10 Mullet DH Bikes from Round 1 British National Downhill Series
Are mixed-wheel bikes a fad or here to stay? With the first round of the National Downhill series happening at Danny Hart's Descend Bike Park in Hamsterley we grabbed 10 mullet bikes for your viewing pleasure.
Adam Smith's Specialized Demo 8
Joe Croft's Santa Cruz v10
Daniel Lappin's Commencal Supreme
Shea Rooney's Nukeproof Dissent
Liam Higgin's Transition TR11
Chris Spink's Commencal Supreme
James Elliott's Scott Gambler
Matt Rushton's Specialized Demo 8
Luke Mumford's Scott Gambler
Stuart Houlston's Specialized Demo 8
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I always find the spend of the public compared to the performance gain interesting, how much of it is placebo and doesnt translate to the track on race day really?
Fort William has not really changed much in forever.
The road crossing with the drop is probably quicker than the old line and the woods is quicker than it used to be.
2009 Greg Minnaar - 4.38(2nd a 4.40) - (the old pinball section, was more unpredictable and gnarlier than todays line, harder tight woods, old down the steps line) - Mk3 V10
2018 Amaury Pierron - 4.34 (2nd a 4.34)
2019 Amaury Pierron - 4.28 (2nd a 4.32) - straight line out of the woods, shorter track.
10 years later, track is slightly faster these days (is for me too) and the elite have not gone that much quicker.
Me: I got my best race time in 2017 (42 years old) at a 5:05 (full woods and across to the drop line), FTD 4:40 by Cathro (also his fastest time on a 27.5 V10). I have just gotten older and slower due to lack of training and injuries since then. No bike is gonna solve my aging issue.
B) Mullet bikes were made popular by pro DH riders (Loic Bruni being a prime example).
Not sure how any of your claims hold up in light of these two facts
Later, probably the same or some others said that 29" wheels were ugly, awkward, ridiculous, trendy... in brief: useless...
Where are we now?
There's no marketing behind mullets, no plot, no evil manipulation. It's not even a good marketing approach (imagine if I tell my client that now he's gonna have to deal with 2 sizes of tyres instead of one; what a mess!!!)
It's just a adjustment. Mullets simply suit better to some riders, pro or amateurs, while some others prefer to keep a full 29er, or a full 27.5", at their convenience.
It's not marketing, it's just (a) progress (for some of us).
Thank you for your comment.
Please see my comments below:
Once upon a time, some "far-sighted / forward-looking" people said that 27.5" wheels were "marketing" and useless.
-> The bike (Frame) will make a bigger difference than the wheel size, just ride the fastest bike for you, test it, time it and go with fastest (I heard thats what racing is about, not WC riders who are workers, paid to ride a bike they "developed" even though that bike has been in development for 3 years and they singed for the team a few months ago)
Later, probably the same or some others said that 29" wheels were ugly, awkward, ridiculous, trendy... in brief: useless...
Where are we now?
-> We are in a confused position. Enduro probably still mostly single wheel size, Dh moving towards mullet and the "you cant mullet that bike, buy the new one where we made it mullet compatible"
There's no marketing behind mullets, no plot, no evil manipulation. It's not even a good marketing approach (imagine if I tell my client that now he's gonna have to deal with 2 sizes of tyres instead of one; what a mess!!!)
-> You have answered your own question, we used to swap out the front tyre to the rear, now we have 29 up front and 27.5 rear, so for your race tyres, you need a new rear, not the front to rear swap, you also have to carry more spares; spokes, tyres, inserts etc to accommodate 2 sizes.
It's just a adjustment. Mullets simply suit better to some riders, pro or amateurs, while some others prefer to keep a full 29er, or a full 27.5", at their convenience.
-> I showed the data above pretty simply that shows this may not be the case.
It's not marketing, it's just (a) progress (for some of us).
-> Please see the answers above. Plus to add 29 was progress, now you are told they were wrong and mullet is progress.... ask yourself, how many "progress" items have you bought over the years.
If you look at the industry there have been so many next best things. Some are great. Single ring, dropper posts, wide cassettes (where needed, not where I live), clutch mechs, slacker bikes, understanding of suspension kinematics (well, everyone is an anti-squat expert now!)
one of the oldest battles in any company is R&D v Marketing
You said: " how many "progress" items have you bought over the years".
I really love this one because.... I'm a passioned bike mechanic for years, I build and sell custom bikes for others... but I still ride a custom 2008 RM Slayer SXC in... 26" wheels!!! Haaaaaaa!!!! I'm Satan, the Beast!!!
The only interesting progress (for me though) was to find and buy an excellent steel hardtail to shred 95% of my rides (the full-suspension is only for hardcore mountain purposes). After 4 or 5 customs builts I've finally owned a custom Stanton Switchback 27.5. I have it for 5 years and I'd say that I almost don't need a bike any more
PS: Actually working with a welding friend on "how to build a steel front triangle with updated geometry and to adapt it to my already existing Slayer SXC rear suspension?". We're doing it... and it's gonna give a 26"/27.5" mullet... and I'll probably make marketing about it to sell the idea afterwards. Why not?! 29" front is too big for me and I like 26" rear
Cheers!
Clearly you think people only ride to race, but you are very wrong about that. Only a small number of mountain bikers race. Most ride for fun. As a smaller person who jumped on the marketing hype of 29" bikes, I feel I was sold an inappropriate solution for my body size. While there was nothing "wrong" with a full 29" bike, The mullet is more fun to ride, which is why I ride.
Thank you.
Ride what works for you and what you enjoy.
If racing ride what is fastest for you (not Bruni, Hart etc).
I rode an XL mega Tr 275 for years... With a -2 angleset, 26 wheels and a 160mm lyrik for a few years until the normal TR snap happened on the chain stay. It was a Frankenstein bike. It was great fun to ride though.
I have often thought about the mini mullet. Nearly did it on my Dh bike a couple of months ago but backed out of the fork purchase last second.
My HT is an old dialled holeshot with lyrik U turn up front. Great for the wee jumps and some XC. Looks crazy with a long post in for xc but it kind of works.
I am a tight rider (can't justify expensive new stuff, got a mortgage and kids) so make do with 2nd hand stuff. Keeps riding entertaining.
Roots showed that the weather was not to dissimilar though from the photos.
Right.... Let's get something clear.. Very clear!
I could not give a flying rats toss whether you or anyone else is sick of it. Not a flying toss!! Don't like it sod off to another website. I will have my say and I will have my opinion whether you like it or not. You DO NOT EVER tell me what to.
If you want to jump on the fad train and lap up all the bollox the industry tells you along with their sponsored riders, of which most of them are told what to ride, then that is up to you!
I for one will not. So I will keep commenting on things that I believe are fads, over rated or just generally ridiculous.
I will look forward to continue irritating you.
I don't think anyting MattP76 said that was too stupid or outrageous. There is at least half truths to everything that he said, and besides, it is just his personal opinions based on his personal experiences. NO ONE should be criminalized for personal opinions.
Now having said that...
There is a reason why all Motocross Bikes are Mullets and all Road Racing Motorcycles are Mullets (reverse). Mullets are NOT fads, that is how all 2 wheel vehicles should be. All Mountain Bikes should have been Mullets 30 years ago. However, they were NOT Mullets because the UCI banned Mullet Mountain Bikes in Competition until only about 3 years ago.
Mullet is the Future and it is here to Stay!
Mullet or Full-29er are NOT gimmicks. I myself have noticed the increased Speed and rollover with Full 29ers. Only reason I don't like Full-29ers is they feel cumbersome (compared to a Full 27.5 Bike), but most of all why I don't like Full-29ers, is I am on the shorter side and I get seat buzz much more often on the steep and chunky sections than I do on a 27.5 Bike.
For all my rides, I actually prefer Full-27.5. They just feel more responsive, and easier to jump. However, they do get hung up easier on the slow chunky sections stuff compared to a Full 29er, also if times really matter, 29ers are just plain faster. I myself though, am so slow in many other aspects of "the game", that being 3 second Faster on a 2 minute section on a Full 29er will NOT make much of a difference to me.
Now enter the Mullett Bikes, I converted my Commencal Furious to Mullett and it was amazing how the rollover felt like a Full-29er but yet it handled like a Full-27.5 Bike. The Furious is a good bike to Mullet because it comes with a HTA on the "steeper side" (at least for DH bikes). Also, for my Furious I was able to keep the 27.5 Fox 40 (2016 Model) when I put a 29 Front Wheel on it because it has more than enough clearance to do this. I was also able to drop the Fork Length about 12 mm, and I took out about 15mm worth of Spacers.... Doing all this helped the Geo stay almost the same.
You clearly don't understand the sentence "you DO NOT EVER tell me what to do"
You call me the moron? OK kid! Lol
UCI banned Mullett Bikes, hence no Companies made them until about 3 years ago, when the UCI allowed Mullets to be raced again. However, despite the UCI ban, some of the Old Skool and REAL Mtn Bikers, guys who knew better, many of them Mullletted their bikes. My DH Bike is a Full 27.5" Bike and converted to Mullett, because I am a FOLLOWER and NOT a leader. LOL. I am actually sold on 29ers, as they are just plain faster everywhere. However, I prefer to ride 27.5 bikes because they are just funner. With Mullet we get the best of all worlds! and with Mullets I get much less Seat Buzz (compared to 29ers).
The people: “shut the f*ck up dipshit, you’re annoying as hell”
MattP76: “f*ck the people I do what I want!”
Well done.
Thank you.
Indeed. I rode a 29er at Fort William earlier this week (I normally ride a 27.5) and I just don’t think they work for riders any smaller than me on steep stuff (I’m 5’9). I know people will point out some random female DH or enduro riders who are on 29ers and win, but I still think they’d be quicker on a mullet.
I’m glad all this sh!t will be behind a paywall soon
if not, grow up.
then the next day, PB drops "10 MULLETS THAT SHOWED UP AT THE THING THE WACK JOB SAID THERE WERE NONE AT!!"
I lubs ya, PB!!!
Stay loose
THank you if someone can help.
So you mean you had to buy this: s7d5.scene7.com/is/image/Specialized/S201500006?$tsw_sp_hero_where
And also a Flip-Chip kit and thats all this 2 items for the conversion? If I have the 2020 black DEMO frame that would be perfect as it is also matching black.
I think you need these items, to make it correct.
Seat Stay - MY21 DEMO SEATSTAY Part number - S205000002
Chain Stay - MY21 DEMO CHAINSTAY Part number - S201500006
Flipchip - BLT MY21 DEMO WHEELBASE FLIP CHIP KIT - Part number - S200500004
Old habits are hard to break.