We report on how light, efficient, and smooth they ride, when the truth is that most riders purchase and ride the lower specced, heavier, clunkier models that can be in a different league of performance even though they are from the same range or family of bikes. Normally we are blessed/baited by the most expensive, bling bikes, carbon this and lightweight that, high precision, tuned and ergonomically perfected steeds that in reality, sell low numbers. It's a tough job ( sob sob) for us tech editors at Pinkbike to test a bike from the lower echelons of the bike world. The Bossnut is also very well specced for the money and comparable to bikes much higher in price so it could be treated as a new bike but the same capability and spec of used bike. The age old question, it’s up to the individual I suppose, but there is something nice about having a brand new bike with everything working at once, I’ve built many a bike when upgrading the frame with all sorts of horror stories. Why would a rider choose the Bossnut over a well maintained, used bike of a similar price? Honestly, I started this project with fairly new or returning riders in mind, but the first Bossnut quickly surpassed that so with the ‘V2’ I wanted to upgrade the frame with things like the increased reach, shorter stem, and increased tyre spacing so they could be ridden at UK enduros or the Alps etc. What type of rider is the Bossnut aimed at? Once I had this a test bike was built and ridden in the Peak (UK) by a few of us and we tested several different shock tunes and then the rest is history as they say. Then on the opposite of this, I looked at what was out at the price point I wanted to hit and not seeing geometry or spec that I felt would give riders the best ride or time on their bike. Really it came from riding bikes like these, reading reviews and seeing the direction of the market. How did you decide upon the geometry numbers for this bike? It looks like the Bossnut is lining itself up against some big sellers like the Specialized Stumpjumper, Trek Fuel and Giant Trance? While Calibre has done a truly outstanding job with the design and equipping of the Bossnut Evo, it unsurprisingly hits its limits slightly earlier than the 40 to 50 percent more expensive bikes it is often compared to.Three Questions with Mike Sanderson, Calibre Brand Manager. The Recon fork retains control a long way down rocky descents before your forearms start to blow up, and is easy to adjust for rider weight, too. The simple Monarch R shock has better peak oil flow than more complex compression-adjustable dampers, so the 130mm of rear travel will swallow surprisingly large blocks and drops before things get sketchy.Īlthough there’s no lockout lever for climbs and road sections, the Evo pedals well enough that this isn’t an issue. The Calibre’s back end isn’t as rock-meltingly smooth as some of its competitors, but it does a good job of minimising impact force while keeping the bike level and the rear wheel connected. In short, the geometry works just fine for what most people spending £1,000 are going to think of as mountain biking. The 67-degree head angle means the fork doesn’t flop around like a sulky teenager on steep climbs. It’s quicker and easier to change direction in tighter situations, though, encouraging you to play with trail features rather than plough through them. There’s routing for an internal or external dropper seatpost cable/hose, but you’ll have to add the actual post yourself Andy Lloyd / Immediate Media With a relatively short 445mm reach and 1,145mm wheelbase (large), it doesn’t feel as unshakably stable through rocks and roots or scythe through high-load turns like longer bikes. The 45mm stem ties everything together nicely, so the steering is light and obedient but the bike doesn’t need to be pointed downhill and moving fast for it to make sense. Your initial contact with a bike is always important, and the Evo’s 780mm bar and 67-degree head angle give a reassuringly safe feel, without being super-wide or slack. The Kore bar and own-brand stem match the handling well. Shimano’s Deore brakes offer better modulation and power than their M300-series anchors, and SRAM’s clunky NX 11-speed shifter and rear mech are relentlessly reliable. The WTB rims are wide for extra tyre support and easy to turn tubeless, and the tyres are acceptable for the price. While the Recon fork isn’t the latest Boost-width (110mm) version, its 15mm thru-axle adds welcome steering accuracy and security compared to a QR. The 67-degree head angle, 780mm bar and 45mm stem increase control and confidence without being a handful on flatter/climbing trails Andy Lloyd / Immediate MediaĬalibre has put together an outstanding package for £999 (with discount card).
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