These are heavier than the Rocket Rons but still lighter than he has ridden in the past. The Commencal is 25.5 lbs (according to the website) and the skinwall 24x2.6 tires are 750 grams according to Commencals website. We hit mud holes or wet areas on nearly every trail both uphill and down. Every time we hit a mud hole or wet conditions, the brakes suffer significantly and dirt and sand get caught in the pads and make noise. Also with the Trek, I at this point just about hate those rim brakes. Really the RRs looked great on paper and while reading this website, but in real life, they haven't worked so well for us. Honestly, the Kenda 849s were better in poor conditions for cornering and roots (which we have a lot of) but the Kendas were lousy climbers and on asphalt compared to the RRs. The front tire slides a lot if he carries speed into corners even in dryer conditions. The RR tires climb fine if it is dry, and corner fine if it is dry, but that is not so frequent at this time of year. The Rocket Ron 24x2.1 is very light and he has been happy with them while riding around the neighborhood, but on the trails, the Rocket Rons don't work in our trail conditions very well. Also with the RRs he can climb much better, he climbs most hills in the 32/21 or 32/24 gears. Previously he had 24x1.95 Kenda 849 tires, and when we weighed them they were about 850 grams each. For Christmas I bought him some Rocket Ron 24x2.1 tires, and we removed the kickstand, and those things combined cut the weight down to 28.5 lbs. On that bike at 30.5 lbs, he was able to climb nearly every trail we ride locally, in the 32T front chain ring (middle) and the 24T or 24T rear gear (7 speed 13-34). ![]() His current bike, which is a Trek MT220, up until Christmas, was 30.5 lbs. We don't do any parks or lifts, we ride about 70% trails and 30% asphalt. Even with the 2.4in tyre dropped down to 20psi (as low as you’ll want to go before it starts feeling squirmy and pinchable on the 25mm rim), the chunky-tubed QR rear end gives a brutally bruising ride.Click to expand.I do appreciate the input, thanks! ![]() It’s not just a comfort issue, in case you get caught by a bone-crushing jolt in the saddle (though that’s definitely not pleasant). While the front end is set up right for letting the impeccably-controlled 160mm stroke of the Lyrik take care of big-hit business, the back end is harsh to the point of hostility. There’s an even more obvious issue when letting the bike run over rougher terrain, too. This inevitably forces you further forward over the fork and undermines the confidence of the Commencal Meta, particularly in faster, wide open turns or corner-smashing situations. That front end is a lot closer to you than on many other large bikes, though, and the wheelbase and reach are even shorter than on the medium Cotic BFe275 Silver Thru. The 65-degree head angle puts the stout, thick-walled fork stanchions at the right angle for stable, self-correcting steering that treats the most technical wheel-bullying terrain with lazy contempt. ![]() Looking over the front of the big 780mm bar, down to the Lyrik logo on the fork brace and the chunky 2.4in Maxxis tread, the Meta gives an instant sense of ‘take all comers’ confidence. If you like your hardtails as stiff as possible and don’t subscribe to the ‘longer is better’ handling vibe, you’re getting a ton of top-quality kit Mick Kirkman Commencal Meta HT AM Race ride impression SRAM’s NX isn’t the lightest option but its affordable real-world toughness makes it the unfailing AK-47 of 11-speed transmissions.The super-stiff back end upsets the ride balance and the QR-axle rear wheel isn’t as failsafe as a through-axle set-up.RockShox’s Lyrik is an outstanding big-hit fork with thick-walled 35mm stanchions and an easy to set up, maximum-control Charger damper.That leaves only a dropper post to add to complete a kickass package. The own-brand Ride Alpha cockpit is well sized and shaped, the WTB rims are sound and easy to set up tubeless, and the Maxxis High Roller II EXO tyres are traction-rich impact shruggers. We’re always glad to see full SRAM NX gearing, and the basic Avid DB3 brakes get a power boost from bigger rotors. The wallet win here is a RockShox Lyrik fork with Charger damper, rather than a Yari (same chassis, simpler damper). Commencal has a big advantage over its competitors in terms of value because it’s now selling direct, offering a 10% discount to customers who collect from its Andorra showroom.
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