Best Mountain Bike in the World - My Biased Opinion

A quick One Run Review of my custom Egerie Bike. I really think this is the best bike I've ever ridden with all factors taken in to account.
Check out my current competitions!
astonmtb.com/
Win a brand new frame built to your spec and paid for by me from Egerie Velo in France. One exactly the same as this, or anything you can dream of in terms of size, travel, and shape, you could even get a race BMX or Gravel frame if that takes your fancy.
Other great comps include the Legend-ary gold anodized Banshee RRT, Hope, Works and more.
About me: lifelong MTB rider and racer. Bad World Cup downhiller and a little better at EWS racing. Qualified MTB coach and guide. 5 years as the European Technical Editor for Pinkbike, followed by some years of testing and prototyping for brands within the industry.
Now I've thrown everything into this project to create the best independent bike reviews in the world.
These products are bought at full retail price, and the reviews are funded 100% by competition ticket sales and donations. Buying a ticket not only gives you a chance to win cool bike stuff but also to support more and more independent reviews. This is a community effort, you can support these reviews, or get your information elsewhere which is always funded directly by the brands or through their advertising budgets...
Thanks to everyone for the support so far!

[@blackmetalgoat9060]

This is hands down the best MTB channel right now! Tells it how it is no bs. Should get this guy as outhere as possible.

[@brandonb6164]

Love the pragmatic design on this one Paul. When you write up your review on the website I hope you will include the full geometry information. I’m building a bike along these lines sometime this coming year and would love some rough numbers to go by. Cheers!

[@rewind9536]

I like how he has done everything I wiuld have done. Hope V4, upgraded Dorado, slack fork, steep seatpost angle, coil shock.

[@zawiasczorny]

Biased or not, nice to hear you being happy about the bike and having fun! Also, this trail is really, really nice, was my favorite until i rode fast&furious and hiroshima :)

[@seanwelden4284]

Hey you should consider reviewing the EVH frame from Tora Cycles, it’s like a modernized version of the old infamous Brooklyn Machine Works Racelink!

[@Ahaggah]

Send the bike to Pinkbike to get it reviewed!

[@skobli617]

Hi mate, just found your channel, really enjoying the videos, good on you for taking all the classic bike issues into your own hands!

[@th_js]

I grinned so hard that I almost had a stroke when I saw a new video and it's 30+ minutes

[@wx2999]

You should check out the Canfield One2, Bird Aeris 9, and Pole Voima. The Canfield has a lot of adjustability, and is 203mm front and rear. The Bird is very durable (Bird is the poor mans Nicolai), has great customer service, and is 203mm/180mm. The Voima is an ebike, has a higher BB, and is 203mm/190mm. All of them are Alloy and take a dropper post.

[@th_js]

Pole Voima would be great to see, but I think even more interesting to see Pole Vikkelä, the non-electric version of Voima. 190/190mm travel and accepts a dual crown.

[@wx2999]

@@th_js why would that be more interesting

[@th_js]

@@wx2999 Just a bit more relatable for me because I have the Stamina, and Vikkelä is the next iteration of it.

[@patrik.clifford]

He he! this channel came recomended and it surely did not dissapoint :-) Agree on almost everyting except for going "to" long with the wheelbase (as in over 1330mm), works for DH but gets a little tricky on really steep rocky enduro switchbacks to me... great work!

[@lopon12]

interesting feedback on the contis. i was looking into getting some but if you have to really force and drive the front end to get grip maybe not be for my lazy style.

[@cunning-stunt]

The Boxxer comes with a 46mm offset too. Has done for a few years now.

[@astonmtb2428]

Yes, but incredibly difficult to find crowns right now with buying an entire new fork.

[@martindepunkt3770]

Keep the good work up 😎✌️ Impressive how you ride and talk at the same time at such a high level. Bike looks interesting will buy ticket for sure. cheers 🍻

[@lincolnvv]

Interesting thoughts on geo / design. Do you pitch your geo / design formula as better for the 'average' rider - as opposed to enduro pros? I see pros going in opposite direction to some of your ideas after running their own testing (ie: racing small frames, light/open damping, high linkage/shock progression, prioritising 'stiffness').

[@hannes6114]

If I had the money I would really like to put a dual crown on a spindrift and tune the suspension like you do

[@JoeJoe-C137]

Fully agree re lock on grips, summer use only in UK though do you have any hacks to keep push ons in place in wet weather which don't include pva?

[@devinzoller3499]

Paul- have you ever ridden a Bright Racing fork? They seem to be a love/hate component- I'd love to hear your take on them.

[@Winchuff]

Not sure if it's my ears, or the sound recording is not as clear as it could be, but it'd be really helpful to write in the description all of the brands and products that you speak about in the video. For someone unfamiliar with all the brands, it's hard to pick out the names. Also, it'd be easier to see the detail of your bike if you present it when it is clean.

[@astonmtb2428]

Cheers Mike. More content coming about this bike soon... This was just a quick ride edit I’ll add some specs to the description. Thanks.

[@Winchuff]

@@astonmtb2428 Appreciate your work btw. Hope you can build the cadence so these videos come more often. I'm a modelling/simulation engineer, so I'd be very interested if you were to get into some real technical analysis. Kinematics. Structures. Shock characteristics. I know some of the German bike magazines publish frame stiffness characteristics. It'd be interesting to tie objective measurements to expert ride feel. Perhaps there is an optimum (not too soft, not too stiff).

[@vrhkrv4696]

Talking about affordable custom steel frames - have you tried one from Marino Bikes? (tailor made in Peru)

[@VShreds]

I was curious to see if you bunnyhop over the rock at 15:08 but you're to busy talking.

[@bobhopeandnohope300]

Have you ridden any of the supre drive bikes at all? Interesting concept for your bent mech issue

[@wozatoishi5772]

Hey Paul, have been enjoying your content, and uncharacteristically even entered a few of your comps to support the project! I recently bought a Nicolai G19 S/H and even though it's by far the longest/heaviest bike I've owned (ever) I love it, planted & fast. Wanted to ask about your wheel/tyre set-up i.e. wheel rim being used for DH and Enduro + if you use inserts. I assume you have tried every combo known to man e.g. full DH tyre + tube/+ tubeless/+ rim strip, lighter tyre with any combo etc.

[@wozatoishi5772]

I should add, based in UK and riding same wheelset/tyres year round, though I will probably have a 2nd spare wheelset soon s could run dry / mud options.

[@willahumma]

What are the name of the sq labs grips please? I imagine they’re only available in continental Europe (not UK) but I’d like to try them. Any suggestions of something similar if I can’t get hold of these?

[@jjobraun]

Thank's for the great review. This bike is awesome. What pedals are you running on this bike. They look huge.

[@daveandmerlin]

Another great video and review.

[@Blackeightynine]

I would to see how it does on steeper chunky trails like on the north shore.

[@astonmtb2428]

There's plenty of chunk and tech here too, especially as I ride a lot in the Alps. No problem so far!

[@maxschubert3940]

Awesome bike, sounds like you finally found what really works! I would directly be in for ordering this frame but considering the possible costs of a custom tuned suspension setup to make this platform work it could be quite difficult financially. Do you think in the futureyou could also provide some recommendations about alternative builds that dont cost 10.000 Euro? I think the idea of this ultimate bike and things like the Dorado RRT etc. are awesome but not in the reach for most people financially. Maybe there could be parts to build this bike with that bring the cost down but you could still recommend them? This could bring a bike like this much closer to other riders as at the moment even when people see this awesome bike most will still rather buy a 4000 Euro Brand XYZ bike with much worse geometry and suspension just because they can afford it.

[@LukaszKubica]

The cost od NRS kit for RS Super Deluxe was ~$250 last year and you can really do this at home with no crazy tools. I think it's different for forks since Chargers are not so tunable. Anyway, it's does not have to be a very pricey adventure. Also I recently talked to a top 10 EWS enduro racer and he told me that his custom tuned blackbox RS is comparable to a stock Ohlins shock set properly :)

[@maxschubert3940]

@@LukaszKubica Hmm...true, good point!

[@camb9759]

Paul you have been on a bunch of Maxxis, Conti, Schwalbe and Michelin this year, on dry and loose conditions what has stood out as your favourite?

[@janeblogs324]

4:27 this shot really illustrates it, but the whole video looks terrible because of the cameras automatic ISO/contrast. Turn that garbage off unless you're filming in a tunnel

[@tomasstraka5244]

good review, btw the dropper is BrandX, not tranz X... two different brands :P

[@TeamCykelhold]

I don't understand the last part. Media pays 5k per day to ride it and the bike itself cost 10k. I'm just a fan so I don't know anything about the media economics but to me it seems a bit odd. Did I misunderstand it?

[@JMcGwyer]

To get the tires to hook up better. Cut a slit into the side knobs so they flex more and can open up and lean. Effectively creating 2 rows of side knobs each side

[@brandonb6164]

Like the DHF, but then they tear off :(

[@JMcGwyer]

@@brandonb6164 may reduce tire life but still. Will fix his issue

[@timothydubber549]

Interesting that you’ve gone for single pivot on the build. I have a theory that based on all round performance, maintenance and durability, a single pivot is the finest rear suspension setup you can have. The caveat is, that you must have a high quality, well-made shock that is tuned to your weight and riding style in order to do this. A crap rear shock on a single pivot becomes immediately apparent. The big brands all know this, but fitting all of the weird and wonderful linkages allows them to fit cheaper shocks that are ok(ish) for most consumers and to sell ‘the next best thing’ like the Yeti ebike (20 bearings!). Trunnion shocks, yokes etc are all trying to solve a problem caused by making things too complicated. That’s my suspension conspiracy theory.

[@martinshortt7750]

Timothy - As a Starling owner I like your theory. Also speaking to a couple of suspension tuners - they prefer straight rate frames as it lets them to better tune the shock to the frame.

[@chadson5244]

It's cheaper to produce a single pivot than speccing a better shock for them. More complex suspension layouts are more appealing to the customer. Selling bikes that as stock ride terrible is nothing new and was never a problem to them.

[@hannes6114]

Yo you're saying I should ride 500mm Reach and CS instead of 460&435?😂

[@artoutlawphoto]

so you change the left stanchion with the right one? at least it looks like that. can they even fit in bottom holes of the lowers?

[@nicoofner85]

If you don't change anything, just swap it, oil will leak out a little. Guess a little mod was done to make it seal like before.

[@artoutlawphoto]

@@nicoofner85 I was thinking the same.. i mean at fox the damper side has a bigger hole then the spring side.. I'm guesing rock shox as well.

[@nicoofner85]

@@artoutlawphoto I'm pretty sure the hole is the same. I guess the footnut is a bit different

[@astonmtb2428]

Hi Adrian. Yes we just swapped over the entire leg/assembly no problem

[@hannes6114]

Do you think the xynotal is a good all around rear tire?

[@astonmtb2428]

If you ride soft conditions and load the bike hard when cornering then yes. Otherwise I think it’s too square.

[@Ahaggah]

Do you have the damper curves of the current setup?

[@astonmtb2428]

Unfortunately not…

[@lrvz7187]

🔥🔥🔥

[@Phil_J]

You should be in politics... Build. Bikes. Better!

[@meteormedia7021]

We get it Paul, you're excited about your creation, but maybe try to stop laying it on THIS thick. Like, this constant "OMG this is literally the BEST mtb in the world!!!" is actually a bit irritating. This might very well be the perfect bike for your little niche of the world, but I can assure you it wouldn't be for a lot of other people, including me. I do agree about your opinion on BB height though. BB offset aren't required anymore.

[@lastgentleman8099]

No one forcing you to watch this video or follow him for that matter...

[@astonmtb2428]

Come and ride it!

[@Andy-co6pn]

Bb drop is zero unsagged, guess once you are on board its below the axle line

[@cunning-stunt]

Go and ride it, he'll pay you 200 euros. 28:05

[@markgolding8946]

Im sure if its as good as you say it is after a few rides the looks would grow on you but it is one ugly looking bike

[@astonmtb2428]

It’s definitely ugly but you can see it when you’re loving it down the trail 😍 Most brands seem to spend more on industrial designers than performance or test riders so they all look really nice. This is from a me and a bloke in a garage in France with 0 budget.

[@martinshortt7750]

Form follows function. No point having a pretty bike that rides like shite.