you are in a remote area of the world, you have to ship it to Germany to the factory. Question. The Viral Derive is customizable for the build. Is the frame geometry also a customizable build? Or they stock frames?
Bike retail is tanking. No amount of promotion or exotic new products (doing bike reviews, for instance) will solve the problem of costly retail space funded by expensive bikes that aren't selling. Square feet of retail floor-space (and repair space/wages) costs money that has depended more and more on high-ticket items for support. ($9 brake cables that cost pennies to make? C'mon...) That's played out. Meanwhile... Bikes are essentially a simple and potentially affordable, conscientious way for all kinds of people to do leisure and mobility. How great is that? Maybe we could be talking about reconciling those realities, instead of talking (the failing) business as usual. A whole new biz-model that makes sense in our moment. I do bikepacking because it makes all kinds of sense, on multiple levels, when done realistically.
BTW: I love innovation. I grew up exactly where MTB grew up (San Anselmo/Fairfax CA), while that was happening. Advanced people making a market for advanced bikes led to practical advances. When that gets laid onto the hype-curve, though, there's an eventual leveling -- for everyone who doesn't live in a fantasy.
You do one helluva fine job on presenting ANY bicycling topic. I’m retired now from both the Navy and a follow on career as a federal wildlife LE Officer. I have a custom Chumba Stella ti that I built up for off road bikepacking. But life got in my way and career injuries took away the fun from off road thrills….unfortunately. So now I’m looking at an AllRoad option with Pinion gearing (Carver, Niner, etc)….i also own a classic Porsche--they designed this thing--seems a natural choice!). Again, Bravo-Zulu--well done on another great review!!!
Thanks for another great review. Looks like a really nice ride. Bought a Priority 600X last month and love the lack of a traditional messy chain and all the maintenance that goes into it. Thanks again and keep up the excellent content, Steve
Thanks for this video Neil! I agree, this is indeed a dream bike. I estimate this bike as shown to cost about $7,000 (given the $4795 base plus add the wheels, brakes, bars, etc). For many of us that cannot justify this price, the aluminum framed Priority 600x at $3,500 ($3,300 currently on sale) is a much better value and plenty good enough to enjoy the benefits of this low maintenance drivetrain. I swear, Priority didn't pay me to say this - just my opinion.
600x is a completely different bike. That's a touring bike. This is a trail bike.
@@cjohnson3836 I've had a 600x for around two years and I would definitely consider it an all terrain bike. That's to say roughly a 90's mountain bike. I mainly ride gravel and single track and it does great on both. i obviously don't bomb double black diamonds on it but, with a dropper post, I ride plenty on techy downhill trails. If anything I see it as underbiking and making me a better rider. I love it.
@@sangredelobo8388 And I've taken my road bike onto a rock garden because YOLO. Doesn't make it a trail bike. 600X has touring geometry. Its optimized for a completely different ride characteristic. There's nothing wrong with that. It doesn't make it a bad bike to recognize its not a trail bike. A Chromag Rootdown isn't a touring bike. Different tools. But it takes more than big tires to make a trail bike. And there are rigid bikes that are more capable that a 600X, even with a suspension fork. Especially as they've evolved to be contemporarily defined. Head tube angle and 29" wheels have more to do with performance gains than suspension.
"All Terrain Bike" is now nothing more than a buzz term that Russ Roca is trying his damnedest to make take-off because he's upset that gravel became popular with racing crowds and needs a new hipster thing to snub people with.
@@cjohnson3836 oh jeez. I stand corrected. I don't actually ride bikes.
@@sangredelobo8388 literally nothing to do with anything either of us have posted.
thank you. your delivery in these presentations is to the point, appreciate your personal preferences, it helps to fit my own level of riding in line with what you are explaining. I like this bike and have not heard of it.
I had the pleasure of meeting Steve this weekend at the Master Builders Bike Show. He is a true class act. Expertise and passion. And this bike is SO gorgeous in person. I wish it were also available as a poster so I could put it on the wall and drool 😂
I am a subscriber and I really do enjoy your channel very much. I have to admit that a video like this one, Kind of adds to the difficulty of trying to define the value and utility of various bicycles, different categories, different use cases, etc. Even during this video you put some emphasis on how the bicycle
This is a very good video and very informative, but I have to admit that it continues to blur the lines of what kind of bike should you pursue for what kind of use case. You made reference to how well the bicycle performed during downhill single track… But is that a critical capability for a bike packing bicycle? A lot of these so-called bike packing bicycles, are designed in a way that there’s barely room for a bag in the central triangle.Originally, Bike packing Riggs did not rely so much on racks in Panniers😊. It was more about soft luggage that could be connected to the various frame pieces of the bike and not require full on luggage like a world traveling bike touring Rig. we seem that the industry has evolved to really having no clear-cut standards. I remember watching a channel where the guy had a Kona rove, with a large interior triangle for a large bike packing set upThe rear had a typical seat post attached sleeping kit and then Top tube and handlebar bag.. now we’re back to hard luggage and interior triangles that are too small to mount a large frame bag that could carry so much of the equipment in the perfect position for Balance wait. Some of these bikes you’re lucky if you can even fit a small tool kit in the middle frame. Taking the easy way out and just saying just pick whatever you want… Whatever makes you happy…It seems to indicate that there are really no good quality standards for bike packing. Kind of makes me feel like just go buy a truck checkpoint and Collett a day. All these other options and boutique brands seem to just make it so complicated. It makes me worry how gravel bikes started to invade the mountain bike space to the point where they stopped making the best quality mountain bikes affordable for the average person.
Great review as always! Was just talking about Pinion drives with my LBS yesterday - Great timing! 🙌🏻
Did anyone use a belt drive and pinion gear box on the tour divide
Ryan Van Duzer on GDMBR
Also Mira la Perra who uses one with his dog on the back riding about 20k approximately a year
can you say more about what you feel the issue was with the Onyx hub? I haven't heard anyone say there is play in them before
Also very curious what the issue was here. Possibly a first production run Vesper? They had some rigidity issues that were remedied later on.
@@visusest I wonder if it was actual "play", or because the Onyx hub doesn't have the clunk that a traditionally pawled hub does. I've heard people call this windup, but I haven't experienced it, but maybe they're referring to the softer engagement. I can start pedaling in gears I wouldn't even think of on other hubs because of the instant engagement.
I have about 400 mi on mine mostly Packed and really like it. Running a 130 fox and 40mm stem.
Damn, this looks like a dream bike!
I really like the carbon fork over a suspension fork. Seems like an awesome lightweight option for a titanium frame - particularly when a Pinion is involved! 😁
Now you showed me my total dream bike!! There is a local bike manufacturer here in Istanbul, Soulrider. He makes bikefitted steel and titanium bikes for your exact body measurements. In the future I was planning on having him design a Pinion gearboxed, Trek 1120 looking bikepacking bike with lots of bottle and rack mounts. This is the exact thing I had in my mind. Funny thing, couple of weeks ago I asked one of my friends that if we could design in in Midjourney with giving spesific brand choices like pinion gearbox etc., yet now yjanks to you revireing this, I don't need it lol.
I'm sold, is there a UK distributer?
I run 27.5 plus on my steel Esker Hayduke and this frame has a very similar Geo. I think those carbon hoops would help take out the sluggish feel of the mid fat tires on the climbs. I have heavy i40mm WTB alloy rims. But I’m a firm believer that wider is better. Do they sell those rims?
Tell me more about the flex you felt with the onyx hubs please. I just built up a carbon fat bike wheelset with onyx hubs on my Ti fat bike with pinion. I’m hoping I didn’t make the wrong choice
This is awesome. I love alternative set ups.
Have your ridden or tried any of Turner's Ti bikes? I went and set up a Tuner Nitrous for bikepacking.
This bike looks like "dream bike" material 👌
very nice, thankyou Neil
Definitely been looking at a pinion gear bike for bike packing. I am seeing more brands offering pinion bikes. The down side is that if the pinion needs repair and you are in a remote area of the world, you have to ship it to Germany to the factory.
Question. The Viral Derive is customizable for the build. Is the frame geometry also a customizable build? Or they stock frames?
Which would you rather have this or the Pipedream Sirius if they did the S6 titanium in pinion format?
It would be nice to compare it to rohloff hub bike
Such a dream bike! But this can only be a dream :'( still a great review!
love it!
You make great videos. I'm looking to buy helicopter tape for my bike. Any recommendations?
Considering the intent of this bike, I find it strange they didn't go full 29+ with 3" tires. You can always put smaller wheels/tires on a 29+.
Considering it's bb drop, it can be also wheeled by pair of 27.5x2.4" (something like wicked will from schwalbe) as gravel wheel set.
The real question is this a better buy than a '64 corvair or a '36 Chrysler, and I think the answer is yes
Seems like a long reach for something thats intended to be ridden all day............. Gearboxes deffo make sense for the type of riding we do.
Bike retail is tanking. No amount of promotion or exotic new products (doing bike reviews, for instance) will solve the problem of costly retail space funded by expensive bikes that aren't selling. Square feet of retail floor-space (and repair space/wages) costs money that has depended more and more on high-ticket items for support. ($9 brake cables that cost pennies to make? C'mon...) That's played out. Meanwhile...
Bikes are essentially a simple and potentially affordable, conscientious way for all kinds of people to do leisure and mobility. How great is that?
Maybe we could be talking about reconciling those realities, instead of talking (the failing) business as usual. A whole new biz-model that makes sense in our moment. I do bikepacking because it makes all kinds of sense, on multiple levels, when done realistically.
BTW: I love innovation. I grew up exactly where MTB grew up (San Anselmo/Fairfax CA), while that was happening. Advanced people making a market for advanced bikes led to practical advances. When that gets laid onto the hype-curve, though, there's an eventual leveling -- for everyone who doesn't live in a fantasy.
Thumbs down for in video ads
Why did you like your own comment?
@@BIKEPACKINGcom Please. Don't you like your own reviews? Don't be so petty. It detracts from your reviews.
Sounds like a failure.
Why did you like your own comment?