Transition Smuggler Review: The Perfect Compromise? 

How tall are ya? I’m 6’2, ordered an XL, hoping I made a good choice

I’m 6’2” and have an XL

@@bikersedge thank you

Thanks for the feedback!

Same! Glad I finally got to spend some time on it.

The Smuggler is fast on mellow trails.

Thanks for the kind words!

Hey thanks!

Thanks for the feedback! It’s been so long since I’ve ridden a Rascal I can’t really fairly compare it.

Yeah I think they’re semi similar. The element does feel quite a bit more XC than this though.

I’m a big fan of that one too. Rides quite a bit bigger than this though.

have you seen the price sheet of the transition smuggler!? might think the SC bikes a better option compared to the spec from transition@@DB-sd3cw

Transition has gotten a little spendy these days.

Hey thanks! The new Smuggler is a big upgrade over the old one. Quite a bit more balanced.

So good.

This feels much lighter and sportier than an SB140. The 140 is more all mountain. It’s been too long since I’ve ridden a Bronson to compare to the 135.

Stoked I finally got to ride one.

@@bikersedge And now I want one. 😂

The internet exists now so everyone is a professional arguer. Ha

I got half your years, while compromise means different things to different people with different desires and wallet sizes (if you're struggling to make do, compromise means not wasting materials and opportunities and you're thankful to have something and to keep it working as opposed to not having it all, if you're rich everything short of perfect is a compromise when you can afford throwing it away complain about it and buy the next best promised thing), I think the general change in tone about "compromise" makes sense when you think about it this way. Earlier growing up, what I knew about was limited to what was around me, I couldn't lust about different brands of bikes from around the world because I didn't have the internet to show me what else is out there. If it wasn't at my local shop, if a friend didn't tell me about something they saw somewhere else, if I didn't see it in a movie, it didn't exist! For better or worse I had no way of knowing what was better or why or where it was. New technology, features, and fads didn't always make it to every town. Here it's only XC and road and I didn't even know about enduro and downhill racing till way later, I would have loved it as a kid! Took me getting to 34 before becoming obsessed with following it all. Back then we got what we could find and afford and our choices where severely limited, maybe we blew our savings on something considered a terrible value and quality when compared to other things we didn't have the liberty of trying, but we appreciated what we had and made it work. Now we can discover and order anything we want across the globe and now companies aren't just trying to market locally, now they're on stage to a world wide audience and they need every edge to compete against the other companies why I should pick them over what was once my local brands. Technology and materials and engineering keeps getting more expensive in the name of being 1% better than the competition. Everyone wants to win more and to sell more and the attitude becomes pervasive, trickling down and ingrained in our culture, just look at the tech bloat in every product segment that exists. No bike ad ever talks about it's compromises, every intro tells you it climbs like an XC bike and descends like a downhill. I often get to laugh at my own stupid dream list of bikes when we drive by one of the amish kids on their metal wheel bikes. When I was younger I'd just think about how terrible that must be, but now I think must be great to have a bike rather than not have one at all.

Hey thanks! This was filmed on a handful of trails in Corner Canyon and Bobs Basin.

@@bikersedge Nice. We live in southern Utah so someday we can hopefully hit those trails. Thanks!

Hey thanks!

Nice. I’m stoked to get some time on that one soon.

I personally wouldn’t want a L. While the reach is longer the seat tube is steeper making the fed tube top tube similar. I’m pretty happy with a 1270ish wheelbase. Pretty good spot for mobility and stability.

Last question. What length stem are you running?

40mm

It’s been a while since I’ve ridden a 130. If my memory is correct this feels lighter and snappier on the pedals.

@@bikersedge Blister reviewed the bike and said his knees would rub the rocker link... did you experience this?

No. Sounds like the blister dude has some chunky knees. Ha.

We don’t carry specialized. Not too familiar with the stumpy.

My sentiments exactly.

I did the same thing with my Scout - didn’t change the ride feel much at all. But the extra little bit of travel is a help when I exceed my riding skills in rockier terrain 😂

It could be cool to try. I really don’t think the extra 10mm rear will be too noticeable. A stiffer 150mm fork would probably make a bigger difference. At that point you’re pretty close to a sentinel and might just be better off on that.

@@bikersedge I’m luke warm about the Fox 34, and not sure the SID would be any better. I own a Sentinel, and it’s great, but a bit too slack for my riding. A Smuggler with a Fox 36 x 150 and the associated slackening to 34.5° HTA might be the definitive answer. Or maybe I should just get around to dropping an angle adjust on my Sentinel…hahaha 😉

A 36 or Lyrik on the smuggler could be solid.

I think the the Instinct, Occam and Trance feel bigger. They almost split the trail and the all mountain bikes. The Element does the same but between the XC and trail bikes. The Smuggler is smack dab in the middle of the trail category.

Watch the comparisons section

I did again... just saying the 5th gen tallboy has been around for 3 seasons with only very minor changes...and since you did ride it and compared it to the spur... I assumed you already have some insights 😂 but I'll try to be patient... thanks for all the reviews

Ha. All good. I’m going to wait and compare to the current TB. It’s been a while since I’ve ridden one and want it to be a fair comparison. The most recent Tallboy I've ridden is the 4.

I think the Trance X rides a bit bigger than this. Similar but bigger. The smuggler feels faster on the climbs and more sporty on the descents.

We don’t carry specialized. I’m not very familiar with that bike.

It's a Stumpjumper copycat... compare on 99spokes.

Stumpy not a true four bar. Stumpy will build up lighter and probably a bit snappier thanks to the flex stay. Smuggler will be better in the rough and a bit more climbing traction. Smuggler can run a coil and travel can be extended to 140.

@jane blogs enlighten me, what's the site?

I’d put the Ripley closer to the Spur than the Smuggler. A little more XC.

Dropout

I’d happily recommend the smuggler. The Ripley could be good as well. Even the element would be nice.

49yo - 6'3" - 215lbs: I've been riding an XL Ibis Ripley V4 for the past year and had considered the SB130, Pivot Trail 429, Transition Spur and SC Tallboy/Hightower before landing on the Ripley. These are all great bikes with the Yeti and Santa Cruz getting the node for descending, Spur for weight (but more so for lighter riders), but the Ripley and 429 for overall performance (up and down). The difference maker for me was the DW-Link Suspension Platform (used by both Ibis and Pivot). 95% of my riding is in the lower foothills in/around Boise, ID (solid XC/Trail terrain) and I needed something that could keep the climbs efficient, but still give me enough travel to take on more technical descents and overall chunk. The DW-Link gives me the ability to climb efficiently and more confidently in tech, with zero effects of "pedal bob." The Ripley is hands down the most capable bike I've ever owned in nearly 35 years of MTB'ing . . . this is evidenced in the numbers from May 2022 to April 2023 . . more rides then every, more miles than ever, more PR's than ever, more FUN that ever.

@@samblaine1 Thanks for the great insight. I ride many tight, punchy ups and downs with smaller roots and rock gardens, particularly at Kettle Moraine and Palos Hills. Do you feel the Ripley would excel on that type of trail? We do not have many long climbs and descents in the Midwest.

@@randygrueb7058 I don't have a lot of time in the saddle riding that type of terrain, but I cannot imaging the DW-Link not excelling in that environment. The one route I do ride, inside Ponderosa State Park in McCall, ID, which does have those short punchy climbs with a lot of roots, some rocks and loose soil, the Ripley was super efficient, staying planted when rolling over abrupt edges, roots and light chunk without any of those harsh hits bouncing me out of the saddle. As long as you don't need more travel to smash the downhill (in which case I'd recommend the Ibis Ripmo), the Ripley is going to be a quiver killer.

25 years removed from the Midwest myself, but have you considered a Spur? Fun and stable. You can put a 130 up front.

As of right now we don’t. Might change in the future.

They have a demo now!

That’s a tough one. I feel like the world needs more 4-bar bikes. They tend to be super consistent and predictable. Big fan personally. The Spur of course isn’t a four bar bike but the rest of transitions bikes are.

Similar although I’d put the Ripley in with the Spur instead.

Not something we have seen. Not being able to see the bike makes it difficult but I doubt it’s broken.

@@bikersedge Ok, thank you. Unfortunately, I can't post pics on here.

@@janeblogs324 Interesting, Thanks. Yeah, I don't see any stands in that area. I really hope Transition will warranty it.

@@user-rj9ui3sz8u Make a "tiny URL" of the pic link, then post just the unique end of it to get around the comment blocking.

Transition wouldn't warranty it. I wouldn't take the risk and can't recommend the brand.

It’s been so long since I’ve ridden the optic I couldn’t really fairly compare them.

Pop out a spacer and make the rear a 140 while your at it?

Tallboy, SB135, 5010

Lots of requests in the comments for the Tallboy comparison, but I’m surprised to see it classified as harder-charging than the Smuggler. The Smuggler’s stats on paper look more aggressive than the TB. Both are on my short list for a new bike next year, hoping to demo both to compare for myself. I’m in Seattle so the Smuggler makes a lot of sense (again on paper), but I get the sense SC has better warranty and is actually lower price plus carbon wheels (also with a good warranty). I know many would say you can’t go wrong with either, and that’s probably true, but it’s never that simple, is it?

@clarks888 it comes down to the suspension design for me. I haven’t ridden the TB5 but the TB4 had a deeper and plusher feeling design.

@@bikersedge yeah that’s what I would have guessed. It’s also an individual preference thing to a degree, which is why I wanna ride them both myself!

Thanks! So stoked to hear that. I’ve studied hours of Casey Neistat videos.

I agree

Lots of DW bikes tend to climb well. That said Horst link is probably my favorite platform overall. It can be designed to have a good amount of anti-squat and great DH characteristics too.

I've owned a Ripley LS and Ripmo and I'm now on the new Smuggler. I think the 4 bar/Horst rear suspension has come a long way and does not compromise on the climbing/peadal platform. Overall I like the Smuggler very much as well as the new Rockshox stuff. The new Pike with Buttercups on this bike is next level.

@@robertkeith9620 I just switched my fork from an older 2020 pike to a new Helm mk2, much more plush off the top, bottom out is endless

GoPro hero 11 for the POV and a Sony a7s3 for everything else.

Watch the comparison section

It’s been years since I’ve ridden that. Couldn’t really say.

Oh that’s a good one. Hadn’t crossed my mind until now though. The Smuggler is faster uphill for sure. Probably rides a little lighter duty on the descents too. The Instinct is similar in terms of geo but built up a bit burlier.

@@bikersedge Thanks! How about Smuggler vs Element? Having a hard time deciding what my next trail bike is going to be and unfortunately demo’s are not an option where I live. Awesome reviews!

The element splits the trail and XC categories pretty well. The smuggler rides bigger and finds itself right in the middle of the trail category.

Not sure. Haven’t ridden an evil for years.

XL

I never got to ride that one unfortunately.

That is an XL frame. And yes it is nimble. The wheelbase is fairly moderate at 1277mm. The effective top tube feels very in line with other trail bikes due to the steep seat tube angle making the reach feel a bit shorter.

@@bikersedge but the reach has nothing to do with the seat tube. ETT is measured that way but not the reach

True. Reach is relation of the BB to the head tube. ETT can be made shorter by making the seat tube steeper. However most people associate “reach” with how long the front of the bike feels both while sitting and standing. At the end of the day, wheelbase is a better measure of how “nimble” a bike is. At 1277 in XL the Smuggler is fairly moderate.

Why thank you very much. I appreciate the kind words!

Yes. Hero 11.

Thats a good question. It's been a while since I've ridden a Ripley. I want to say the smuggler is just a smidge higher on the descending capability scale. The Ripley is probably a bit closer to the Spur than the Smuggler.

This is a custom build. Not a stock option.

Thanks

Compared to Ben (guy on the Mega), I’m a toddler on a strider. Ha.

He’s too fast for me.

Just depends on what you’re looking for. Ripley is more of a climber. Smuggler goes a bit harder on the DH.

@@bikersedge thank you and now I just threw the SB140 into the mix. looking for something that'll do it all. decisions!

SB140 is radically different than those two. Much more descent focused.

I mean I kinda compare throughout the entire video.

@@bikersedge yeah, I noticed that I wrote that comment to early in the video..

I’d agree that’s who they’re good for. Lots of different flavors of trail bikes though. Utah doesn’t suck at all.

I swear the Trail segment of the market is the most convoluted to navigate, you have basically XC all the way to AM/faux Enduro all within trail 😂

I don’t disagree. They can vary a ton.

Thanks! Thats always a tough question to answer because what is worth it for me might not be worth it for you. It depends on what your priorities are. That said, I don't think there's any reason to not explore the $3,000 options if $4,000 seems too spendy for an alloy bike. there are tons of great value brands/bikes out there and most of them are pretty solid.

Hey thanks. I’m 6’2” and rode an XL