Africa Cycle Fair: the bikes that stood out

It’s kind of odd that out of all the bikes I rode at the Africa Cycle Fair, the four that stood out fit into two specific categories: full suspension trail and steel hardtails. I guess they are the two types of bikes that were most interesting to me, but they were also the ones that were the most fun out of any at the show. In so far as I could judge a bike based on a small offroad loop, here’s what I thought of them.

Contraband Rogue

A Reynolds 853 steel hard tail designed in SA and built in Taiwan. You can’t blame them for that: cost effectiveness and outstanding workmanship are hallmarks of Taiwan’s frame building industry. The fact that Contraband uses Reynolds steel already tells you that they are all about quality. Strapped to the frame was a smattering of Spank and Hope components. Nothing short of top of the line.

This was the second bike I rode at the fair, the first being a Bianchi Methanol. Suffice it to say, it didn’t impress. Once I jumped onto the Rogue I was immediately more comfortable. The marathon racer did nothing for my downhill pointing tendencies. So once on the Rogue I actually felt more capable in the rough stuff, even considering its solid back end. The ever so slight flex inherit in steel frames was noticeable and very welcome.

Some highlights included the wide Spank bars, which felt great despite the lack of backward sweep and suited the Rogue’s aggressive trail geometry. WTB’s Wolverine tyres were possibly the best I tried all weekend, hooking up very well and giving a lot of confidence to push harder in the corners. Being a single speed setup, climbing wasn’t the easiest, but the WTB’s grip made out of pedal climbing through some of the rocky terrain an easy affair and the frame’s slight flex helped keep the rear tyre on the ground.

Last but far from least were those fantastic Hope brakes. The Stealth Race Evo X2’s that were fitted worked flawlessly; extremely strong with a wonderful lever feel. The dimpled lever blades were a nice touch too. Overall the Contraband Rogue would make a perfect single speed companion based on my short time on it, but we will hopefully be getting more km’s on one soon.

Yeti SB95C

When I saw the Yeti frames hanging up at the Morningside Cycles stand, I was hoping they would have one I could jump on. The next day they had an SB95 in traditional Yeti turquoise ready and waiting for a ride. With 125mm travel in the back, one would prefer to have the same up front, more or less, but the SB95 was fitted with a 100mm Kashima coated Fox. The frame was a size large, one too big for me and it also didn’t have the shortest stem at about 70 or 80mm. All this didn’t detract from the bike whatsoever, though, and in fact at no point did I feel cumbersome on it.

The spec on this bike was top notch: XTR everything, pretty much and Kashima coated Fox front and back. First thing you notice is the way this bike rides: smooth as butter. I don’t know if that is due to the carbon construction, the 29″ wheels or Yeti’s Switch Technology suspension platform, but right from the get-go the SB95 felt easy to pedal with nearly no bob to speak of.

Speaking of that Switch Technology platform; if I would describe it in a word: superb. Most bikes out there have these fancy suspension layouts that in essence don’t really do what they say on the box. The Yeti is far from this. It performed beautifully. While descending, even based on the fact that i was wearing flat shoes on the bike’s clipless pedals, I wasn’t hesitant. The back end of the bike was surefooted and supple as anything, and certainly felt a lot more secure than the 125mm would have suggested.

Point it uphill and this bike transforms. It’s not that it feels any different. It just goes anywhere you point it and relishes everything you throw at it. I was truly amazed. I didn’t at any point feel the need to touch the lockouts for the shocks. The back end actually worked to keep the tyre planted while climbing, never sucking energy or bouncing off of rocks. Very impressive.

Surly Moonlander

At Interbike this year the fatties were rolling all over the place. And I thought, “What’s up with those things? Do they actually work? And why, why would someone actually want one?” So when I saw the Surly Moonlander at the Hunter Cycling stand, I was intrigued.

I kind of mocked fat bikes for being ridiculously out of proportion. I mean, how well could they work? Well, my perceptions have changed, that’s for sure. You can’t really feel the extra bulk of the tyres, because there isn’t much to speak of, even considering their 4.8″ width. They are fairly light and not pumped to crazy pressures in order to absorb the terrain and act as the suspension of sorts.

At one point I was challenged to climb the small incline to the start of the trail. I can honestly say it was no more of a challenge than the other single speed I rode, the Contraband Rogue. To be honest, though, I didn’t dare take it on the full trail. I didn’t want to potentially ruin the fun, because I was kind of smitten and couldn’t stop laughing while I was on it. I succeeded in doing some endos. But that was a definite nod towards the ability of the Hope brakes. Running only a baby 140mm rotor in the back and a 160mm up front, it felt no different to the 6 and 7″ rotors found on the Rogue. Not that I was pushing them nearly as much.

As much as the purpose of fat bikes is to ride in the snow and sand, I still want one to ride about everywhere else. I would definitely ride it on the beach, but I would have so much fun messing about the street with one that if I had a garage of only three bikes, I think that a fatty would be one of them. And the Surly would definitely be at the top of the list.

PYGA OneTwenty 650B

The PYGA stand was all business. No faffing about with marketing mumbo-jumbo. Basically, if you wanted to ride one, then do it. There were options for bike size and wheel size to choose from, and from there Mr Patrick Morewood himself helped setup the suspension to your weight. That’s some service right there!

I’ve heard of some people using the OneTwenty 650B for local DH races (I think Mark at the stand boasted of this himself) and I’m not surprised. To say it was surefooted would be an understatement. The geometry just has that sweet spot, agile enough while retaining absolute stability. The only downfall I found on the OneTwenty I rode were the brakes that were specced: Avid XO Trails. I’ll be honest, I am not a fan of Avids. It’s not because of what people have said about them, it’s purely from experience. The lever feel is usually very nice, but the stopping power is often lacking and this was made more evident based on the fact that these were four-pot stoppers. Funny enough, I felt like I had more power on my old Elixer 3’s.

But that point aside, the only other concern isn’t really a concern: the frame was phenomenally stiff. This was great for climbing and descending as it gave immense confidence, but comparing it to the Yeti it felt a little harsh. It really is nitpicking, though, and I’m sure once I spend some proper time on one I will find the depths of its ability require the added stiffness.