Commencal Meta SX V5 Review: Versatile Freeracer| 2023 Enduro Bike Field Test

Enduro race? Bike park laps? Big jumps? The Commencal Meta SX V5 covers all bases, but how did it stack up on the berms and roots of the Whistler Bike Park?
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[@the6ig6adwolf]

The new review format is fantastic. Not unnecessarily long, get all the important bike info and some silliness thrown in as well. Nice job everyone involved 👌

[@mtb246]

Feels akin to Beta MTB

[@TheDavidjakeson]

Kazimer practiced his NPR voice and is pretty good at it now. I'm digging it.

[@francisdee9955]

The noise and bearing issues would be a no go for me. Imagine you buy a new bike and it develops some nasty creaking right from the beginning😵‍💫

[@derkai96]

Also keep in mind that a full set of bearings is around 200€ an they dont have a second layer of seals

[@-phos-]

It's not something that is normal for their bikes, I would say it's a warranty issue.

[@SidiNic]

Well it happens more than you think. On all Facebook groups the number one question is, what is my creak...

[@-phos-]

@@SidiNic yea I bet 9/10 times it's a component and not the frame just like any other bike.

[@francisdee9955]

So the next revolution would be something revolutionary when it comes to longevity

[@mhsomethingsomething850]

Solid review 🙏🏼

[@TxRedneck]

Best intro ever!

[@casestudymtb]

Kaz' VO is giving me Bible of bike vibes, and I'm not mad about it

[@casestudymtb]

I miss Travis, I liked that guy.

[@LexZolnir]

Damn it was just about to type Kaz channeling his inner-Travis...but hey at least 3 ppl on the internet agree to something today!

[@MTBMcPhee]

Can we take a moment to appreciate the amount of heel dip on Matt Beer's riding. Holy Cow!

[@YTOnlineReviews]

This Format was Amazing...

[@Eric-xx3mb]

I've always wanted to buy a Commencal, because I love the idea of getting an aluminum frame bike for cheaper and I'm more of a downhill guy, but the funky water bottle situation and potentially lower quality, creaky bearings is a turn off. I don't know why companies go through all the work of making an awesome bike and then shoot themselves in the food with short dropper posts, cheap bearings, and not thinking about the water bottle. It's just mind boggling and a little frustrating.

[@HelplmAlive]

I think Commencal has had the largest price increases.

[@topchoice1621]

Yeah because bike companies are raising prices due to the hype of the people when in all reality it’s nonsense

[@cheddy_chedderson_cheddouard]

@@topchoice1621 yeah all the compagnies are reaching absolutely none sense price. Glad I have one and well i'll buy a new one its gonna be during sales.

[@Accu53Mation]

Looking forward to trying the Meta SX v5 in a XL frame. Want a do-it-all trail rig for sloppy rocky-rutted trails in the hills. I don't rocket down'em. Can't afford the maintenance. But I do want some comfort. Oh...A commendable review.

[@oskarstaudte]

This might actually be my next bike

[@GRANTROBERTPETERS]

Run a fidlock bottle with the frame mount in the lower position. Would be surprised if you have any issues. I do that on the 2021 bike. Team don’t run the flex stay adjusters so presume most flexi is the fastest set up

[@almostsucced]

I prefered the old version of the reviews. This feels like a bit superficial, but that is maybe just for me.

[@mrvwbug4423]

voiceover spliced with b-roll is a lot cheaper to produce.

[@crixxbrain6372]

I agree. Clear chapters on climbing, descending, spec etc. made it easy to follow and also compare bikes across reviews. I also miss the part where they discuss different models and pricing/value. Still a good review format here, but not an improvement over the earlier one.

[@tayloru8282]

Def liked the old format much better as well.

[@mtbjoser]

Maybe something about it not being pandemic anymore. Overall the entire scene is different

[@David_Mudsurfer]

@Pinkbike you already had the v4 SX in the last enduro field test. Hence I wished for some comparisons between the two. I admit I am a (satisfied) owner of the meta SX v4. Until now nobody can explain the exact difference between the v4 linkage/kinematics and that of the v5. You were my last hope!😅 Keep up the good work❤

[@djfranceskoak]

Had both. You will find the rear suspension way more active which means more stability. At the same time the V5 pedals quite better. For the V4 I felt the bike better for jumping and a bit more agile.

[@ashkonsenaati8530]

Just curious how is that true? the V4 is more linear and the v5 more progressive so should be vice versa of what you said @@djfranceskoak

[@djfranceskoak]

@@ashkonsenaati8530 The V4 SX is a single pivot design and the V5 is a virtual pivot point so vice versa of what your said

[@kmsbailey405]

I need one of these on the Tempo. I have the yellow Öhlins one and I absolutely love it. But there's like no videos on this bike at all. But has to be one of the best all rounders

[@BasicBodThor]

How are you finding the internal cable routing...or is that optional as it is on this one?

[@kmsbailey405]

@@BasicBodThor I haven't had a issue with it at all. And it's such a clean look that when I do have to mess with it it will be worth it.

[@bimfred]

Love them but they have increased prices more than anyone else I feel. Also - how much bloomin fork travel are you guys using!

[@CRGT666]

Try the bike with a shimano transmission and pull de dropper post a couple of mm out, and you get a quieter bike. Sram clutches are not good, you always get too much chain slap. Those were the noises I had with my V4. I know you said it wasn't chain slap, but check out the slow motion, how the chain moves.

[@hidetoh5213]

why didn't you guys go for the 29 meta v5? Personally i think that a better choice for a enduro bike field test would be a more race foucused enduro bike, still a good vid tho!

[@MTBr-of-SoCal]

creaking and other frame noise is a big NO, especially if you're the type to do videos. I feel their quality has gone down while their price hasn't.

[@promodsteve7882]

Is it the video or is the paint peeling off the frame at the front shock mount in the vid?

[@Nicoya]

Having Kaz's inner monologue ASMR'd into my ear holes is maybe a bit of a peculiar style change for Pinkbike videos.

[@mrvwbug4423]

Sadly we'll never get to hear Levy and Kazimer's banter ever again :( I give PB another year at most with the decline in content quality.

[@engine3724]

Wow- almost $7k is one of the CHEAPEST bikes being tested?! And its frame is...aluminum? I guess I should appreciate how….totally and completely insane this is, or something? I guess I’m the idiot here because I was expecting a bike this expensive to be waaaaaay more awesome. And I really didn’t think it’d be one of the cheapest in the test….I didn’t realize that Warren Buffett was the only target market for enduro bikes nowadays. So…I dunno….I guess, big thanks to PB for another round of testing that will pretty much only benefit dentists and hyper wealthy people!?

[@158158cow]

Look at the lower spec versions of these frames they’re testing. Or build your own?

[@erickreyes9820]

Agreed, these bike prices are outrageous...

[@fabiovaldesaraneda2012]

Finally

[@PinkUnicorn111]

nice

[@RyuMoto]

Things are weird without Levy haha

[@dabbking]

What did he die?

[@dantindley5181]

What a day we live in when a 64° head angle is considered "steep"

[@mrvwbug4423]

Would've been nice to test both full 29er and mullet versions. Mullet bikes are really a PNW and maybe Alps thing. Out here in rocky, chunky, Colorado, where most of our climbs are techy singletrack full 29er is king, even with big bikes. Also new format is kinda boring, losing Levy was a big loss for PB.

[@harrie205]

ZS56/ZS56 headset should be standard on everything excluding XC

[@karma2745]

is it mullet or 29" ?

[@sirbrakesalot]

lmao that intro

[@user-dp3cx2jh2m]

Could we have a review on the full 29er model please🙏

[@user-dp3cx2jh2m]

Like maybe a comparison between the two

[@Jake-wb8wd]

How does it differ from the clash? Is the clash a better options if you are a large rider who is looking for a fun bike?

[@Rockytherottweiller]

clash is older, i am tall 6.3 and half, i would look into a sx v5 but i hate mullets

[@parker6711]

Love the crew and the reviews. I'm not in the market for a new bike but really enjoy these videos. Y'all are killing it. I do have a question though. Where is Levy? I'm guessing he's left PB? Wish we had an update about it and hope he's okay.

[@jarnold1789]

People in the pinkbike comment sections keep saying he’s been on sabbatical. It’s been quite a long time since we’ve seen him though so not sure what to believe

[@svenssons7247]

Does anyone know if it is possible to put on 29" wheels front and rear without destroying the geometry. Or are there frame adjustments that are for having 29 wheels".

[@Rockytherottweiller]

i also wnted to know that as the v5 only has 150mm and sx had 165 but mullet.....

[@sunsetstorm7907]

no carbon ok , no titan -big mani ?

[@ToothlessJustin]

I wish you would have a look at the Whyte G180 for “Enduro/Super Enduro/ParkDuro”, this thing is insane and can take a 200mm DH fork with ease 🤟🏻

[@juanhidalgo7043]

Wow, good to know about bearings issues and flex is a not a good thing. Also, no threaded BB. It is too heavy. I pass on commencal as a whole.

[@FhargaZ]

Which version? Race,Ride,T-Type.Signature?

[@pernyberg2816]

I like that they didnt talk about the spec as much - but more of the frame and what the pros and cons are with it. I mean the parts package is something everyone can copy- but the frame is always gonna be different between bikes. But if you didnt have the time to pause the video and look at the spec. I guess it was the Ride version as it was ridden in the video and not raced?

[@FhargaZ]

When they said price ok, but i looked there are so many versions in the website here, the price difference is 3.7 to 6.4 between versions.

[@klasadolfsson3213]

I've watched it twice i can't figure out what the supposed bearing isdye was. Are they talking about bearing longevity after riding it a few days. Did the bearings last one day or what??

[@klasadolfsson3213]

Sorry, "issues". My screen is broken 😂

[@harrie205]

If bearings don’t have a good seating they can make noise and will wear much faster(if you hear things that’s a bad sign mainly for durability)

[@Klas2hjul]

As far as i can tell they don't know where it came from so saying that the bearings (all of them?) will wear out is just out of the blue. Might as well be the zip tried water bottle.

[@wangelite5279]

But is it poppy and playful??

[@jankaskyevitchjellbet7293]

But will it crack?

[@seany2345]

I literally stopped watching at "Noisiest bike in the parking lot"... lol I would NEVER ride a noisy bike no matter how good it felt riding.

[@existenz2150]

But does it Crack?

[@williamb2697]

This came across like, this bike is bad, but we are afraid to say negative things about the manufacturer.

[@Henry-Quinney]

You couldn't be more wrong. It's a solid bike - even if not perfect - and the review reflects that.

[@ryanj9245]

This bike is also for those who still like aluminum frames, we are still out there 😉

[@scrutch666]

Just another bike that proofs that a bike from couple years ago for half the price will do the same if not better

[@dytrdr5]

With Commencal you don’t worry about bearing replacements, because it will crack wrote they wear out

[@chrisanderson8578]

Kick in the balls I bought a v4 haha

[@velofiends8849]

That fork looks like it needs a few more PSI

[@chris4536]

Yeah!!! Check out 04:01

[@G3LDY]

looks like there is no budget option that sad

[@David_Mudsurfer]

Most of the time the budget versions come with a little delay. At least it was like that with the meta v4. I think commencal grabs the people who wants it the most first at higher prices and then starts to make it more affordable.

[@KillershredsTK]

Where the F is Levy and there’s something off about this format

[@mrvwbug4423]

Levy left PB in May. I think Dario, Kazimer, Christina, and Henry are the only presenters left. Welcome to the death of MTB media.

[@mrvwbug4423]

Levy left PB in May. I think Dario, Kazimer, Christina, and Henry are the only presenters left. Welcome to the death of MTB media.

[@CM9999999999]

If Im going out all day I’m going to need more than one water bottle

[@tywitt3351]

Thanks PB. Always appreciate your work and culture. That’s said.. not sure on the facts but to me it comes across as scripted and rehearsed compared to previous series. Also a bit of a shock that the cheapest bike on test is a direct to consumer bike that still costs nearly 7k. Ouch!

[@Henry-Quinney]

That's fair. It's a new style, and we'll grow into it over time. Thanks for the feedback.

[@snokefilmmedia]

Commencal and flexy frames. Name a more iconic duo 🤷

[@DontWorryImAPilot]

Funny. When I bought my Commencal hardtail everyone was talking about how it's too stiff for a hardtail. I wonder if it's the same sorts of alloys and joints (for lack of a better word) so it's a hair too stiff for hardtail but not stiff enough for fs. I don't think it's too stiff. Maybe people just complain no matter what.

[@mtb246]

Does anyone else feel like Pinkbike presenters are taking a couple jabs at Beta MTB presenters in some of the commentary they are making? Or is it that Outside gave them script notes from Ryan Palmer and crew? 🤷🏾‍♂️

[@AARON818818]

That uh Hard Pass 🎉

[@pr3d4t0r11]

Enduro bike test without timed descending - sad....

[@CWBmtb]

That's a big NO then

[@falkyn06]

Literally sounds like an old bike mag test.

[@philinit6476]

You dont have to be a geek to ride mtb espescially gravity style. These guys need to be switched out for some of the many gnarly dudes out there

[@oscarbustamante9369]

any bike can climb if your not fat

[@SuperRobbro]

So slack is not a thing anymore.

[@TheMoodyedge]

Creaks are a no no for me. Disappointing.

[@uradumby25]

Reminds me of the absolute garbage water bottle scenario of the yt jeffsy. Which was "fixed" by an overpriced water bottle of their own design

[@tobiasstamenkovic9628]

Guys, really... Maybe 1-2% of your audience is shooting for bikes that cost 7 grand. Would it have really been that much of a dealbreaker to go for the essential build? Which hostorically gets you a ton of bang for the buck... This is just a big fat L.

[@danytheunicorn95]

dont buy from commencal, my bike took 6 months to ship and came with several defects, dented frame and faulty brakes, my vitus in comparisson took only 3 weeks and perfect out of the box

[@jarnold1789]

I bought a Meta HT in 2020 and it was a really great bike. Arrived quick and was super low maintenance

[@DontWorryImAPilot]

My Meta HT shipped 4 days later (2 of those days were them waiting for me to respond to an email I didn't see) and I took it out of the box, waited for the snow to clear, and everything was perfect. Only issue was I was stupid and accidentally pulled on the front brake when the brake pad spacer had fallen out. It's been a great bike.

[@MrSupermugen]

the voice over is just.. lack luster.

[@southpawlibranine3511]

16.7kg!!