Its rather low profile tread is fast rolling but seriously limits braking power, and its very easily overwhelmed in the wet. Four years ago, I got hold of Stifs 27.5in wheeled Morf for review, liked it so much I built one of my own, and still have it. Today we are delighted to introduce it's 29" wheeled sibling - The Squatch. Put on a 140mm fork, Spank Vibrocore wheels, TRP Quadiem brakes. The curve in the seat tube means you have a minimum 78 degree seat angle from rails to bottom bracket; if youre not so tall and run your seat lower than the maximum height, that effective seat angle gets even steeper. As you will undoubtedly be used to hearing by now, the resulting centered position on the bike leads to less attention and energy being required to keep the front wheel in check, letting you focus on your pedal strokes and line choice, and ultimately making climbing a more pleasant experience once the going gets steep. Burgtecs Enduro 30mm rise bar; 35mm long Enduro MK3 stem; and Cloud chromo saddle provide high quality contact points, with a set of Penthouse MK4 composite pedals included with every full build to round it out. Stack reads high on paper at 653mm for M and L and 661mm on the XL frame (with the differences dictated by the 10mm extra length on the headtube of the XL), but again this number should not feel so extreme when compared to a full suspension machine. Theres none of the hardtail sensation mentioned earlier of butt and feet kicking up and reacting to whatever the fork is doing especially off drops and down steeper sections. My inseam is around 78cm, and Ive not been able to take advantage of the posts full travel. [Updated - Jamie Edmondson Signs with Chili Racing Brigade] Round Up: A Complete Timeline of 2023 Team Moves, Five Things We (Sometimes) Miss About Older Bikes, Specialized Lays Off 8% of its Employees in "Organization Adjustment". Water bottle, chain device and internal dropper post-ready. Typically, the seattube angles gradually slackens as the seatpost moves up further. It's a very comfy weapon on the steeps. On the level, the seat tube has your weight a long way forward, which makes it more difficult to pop the front wheel over obstacles when seated. Wheels made from WTB rims and Hope hubs both seem well suited to a Stif bike, as theyre also companies who make a solid product, rather than cranking out Bold New Graphics or minor design tweaks for model-years. The warranty is void if the part is modified from its original condition in any manner or used outside normal intended use, as determined by Santa Cruz Bicycles in its sole discretion. Daring geometry - with sensible fork travel The 200mm KS Lev Integra dropper was flawless even in sub-zero conditions, with smooth operation and good lever feel. Rear tire: Maxxis Rekon 29x2.6, 3C EXO+ TR, DRIVETRAIN Save 35% + Lezyne pocket drive HV pump when you subscribe to MBUK magazine, JANUARY SALE | Get 3 issues for 5 when you subscribe today, 9/3/3/b/933bbb38cfdad3fa12fb88f53c70db2d9ae3486c_Stif_Squatch_01.jpg, hardtail is truly going to compete with a full-sus, RockShox Pike Ultimate, 130mm (5.1in) travel, Maxxis Minion DHF (f) and Maxxis Rekon (r) 29x2.6in, WTB KOM Trail i30 rims on Hope Pro 4 hubs. FOX FACTORY RACING SHOX LOGO Sticker By allnewproducts From 1.61 100 Motocross Sticker By deannaburg From 1.39 Fox Racing Sticker By drinkwaffle From 1.39 Rockstar Sticker By VirginiaCummi From 1.29 Official Fox Merchandise Sticker By sallieocha From 3.21 UNIQUE Fox design - Watercolor Sticker By Gawop From 2.14 NO FEAR Sticker The Squatch comes in two builds, the AM and PRO build. NEWS To the maximum extent permitted by applicable law, all other express and implied warranties (including without limitation the warranties of merchantability and fitness for a particular purpose) are hereby disclaimed. Cassette: SRAM XG 1275; 10-52T Although I cannot quite determine the precise level of compliance on offer, I was certainly able to figure out what the Squatch is capable of under the control of an average rider, and I had a great deal of fun in doing so. Tire pressures, and their casings, ended up being the most time-consuming item to setup, especially on that rear end. The Burgtec Cloud saddle was not the best fit for my derrire, which was only made more apparent by the lack of rear suspension ensuring every impact on the rear tire was transmitted to my body when seated, but saddles are very person-specific, and it may well work for you. Please see the Kona owners manual, provided with your bicycle, for additional information. Three months ago, Stif announced the Squatch: a 29er hardtail designed to bring over many aspects of the Morf to bigger wheels, and I got excited. Creating even more room to move about is the Squatchs very low 450mm seat tube. Derailleur: SRAM GX Eagle; 12s. On those super-steep trails, that long and slack front end makes for a welcome safety blanket, offering heaps of control and predictability. Where other hardtails demand a balancing act between core strength and weight distribution to maintain perfect form, the smooth-riding Squatch only ever breaks traction predictably, and usually at the perfect moment to slingshot out of at turn, rather than standing you up or oversteering at the peak G-force. Our site uses cookies to optimise your experience. Hes also worked out that shaving your legs saves 8 watts, while testing aerodynamics in a wind tunnel. Registered UK Company No: 03291752, Jungle Products Ltd FRN: 719212 trading as Stif Mountain Bikes are authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. Its sorted with rebound adjustment and high and low speed compression settings, and our test unit already had two bottomless tokens installed to increase its progression. Stif wanted the Squatch to be at the forefront of capabilities for an all-mountain hardtail; so it sports some fairly extreme geometry numbers that would have been considered obscene a few years ago, without tipping into the insane realm. We are a credit broker not a lender. Pairing this with the 130mm fork also means there is no drastic head angle change regardless of fork position. Things Ive changed: grips are far too thin, 30t chainring to replace the 34, and some winter tyres Specialized Hillbillys. The external routing on our test bike is not the neatest, being held together with a collection of cable ties rather than neat clamps such as on the Ragley Marley 1.0, but it gets the job done. How did the Squatch stack up on the descents? Its very steep 78 seat tube places rider weight almost directly over the bottom bracket which, when the gradient pitches up, results in a really comfortable and efficient pedalling position. Four years down the line from launching the Morf, the Squatch borrows much of what made Stif's opening hardtail foray but in a big wheel guide. David, what is that jersey you are wearing? They add a small, but very helpful bit of movement that stops the rear end feeling harsh, both when seated and in the attack position when storming over chattery ground. Propping up the front is a 130mm-travel RockShox Pike Ultimate, with a short 42mm offset and stubby stem to keep handling composed yet sharp. You are here: texture id thermal protecting shine & seal gloss / murcott vs clementine / stif squatch frame weight texture id thermal protecting shine & seal gloss / murcott vs clementine / stif squatch frame weight Thats because, on the first descent I took it down, it expired from a lethal snakebite. Uphill, its a comfy and easy going place to be as the mega-steep seat tube makes light work of smooth climbs. Ovalizing the top tube and chainstays has allowed us to create the a super compliant ride without compromising on stiffness in all-important areas this means things stay comfortable during high frequency chatter but stomp on the pedals or enthusiastically load a corner and youre greeted with predictable positivity. Designing the frame around a 130mm travel fork means the frames geometry is preserved as best as possible, regardless to where it is in the forks stroke. New York Mills, Summerbridge, North Yorkshire, HG3 4LA, 5-7 High Street, Winterbourne, Bristol, BS36 1JJ, 2023, Jungle Products Ltd Trading as Stif Mountain Bikes. 2500 is no small amount of money for a bike without a rear shock, but in terms of relative value it is about right. Leave a comment and vote up the most thoughtful comments and each month well pick a winner. They kindly lent me their Pro build for a thrashing in the depths of the UK Midlands Winter. 80mm BB Drop, 430mm chainstays and a 64 headangle complimented with a short offset 130mm Rockshox Pike and 35mm Burgtec Stem combine to create a planted and responsive ride feel that inspires confidence and amplifies fun way past 11. MOTO The seat tube angle is measured with the post at full extension, meaning 78 is the slackest it will ever get (unless your legs are super long and you fit a post with even more travel, though few even exist). Stem: Burgtec Enduro MK3 | 35mm Read more: Best hardtail mountain bikes, entry-level and mid-range classics. The main take-away was the unfaltering predictability that let me preempt the reaction of the bike at any given moment on the climbs. Front tire: Maxxis Minion DHF 29x2.6, 3C EXO TR Stif also says its key in allowing the short 430mm chainstays. Kit-wise, theres little to complain about, although heavier, faster riders might want more powerful brakes. Cranks: SRAM GX Eagle 148 DUB, 34t 170mm The Pro featured here comes action-ready with composite flat pedals included in a raft of sorted Burgtec kit including 800mm handlebars, 35mm stem and comfortable Cloud saddle. Those arent the only neat tricks Stif has up its sleeve. Its testament to the Squatch that a couple of perfectly arced turns, easy manuals and mistimed landings with zero consequences had me fully trusting the chassis. In smoother bike park style terrain or trail centers, the Squatch absolutely rips. Some may think 130mm of travel a little thin for an aggressive bike, but it proves a really wise choice for the Squatch. But the lower centre of gravity puts you in a similar position to a full suspension bike, making it super easy to load the tyre edges fully for maximum grip. All in all though, the Squatch is really only designed to go up or down. Rejoice! Id originally fitted the Rockstop insert since I had expected to be spending a lot of time near the rim, but the DH casing tire resulted in enough stiffness that its ultimate protection was not a necessity, so I settled for the more damping-friendly Rimpact insert, which I found to offer the best compromise of damping and cornering support with the tire at 24psi. Tom has written for BikeRadar, MBUK and Cycling Plus, and was previously technical editor of What Mountain Bike magazine. For full details of our returns policy, follow this link. On our top end build we get a top end fork: a RockShox Pike Ultimate. 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