The Ohlins opinion you guys have is crazy. I switched my Evil Offering to this exact same set up(R36 and TTX 2) and I will never go back to the big 2. It rides higher in the travel and handles the HUGE hits much better.
Thanks for sharing. We're glad to hear you enjoy it and it helped your Evil. Robert, our UK tester also liked it, though he spent days riding with them and Forestal, he also weighs 220lbs and rides very different terrain and conditions. It's great that different brands offer different ride characteristics for riders all over with different preferences!
Awesome series. I’m excited for it. I would have liked more info on how the rear suspension linkage functioned. Perhaps it was overshadowed by difficulties with the shock.
You can check out Robert's standalone review of the Siryon here, which includes a little more information on the suspension performance - ua-cam.com/video/Atbf8Xm1sGA/v-deo.html
I wonder if you had the lower spec version with rockshox suspension this review would be different. I was looking forward to this review but thanks for the honest feedback!
I have this bike with rockshox and have never had any of the issues described in this video. I live near Seattle and ride the steep stuff here and this bike is so awesome. Still waiting on a range extender for big days but as is I’m still happy!
The delay of delivery on the Siryon was beyond any limit of patience. For that reason this brand is out of my list for a looooong time. Hate to give bad comments but like I said Forestal tease a lot of people. Have to be said.
We're in Bellingham demoing the relay tomorrow! How long until the full series here is published? Also what bikes are you guys comparing in this shootout? Lastly we're currently looking at the Transition Relay, Orbea Wild and Fezzari Timp Peak. Would you even compare the Relay against those?
@@TheLoamWolf have you had the chance to demo the alloy PNW vs carbon PNW? 5lbs vs $3k seems a big difference on both ends. They only have the carbon to demo, not sure how much 5lbs makes a difference at this weight. We have Patrols now and love them!
@@battleboardstudios6952 I demoed the carbon Relay PNW and it was almost a 50 pound bike but with the power of an SL. The bike rattled really bad and the motor was really unrefined and unnatural in power delivery. The Fazua screen and controller are not great. I ended up buying a Trek Fuel EXe because it's about 10 pounds lighter and way more refined both in fit, finish, and power delivery. Yes, less travel, but I've been sending it down all the big trails on Galbraith and enjoying the hell out of it. Equivalent price wise it was specced out better than the Relay but they just raised the price on the Fuel by like $700 for the all carbon XT build unfortunately.
@@whitest_kyle My XL Relay with DD tires, inserts & ready to ride weighs just under 44#s. The rattles are mostly the dropper cable but also the removable battery is a source of noise for some. The power of the F60, while not as natural as the TQ HP or the Mahle in the SL, is much more powerful and goes further than both. Turned way down it's similar to the others imo, just have to turn it way down. But no e-bike power feels as natural as the TQ HP.
it would be great to hear motor noise going up hill, without the silly music and no voice stepping. Loudness is not as much of an issue as pitch is... I love the levo SL but man that pitch is terrible, otherwise the levo is dream bike.... if your comparing it really something to think about, and something you can present on youtube... also on these light bikes having the ability to add external battery would be great to show, although it looks like the siryon would have just melted with that motor
@@TheLoamWolf Fully agree with rob, I really want to know the noise of the motor, and noboy really tries to show that outside of the Trek EXe when it first came out. On the trail so many of the eMTBs I see sound like a Formula E car. My RM motor is so quiet, however the drive train with all the cogs can be noisy, but at least not that Formula E noise. My next eMTB the motor noise will be one of my considerations on if I get it or not.
@@gordoncahill1170 Hey m8! Would be amazing, if you can help me out. I really want to get the bike, I can actually get all Models for 50% discount. But I've heared about the battery only lasting for 30 minutes (?). Also the paint seemed to be falling off and they still didnt release the Aurora range extender riight? On the other hand the Team seems to be super supportive and handles claims really Well. Also they just started a free battery upgrade/swap Action (to make it work with the range extender maybe?/ or get rid of the heat?) Would LOVE any input, thanks!
I’ve got a Syrion and a Range VLT, both are great to ride in different ways but had battery issues with the Norco and Zero problems with the Forestal overheating or anything else. Suspension for both were upgraded so not even a factor in a bike review for me.
Looking forward to the entire series. I'm really stoked on my Relay in spite of my opinion that the Float X is a terrible match to the progressiveness of the rear suspension. I've also ridden the Exe & the SL2. I did study the Siryon at length and I personally love the geo chart and the looks. But the motor, the built-in computer, the lack of mullet compatibility & the poor dropper insertion were major turn offs for me.
Thanks for sharing your opinion! You'll enjoy our Relay review then! Although we like the Float X haha. Interesting to hear your feedback on the Siryon decision-making process.
I'm one of the few that actually own this bike and in this spec. Honestly, it's like you reviewed something completely different to the bike I have. I also have an eZesty with a Fazua Ride 50 and have ridden the original Levo SL. So I have some reference. Your motor is faulty. I ride in the same conditions and temp with no issues (I did have a motor replaced though so reliability might be a concern). My motor is whiny but way more powerful than my Fazua by some margin. I like the Ohlins enough that I'm changing out the Fox, which has been awful from the factory with scoops of grease being removed, on two other bikes I have. The first bike (the Forestal) took a bit to get dialed but now I know how to set it up it's a doodle. The BRAKING brakes are really powerful and quiet but I do worry about getting them serviced. I bought the bike for places where I don't need a full power bike (my Levo) like shuttle parks and long decent rides and I'm really happy with the bike. It seems the harder you push it the better it gets. So basically, I agree with the earlier review that The Loam Wolf did on this bike. The factory weight weeny tyres went after one ride though. Also love your vids and the way you handle these group reviews. Best on the internet, by far.
Hey thank you Gordon! We appreciate your feedback as an owner and someone who has spent more time on it. We do our best to acknowledge that our opinions are just that, and all we can do is reference our experience from the couple of hundred test bikes we've ridden over the last decade, but that by no means we are "right" or others are "wrong" That's the beauty of life's many options no matter if it's a restaurant, bikes or music. We're sure this bike is awesome for a lot of riders out there, and we definitely enjoyed it, it's just that there are so many other awesome bikes out there too.
@@TheLoamWolf You can only review the bike they send you, for sure. But it may be worth getting one for a longer term review and seeing if these problems still persist for you. Even Robert's review was quite different to your experience. I would have thought Forrestal would be more careful about sending out a dud bike....
@@gordoncahill1170 Everything in life will fail. Many times bikes make their rounds to reviewers getting punished until the bike company forgets who has it or it is no longer relevant. Either way, at some point, especially with e-mtbs having quite a bit more complexity, the chances of failure are higher. Either way, this does not represent Forestal, but any bike with Bafang's motors. I long for the day when there are a select few mounting options for bikes, and one can choose between motors and batteries just like threaded BB or press fit.
We'll work on adding that in. We do that in our round table/grand finale but realize if people watch only one video instead of the entire series they may not get that info. Thanks. And for the record our crew ranged from 5'10-6'2".
It seems that the motor is not that good and the suspension is difficult to adjust. I heard staff like that for Ohlins so probably is it better for pro-riders that has a team and mechanics behind them to deal with the tuning. So thanks for the honest review - the expensive staff is not necessary the best.
We wouldn't go as far to say it's just for Pro Riders and suspension tinkerers. If we had more than a few days before the tests started, we forsure could have got the Ohlin's stuff figured out. That just wasnt the case for us. But we do agree, that expensive doesn't always equal best in most applications.
It's been 3 months since the release of your video, have you received any feedback on the motor unit of your test bike from Forrestal? Was it a fault with your bike, or was it a general problem?
I think these ride great but the motor, battery and app let the bike down. I had one for a couple of months and range was anywhere from 10 miles to about 20, the real issue for me is the lack of adjustability. The eco seems way overpowered and there is no means to adjust it, the app does everything apart from what you need, motor and battery setup. The 10 miles was a cold fairly hilly ride in trail but the Levo SLs I was with managed it with ease. I have Ohlins on my NA bike and it can be an effort to dial it in, I've found it's definetly more of a racers setup. I have to compromise on smalll bump / trail performance to get the suspension as I want in the bigger chunkier terrain, but it really is exceptional in that scenario. It's a real shame about the motor / battery on these as the bikes handle so well.
I have a 170mm RXF 36 on my bike. Took me two days to dial it in. I’m 220/225 lbs fully kitted running 215 PSI in the ramp chamber, 135 in the main, 14 clicks of rebound from fastest, 3 clicks of LSC, and 0 clicks of HSC. The fork feels phenomenal on chatter and ramps up pretty aggressively at around 70% of its travel. I’m trying running a Super Deluxe Coil with it and it’s amazing on anything that isn’t a climb (mostly due to me being out of shape)
@@TheLoamWolf That's unfortunate... I saw one on sale and was strongly considering it but the lack of a response is making me cross it off my list. I can't imagine how the support would be for a regular customer without a giant UA-cam channel would be...
Ok so having 3 air chambers isn't for everyone I guess, but it's not THAT complicated... I hope it didn't detract too much from your score. Loving when companies try to do something different. Too bad about the motor. That really sucks.
I don't get it, why build a superbike and stick an unreliable, unproven motor in it? Like building a Ferrari and sticking a Kia motor in it (back when Kias were trash).
What’s the SL Lineup this shootout?
We’ve got:
Forestal Siryon
Giant Trance X Advanced E+ Elite
Orbea Rise
Pivot Shuttle SL
Scott Lumen eRide
Specialized Levo SL
Transition Relay
ed: Almost forgot the Trek Fuel EXe
Videos dropping daily! 🤘🏼
@@TheLoamWolf Sneak the Santa Cruz Hekcler in.......or just mention it in the Round Table Comments where it would compare with the others. Thanks
Finally been waiting for this series!!!
Hope you enjoy it!
It really is a beautiful bike but the concerns you gents pointed out are quite valid
The Ohlins opinion you guys have is crazy. I switched my Evil Offering to this exact same set up(R36 and TTX 2) and I will never go back to the big 2. It rides higher in the travel and handles the HUGE hits much better.
Thanks for sharing. We're glad to hear you enjoy it and it helped your Evil. Robert, our UK tester also liked it, though he spent days riding with them and Forestal, he also weighs 220lbs and rides very different terrain and conditions. It's great that different brands offer different ride characteristics for riders all over with different preferences!
Really looking forward to these reviews thanks
Glad you like them!
Awesome series. I’m excited for it. I would have liked more info on how the rear suspension linkage functioned. Perhaps it was overshadowed by difficulties with the shock.
You can check out Robert's standalone review of the Siryon here, which includes a little more information on the suspension performance - ua-cam.com/video/Atbf8Xm1sGA/v-deo.html
soo awesome bike
It's a looker.
I wonder if you had the lower spec version with rockshox suspension this review would be different. I was looking forward to this review but thanks for the honest feedback!
I have this bike with rockshox and have never had any of the issues described in this video. I live near Seattle and ride the steep stuff here and this bike is so awesome. Still waiting on a range extender for big days but as is I’m still happy!
@@thebishopfam Yeah! I have this spec and my bike is great. But the boys can only review the bike they're sent.
Considering the lower spec Siryon right now, as I think RS Select stuff is great! Love my Lyrik Select, and I’ve lots of forks.
@@thebishopfam Hey! I have been thinking about getting the Siryon Diode. May I know how your bike is doing? Any issues I should be concerned about?
The delay of delivery on the Siryon was beyond any limit of patience. For that reason this brand is out of my list for a looooong time. Hate to give bad comments but like I said Forestal tease a lot of people. Have to be said.
We're in Bellingham demoing the relay tomorrow! How long until the full series here is published? Also what bikes are you guys comparing in this shootout? Lastly we're currently looking at the Transition Relay, Orbea Wild and Fezzari Timp Peak. Would you even compare the Relay against those?
Nice!! If you like the Relay, you may want to snag it. 😉 full power bikes are much different than SL, so evaluate what matters to you!
@@TheLoamWolf have you had the chance to demo the alloy PNW vs carbon PNW? 5lbs vs $3k seems a big difference on both ends. They only have the carbon to demo, not sure how much 5lbs makes a difference at this weight. We have Patrols now and love them!
@@battleboardstudios6952 I demoed the carbon Relay PNW and it was almost a 50 pound bike but with the power of an SL. The bike rattled really bad and the motor was really unrefined and unnatural in power delivery. The Fazua screen and controller are not great. I ended up buying a Trek Fuel EXe because it's about 10 pounds lighter and way more refined both in fit, finish, and power delivery. Yes, less travel, but I've been sending it down all the big trails on Galbraith and enjoying the hell out of it. Equivalent price wise it was specced out better than the Relay but they just raised the price on the Fuel by like $700 for the all carbon XT build unfortunately.
@@whitest_kyle My XL Relay with DD tires, inserts & ready to ride weighs just under 44#s. The rattles are mostly the dropper cable but also the removable battery is a source of noise for some. The power of the F60, while not as natural as the TQ HP or the Mahle in the SL, is much more powerful and goes further than both. Turned way down it's similar to the others imo, just have to turn it way down. But no e-bike power feels as natural as the TQ HP.
it would be great to hear motor noise going up hill, without the silly music and no voice stepping. Loudness is not as much of an issue as pitch is... I love the levo SL but man that pitch is terrible, otherwise the levo is dream bike.... if your comparing it really something to think about, and something you can present on youtube... also on these light bikes having the ability to add external battery would be great to show, although it looks like the siryon would have just melted with that motor
Thanks for the feedback, we hope you enjoyed watching and we'll take this into account for next time round!
@@TheLoamWolf Fully agree with rob, I really want to know the noise of the motor, and noboy really tries to show that outside of the Trek EXe when it first came out. On the trail so many of the eMTBs I see sound like a Formula E car. My RM motor is so quiet, however the drive train with all the cogs can be noisy, but at least not that Formula E noise. My next eMTB the motor noise will be one of my considerations on if I get it or not.
@@lforrest14 The motor is whiny, like the old Levo SL. But the bike itself is very quiet, except the i9 hubs.... I own this bike.
Great looking bike, congratulations! Im too old sadly to use anything weaker than 60-70Nm
@@gordoncahill1170 Hey m8! Would be amazing, if you can help me out. I really want to get the bike, I can actually get all Models for 50% discount. But I've heared about the battery only lasting for 30 minutes (?). Also the paint seemed to be falling off and they still didnt release the Aurora range extender riight?
On the other hand the Team seems to be super supportive and handles claims really Well. Also they just started a free battery upgrade/swap Action (to make it work with the range extender maybe?/ or get rid of the heat?)
Would LOVE any input, thanks!
I’ve got a Syrion and a Range VLT, both are great to ride in different ways but had battery issues with the Norco and Zero problems with the Forestal overheating or anything else. Suspension for both were upgraded so not even a factor in a bike review for me.
Looking forward to the entire series. I'm really stoked on my Relay in spite of my opinion that the Float X is a terrible match to the progressiveness of the rear suspension. I've also ridden the Exe & the SL2.
I did study the Siryon at length and I personally love the geo chart and the looks. But the motor, the built-in computer, the lack of mullet compatibility & the poor dropper insertion were major turn offs for me.
Thanks for sharing your opinion! You'll enjoy our Relay review then! Although we like the Float X haha. Interesting to hear your feedback on the Siryon decision-making process.
I'm one of the few that actually own this bike and in this spec. Honestly, it's like you reviewed something completely different to the bike I have. I also have an eZesty with a Fazua Ride 50 and have ridden the original Levo SL. So I have some reference. Your motor is faulty. I ride in the same conditions and temp with no issues (I did have a motor replaced though so reliability might be a concern). My motor is whiny but way more powerful than my Fazua by some margin. I like the Ohlins enough that I'm changing out the Fox, which has been awful from the factory with scoops of grease being removed, on two other bikes I have. The first bike (the Forestal) took a bit to get dialed but now I know how to set it up it's a doodle. The BRAKING brakes are really powerful and quiet but I do worry about getting them serviced.
I bought the bike for places where I don't need a full power bike (my Levo) like shuttle parks and long decent rides and I'm really happy with the bike. It seems the harder you push it the better it gets. So basically, I agree with the earlier review that The Loam Wolf did on this bike. The factory weight weeny tyres went after one ride though.
Also love your vids and the way you handle these group reviews. Best on the internet, by far.
Hey thank you Gordon! We appreciate your feedback as an owner and someone who has spent more time on it. We do our best to acknowledge that our opinions are just that, and all we can do is reference our experience from the couple of hundred test bikes we've ridden over the last decade, but that by no means we are "right" or others are "wrong" That's the beauty of life's many options no matter if it's a restaurant, bikes or music.
We're sure this bike is awesome for a lot of riders out there, and we definitely enjoyed it, it's just that there are so many other awesome bikes out there too.
@@TheLoamWolf You can only review the bike they send you, for sure. But it may be worth getting one for a longer term review and seeing if these problems still persist for you. Even Robert's review was quite different to your experience. I would have thought Forrestal would be more careful about sending out a dud bike....
@@gordoncahill1170 Everything in life will fail. Many times bikes make their rounds to reviewers getting punished until the bike company forgets who has it or it is no longer relevant. Either way, at some point, especially with e-mtbs having quite a bit more complexity, the chances of failure are higher. Either way, this does not represent Forestal, but any bike with Bafang's motors. I long for the day when there are a select few mounting options for bikes, and one can choose between motors and batteries just like threaded BB or press fit.
I wish on these reviews they would mention how tall the people are that are riding the frame size used.
We'll work on adding that in. We do that in our round table/grand finale but realize if people watch only one video instead of the entire series they may not get that info. Thanks. And for the record our crew ranged from 5'10-6'2".
It seems that the motor is not that good and the suspension is difficult to adjust. I heard staff like that for Ohlins so probably is it better for pro-riders that has a team and mechanics behind them to deal with the tuning. So thanks for the honest review - the expensive staff is not necessary the best.
We wouldn't go as far to say it's just for Pro Riders and suspension tinkerers. If we had more than a few days before the tests started, we forsure could have got the Ohlin's stuff figured out. That just wasnt the case for us. But we do agree, that expensive doesn't always equal best in most applications.
@@TheLoamWolf I wonder if you and your team did not figure out Ohlins suspension in a few days - how many days it will cost to the average rider?
It's been 3 months since the release of your video, have you received any feedback on the motor unit of your test bike from Forrestal? Was it a fault with your bike, or was it a general problem?
We have not heard any further updates sadly.
I think these ride great but the motor, battery and app let the bike down. I had one for a couple of months and range was anywhere from 10 miles to about 20, the real issue for me is the lack of adjustability. The eco seems way overpowered and there is no means to adjust it, the app does everything apart from what you need, motor and battery setup. The 10 miles was a cold fairly hilly ride in trail but the Levo SLs I was with managed it with ease. I have Ohlins on my NA bike and it can be an effort to dial it in, I've found it's definetly more of a racers setup. I have to compromise on smalll bump / trail performance to get the suspension as I want in the bigger chunkier terrain, but it really is exceptional in that scenario. It's a real shame about the motor / battery on these as the bikes handle so well.
I have a 170mm RXF 36 on my bike. Took me two days to dial it in. I’m 220/225 lbs fully kitted running 215 PSI in the ramp chamber, 135 in the main, 14 clicks of rebound from fastest, 3 clicks of LSC, and 0 clicks of HSC. The fork feels phenomenal on chatter and ramps up pretty aggressively at around 70% of its travel. I’m trying running a Super Deluxe Coil with it and it’s amazing on anything that isn’t a climb (mostly due to me being out of shape)
Any updates on this one from forestal?
No sadly we couldn’t get any more details from them.
@@TheLoamWolf
That's unfortunate... I saw one on sale and was strongly considering it but the lack of a response is making me cross it off my list. I can't imagine how the support would be for a regular customer without a giant UA-cam channel would be...
In your 'timeline' you have 'Update from Fazua' instead of Forestal.
Ok so having 3 air chambers isn't for everyone I guess, but it's not THAT complicated...
I hope it didn't detract too much from your score. Loving when companies try to do something different. Too bad about the motor. That really sucks.
Left hand front brake! How do the Europeans transition between riding mountain bikes and motorbikes?
When your moto doesn't stop you get used to it quickly haha
I don't get it, why build a superbike and stick an unreliable, unproven motor in it? Like building a Ferrari and sticking a Kia motor in it (back when Kias were trash).
Forestal co-developed this motor with Bafang. So, in essence they did their own proving..
@@TheLoamWolfpoorly it seems 😂
Who rides in 95 degree heat? Nobody.