[ianjenn]

I am looking for those of you that are currently on this bike. I am wondering what your thoughts are on it? How does it handle rough rocky, tight twisty, jumping and climbing both steady long spin outs and more technical standing climbs? Please list other trail or DH sleds you have ridden for comparison sake.

Looking at a trailbike and am trying to narrow it down this is one of the top ones on the list.

 

[wydopen]

Come down to Santa Barbara and you can ride mine for yourself...the bike is incredible

Im out with a shoulder injury unfortunately so I cant ride for at least two more weeks...you can come ride it on Jesusita or something..its a medium 650b with a pike and ccdba

I wrote a pretty in-depth review on vital as well..

 

[ianjenn]

Never ridden Jesusita I may be able to make it down have to see. I can hook you up with Chicken Ranch for lunch! does it handle Tunnel decent? How about climbing.....

Thanks

 

[wydopen]

Never ridden Jesusita I may be able to make it down have to see. I can hook you up with Chicken Ranch for lunch! does it handle Tunnel decent? How about climbing.....

Thanks

Yea I ride tunnel all the time...obviously there are a few sections where a full on dh bike would work better but compared to my old Reign X the megatrail blows it away..

It climbs really well...I leave it in gravity mode all the time and I have an -.5 angleset so the headangle is 65deg but even so It pedals great...I do have a dual position fork on it so that helps tighten up the handling on the way up but I feel with the shock open it pedals better than the reign x did with the shock open..and with the climb switch on its a traction machine on the climbs...it is a few lbs heavier than a carbon bike would be but I think it makes up for it on the descents..in gravity mode the bb is super low so it takes a few rides to adjust your pedal strokes but you can always do the climbs in trail mode and switch it at the top..only takes a minute..

Ive ridden a process 153, tracer 27.5, scott genius lt, etc etc and while a bike like the tracer is prob a bit easier on the way up with the steeper angles and lighter weight the thing felt sketchy on the rough stuff and in loose, fast, flat turns compared to the megatrail...the bike is super stable and balanced and the rear suspension keeps it hooked up and tracking..how tall are you?

 

[ianjenn]

6' 1"

Sounds good a lot of family stuff happening now but can let you know.

Thanks

 

[jackalope]

[homer] It's hands down the best do-it-all bike I've ever ridden. For me, the 2 most critical aspects of a given bike frame are geo and suspension performance, and the MT aces both IMO. As has been discussed ad nauseum, the MT has a pretty different approach to geo with a long effective TT and a shorter stem combo. It took me several rides to figure out proper body positioning, as it was substantially different than my previous ride (Blur LTc), but once I started putting my weight more forward, it was a sexual epiphany. Confidence inspiring in rough, fast corners with dump truck loads of traction, and shockingly stable in pointy rock sections (even in <gasp> the fabled east coast rox). And this is in "trail" mode, which is why I was nothing short of stunned with the Vital review in which the reviewer (Trumpore I think) felt it was a bit choppy in trail mode. Apparently his trail bike is actually a Divinci Wilson or something. I haven't used it much in "gravity" mode because my local trails generally don't merit that level of ass kicking, but I will warn you its super low in this set up, so I wouldn't be planning on pedaling around much in "gravity" mode - although I suppose if you're just going straight up a hill and not actually trail riding, it'd be fine. As for pedaling, its alarmingly proficient, even without the climb switch engaged. Again, it does everything better than any bike I've ridden, which is relatively extensive if lacking the "latest & greatest" (Blur LTc, Butcher, Spitfire Mk1, Khyber, Nomad Mk1, Trance X). The only "downsides" I can cite would be its not a super light frame (but totally appropriate for how its likely to be ridden) and it can feel longish in tighter trails (meh). The frame is beautifully crafted and is certainly plenty stiff. FWIW, I'm 5'11" and ride a medium with a 35mm stem.

In summary - get the official bike of RM, but make sure not to get a raw one...
[/homer]

 

[wydopen]

6' 1"

Sounds good a lot of family stuff happening now but can let you know.

Thanks

Honestly if you are in the market for a burly "enduro" bike I'd just put down the deposit now..if you come ride mine in a few weeks you will just be wishing that you did it sooner..

I would think about a large frame..Im 5'10 and my medium with a 40mm stem is perfect for me..

If I can get my shoulder healed up Id be down to come ride in slo...Ive ridden all over the US and BC and for some reason Ive never ridden in san luis...but yea anytime you want to come down just let me know

 

[Sandwich]

[homer]
In summary - get the official bike of RM, but make sure not to get a raw one...
[/homer]

I still think they need to release an RM green one

 

[HAB]

In short, it's great.

My last trail bike was a Mk1 Spitfire, and I've got a current gen DHR. I've got substantial time on a lot more bikes (MK2 Rune, SB66, M9, Trance X, etc). For the way I ride, the Megatrail is the best do-it-all bike I've found. The Spitfire is the other contender. The Megatrail is, and feels like, a bigger bike. It definitely isn't quite as nimble as the Spitfire, but on the flip side, it's vastly stiffer and better suspended. I'm 6' tall and on a 26" wheeled medium. I've ridden a couple 650b bikes and always found them to feel sluggish and clumsy. The 26" Megatrail is still decently snappy while being pretty long, low and slack. It's hands down the best descending 6ish" bike I've ridden.

I do wish the headtube was shorter. I tend to run my bars very low, out of a combination of personal preference and deference to a shoulder injury that's more comfortable with them low, and I had a hard time getting them low enough on this bike. I haven't heard anyone else complain, so I'm probably just weird. I also find the suspension in regular gravity mode to be a little wallowy for my taste- I tend to run my suspension pretty stiff and am fairly aggressive/fast. Trail and Super Gravity suit me better, depending on the situation.

Any more specific questions, feel free to ask.

 

[Nick]

Trail and Super Gravity suit me better, depending on the situation.

SUPER Gravity?
Whoa.

 

[jackalope]

You heard right...if you want to see the other side of an event horizon, get a Megatrail

[url]http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Supergravity[/URL]

 

[HAB]

SUPER Gravity?
Whoa.

There are two mounting holes at each end of the shock. Trail and Gravity modes both use the top mount in front, and just toggle it in back. Super Gravity uses both lower mounts and gives the same geometry as Gravity mode, but with more midstroke support. The bike just feels more composed smashing through rough stuff at mach stupid with things firmed up a bit.

 

[mtg]

Here's a quick guide to the suspension modes on the Megatrail:

What HAB said, Super Gravity has more progression in the leverage curve than Gravity Mode. It was originally an experiment, but if you ride at socially unacceptable speeds, it works well. It is less forgiving, but fast.

 

[Dirk77]

Love the look of that frame, always find myself on the web looking at it. The fact it's handmade in USA is awesome.. The other fact that Megadeth font and theme music is used, flat out warrants it's need to be mine!

 

[marshalolson]

Just curious, but is it 1950 with shock or no shock?

 

[HardtailHack]

Love the look of that frame, always find myself on the web looking at it. The fact it's handmade in USA is awesome.. The other fact that Megadeth font and theme music is used, flat out warrants it's need to be mine!

I like the look of the frame however I'd go no decals, Megadeth and GG Allin aren't my thing.

 

[ianjenn]

Just curious, but is it 1950 with shock or no shock?

Frame only.

 

[jstuhlman]

i'm currently on an uzzi vp and was checking out the ever shrinking market for such bikes, 26" if possible. rune, nomad (now 650) darkside are up there. have heard the evil uprising feels bigger than it is.

one thing i've always liked about the uzzi is how adjustable it is-one of the things that made me pick it over a sx trail originally.

anyone have time with both GG and and Uzzi and care to comment?

 

[Dirk77]

I like the look of the frame however I'd go no decals, Megadeth and GG Allin aren't my thing.

Screw GG allin.. Talk about a Total douche! Not sure what he has in common with Megadeth though.