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Have you ever ridden a Tyee ? The hugene is on my shortlist, but i'm still thinking it might be a bit too close to my Tyee (5th gen carbon)...
Also I just opened the european Propain website and they have 20% off the Hugene 3 "until stocks last", are they already updating/shelving it ??
I have, yes. A different animal. The Hugene is a trail bike through and through, not a mini-enduro in disguise. It’s just quite relaxed in the geo which makes it ask you to push it on a bit. Good fun.
I don’t know anything about a potential new model. Might just be new colors, since it was introduced recently.
How much do you agree with the more critical review from the other site?
Cheeky grass placement for the tires
Well, a 130mm bike with fairly long chainstays, a relaxed headangle and pretty hefty wheelbase as a result isn't necessarily going to be the most eager to lift its front wheel up at a whim, that much is definitely true. I did add 10mm of "extra" spacers to lift the handlebars a bit, which gave me the relaxed position I'm looking for. I have not felt like I'm over the front too much, definitely not in terms of the bike catching me out in the rougher stuff. Reading their two reviews it does sound to me like they either got a shock tune they don't get along with, or they're trying to make it do things it wasn't really intended for. With the Öhlins shock I'm running on my build, I definitely have enough comfort while retaining enough reserves for the kind of riding I do with this bike. The important caveat here is that I have a big enduro bike for the rowdier trails, so I don't need my 130mm bike to try to be that as well. Which leaves me free to really lean into the strengths of it, which is good pedaling, a lively character on the trail that makes all the side hits more fun to play with, and a bit more stability than I'm used to seeing in this travel category which makes it extra fun to charge into stuff - even if the rear suspension can't always quiiite cash those checks, the bike remains confidence-inspiring thanks to the geo. I've also ridden it with a Fox Neo Live Valve shock which is a ton of fun on this frame. That shock can make it feel like a hardtail on the trail, with the comfort of a full-suspension bike as soon as you need it. Pretty intoxicating if you like to cover ground fast on undulating technical trails. In the "Firm" setting it did make the bike stand up a lot more in the rear, which can leave you hanging a bit on the arms in that scenario. Oh and yep, pedal strikes are a thing, this bike does like to sit into its travel a bit.
I know it’s a bit short on travel and many consider it “down country”, but I am sure loving my new Epic Evo. It’s light and pretty damn capable on the trails I ride in Virginia.
Recently picked up a Cannondale Habit frame (not the new Bad Habit) for a great price, first couple of rides have been an absolute joy. I'm sure there are better 140/130 bikes out there but this thing is an absolute blast to ride and I encourage anyone who has been thinking of downsizing from an Enduro bike or adding a trail bike, to go for it.
I second this. I got on one and was genuinely suprised . Now I’ve got my own. ~26lbs, so pretty lean build but downhills much better then you would guess a 26lb 130-120 bike to ride . I don’t mind taking it on some pretty rowdy stuff with people on mostly bigger bikes
Just confirmed with Propain that this is just a standard phrase that is used with all promotions...just refers to stock levels of certain components, which will dictate how long the discount runs for. Not a new bike coming.
Spent the weekend on the Forbidden Reya, and wow what fast and capable bike. I would guess it’s about eight pounds lighter than my normal bike. Climbing was effortless and the reduced rolling resistance made acceleration noticeable
This probably wouldn’t be my only bike for what I normally ride, but was great for its intended use and a bit beyond
Was impressed with the motive brakes, but I think these would be replaced with something else if was my only bike. The forecaster tires in exo+ casing held up better than expected. I did have some traction moments , but if you get used to they are great rear had a cushcore installed . I’d like to try one in dd casing for rear is they ever came out
Now I need to stretch
What spec model was it?
I just pulled the trigger and put a float SL on my optic. I need to play with it a bit more but got it in the ballpark pretty quick. Lsc all the way on, 25% sag. I'll go out one day and do some bracketing of the fork and shock to work on the balance between the two, as the fork is still running settings I had dialled in for use on my hardtail. The lockout is great and much welcome on the road etc. Bike feels a little less sure footed through tech but is definitely better under power and a little more spritely. Went from 454 grams to 277 incl hardware.
OP was talking about expensive framesets, so it probably won’t do, but I’m still absolutely in love with my REEB SST. Something about the suspension design and steel frame make it feel just muted enough to ride on almost anything, but still super spritely and playful. It’s the perfect rig to play “bike LEGO” with, because it plays well with a super light and fast build, burly setup with a coil shock, and anything in between.
I feel this way about my Starling Murmur as well. It's simple, reliable, and a fun neutral frame to test out new parts on - changes in the rear shock are especially noticeable and the adjustable shock mount is a nice feature.
In the time since this thread started, my Gen 2 Optic let go, so I'm upgrading to a carbon Sight under warranty. I'm converting it to 29/29 with the missing link kit and bringing my build over minus the suspension. Very interested to compare and contrast with largely identical parts and on the same trails.
That will be a very different experience! I had one for a short time and adored it, honestly still wish I had one now. Keen to hear what you think once you have some time on it. Pic of mine because sharing is caring.
I've also come off the Optic and snagged a very flash current gen ASR locally.
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