6 Downcountry Bikes Tested for Efficiency | 2022 Downcountry Field Test
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- Опубліковано 11 вер 2024
- Levy, maintaining a consistent line choice and power output, takes on a steep stretch of fire road in the scorching Quebec heat to determine which of 6 downcountry bikes is the most efficient climber.
0:28 - Intro
1:47 - Evil Following X01 I9 Hydra
2:41 - RSD Wildcat V3 29" Deore
3:56 - Lapierre XRM 8.9
4:54 - Allied BC40 X01 Eagle AXS
5:51 - BMC Fourstroke LT One
6:30 - Ibis Exie X01
7:33 - Outro
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I would really like to see a Scott Spark in that test.
and an epic evo
And the YT Izzo Uncaged 7 - Basically the same bike as a $12k spark, but for $7k. Probably the best valued down country bike out there
@@Doggepp except its a YT so it will creak like your grandparents' bed frame
@@colinsandlin8575 I have one, no creaking yet, but I guess time will tell :D Brand new bearing kit is like $50 so not a very big expensive if I have to change it once in a while. Wanted a scott originally, but couldnt stomach paying like $5k more
I rode previous Spark with 100/60 mm of travel and can say that it really depends on the remote lever position how he feels. In the Traction mode the suspension is much more tight and efficient in the pedalling perspective. Especially if you need accelerate as quickly as possible. People say, the new Spark RC inherited this behavior too. But the trail version of Spark not so much. It's more plush in the middle mode because of the higher volume shock. Sure, the new Spark should be much more capable at the descending though I didn't ride it yet.
Regarding the Epic Evo, brainless one, sure it is only my subjective point of view, but I used to XC race and can't imagine how quickly climb to the stip short hill if you can't lock your suspension and stand at the pedals. Imho the speculations regarding anti-squat susp. design make sense only for the mode, while you're sitting at the saddle. If you want stand up you definitely need a stiff platform under you. Though if you don't race and don't ride in the aggressive race style you could probably never need this.
It would be really awesome if a comparison to the former downcountry fieldtest could be made at the end (especially the spur)
I was thinking the same thing man. I'd like to hear how these compared to the previous down country choices. I got to ride a rocky mountain element, it will be my next short travel bike for sure!
Mike Levy embodies bro-science
In 2015 I owned a following v1. I knew it sucked on climbs but I never cared much, it was alright for my use. It wasn't fast in xc competitions but it was always fun to overtake the specy and cannondale riders in the downhill sections ahahah it was like cheating. It was my first 29er and I still regret selling it, I couldn't ask for a better bike at that time.
It seems like it hasn't evolved much during the years, proof it was already ahead years ago. I still dig that design, it's one of those bikes you never get tired to watch
Vorsprung went over this, but basically it's impossible to measure pedaling efficiency unless you're measuring how many calories you're burning on the climb.
There is a difference between two efficiency interfaces here: bike - rider (outputing a standardized power value) and musclemachine - rider.
As you could see, levi was outputing 300 watts, which resulted in different times, but at no point it was said, that the 300 watt felt equally hard for all bikes
@@endursa That is correct - he is doing a bit of subjective analysis about the difficulty of pushing out 300 watts, which is still valuable.
Fair point. The top 3 bikes are essentially tied based on the vagaries of the testing method. That said, the Lapierre's rough ride likely contributed to extra time in the climb.
I want to see you guys do a current best of Downcountry.... greatest hits of the greatest hits. Transition Spur, Revel Ranger, Allied BC 40, Rocky Mountain Element, Sant Cruz Blur TR and anything else you guys think is current, appropriate, and the cream of your crop.
Price is not important. Whatever control wheels and tires you guys think is best.... maybe something lightweight from Berd? How are they with XC wheels and tires, how are they with Trail / Enduro focused wheels and tires? Do wheels and tires make any of the bikes really come alive...how?
Even if I sell my kidney I wont be able to buy the BC40. What a beautiful bike 💯
Agreed. It is a good looking bike!
Would be interesting to use heart rate as a measure for each attempt too, not all 300 watts are created equally. By having heart rate you can see how hard you have to work to create the watts.
Totally. Watts are watts and time basically is watts and weight (and some aerodynamics). Would make more sense to compare HR at the same watts
Depends on what you wan't measure exactly. 300 at the pedals, are 300 at the pedals (if we just ignore the fact that holding 300 within 10%, for +2 minutes, pedalling out in the real world, on a real bike, IMO is really really hard - if not to say borderline impossible) - so this test shows how much gets lost in the kinematics/suspension.
That's by no means irrelevant.
Definitely also interesting to see if 300 at the pedals comes from different strain. It is very hard to do in a controlled fashion though. You will fatigue over time, the weather changes during the day, etc. etc. - it will also change the heart rate.
@@BrianKlausen there are so many variables affecting heart rate that still won't give a truly accurate measure of effort. Having a quick time an a low perceived effort is a pretty good indicator.
Definitely worth the effort that I put in to watch this. Thanks, Levy.
Still not really sure what downcountry is. Do I have to travel south to get to it, are they for going downhill in a country. Who keeps coming up with these categories
Downcountry bikes are an absolute blast especially on fast relatively smooth sections of trail. Big fan of my Epic Evo.
Not sure why this came to mind: Inked up Levy in 30yrs doing the RC-like look back interviews w/ an even more Inked up "Robot Levy"
any reason why you don't include scott bikes? heavily used on the UCI circuit and they make a good downcountry bike in the Spark (carbon or alloy)
The reason some bikes feel more efficient is probably because they are. The harder it is to put down the power the more exhausted you will be, and therefore slower. Try doing an all out test instead of a steady power test.
now that you do downcountry, pandora's box is open... you could for example also review city and cargo bikes.
Good fishing in Quebec
Maybe, here's a story for you guys to think about doing. Both. Allied and Gorilla Gravity make US made carbon frames. But GG does it so much more inexpensively than the Allied. Why is that? Is it different techniques? If so, is one technique better than the other or is one just charging so much more money because it can and people pay for it?
Gorilla gravity does use a different technique. It is heavily automated. The GG frames are also heavier across the board then most competitors, I am guessing they use cheaper carbon fiber. The allied and ibis exie are more traditional hand laid and more labor intensive. They are also lighter and thus also have to use more expensive carbon fiber to keep the strength and rigidity.
@@sgtkurry GG uses really good carbon that is specially formulated for impact resistance. They make a burly enduro bike and then change the travel, hence why their “downcountry” bike is still heavy, because the frame is still the full enduro layup. Would be interesting to see how their short travel bike compares with the Evil Following.
Great video as usual guys, so curious, what would be the big different in traction between the Allied and the Lapierre? the suspension system look quite similar to me, it's the geometry? or the linkage positions etc?
you should try and pedal up on a trek session as a control
The problem with these tests is that power meters only measure power generated at the crank - not the body exertion required to generate that power.
I would really like to see a Scott Genius in that test.
What exactly do they consider short travel bikes? 120? 1:30? I don't think they ever say.
Throw a Niner RKT9RDO in the mix! They make down country for years now, if I'm not wrong since 2017.
1:00 is that a Chris King headset on a factory build?
Every time the music hits I keep thinking “lo-fi Levy to study to”
2:34, 2:35, 2:35 for the top three. I'd say that's a tie. Too close really matter.
Santa Cruz blur vs allied bc40 review please. :)
So, what is the difference between XC and DC ??
One letter.
Marketing.
the bike for racing vs same bike but marketed for long fun riding styles is my understanding
Downcountry: More travel, possibly more slack geometry, generally speaking, in a downcountry than in an xc; Arguably more stable when going downhill than an XC; Generally heavier and possibly less efficient when climbing than an XC.
@@unknownKnownunknowns so a trail bike…
@@andrewsteavpack9079 yea pretty much a 29er trail bike
Polygon D-7 should be in the test.
Spark, Spur, Izzo?
Didn’t gone further than the intro…
Norco optic or fluid
Hard to believe the Evil was last, the DELTA suspension is always reviewed as having very good climbing and efficiency characteristics. Could this be Pinkbike conspiracy theories on them not liking Evil bikes 🤷♂️
I used to ride the v1 following. Yeah I confirm it's grippy, poppy and supple
The geometry wasn't that good for climbing but it was very fun riding that bike downhill
@Danny E no the bike is that slow on the climbs..Evil is just a tank of a bike. I sold mine to step to something lighter and more efficient..Just didn't make sense for the trails for where I live
Add a canyon lux In there. Hands down will win.
My bike wins....
EVERY TIME....
😏😏😏😏😏
🇲🇶ALLO QUEBEC🇲🇶
This test is ridiculous, How you decide that this 6 bikes are the "most interesting" Why didnt bring other bikes like specialized epic evo, Yeti SB 115, Kona Hei Hei (who inventd the down-country segment), Transition spur, scott spark and many more !
You should've ridden all bikes up that hill at least two times and averaged the times. I would not trust those numbers at all.
It's all that marijuana and donuts that make it hard to breathe
aoL