How Different Can Two “Aggressive” Hardtails Be? 

Hey Evan! Yeah that Eponym isn’t a featherlite. It’s actually just a punch under 31 lbs but yeah… thanks for the good vibes! Looking forward to your next one!

Steel is real! Just ask Steve at HP. That said, even though I ride a torrent myself, which other than an ESD is basically the Enduro/gravity/freeride end of the hardtail world, I am starting to see that too many people are over-biked, which takes away from the biker's own capabilty and the 'experience' of riding their trails. In the Eastern rockies, there are many people I know that have gone back from a long leggeded enduros to trail level suspension and again finding love with the trails they loved when they were riding almost ridged bikes 20+ years ago. NOT saying the 2017-2019 geo was 'perfect' for trail riding, but I am not seeing people smashing KOMs on these bigger, slacker, lower bikes with 20+% more suspension. Riding my buddy's 2019 Stumpjumper 27.5 with a moderate reach, longer chainstays, steeper HTA, slacker STA and yet good suspension, I found myself falling in love again with pedaling flats, pumping fatures, flat turns and the climbs.. its definately fit for purpose, but there is a reason why dirt jumpers/sloapstyle bikes/4x bikes are so much fun with such steep geo, but suck when pointed down

@@vrwgq3q totally agree. Most people are overbiked. But everybody is in a different place in their MTB journey and the things they look for in a bike will absolutely fluctuate over time from one bike to the next. One year they could be saying “I want a bike that will never feel like it’s in over it’s head on the DH”.. the next year they could say “I just want to get to the top of the hill faster” etc. Anyone that thinks they know what they want has the right to buy whatever bike they feel like they’ll get their desired experience out of. And so goes the ebb and flow of MTB consumerism.

Chasing forever for that one bike quiver haha!@@ShreddingSpree - also, its reflective of marketing which drives that consumerism. Tell me that favorite trail, which was cut out 25+ years ago, you rode on a HT with an elsomer fork, with geo that mirrors a Gravel bike, now needs DH geo, travel and the length of a sled. No doubt the latest in bike geo and suspension tech has allowed for insane descending capability (most of the time well beyond the rider) at minimal sacrafice to climbing, but possibly at the expense of 'fun'. Also the trend to push the limits, comes at with trickle down benefits... because any MTB, a trail or even xc bike, can benefit from stronger 4pot brakes, improved drivetrain, better engagement hubs, bulletproof alloy/carbon wheels, better cockpits, longer lighter droppers, better geo and better suspension designs/tech/tunes.

@@vrwgq3q we’re on the same page here for sure. But does that old fav trail actually NEED DH level suspension/geo? No, absolutely not. I’ll ride my hardtail literally ANYWHERE I ride my 150/160 travel bike… But when I’m on the hardtail am I still gapping into rock gardens and straight-lining into the apex of the next turn while running over someone’s grandma? Nope. It’s a different approach to the ride. I’ll always argue that 99.9% of trails don’t “need” a certain type of bike.. (rampage/freeride excluded) but different bikes will most definitely give you a different experience on the same trail. Very experienced riders might prefer to make things a little more exciting without constantly trying to go Mach 5. And lesser experienced riders might want a big cushy bike that’s going to absorb all their mistakes and (clears throat) bad technique. It goes back to wherever any specific rider is in their progression. There’s a butt for every seat.

That’s a good pair of bikes!

Sweet! Thanks for watching!

Thx homie. We’re due for a rip asap

The Big Al looks like a great bike! Keep shredding!

Thanks a ton! And thanks for making bikes that can take a punch!

Glad you enjoyed it

First off, I’m really glad that several of the viewers have been able to take my analysis of these two bikes and apply it to their own bikes. Also identifying the type of rider you are. It’s a valuable thing to understand. That’s what I wanted when I made this video so thanks for that. I will say that you’re really missing out if you haven’t tried a big, slack, steel ht. My eponym is a masterpiece if you ask me. But just like I said in the video, there’s a ton to love about the smaller “trail pistol” rig too! Now that I’m responding to you on here I feel like it would’ve been so perfect for me to wear my hardtail gang shirt in the video. 😪 missed opportunity. I love what you’re doing so keep it up! How do I get on the HTG sponsorship list?! 😂

@@ShreddingSpree sponsorship might be a strong word for my little rinky dink operation over here, but I'd love to send you a few things that you'd be stoked to wear and maybe give occasional shoutouts about. shoot ya a DM tomorrow :)

Thanks!!

Glad you liked it!

Just checked them out. They look cool!

The torrent is a bitchen bike for sure!

Hey Ari! From 2018-2021 I actually did only have one bike and it was a HT. No regrets. However right now I’m actually quite content between my stumpy evo and my eponym so I don’t really plan on thinning out the stable at the moment. Sometimes the full suspension bike is just the right tool for the day. Different riding style for sure.

p.s. those jumps look awesome. And you got mad skills 👊

I might have to check that out. The rear from the Rallye will bolt right up to the eponym with just a rotor swap.

No racing scheduled at the moment for me which is sad. My weekends are all booked up with youth hockey until March.

@@ShreddingSpree yes winter 🙂time....almost

Getting some miles out of those clips! Lol

I'm gonna have to get some fresh stuff with you one of these days soon. 😉

Rad bike for sure

I would pick the Eponym. At 5’10” I’m not a small person so both wheel sizes work just fine for me. For me it comes down to the way I tend to ride most often, and that’s usually the steep and fast variety. On the eponym I feel like I can be fast in the widest variety of terrain without ever needing to make excuses for the bike. But at the same time I’d say that the Rallye is more fun on the tight trails in my backyard so like I mentioned in the video, I could honestly go either way and not be bummed out.

Eponym for sure! Def not a bad trail to spend 50% of your rides on!

I haven’t tried it yet but I should. Part of the reason is I haven’t had the desire to make the bike any more slack than it already is.. but for the sake of science I should probably give it a go. Check back in with me in a few weeks and I’ll have an answer for you. 👍🏼

Thank you man! Another random question since you know a lot about the subject: I bought a Santa Cruz Chameleon 8 Mx a long time ago and I was wondering if I could be able to set it up as a full 27.5, but I’m not sure which size fork (I was thinking Fox Factory) I will have to run with it without damaging the gio of the bike. I know Santa Cruz recommend 29er or Mx but I’m 99% I could convert it to a full 27.5. I just love jumping around on the trail, and honestly didn’t like the mullet as much here in Miami, FL (There is nothing super deep). Thanks again for your videos and comments. I just find out of your channel, great content. You got a new subscriber!

I’m also in between going full 29er with the SC Chameleon or go full 27.5, it just be easier because I have the correct fork. I will just need the dropouts for the 29er but I just don’t know if I’m going to be able to jump around on my trails and have fun

@@DanielRodriguez-jz1id hey Daniel. I’m not sure about your question regarding fork travel/full 27.5. Personally I would probably try to get a 27.5 fork that matches the travel of the 29” but have the ability to add 10mm of travel if you feel like you want the stance to have more stack. Also, personally, I’d be more likely to go full 29” in Florida where the trails are flatter. I feel like I’d enjoy maintaining more speed. However if you are jumping and jibbing more often the full 27.5 may suit you better. Hope that helps.

There’s a lot to love about 27.5! Keeping your butt off the back tire is one!

Thanks for that! In the US all the place names that end in “shire” are pronounced “shur”

@@ShreddingSpree I did not know that, it's nice to learn something new. Hadn't heard of Dawley prior to watching your video, nice looking bikes.

I think most folk here say Nottinghamsher 😅

@@dawleybikes2015 Always amuses me at the number of words that are not spelled how they are pronounced.

Im from nottingham. Its no-ing-am-shu

In this video I had the same setup on both bikes. 2.5 DHF (front) and 2.5 Aggressor (rear) Both are Maxxis For trails I run 21 psi in the front and 23 in the rear. I just swapped the rear on the rallye for a 2.4 maxxis dissector so we’ll see how that goes.

I’m running similar setups(but 2.6’s) on my Rootdown and Middlechild. Typically run 15-17 up front and 20-23 out back depending on how chunky I think the trail will be. Going to2.5’s on the RD just to change things up… slightly 🤓

@@TriciaHamilton1969I feel like my tires start folding in the corners when I drop below 20psi

@@ShreddingSpree Same for the rear... Haven't had it happen in front..Yet.... :)

It’s for the damping quality of the stainless bolts. Brass bolts reverb too much 👀

Indeed