A while back I had a conversation with a mate about what our perfect bike would be.
“I’d love a bike that climbs really well, is stable, can smash rowdy downhills and bike park laps, jumps well and doesn’t weigh a tonne,” I described.
My mate laughed and retorted, “OK, Goldilocks!”
While bikes have come a bloody long way over the past five years, the manufacturers’ quest for the perfect do-it-all bike remains elusive. Longer and slacker usually means a more sluggish pedaller. A lighter frame and more efficient geometry is often at the expense of stability and capability when things get steep
