Ditch the Five?

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May 24, 2012, 04:33:04 AM

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Total Voters: 287

[iain1775]

Hmm, after seeing these pics Im severly tempted to ditch my Meta 5 and invest in one of these instead -
http://www.singletrackworld.com/2009/12/fresh-goods-commencal-super-4-vip-carbon/
I could sell the '08 5.5.1 frame along with the float 140 fork, and I have quite a few other bits and pieces hanging around I could flog as well, probably alost a complete bike minus a spare set of brakes. Think the 4 might be a better bike for my riding, I love the 5 but spend most of my time on the hardtail these days
what do you guys reckon?
does look nice doesn't it  

[domino0]

Very nice, but personally i wouldnt have two bikes that are similar or for the same kind of thing, eg xc

Otherwise i would find myself riding the one i prefer all the time and the other one, one of the time....

[Crag]

Yup, I reckon its a winner (although obviously not in plastic)

I think the Meta 4 are the best trail bike in the range.  For me, the Meta 5 was always a compromise bike, that been a bike that I could rag around UK trails all year and then stick some 2.5 tyres on, big discs and take to the alps once a year.

I honestly believe that for 95% of (certainly my) riding, 4" travel is more than enough.  

And if you're happy with the Floats then why sell them?  You can shim them down to 120mm pretty easily I'm led to believe.  

[iain1775]

Yup, I reckon its a winner (although obviously not in plastic)

But for a bike made of tupperware it is a pretty one

[bong69uk]

I have to agree with Dom here, by getting that you will have two bikes that cover very similar riding and if you already hardly use the 55 and mostly are on the hardtail, when will u use new one? why not get something along the lines of a mini dh or the furious? then that way u will have bikes for most areas of biking! Simples! 

[damo]

I, like you run a hardtail and had the same predicament. I have decided to keep my 5. Whinlatter was enjoyable on the hardtail, but I think it is suited to the 5. The majority of the riding I do will be happily done on the HT, but there are places which I have yet to go to which will be done on the 5. We are going to Fort Bill for the champs next year (all booked) and I'm going to do some of the 7 staines.

Damo

[domino0]

I, like you run a hardtail and had the same predicament. I have decided to keep my 5. Whinlatter was enjoyable on the hardtail, but I think it is suited to the 5. The majority of the riding I do will be happily done on the HT, but there are places which I have yet to go to which will be done on the 5. We are going to Fort Bill for the champs next year (all booked) and I'm going to do some of the 7 staines.

Damo

Your gonna ride at Ft BIll while the british camps (?) are on? thts gonna be busy, anyway id say the xc trails at bill are more suited to a ht. Most 7 stanes are very ht able but places like mabie and laggan (even though not 7 stanes) would be more fun on a full suss

[steveb]

The Super4 now inhibits the place in the range that the Meta5 originally filled. Since it's launch the Meta5 has morphed into a longer travel, slacker angled, heavier and beefier "fun in the forests" type of bike, when it started life as an out and out enduro machine. My Stable has always been based around a meta5 and a Supreme (MiniDH). But the gap between these two bikes has been getting smaller and smaller over the years. It's why I've kept running my 08 Meta5 for as long as possible.

I swopped to a Super4 this season, and whilst I'm yet to find it's sweet spot, I'm liking it more and more after every ride. I have a set of TALAS 32's on the front, and although at 140mm it's outside the warrantied limit it feels just like my 08 Meta. Except I keep trying to ride it down the same stuff, and at the same speed, as on my old Meta5, so keep flatting the rear :-(

At 120mm up front it feels really nice skipping along the trails. The angles feel like a good compromise between XC & AM. At 100mm up front it flies along, it feels really racy (for a Commencal) and is just slack enough to keep a slack angled fan like me happy. At 100mm it's still very predictable and not at all twitchy but still low enough to feel "XC". I'm doing a lot of road rides on it, something I'd have never done on the Meta.

My only grip at the moment is climbing on the Super4. it's just not what I expected. i think perhaps I was expecting too much. I've been riding a Meta5 since the launch in 05, so I've got used to it on climbs. I think I was expecting too much from the Super4. I think I was expecting it to feel really low and tight up front when climbing, and of course it's not. With the forks at their lowest (100) it's still pretty slack. This is going to sound stupid, but my Supreme is more comfortable to climb on. Why? Cus that runs TALAS 36's and with them down to 100mm the Supreme is stupidly steep, and as thats the bike I've ridden most in the last two years, it's the bike by which I judge others. Obviously the Super4 is lighter (by ten pounds) so it's a lot less effort to get it to the top, but the Supreme, and the Meta with the TALAS 32's on, is steeper with 100mm up front, so more comfortable to climb on, anglewise.

But, I'm getting used to the Super4. And it's excelling in all other areas, and is really nice to ride on long ones, so so far, it's a winner.

I'm thinking of getting my TALAS 32's customised to run 80-120mm travel, then I think the Super4 will be the perfect all rounder.

[domino0]

I'm thinking of getting my TALAS 32's customised to run 80-120mm travel, then I think the Super4 will be the perfect all rounder.

Now theres an idea...

[damo]

Your gonna ride at Ft BIll while the british camps (?) are on? thts gonna be busy, anyway id say the xc trails at bill are more suited to a ht. Most 7 stanes are very ht able but places like mabie and laggan (even though not 7 stanes) would be more fun on a full suss

Yeah, it will probably be busy.I just take a chance. My HT will shake your teeth out at the best of times. You done Whinlatter Dom?

Damo

[domino0]

Yeah, it will probably be busy.I just take a chance. My HT will shake your teeth out at the best of times. You done Whinlatter Dom?

Damo

No havnt ridden anything south of the Border yet Damo, but i will say i rode my hardtail (spesh hardrock) wen i had it at Ft Bill xc and it was a breeze