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Whyte JW4

Darkreaper

Darkreaper

Monkey
Sep 26, 2004
313
0
Away in the head
Has anybody ridden or had any experience with this bike? I was thinking of buying the frame and building it up before the summer. I actually like the unusual front linkage, although I know I'll get some very strange looks out on the trails. I just wanted to hear of any other riders' experiences


link to spec
 
B

blue

boob hater
Jan 24, 2004
10,160
2
california
Fork looks like a Girvin with a REAL shock...tehe. In theory, could you create a more peda l efficient front end with linkages and such?
 
B

blue

boob hater
Jan 24, 2004
10,160
2
california
Wait...I'm confused. Does the front shock act like a DC fork, thereby limiting your turning radius? I wouldn't like that much for XC applications...
 
Darkreaper

Darkreaper

Monkey
Sep 26, 2004
313
0
Away in the head
DC? Don't know the term I'm afraid. The linkage is designed to maintain a constant head angle through compression, and it also has a j-shaped path so the wheel moves backwards slightly at the beginning of the stroke - great for going up kerbs or hitting logs.

All the pivot bearings have a lifetime warranty too, which is nice considering how many of them there are! What bushing maintenance will I have to do...?
 
B

blue

boob hater
Jan 24, 2004
10,160
2
california
Darkreaper said:
DC? Don't know the term I'm afraid. The linkage is designed to maintain a constant head angle through compression, and it also has a j-shaped path so the wheel moves backwards slightly at the beginning of the stroke - great for going up kerbs or hitting logs.

All the pivot bearings have a lifetime warranty too, which is nice considering how many of them there are! What bushing maintenance will I have to do...?
Click to expand...
Dual crown, with the stanchion tubes extending up around the headtube for added strength/stiffness. They limit the turning radius of the bike.
 
Darkreaper

Darkreaper

Monkey
Sep 26, 2004
313
0
Away in the head
I'm not sure TBH. I think it has at least 60 degrees each side thou, should be alright

So I ordered the frame and it has to be stripped down to send to me. Any reccommendations for parts I should ask them to leave on? Ideally I'd run a totally Shimanoless bike if I can manage it...
 
SkaredShtles

SkaredShtles

Michael Bolton
Sep 21, 2003
65,805
12,810
In a van.... down by the river
Darkreaper said:
DC? Don't know the term I'm afraid. The linkage is designed to maintain a constant head angle through compression, and it also has a j-shaped path so the wheel moves backwards slightly at the beginning of the stroke - great for going up kerbs or hitting logs.

All the pivot bearings have a lifetime warranty too, which is nice considering how many of them there are! What bushing maintenance will I have to do...?
Click to expand...
Every time a bushing goes out you're stuck with no ridey. :p

-S.S.-
 
Darkreaper

Darkreaper

Monkey
Sep 26, 2004
313
0
Away in the head
Humph. Paid for it last friday, they were supposed to have stripped and shipped it by tuesday to arrive yesterday. They only got round to bloody sending it today, which means it'll probably be next tuesday before I get it :mad: I was hoping to have it built by this weekend!

Incidentally, anybody know what sort of front derailleur I would need? Top swing, conventional, bb mount...?
 
DHS

DHS

Friendly Neighborhood Pool Boy
Apr 23, 2002
5,094
0
Sand, CA
Darkreaper said:
Humph. Paid for it last friday, they were supposed to have stripped and shipped it by tuesday to arrive yesterday. They only got round to bloody sending it today, which means it'll probably be next tuesday before I get it :mad: I was hoping to have it built by this weekend!

Incidentally, anybody know what sort of front derailleur I would need? Top swing, conventional, bb mount...?
Click to expand...
well from the pic its top swing bottom pull. dunno what size clamp though
 
Darkreaper

Darkreaper

Monkey
Sep 26, 2004
313
0
Away in the head
Cheers. Any opinions on the planned kitout? Have I forgotten anything? Constructive criticism greatly appreciated.

Avid juicy 5s, 185mm front 160mm back

Mavic XC717 disc rims (black) married to silver XT756 hubs with black spokes

Conti vertical front & rear

Raceface Evolve XC X-type crankset & BB

LX M580 cassette

SRAM PC89 chain

SRAM X.7 rear mech

Shimano LX front mech

SRAM X.7 shifters

Raceface Evolve XC bar

Raceface Evolve XC stem

Thompson elite seatpost

Fizik saddle

SPDs of some type (Possibly Shimano M454, suggestions welcome)
 
MikeD

MikeD

Leader and Demogogue of the Ridemonkey Satinists
Oct 26, 2001
11,698
1,749
chez moi
By the looks of the picture, you'll need some biiig headset spacers, too... :p

How exactly IS the headset configured? I assume it's integral to the frame, along with the steer tube??

MD
 
Darkreaper

Darkreaper

Monkey
Sep 26, 2004
313
0
Away in the head
Haven't the foggiest, as the buggers have yet to deliver...

By the looks of the picture it's integral, although when I rang the shop they said that they would include the headset, implying it can be taken off. Unless that's just general shop BS, of course.
 
B

blue

boob hater
Jan 24, 2004
10,160
2
california
Nice kit...I'd suggest going with some Crank Brothers eggbeater pedals if you don't mind stepping away from SPD-type pedals. Can you get them across the pond for a reasonable price? If not, Look makes a pair of eggbeater lookalikes...
 
Darkreaper

Darkreaper

Monkey
Sep 26, 2004
313
0
Away in the head
The thing is, I've never used SPDs before so I would quite like the platform as well. Once I get used to them, I can possibly shove the platform SPDs on my hardtail and get eggbeaters, just so's I have one bike I can ride in flat shoes
 
B

blue

boob hater
Jan 24, 2004
10,160
2
california
Darkreaper said:
The thing is, I've never used SPDs before so I would quite like the platform as well. Once I get used to them, I can possibly shove the platform SPDs on my hardtail and get eggbeaters, just so's I have one bike I can ride in flat shoes
Click to expand...
Get CB Mallets if you're worried about platforms...

 
Darkreaper

Darkreaper

Monkey
Sep 26, 2004
313
0
Away in the head
Just noticed them, and I'm thinking they look pretty nice. Somewhat more expensive though, £60 instead of £40...

[edit] Actually, I think I will. Also got a pair of PC99 chains on eBay, that's my whole kitout now I think. WIth a SRAM rear derailleur and XT front, I'll need X.7 and Attack shifters respectively, won't I?
 
B

blue

boob hater
Jan 24, 2004
10,160
2
california
Darkreaper said:
[edit] Actually, I think I will. Also got a pair of PC99 chains on eBay, that's my whole kitout now I think. WIth a SRAM rear derailleur and XT front, I'll need X.7 and Attack shifters respectively, won't I?
Click to expand...
No, you won't. Only Shimano's rear derailleurs are 1:2 ratio, the front derailleurs are compatible with SRAM x. shifters.
 
Darkreaper

Darkreaper

Monkey
Sep 26, 2004
313
0
Away in the head
Yay, my order has been dispatched from CRC - pedals, cassette, derailleur all winging their way to me :D:D

Now all I am waiting on are the chains I got on eBay, and the damn frame itself! Should all arrive tomorrow or wednesday, and the shop will hopefully have the rest of the kit needed. Just in time for a ride through our local forest on wednesday night :thumb:
 
Darkreaper

Darkreaper

Monkey
Sep 26, 2004
313
0
Away in the head
Derailleur, pedals and cassette coming from ChainReactionCycles - posted yesterday class, I'm hoping they'll arrive tomorrow. Everything else I'm getting from the shop, so I'll be heading up there by noon and hoping it gets built by 5.30 so's I can go riding!

I got a wee present in the post today... (images may be slow in loading)




And they even threw in an I-beam seatpost with what looks to be a Bel air saddle! Score!
 
Westy

Westy

the teste
Nov 22, 2002
54,480
20,284
Sleazattle
The Toninator said:
man that thing is so totally foreign but I hope it’s a good ride for you.

kind of reminds me of this thing in a similar fashion
Click to expand...
At one point in time I seriously drooled over one of those. That Whyte is pretty damn hot too. I'd love to be able to ride one.
 
Darkreaper

Darkreaper

Monkey
Sep 26, 2004
313
0
Away in the head
Westy, if you ever wind up in Northern Ireland give me a call! That ibis is pretty damn odd too, I presume it's hinged at that joint halfway along the top tube? Is the seat tube attached to the two downtubes or what?

Blue, the rear linkage is pretty damn similar to Marin bikes, it's the same designer. It's the front linkage that is very odd, that's the second picture down.
 
B

blue

boob hater
Jan 24, 2004
10,160
2
california
The Toninator said:
man that thing is so totally foreign but I hope it’s a good ride for you.

kind of reminds me of this thing in a similar fashion
Click to expand...
Wow...odd...what is that, like a flex-tubing URT design? I think so...That shock wouldn't work when you were off the saddle. Like a really expensive suspost.
 
punkassean

punkassean

Turbo Monkey
Feb 3, 2002
4,561
0
SC, CA
MtnbikeMike said:
I didn't realize it had a quad link....does Marin pay to use it?
Click to expand...
Yes they pay. Whyte himself designed the quad-link years ago but it never took off (presumably because of peoples unwillingness to try the unconventional fork that was mandatory on the bike I believe). Marin had an outdated SP design that desperately needed updating so they added the quad-link but left the front end open to regular forks. I'd personally love to try the complete bike. Magazines really liked it when it came out.
 
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