Esker Hayduke LVS Review: A Bikepacking Future Classic?

[@BIKEPACKINGcom]

This video was supported by Old Man Mountain. Check out their Axle Packs here: oldmanmountain.com/?BikepackingYT&InVideoAdRead&AxlePack

[@mrhankbotful]

It's a baby version of my favorite bike. I built a custom titanium bike based off of the Blackborow, but a little longer, a little wider, and slacker on the headtube. I've never loved a bike so hard.

[@19jaan]

Since my 1st look at a salsa blackburrow I am looking for these kind of bikes. Unfortunately there are almost no buyable options in Germany available . Even framebuilders refuse to build these bikes. Maybe in the future. Thanks so much for this video! 🎉

[@egalegal2058]

I would love a frame like this with a pinion gear box. Does that seam to be possible without needing a custom make?

[@MrQuestful]

It’s something I’m keen on too, I’ve asked Esker, they weren’t interested, but maybe if we rallied a few folks they’d reconsider. I’m currently exploring a custom build.

[@veganpotterthevegan]

You can pay someone else to build it. Since they'd probably never build more than 1 a year(or 1 total😂), I doubt anyone would do it for much less than $8000 for the frame and gearbox

[@egalegal2058]

@@veganpotterthevegan yes a custom made is possible, I could get one in steel for about 6.000 - 7.000€. But I specifically asked for the possibility of a not custom built, because that would make a even better bike more affordable and therefore more accessible

[@jonathanstoshick7142]

+1 for a pinion gear box model. They would definitely sell more than 2 a year!

[@veganpotterthevegan]

@@egalegal2058 it would have a marginal effect on cost unless they were using cheapo steel. But who wants to spend this much on a gearing system and throw it on a cheap frame?

[@milesarbour2210]

I've been waiting for this one. Thanks for sharing your thoughts, Neil. What a cool rig!

[@BIKEPACKINGcom]

Thanks for watching my friendly Canadian.

[@hardmtnbiker]

I absolutely love Esker’s hardtail’s and own the steel original Hayduke and Japhy. One as geared, the Japhy is SS. One thing about my Hayduke is that I have 2 wheel sets and can fit 27.5 by 3” tires. I think if this long tail can accommodate 3” tires it would make it more versatile.

[@Adventuregirl96]

Both my husband and I like the look of this. He has been looking for a dedicated Bikepacking rig and this looks like a good match.

[@ian_pedalz]

This bike looks awesome. Long chains stays for bikepacking are incredible. Would love to know how this bike handles on flats when constant pedaling in a more aero position would be more conducive with a slacker seat tube angle.

[@yumyumhungry]

Seems like a very niche bike that does its job very well. Being a smaller company hopefully this can be a success for esker.

[@ArisaemaDracontium]

Hayduke LVS. “Hayduke Lives”. I just got this. 😂

[@jmdrstv]

Cool a$$ bike but the Molle rack is next level and seems worthy of its own video The dropper issue can be resolved with a short stud instead of a bottle insert. I have this on my Corvid MAP and it’s a smart solution.

[@MrQuestful]

I love Corvid! Chad makes some beautiful bikes. Most recently he’s done a pinion midtail that looked pretty clean.

[@jmdrstv]

@@MrQuestful I could t be happier with my Corvid. It looks amazing and rides better than it looks.

[@caseyfraser2643]

Thanks Neil..good info on this cool rig

[@gregknipe8772]

I'd want to ride this once a day just for the feel. its the beauty of owning multiple bikes - the thrill of the unique feels.

[@reeceholmes8546]

thanks Neil, I'm a kitchen sink kind of guy, very nice bike, great stuff

[@BIKEPACKINGcom]

I'm slowly trending in that direction. :)

[@JakeLuke308]

As a commuter or trail work rig this would seem unparalleled. I feel, and I may be wrong, that the advent of mini panniers should have solved the gear space problem for most bikepaking trips. Not being able to get it on your bike rack is a problem for me.

[@chmullins]

This looks perfect for taking my 6'7" 250lbs butt farther. Maybe this is the year I get a dedicated pack bike.

[@MrQuestful]

Of bikepacking rigs for big people like yourself, I’ve always been impressed with BlackSheep Bikes. He did a Ti Pinion midtail with spacing for fat tires and a Ti truss fork… it’s the most awesome mad max machine.

[@FelixtestetBikes]

Interesting video 🙌✌️

[@slowwerthensnot]

So don’t need but I sure want!

[@grantrobinson7101]

I love it.great looking alternative bike packing/world touring bike.❤

[@themindunset]

Thanks for this review!!

[@paulvanreesch2493]

I'm holding off for the ti full suspension release 😂

[@bivouaqc]

So I'm getting a part time job in order to buy a new adventuring bike. I was pretty much set on a salsa Fargo with a Rohloff but this looks dope. What should I get?

[@MrQuestful]

Rohloff Fargo is a great bike, as is a Tumbleweed Prospector. Both are super capable adventure rigs, and people have gone on for hundreds of thousands of miles on rohloffs. The one consideration that I think a Pinion bike has as an advantage is that because the gearbox isn’t on the wheel, you can have a few different wheel sets pretty affordably. My plan is to make a bike that fits some 26” fat tires to some 700c 45mm.

[@cyrusf.4039]

I've never heard Neil use so many qualifiers in a review. He desperately wants to endorse or support this bike but keeps running into the limitations of this build. This bike is a head scratcher and may need a little more time before a clearer opinion becomes evident. Good work.

[@ian_pedalz]

What would a clearer option look like to you? I’ve never ridden this bike, although based on having ridden bikes with long chain stays I think a headtube angle closer to 69.5 degrees and a trail around 65 would feel better with a such long chain stays. I also like a seattube angle closer to 73.5. Then again I have never ridden this exact build and it looks like a ton of fun.

[@jrbechthold]

I didn’t think this style bike would be for me, but I have also been described as more Rhino than Cheetah, so I may need to reconsider. 🧐 😊

[@BIKEPACKINGcom]

lol! That made me chuckle. Thanks!

[@FranksonAdventures]

This is a bomb 💣 Love the look - don’t know how it’s riding 😅

[@van.bike.travel701]

Nice ride! too sad, I sold my Kona Ute a few years ago :-)

[@br5380]

The wheelbase is barely 20mm longer than my Kenevo SL Enduro eBike

[@BIKEPACKINGcom]

Am I safe to assume thats an XL? If so, it's not really comparable to the medium I tested. The S4 Hayduke LVS has a wheelbase of 1376mm.

[@br5380]

@@BIKEPACKINGcom fair point It’s a large (S4) with a slackset in and full 29er. Super stable though 😎

[@stevekelly6544]

Does it feel like you’re driving a limousine?

[@alexander.sollie]

All the comments about how weird and different it was to ride this on singletrack are so funny to me. My XXL Sentinel is only 5mm shorter. I think my mountain bike experience is totally different from the regular sized humans.

[@BIKEPACKINGcom]

Yeah, but the Medium Sentinel has a 1233mm wheelbase. The Medium LVS comes in at 1321mm, so 88 extra millimeters on the bike i tested. The XL LVS is 1376 and thats what you should compare your bike with. That said, I do think the taller you are, the more proportional this bike is no matter the size increments.

[@alexander.sollie]

⁠@@BIKEPACKINGcomYeah, but all the wheelbase related challenges of the Medium LVS apply equally to me on my most capable mountain bike on a daily basis. It’s not like I’m only riding XXL singletrack. It’s not a criticism of the review, just a complaint about being too tall. Edit: on the plus side, my 2XL hardtail probably has the same volume in the main triangle as the Medium LVS does with both frame bags.

[@Paganiproductions84]

It looks way to long compared to a normal xc hardtail that would not work on thight xc trails Here in the Netherlands

[@ДенисГриценко-з1я]

Прелесть

[@stanbyme7874]

Gulp. Maybe bikepacking long range isn’t in my future. Sold my bmw to afford ultralight backpacking gear/travel. I will never look at those sweaty people riding packed out bikes the same. Cheers All!

[@duschbrauser]

🙄

[@mishnok11]

Нет. Мне не нужно такое будущее.

[@mrljgibson]

Too long a chainstay.