The lines of Transition are pure poetry with the top tube lining up with the seat stays and the downtube flowing into the bottom bracket/chainstay area.
Clint have you ever thought of doing a top 5 bikes you have owned for the past 10 years? Would be super cool especially for those of us that have followed you for a while.
Been riding the t type drive train on my top fuel. Absolutely awesome. No more worrying about what gear to be in when hitting a climb or hill. Just shift as needed while putting the power down.
Tried a Smuggler last month, basically was the demo bike of the owner of the bike shop, jumped in, ride even without set anything (usually set all, but we were on tight schedule)..was perfect! Def my next do it all bike
At some point in your testing (after the mountains) try a dhr2 front rekon rear on that thing. Both in 2.4. Makes it sooo much quicker but still super capable. Perfect trail bike combo for southeast US natural trails and flat turns, especially our local aggressive stuff… Santos, Alafia etc. Think you’d love that combo on a bike like that, or even on the spur for that matter.
This Smuggler is at the top of my list for my first full suspension project “custom build” in many years. My current fleet is hardtail’s single speed Mtn, plus gravel bikes. Thanks for sharing
I had the opportunity a couple weeks ago to try out some demo bikes, all from Specialized. I currently ride a '21 Epic Evo Expert and first tried a carbon-framed Stumpjumper. Those who say you can't feel the extra weight are crazy! It felt like a tank compared to my bike, but I understand it would be superior if I was riding gnarlier trails. Next was the new Epic World Cup, but not the S-Works version. Nice and light feeling, but I could immediately tell the loss of rear wheel travel. Finally I tried one of their e-bikes and couldn't believe how much assist was available. I've ridden motorcycles for decades and this, in my opinion, was a motorcycle.
I have a reg Stumpy and a Stumpy EVO with similar builds drivetrain-wise. EVO is 4lbs heavier (about the same as this Smuggler). You’re right it’s a big difference as a ride progresses. People that ride 6 miles a week aren’t going to care but if your rides are regularly 15-25 miles the weight is a larger factor.
@@tinshield Yea I ride a Stumpjumper Carbon Comp (upgraded with expert specs now) for 8 month here in Switzerland with Ground Control / Fast-trak tires. Compared to my Scott bikes (Genius) and the EVO (I test rode it for a couple of weeks) It is night and day on 40 Mile rides!
@@IIISentorIII I have a pretty light 21 Stumpy S-Works I built up with XT, Fox 34 and WAO wheelset. I also have an EVO with a similar build with a Lyrik, also has WAO wheels (Union vs Faction). There’s like 3-4 lbs difference. I do some big rides, probably longer than many. When you understand that a person can only put out so many watts and you subtract that from how many watts the bike sucks up the difference over 20,30,40 miles is not insignificant. If I could only have one bike I’d likely pick the heavier EVO as it’s a little more versatile.
@@tinshield It also depends on the trails you ride, where more climbs favor the lighter bikes. I see so many Internet comments that bike weight is no big deal, "I'll just lose a few more pounds myself". Based on this demo ride, I beg to differ.
I would love to see two videos from you: 1: A how to video on removing the travel reducer in the shock to bump the travel up to 140mm. 2: How the bike feels when riding the bike at 140mm/140mm and why/where you would run that setup.
I finally got to demo a spur at the last santos fat tire and agree, best bike I’ve ever been on. Predicting you end up with that smuggler. Supposed to handle similar just little longer travel. Such a good looking bike too!
Thanks. Love my Spur. Love how it corners especially. It’s my xc-trail bike. I’m replacing a different bike that’s a bit more than xc/trail. More trail to trail/AM. I’m looking for just a bit more suspension out back and especially out front compared to the Spur’s 120mm. Not looking for a drastically different ride, just a bit more squish. It’s between this and the new Ripley.
That’s a killer combo but try the dhr2 on front with that rekon one day if you get a chance. It’s about the same speed but can corner much better and is a super FUN combo, especially in flat corners. Rolls fast too. Weight is pretty close to dissector also
This and the Tallboy are on my short list. Demoed a TB last weekend and it was sweet, now just need to find a Smuggler to ride. Either way I’m definitely going AXS Transmission. Lot of hype but for me it mostly lived up (though based on my few days on it I would say while it shifts great under load, I wouldn’t say as some have that it shifts better loaded than unloaded).
I had the Smuggler for the full season and it is a great all arounder if you have only one bike. I did just sell it and built up a Stumpjumper with a 2024 Float. I find The Stumpy to be more agile due to much shorter chainstays, stiffer in the right places, much quieter on the trail and a better climber. The Smuggler with it's long stance is a better and more comfortable descender however. Would love to hear your thoughts on the comparison.
Hello! It will be interesting to hear a comparison with yours stumpjumper. I like the look of the smuggler better and the frame seems more massive and stronger. The rear triangle on the stampjumper seemed to me not rigid enough and it was difficult to find the ideal pressure in the shock absorber
Great video, thanks. I was waiting for this bike to buy it ASAP, but the carbon one is out my budget and the alloy one is around 36 pounds 😢(Large) So I’ll wait for your review to decide👍
Just tried Maxxis Icon 2.35" 3C tires on a Yeti SB 130 TLR with 30mm internal width carbon wheels to see what weight and ride quality I could get out of it. The suspension is good enough to keep the grip in check. And the added bonus is that the tires are a MaxxSpeed compound so the bike is reasonably "focused" like a Spur. Anyway, can't help but look at that back tire like a front and adding in a Rekon or something for the rear. Like, wouldn't that be sense of cadence and rolling resistance you're looking for?
Such a sweet bike! I like my Spur but can't get along with the Sid select fork, it's really inconsistent for me. Feels harsh and like a pogo stick sometimes. So, I'm considering putting a Fox 34 130mm fork on it.
Great first look Clint. Question for you.. what pedals/shoes do you use with your mtb bikes? I have ridden flat pedals all my life, but im planning on attempting to make the change to clipless and am looking for suggestions.
Why do people obsess about weight so much, I just don’t get it. If transition thought it was a deal breaker they would make it lighter but a trail bike is fine at around 28-30lbs.
@@50whatnomadtravelnursemtb5if you ride uphill for 70% of your ride, the weight is probably one of the most important things, if you have a lot of downhills it doesn't matter
The lines of Transition are pure poetry with the top tube lining up with the seat stays and the downtube flowing into the bottom bracket/chainstay area.
Clint have you ever thought of doing a top 5 bikes you have owned for the past 10 years? Would be super cool especially for those of us that have followed you for a while.
I like it!
@@creamycheeks-c5h actually, not true. Giant stopped communicating with me.
Been riding the t type drive train on my top fuel. Absolutely awesome. No more worrying about what gear to be in when hitting a climb or hill. Just shift as needed while putting the power down.
Tried a Smuggler last month, basically was the demo bike of the owner of the bike shop, jumped in, ride even without set anything (usually set all, but we were on tight schedule)..was perfect! Def my next do it all bike
At some point in your testing (after the mountains) try a dhr2 front rekon rear on that thing. Both in 2.4. Makes it sooo much quicker but still super capable. Perfect trail bike combo for southeast US natural trails and flat turns, especially our local aggressive stuff… Santos, Alafia etc. Think you’d love that combo on a bike like that, or even on the spur for that matter.
This Smuggler is at the top of my list for my first full suspension project “custom build” in many years. My current fleet is hardtail’s single speed Mtn, plus gravel bikes. Thanks for sharing
The lines are so good on transition bikes. imo
I had the opportunity a couple weeks ago to try out some demo bikes, all from Specialized. I currently ride a '21 Epic Evo Expert and first tried a carbon-framed Stumpjumper. Those who say you can't feel the extra weight are crazy! It felt like a tank compared to my bike, but I understand it would be superior if I was riding gnarlier trails. Next was the new Epic World Cup, but not the S-Works version. Nice and light feeling, but I could immediately tell the loss of rear wheel travel. Finally I tried one of their e-bikes and couldn't believe how much assist was available. I've ridden motorcycles for decades and this, in my opinion, was a motorcycle.
I have a reg Stumpy and a Stumpy EVO with similar builds drivetrain-wise. EVO is 4lbs heavier (about the same as this Smuggler). You’re right it’s a big difference as a ride progresses. People that ride 6 miles a week aren’t going to care but if your rides are regularly 15-25 miles the weight is a larger factor.
@@tinshield Yea I ride a Stumpjumper Carbon Comp (upgraded with expert specs now) for 8 month here in Switzerland with Ground Control / Fast-trak tires. Compared to my Scott bikes (Genius) and the EVO (I test rode it for a couple of weeks) It is night and day on 40 Mile rides!
@@IIISentorIII I have a pretty light 21 Stumpy S-Works I built up with XT, Fox 34 and WAO wheelset. I also have an EVO with a similar build with a Lyrik, also has WAO wheels (Union vs Faction). There’s like 3-4 lbs difference.
I do some big rides, probably longer than many. When you understand that a person can only put out so many watts and you subtract that from how many watts the bike sucks up the difference over 20,30,40 miles is not insignificant.
If I could only have one bike I’d likely pick the heavier EVO as it’s a little more versatile.
@@tinshield It also depends on the trails you ride, where more climbs favor the lighter bikes. I see so many Internet comments that bike weight is no big deal, "I'll just lose a few more pounds myself". Based on this demo ride, I beg to differ.
@@rlsedition no doubt. How about losing a few pounds AND a light bike? 😛
I would love to see two videos from you:
1: A how to video on removing the travel reducer in the shock to bump the travel up to 140mm.
2: How the bike feels when riding the bike at 140mm/140mm and why/where you would run that setup.
I finally got to demo a spur at the last santos fat tire and agree, best bike I’ve ever been on. Predicting you end up with that smuggler. Supposed to handle similar just little longer travel. Such a good looking bike too!
You could use a sharp scalpel on the tape on the cranks, to cut out the black bit it covers. Whole bike and spec looks awesome though.
Thanks. Love my Spur. Love how it corners especially. It’s my xc-trail bike. I’m replacing a different bike that’s a bit more than xc/trail. More trail to trail/AM. I’m looking for just a bit more suspension out back and especially out front compared to the Spur’s 120mm. Not looking for a drastically different ride, just a bit more squish. It’s between this and the new Ripley.
Have really had my eye on this as my next bike. Soooo awesome- send it!!! And let’s ride sometime :)
Where are you riding? Pisgah? DuPont? Berm Park has some new trails open at the very top. That bike is perfect for those new trails.
I never hear you talk about YT, i think you would like the IZZO. glad you like the smuggler
Sooo this is what I looked like when I was gushing over the bike that’s now in my garage that I was NOT going to purchase.😂😊
I like the fact that the top tube runs right into the seat stay very nice machine
YES! So clean with that line going from top of the headtube all the way down to the hub.
With the cranks and framesaver tape, you could cut out with an xacto that little indent window to help keep the tape on
I'd move the Disector to the front and put a Recon on the rear.
Yea my Brother has that on his Scott Genius, damn fast if you ask me :)
That’s a killer combo but try the dhr2 on front with that rekon one day if you get a chance. It’s about the same speed but can corner much better and is a super FUN combo, especially in flat corners. Rolls fast too. Weight is pretty close to dissector also
This and the Tallboy are on my short list. Demoed a TB last weekend and it was sweet, now just need to find a Smuggler to ride. Either way I’m definitely going AXS Transmission. Lot of hype but for me it mostly lived up (though based on my few days on it I would say while it shifts great under load, I wouldn’t say as some have that it shifts better loaded than unloaded).
I had the Smuggler for the full season and it is a great all arounder if you have only one bike. I did just sell it and built up a Stumpjumper with a 2024 Float. I find The Stumpy to be more agile due to much shorter chainstays, stiffer in the right places, much quieter on the trail and a better climber. The Smuggler with it's long stance is a better and more comfortable descender however. Would love to hear your thoughts on the comparison.
Loved the new Smuggler when I demo'd it but I hate both colorways so much that I can't convince myself to buy one.
Hello! It will be interesting to hear a comparison with yours stumpjumper. I like the look of the smuggler better and the frame seems more massive and stronger.
The rear triangle on the stampjumper seemed to me not rigid enough and it was difficult to find the ideal pressure in the shock absorber
Smuggler is burlier than an SJ and it’s literally similar weight as an SJ EVO. Not sure trail bike travel with all mountain weight works out. 🤷♂️
Awesome looking bike Clint!
Great video, thanks.
I was waiting for this bike to buy it ASAP, but the carbon one is out my budget and the alloy one is around 36 pounds 😢(Large)
So I’ll wait for your review to decide👍
Curious to see how you like Eagle Transmission vs. Eagle AXS
Would like to hear your opinion about the difference with the Stumpjumper, has the same travel but different geo and suspension layout?
I am looking forward to hearing this as well.
Half pound heavier than Stumpy. Wish you still had that for a comparison.
This would be my next choice in a new bike, but I’d ask for a fork upgrade to fox 36 150, and you can run it as 140 in the rear
💯
Just tried Maxxis Icon 2.35" 3C tires on a Yeti SB 130 TLR with 30mm internal width carbon wheels to see what weight and ride quality I could get out of it. The suspension is good enough to keep the grip in check. And the added bonus is that the tires are a MaxxSpeed compound so the bike is reasonably "focused" like a Spur. Anyway, can't help but look at that back tire like a front and adding in a Rekon or something for the rear. Like, wouldn't that be sense of cadence and rolling resistance you're looking for?
Love to see you test an Allied BC40
A 130mm/140mm bike with a 65 head angle is a good jack of all trades for most places
Such a sweet bike! I like my Spur but can't get along with the Sid select fork, it's really inconsistent for me. Feels harsh and like a pogo stick sometimes. So, I'm considering putting a Fox 34 130mm fork on it.
Pike 130mm is a really popular option for the Spur for those looking for more trail / less XC feel.
@@discostu333 Yeah I was thinking of a Pike too. Do you know what you need to do to put on an aftermarket fork?
Spectral 125 and smuggler would be a comparison I’d like to see.
Cmon Clint. Kashima is much smoother, Ive had several as well.
I’ve had both, no difference that I can discern.
Honestly I'm a 41 Year old lifelong biker and I had both several times on my Bikes. My conclusion is that it looks better on some Bikes, thats all :D
wish you choose transition
You and that bike in the NC mountains… no way you will stay in Z2 for long😃 just call it elevation training😅
Great first look Clint. Question for you.. what pedals/shoes do you use with your mtb bikes? I have ridden flat pedals all my life, but im planning on attempting to make the change to clipless and am looking for suggestions.
I run clipless petals most of the time. Shimano XT on my XC and Downcountry. XT trail on the RIP9 and Smuggler.
how much?
$3700 for the frame 🤦♂️
Were the crank caps stock?
Yes
So..whats the dropper travel?
180mm on the medium, 210mm on the sizes above that.
Nice.. Not 150 or 125 like the big brands
Looks like a YT Izzo
500 dollar frame at best. These prices are beyond absurd in 2023.
You’re late! I usually expect your bike price comments within 15 minutes…lol.
@@ClintGibbs I will try to be earlier next time. lol
;)@@ClintGibbs
Buy a heat gun you will surprised how much you use it
+30 lbs is hefty for a 140/130 bike. 🤦♂️
Why do people obsess about weight so much, I just don’t get it. If transition thought it was a deal breaker they would make it lighter but a trail bike is fine at around 28-30lbs.
@@50whatnomadtravelnursemtb5 it’s not an obsession is a comparison point. If you ride 20+ miles regularly it a large factor.
@@tinshield I do and kinda doubt 2-3 lbs is such a big deal, it’s not.
@@50whatnomadtravelnursemtb5 than don’t worry about it 🤷♂️
@@50whatnomadtravelnursemtb5if you ride uphill for 70% of your ride, the weight is probably one of the most important things, if you have a lot of downhills it doesn't matter