Ride the Dragon Rocky Mountain Sherpa
I was able to test this bike in September 2015 while in Las Vegas. It was one of the nicest bike I rode on my two day demo-fest. The combination of the light carbon frame, the wide 2.8 inch tires and the stiff suspension made this one of my favourite bikes of 2016.
I loved the stiffness of the fork. This bike was designed for long days in the saddle with a heavy load and the suspension is set up perfectly to allow for comfort for overland trips and to mitigate the heavier packs. This was my first time riding Manitou and I was pleasantly surprised.
The cables are nicely routed to allow for handlebar bags, and the reverse arch fork gives even more clearance for packing the front of the bike.
A beautiful gold and black dragon makes this bike stick out from the rest.
While I am not a big fan of dual suspension, especially for overland bikes, the Manitou McLeod shock was stiff enough to be responsive like a hard tail.
A big 2x10 drivetrain lets this bike fly up climbs and shred descents with the best of trail bikes.
27.5+ is the new thing for this season. It seems like every manufacturer has their own offering. I got to test a few of the offerings for 2016 and I have to say that I am a fan. I would say that the wheelsize is almost perfect for me in a trail bike. I like the bounciness of the wide tire, while it is still thin enough to not ride like a fatbike.
Tires – WTB Trailblazer 27.5+ TCS 27.5" X 2.8" / Fork – Manitou Magnum 27.5+ 120MM / Shock -- Manitou McLoed Custom Valved Smoothlink™ Design 95mm / Stem – Race Face 6° X 70-100mm / Bars – Race Face Evolve 3/4 Riser Ø31.8mm X 725mm X 9° Sweep / Brakes -- Shimano M506 Hydraulic Disc 180mm / Crankset – Race Face Turbine Cinch Custom 38-24T 2X10spd / Cassette -- Shimano HG50 11-36T 10spd / Front Derailleur -- Shimano Deore E Mount 2X10spd / Rear Derailleur -- Shimano XT Shadow Plus Direct Mount 10spd