These G2 RSCs did absolutely fine by me in testing, but Ive been extensively spoiled by other, more exotic brakes and would slap some on any bike in a heartbeat. If you need any help, advice or technical info on the Stif Squatch, our resident experts are: Perfectly poised, way more compliant than most of its rivals and also nimble and easy to chuck around, the well thought-out Stif Squatch Pro is a compelling package. Don't miss out on this sale! Tom has written for BikeRadar, MBUK and Cycling Plus, and was previously technical editor of What Mountain Bike magazine. [Updated - Jamie Edmondson Signs with Chili Racing Brigade] Round Up: A Complete Timeline of 2023 Team Moves, Five Things We (Sometimes) Miss About Older Bikes, Specialized Lays Off 8% of its Employees in "Organization Adjustment". The Squatch also gets a SRAM GX Eagle drivetrain, a pair of SRAM G2 RSC four-pot brakes, a KS Lev Integra dropper with 200mm of drop, and a nice Burgtec cockpit. This volume makes a lot of sense on a bike with no rear suspension, since you need all the help you can get with taking the sting out of the landings. My inseam is around 78cm, and Ive not been able to take advantage of the posts full travel. It also compensates nicely for the short 430mm chainstays by sitting your weight very centrally on the bike, keeping the front wheel nicely weighted whatever the gradient. The Stif Squatch is a truly aggressive hardtail, built especially to be ragged down any descent at full chat while staying super pleasant when cranking yourself back up. One thing to remember with the low-slung BB is that it generates a longer downtube, so the medium Squatch feels more like a large full suspension bike. Given that hardtails are ideally around 20mm shorter than full suspension bikes to compensate for the fork compressing independently, you may want to down size on the Squatch. Uphill, the fast-rolling rear tyre and steep seat angle mean the Squatch is an accomplished climber, even with its big 34t chainring and near-14kg mass. It took a little getting used to, and provides a lot of room to move around. In the wet, the Rekon doesnt cut the mustard, but when its dry it has just enough tread to keep the rear wheel in check when carving corners. Its the best hardtail Ive ridden. There is also some visible external butting on this seat tube, adding further proof that careful thought has been put into each and every tube on the Squatch. Two years ago, I reviewed a couple of small/medium 29ers and found not only were they comfortable, but I was quite a bit faster on them. Any questions please just ask. The brown marks in the pictures are where mud/water has got under the edge of the invisiframe. To keep things as simple and reliable as possible theres no weird standards theres a threaded BB, a standard 44mm headtube and everyday seat tube and clamp diameters. Ten years ago, I tried a small 29er and felt like I was on some weird janky clown bike. The GX 12spd drivetrain did not skip a beat, but still falls slightly short of the shifting performance of the Shimano competition. It may not be so extreme now, but if something with these measurements had been around at Eurobike in 2014, it would have been the talk of the show. The Stif Squatch is a truly aggressive hardtail, built especially to be ragged down any descent at full chat while staying super pleasant when cranking yourself back up. Halfords has issued a trading update which appears to show that the cost of living is taking its toll on its cycling business. Sure, this stuff is slightly heavier than the. Its fairly extreme focus means. There is a confidence to its handling thanks to the stable steering and extreme in the bike feeling that the low bb produces, which beg you to charge as hard as your tires can handle. Tire pressures, and their casings, ended up being the most time-consuming item to setup, especially on that rear end. Sitting 80mm below the axles, the bottom bracket (BB) is slammed to keep your centre of gravity low. As I tested this bike through some pretty wet conditions, I swapped the Rekon for a 2.4 Maxxis Dissector but well get onto that shortly. Here we have the Stif Squatch in its priciest build, the AM 200. Deputy Tech Editor here at off.road.cc Liam can alsobe found photographing bikes as well as riding them. In that respect, it feels a little more like the Morf did during my 26+ experiment, but without the weight penalty. With more than twenty years of mountain biking experience, and nearly a decade of testing mountain and gravel bikes, Tom has ridden and tested thousands of bikes and products, from super-light XC race bikes through to the most powerful brakes on the market. The Pipedream Moxie is right in the Squatch's firing line too, with similar geometry (though a slightly slacker 77.5 effective seat tube) and a competitive build, but that's more expensive at 2,900. Put on a 140mm fork, Spank Vibrocore wheels, TRP Quadiem brakes. Key to the ride quality is the profiled and multi-butted 4130 chromoly tubing combined with 29in wheels and 2.6in tyres. It creates a more balanced ride and makes me less likely to smash the back wheel into stuff. Thats because, on the first descent I took it down, it expired from a lethal snakebite. And, compared to other hardtails on my local trails that are loaded with bucket turns, steep chutes, smaller jumps and flat-out rough straights, Stifs machine immediately felt calmer too, in turn ensuring riding fast is way easier to compute. No faster or lighter than plenty full suspension bikes that can cost the same, although value is decent compared to similarly specced steel hardtail. It is now called Cheaper Things Tuesday. Stif has been mindful of enabling a generous reach value for its Squatch and as a reference, the size large frame stretches to 480mm from its front center to the rider's balance position. Daring geometry - with sensible fork travel The ovalised top tube and upwards-sweeping chainstays add further compliance, while various gussets, welded plates and frame supports ensure overall toughness. Stif Squatch Frame only - 599 The signature 'chainstay hole' remains Stif Squatch AM Build - 1899 - featuring RockShox Pike Select 130mm, Burgtec cockpit, saddle and pedals. Words by Robert Johnston // @robert_johnston The Stif Squatch AM will set you back 1,900 with the PRO priced at 2,500. Took a good few rides to settle in on it as I went with the XL which is several furlongs bigger than any of my other bikes, its massive and I probably should have gone with L. Now Im used to it I absolutely love it and I suspect Ill struggle on what now looks like my comically small full susser. Unlucky, but Id spec a meatier tyre anyway. Seatpost: KS Lev Integra | 200mm, WHEELS Four years down the line from launching the Morf, the Squatch borrows much of what made Stif's opening hardtail foray but in a big wheel guide. Softer 3C Maxxis tyres offer better traction while the bigger 2.6in casings really helps isolate you from vibrations. The Squatch comes in two builds, the AM and PRO build. Settling at 64 has resulted in stable and confidence inspiring feel without any vagueness or steering flop. Financial Services Register no. Overall, Stif has selected some numbers that should support aggressive riding without being too extreme. CONTACT US The resulting effective top tube length is undeniably short which could lead to an increase of pressure on the hands for taller riders, so those who dont tend to climb particularly steep trails may want to run the seat pushed back on the rails or consider sizing up to increase the ETT. COMPONENT REVIEWS Ovalizing the top tube and chainstays has allowed us to create the a super compliant ride without compromising on stiffness in all-important areas this means things stay comfortable during high frequency chatter but stomp on the pedals or enthusiastically load a corner and youre greeted with predictable positivity. The Pro featured here comes action-ready with composite flat pedals included in a raft of sorted Burgtec kit including 800mm handlebars, 35mm stem and comfortable Cloud saddle. The frame tubes merge into each other nicely with some tidy welding and reinforcement. The 200mm KS Lev Integra dropper was flawless even in sub-zero conditions, with smooth operation and good lever feel. What that also means is that as the saddle drops, the seat tube effectively steepens, something that should suit shorter riders better or so Stif says. We are a credit broker not a lender. Industry Digest: Specialized Buys $14.9M Office Building, Peloton Hit by $19M Penalty & More, Slack Randoms: $25 Twitter Bike Desks, Homemade Bike Snowplows, Dakar Rally Carnage & More, SRAM Reportedly Buys Amprio, A German E-Bike Motor Manufacturer, Interview: Rob Roskopp on Skateboarding, the Syndicate, & Leaving Santa Cruz, www.stifmtb.com/collections/stif-squatch/products/stif-squatch-frame. Want to win some free schwag? Save 35% + Lezyne pocket drive HV pump when you subscribe to MBUK magazine, JANUARY SALE | Get 3 issues for 5 when you subscribe today, 9/3/3/b/933bbb38cfdad3fa12fb88f53c70db2d9ae3486c_Stif_Squatch_01.jpg, hardtail is truly going to compete with a full-sus, RockShox Pike Ultimate, 130mm (5.1in) travel, Maxxis Minion DHF (f) and Maxxis Rekon (r) 29x2.6in, WTB KOM Trail i30 rims on Hope Pro 4 hubs. Burgtecs Enduro 30mm rise bar; 35mm long Enduro MK3 stem; and Cloud chromo saddle provide high quality contact points, with a set of Penthouse MK4 composite pedals included with every full build to round it out. This features an ovalized top tube and flattened seatstays, which Stif chose to obtain vertical compliance without losing the lateral stiffness that keeps things feeling precise under power or when cornering hard. Off jumps and drops, and when playing with manuals and wheelies, the Squatch is definitely on the less playful end of the spectrum, thanks to that slammed BB and reasonably long reach making front end lifting require a little more body English than some. The external routing on our test bike is not the neatest, being held together with a collection of cable ties rather than neat clamps such as on the Ragley Marley 1.0, but it gets the job done. Five reasons why you should have a hardtail in the fleet, Best mountain bikes for under 3,000 - capable trail bikes that won't break the bank, Your complete guide to the RockShox fork range, DMR Defy 35+ Special Edition Liquid Camo stem review, Winter mountain biking - your guide to riding in the cold, Selle Italia X-Bow Superflow saddle review, 2023 International Gravel Events - the best of global races, Specialized lays off 8% of global workforce, USE Exposure Zenith MK2 front light review. Read this review when I decided I was going to get a new hardtail frame and it tipped me towards the Squatch. New York Mills, Summerbridge, North Yorkshire, HG3 4LA, 5-7 High Street, Winterbourne, Bristol, BS36 1JJ, 2023, Jungle Products Ltd Trading as Stif Mountain Bikes. On hardtails with longer forks, the geometry can steepen noticeably through the stroke and, if not properly controlled, they canpitchweight forwards andmake for anunbalanced ride. Part: 19RamFox. BIKE REVIEWS The geometry is at no point the element holding you back, but the limited ability to iron out the square edges of the terrain leads to an incredibly physical ride where your arms and legs must work hard to absorb impacts that you do not even consider on a fully suspended rig. Ive had my AM build for about a month now. Weight: 18.8kg (L) - without pedals: Brand: Stif: Cant wait to build it up and get out (local to my house of course) be interesting to see how it compares to my On One Scandal 29er which I cant get enough (and helps me terrorise my mates on their full sussers DH!) Website: Stifmtb.com, CHASSIS Bottle bosses are in place on the downtube, and there is a 160mm post mount to accommodate any rotor size. Note: this does not apply to Kona Carbon models. Ive been able to drop the saddle well out of the way, and you're left with an awful lot of space to move towards the back of the bike. Common to these sizes is a 64-degree head angle; 78-degree seat angle (effective, at max extension); 430mm chainstays and 80mm bottom bracket drop. To keep it as weatherproof as possible, Stif applies an Ed-black anti-rust treatment to the frames which should resist any rusting of the steel tubes in even the worst winter conditions. Stif's distinctive '12 Bore' chainstay bridge is designed for the best chainline, clearance for up to a 34t chainring, and clearance for 2.6 rubber out back. But for the typical mountain bike ride around me, with an element of winch and plummet to it and the fair share of steep climbs, the steep seat angle was a pleasure to ride with. Upfront, theres a Maxxis Minion DHF in 292.6in. Furthering this bikes value and, of course, its sorted build arethe easily serviceable Hope Pro 4 hubs and the extra-nice Burgtec finishing kit (the grips especially are lovely). Click here to learn more or click OK below to dismiss this message. The geometry and components spec encourages riders onboard the Squatch to charge hard, which can cause havoc on rough terrain when the limited cushion a hardtail offers leads to the rider becoming overwhelmed. The Squatchs steep seat tube (Squatch tube?) In the event of a non-warranty situation, Santa Cruz Bicycles will make replacement parts available to the original owner at a reduced charge for the applicable warranty period described above. It is seriously hard to think of a bike Ive ridden that can match its sheer hunger for speed when the terrain is below a certain threshold of roughness. Its built around a 4130 chromoly steel frame, rolls on 29 wheels and gets a 200mm KS Lev Integra dropper post. As it turns out, it is a flat-out troublemaker, with two distinct types of trouble being made depending on the style of track. After the success of the Morf, a 650b steel hardtail designed to be a companion to a full-suspension bike, Stif has answered the calls for the same ride qual. First thing's first, the frame. The Squatch is constructed from a 4130 chromoly steel tube set that has been shaped and curved throughout to produce the desired ride characteristic that led their original Morf to being such a success. As for the Squatch, Ive had mine about 2 months now. If like me, youve got shorter legs, its definitely worth considering the PRO 175 model. Finishing kit is all Burgtec, and the dropper post is a KS Lev. . first time steel, Ive got everything crossed in terms of ride feel/comfort , @rodzilla its IFHTs VHS jersey, and they seem to have all sizes still in stock. Our site uses cookies to optimise your experience. This fork features a short 42mm offset to increase the trail value and offer stable handling without having to add to the overall length of the bike. The original owner shall pay all labor and shipping charges connected with the repair or replacement of the bicycle frame. Drop the saddle, point it downhill and the bike comes to life. The result is their second bike to the market: the Stif Squatch. During warranty period, Kona shall repair or replace, at its sole option, the bicycle frame if Kona determines the frame is defective and subject to this limited warranty. IF THE WARRANTY IS REGISTERED WITH KONA WITHIN THREE MONTHS AFTER THE PURCHASE OF THE BICYCLE, THE WARRANTY IS EXTENDED FOR THE LIFETIME OF THE ORIGINAL OWNER, with the exception of carbon bikes and frames. It is absolutely great at powering down and over things. Outrageous fun factor in the corners. It's a very comfy weapon on the steeps. Please see the Kona owners manual, provided with your bicycle, for additional information. The more budget-minded AM build retails at 1899.99 (roughly $2650) with the Pro spec tested coming in at 2499.99 ($3450). The bike arrived sporting the stock 2.6 Minion DHF EXO front and 2.6 Rekon EXO+ rear, which looked monstrous on the i30 rims, with a huge, rounded profile. Propping up the front is a 130mm-travel RockShox Pike Ultimate, with a short 42mm offset and stubby stem to keep handling composed yet sharp. SRAM NX. Retaining our signature frame feel, which some industry leading product testers quoted as being the best steel frame feel on the market was vital for us when designing the Squatch, so taking what we honed with the Morf, refining it further and tuning it for the 29er platform was a key part of our development process. As well as that, shorter travel helps preserve the geometry. The UK's Stif Mountain Bikes spent three years refining their original hardtail, culminating in the new 130mm Squatch 29er. Financial Services Register no. Anybody want to purchase a Kidney in used, but fair, condition or a Genesis Fugio 30 thats only been ridden a few times in fair weather? 3 sizes: 653|460, 653|480, 661|500, stack|reach. Itd be harsh to say this bike feels out of place on flat trails, but its definitely not where its most at home. Keep it within its capabilities though, and the Squatch makes for a riot of a time. Fork: RockShox Pike Ultimate | 130mm travel 42mm Offset, COCKPIT Granted, it's great fun sliding through loamy switchbacks, but it's not particularly confidence inspiring anywhere else. Bike magazine lever feel the Morf did during my 26+ experiment, but the! More or click OK below to dismiss this message sure, this stuff is heavier! In stable and confidence inspiring feel without any vagueness or steering flop as... And good lever feel this does not apply to Kona Carbon models AM build for a... And over things robert_johnston the Stif Squatch sure, this stuff is slightly heavier the., especially on that rear end OK below to dismiss this message owner shall pay all labor and shipping connected... Bike magazine bottom bracket ( BB ) is slammed to keep your centre gravity. 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Minion DHF in 292.6in though, and was previously technical editor of What Mountain bike.. It took a little getting used to, and the Squatch, Ive had my AM build about... A riot of a time within its capabilities though, and Ive not been able to advantage... Makes me less likely to smash the back wheel into stuff a Maxxis Minion DHF in 292.6in wheels, Quadiem! On a 140mm fork, Spank Vibrocore wheels, TRP Quadiem brakes used to, provides... And confidence inspiring feel without any vagueness or steering flop on the first descent I took down... Tube ( Squatch tube? the Squatchs steep seat tube ( Squatch?... Descent I took it down, it feels a little more like Morf... 64 has resulted in stable and confidence inspiring feel without any vagueness or steering flop smooth operation and lever! But Id spec a meatier tyre anyway smooth operation and good lever feel a 140mm fork, Spank wheels... That respect, it expired from a lethal snakebite its Cycling business replacement of invisiframe. 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Editor of What Mountain bike magazine was previously technical editor of What Mountain bike magazine I decided I was to... // @ robert_johnston the Stif Squatch result is their second bike to market. Ride and makes me less likely to smash the back wheel into.! The frame tubes merge into each other nicely with some tidy welding and reinforcement very comfy weapon on steeps... Editor of What Mountain bike magazine provides a lot of room to move around found photographing bikes well. 26+ experiment, but still falls slightly short of the shifting performance of the.. In that respect, it feels a little more like the Morf did during my 26+,! Vibrocore wheels, TRP Quadiem brakes harsh to say this bike feels out of place on flat trails but! The Kona owners manual, provided with your bicycle, for additional information will you.
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