Meta AM first ride review on Bike Radar

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May 24, 2012, 02:35:10 PM

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[iain1775]

http://www.bikeradar.com/gear/category/bikes/mountain/product/review-commencal-meta-am-12-45396


The Commencal Meta firmly established a place in our hearts many years ago as one of the early trail-style, do-it-all machines. It also saw its fair share of glory thanks to the likes of Remy Absalon, who’s been instrumental in the development of the all-new AM and has since won the Megavalanche on one.

Ride & handling: Low centre of gravity and slack head angle make this great at speed

Our medium frame size sample provided our 5ft 8in test pilot with the right all-mountain ride position – enough stretch in the top tube and a steep enough seat angle to keep climbing balanced, with weight in just about all the right places. Yet it was still short enough for us to attack the trail at the shift of a gear and with plenty of stability.

We’re big fans of Fox’s new RP23 shock with Adaptive Logic but the shock tune on this pre-production version of the Meta AM didn’t quite offer the suppleness or support we were after from the 150mm (5.9in) of rear wheel travel. Commencal have assured us they're working on a new shock tune though, which is great news and will certainly make this great frame shine.

Our only other real niggle was the constant rattle from the internal cabling, which is easy enough to rectify. The revised rear end felt really stiff and was happy being slammed sideways into turns or soaking up the odd out-of-shape landing. The complete build weighs 13.2kg, so the Meta AM is nimble enough to be flicked around the trail.

Frame & equipment: Awesome chassis with masses of potential

It’s hard not to draw comparisons to the Meta’s bigger brother, the Supreme DHv3, as piloted by the Athertons. Like it, the AM has had a complete overhaul that’s helped lower its centre of gravity. It also has a slackened head angle – now 66.8 degrees – and has been designed around a 2x10 transmission. The shock penetrates the seat tube through the ‘shock tunnel’, helping to remove stress from the down tube, which can be made lighter as a result.

Commencal have opted to use Shimano’s press-fit standard bottom bracket along with a semi-integrated Cane Creek tapered head tube. This not only increases stiffness but also allows for the use of a Cane Creek AngleSet. Other notable features include a post-mount rear brake mount, ISCG 05 chainguide mounts, internal cable routing and a 142x12mm rear axle.

Our test bike came with some of the finest kit on the market – Fox’s 32 FIT RLC fork and new RP23 rear shock are quite brilliant. The Easton Haven finishing kit also helps keep standards high while the Formula brakes worked in every condition we threw at them. SRAM’s X0 transmission shifts with a lovable snap and helps keeps things in check weight wise.

[damo]

These articles crack me up. Seems a very positive opinion with only the internal cabling rattling that "niggle" them yet only 3 stars.

Damo

[steveb]

I love the way reviews on redesigned bikes, which have the shock and gubbins an inch lower, bang on about how better the lower CoG feels.

That aside, does anyone really pay the slightest bit of attention to bike reviews nowadays?

In it's six seasons the Meta 5 had only incredibly minor tweaks to the overall design, yet every year the reviews were black and white: One year they loved it, the next hated, the next loved it again.

What your reading is one persons opinion of a bike, at one moment in time, in one location (that's if they actually ride the thing).

And as for the reference to the Supreme DH. Oh dear. Here we go again. In 2006 Dirt commented how the Meta 5 was such a great short travel DH bike, from that moment on everyone lost sight of the purpose of the bike, fitted daft chain devices, longer and longer forks, DH kit, then complained when they broke. Commencal themselves lost sight too and kept messing with the design to appease the mags. I see the same thing is gonna happen again with the new Meta AM.

I don't ride full suss anymore, haven't been on one for nearly a year now, so even if I got a ride on a Meta am i doubt I could say if it's good or not, but it looks fantastic. Just hope it don't break.

[nickb]

3 stars makes it average,so unless you bother to read the whole review you might think its not worth considering,yet the review paints a positive picture strange really.Hopefully when the Meta is released on general sale it can be reviewed again as it's pointless reviewing pre production models.
I think most people do take reviews seriously i always read reviews to make a short list especially when there is such a wide selection,its even more relevant these days with so much online business.If you see a bike you fancy the nearest dealer might be 200miles away so unless you can afford the time to go look at it then chances are you would buy it online.This is where reviews come useful,however i tend to look at forums and owners reviews instead of a magazines review as owners use the bike more and as such can highlight issues that a magazine would not pick up in one days riding.  
The problem with a bike is its a very personal thing the way it handles and feels to the user,i might like the way a bike feels where as someone else might not like it at all.
I love the look of the Meta AM looks like it would be more rigid than the Meta 5 good to see Commencal taking a new approach unlike the ugly if decent Orange which has looked the same for years.  
 

[Dirt Diggler]

They probably stole the comment about the shock from Dirt, i also wonder at what point they will fit the upgraded shock and how would you know? as its meant to make the bike handle far better.

I read very little into reviews as it generally depends on whos actually contributing advertising to the said magazine/ website etc.

Im riding a hardtail just now as well but im thinking about buying the frame for next year, would love a riders review.

 

[iain1775]

more likely they rode the bike at the press camp at the same time Dirt did
probably just not allowed to publish the review until a certain time as other magazines may have had an exclusivity thing
Makes no difference to me, Id already decided its not going to be my next bike - Internal cables may look neat but I figure will just be too much hassle for me, that combined with its still portly weight, the silly prices and the fact I cant get a frame only without having to change nearly all my existing bits to make them fit means I am probably looking elsewhere early next year. Probably a Ragley full suss, maybe even a 29'er but definately something slightly cheaper

[w00dy1980]

Hmmm £3800...

[Ant]

I love the new meta tbh. And yeh, they love the bike, but 3 stars.. Something doesn't quite add up.

[Mark W]

I noticed the same thing happening back in '09 and '10- the reviews of the Meta sounded excellent, then got a mediocre rating at the end. Politics or incompetence?

[numptyboy]

Maybe the price. Sure it's a nice bike, but damn - its nearly 4000 smackers.
The spicy on their site got 4 stars. it's a similarily capable bike for a grand less.

[craig1980]

£3800 is the price for the toop end Meta AM1! They start at £2500.00 for the AM3.

The spicy 516 which is the closest comparison at £1000.00 less is a much lower spec bike. There is no comparable Lapierre as they go to a carbon frame. 

[iain1775]

...and there is the problem, for £4k I would want a carbon frame, even if that meant a slightly lower spec in some of the componants (that will wear out and eventually be replaced)
There is no denying compared to other brands and in these times it's expensive and heavy

[Steve P]

And on Commencal's site at the moment you can buy a carbon meta 55 full bike for €2,500...

[nickb]

The price of 2012 bikes is shocking i bought  a new Trek 6500 in 2008 rrp £700 now the 2012 trek 6500 rrp is £1000 which is over 40% increase and spec is no better.However the 2011 model was a staggering £1150 so looks like Trek is at least addressing the prices a bit.
I bought a new 552 in 2009 for £1600 which is a bargain by today's prices.Its ashame that Meta's don't seem to hold their value i would be lucky to get £1000 for my bike now and its got the stronger 2010 frame and a few upgrades yet a £1000 would only buy a half decent new hardtail.I don't think i will buy anymore new bikes unless my company ups it c2w scheme and ditches halfords as sole supplier.      

[100mphplus]

Anyone got one on order?  Just been told they are about to be shipped for mid Dec delivery, so just in time for Xmas