At Whyte’s product launch in Cannock last year we got the chance to ride the outlandish 146 X, an eye-wateringly capable sub-25lb bike that is the epitome of the perfect trail bike. To say it can do everything would be an understatement.
At five grand though it isn’t cheap, so we were keen to see how the same frame dressed in a specification that makes the price a little more affordable would ride. Costing £2999 the 146 S uses exactly the same carbon fibre frame as the on the X but with a smattering of SRAM X9 components, a Fox 32 Float 150 RL FIT fork, Avid Elixir 7 brakes and aluminium Easton XCT-70 wheels to keep the price down.
Travel is 146mm with Whyte’s Quad Link 2 sandwiching the Fox shock between two sturdy linkages, with the new y-shape top linkage giving vastly increased leg clearance over the previous bike. The carbon swingarm gets modular dropouts and comes with a 12mm bolt-through setup as standard.
The main frame features a dramatically swooping top tube and short seat tube extension giving plenty of standover, and Whyte’s own large lever seat quick release is the most ergonomic we’ve ever used. Up front is a tapered head tube, cables are routied along the underbelly of the downtube and there’s guides for a dropper post.
Full review coming soon…
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