- Ideal customer, no fear.
(laughing)
(upbeat music)
- Hey everybody, I'm Mike Levy here.
A very rainy Pemberton, BC.
And Ghost is one of four German brands
that we have here, at this year's Fall Field Test.
Now this is that Riot Trail Full Party.
It 140 millimeter travel trail bike
and they say it's the one you want
if you're looking to save energy on the uphill
and riot downhill.
The first thing we're gonna look at is the cable routing.
Now, Ghost is doing something a little bit different here
and these cables are externally-ish routed.
They're hidden
underneath a bottom plastic down tube protector
that covers nearly the entire length of the down tube.
The cables then cross each other
underneath the bottom bracket shell
and are zip tied to the chain stays.
Now speaking of zip ties,
the bike comes with a sturdy chain stay protector
but it's also zip tied to the chain stay.
Lastly, at the back of the bike
there's a post-mount break set up
that lets you run any router size you want
without having to bolt an adaptor onto another adaptor.
And I hope you like purple
because this is only color you're gonna get.
Onto the geometry,
and Ghost is using something that they call SuperFit.
Now the whole idea here, according to them,
is that the bike will be ready to fit you
without any changes.
You look at the geometry chart,
it tells you what size you need
and you're gonna be good to go.
We're gonna talk to Kazimer and Alicia later on
to find out how true that actually is.
It's time to talk about suspension design,
and Ghost is using something called TractionLink.
Now what that is, is a dual short link design
and those links are co-rotating
and that means that they both rotate in the same direction.
Ghost says that the system is designed
to prevent squatting under power.
Now that means that it should peddle pretty well
while also being active under breaking.
One interesting thing to point out is that Ghost says
that the axial path is actually vertical
instead of being a slight arc,
like we see on most other suspension designs.
The idea there is that it follows the same path
as the front axial when both ends are compressing,
thereby preserving the bike geometry and handling.
Speaking of forks and shocks,
this is one of the few bikes at the Field Test
that isn't sprung by forks or rock shocks.
Ghost is using formula suspension
with a mud coil sprung rear shock
and a silver air sprung fork.
Now both of those are delivering 140 millimeter travel.
And interestingly, you can also change out
the damping circuit if you're looking
for a drastically different kind of performance from either.
What does that mean on the trail?
Let's find out.
(upbeat music)
All right, so we have a lot to talk about with the Ghost
and as usual, we're gonna start with climbing.
The Ghost is the heaviest bike here.
Kazimer what does that mean on the trail?
- [Kazimer] It was the least efficient bike here.
- [Mike Levy] Yeah.
- And when you're out pedaling,
it does feel not very efficient, fairly active,
especially if you're standing up outta the saddle,
it's got that coil shock.
So, you can overlook a little bit of bog,
but there's more bog than I expected.
And so kind of every pedal stroke as you're standing up,
it's just oscillating through its travel.
When you are seated, it's a little bit better.
It's a calmer, it does have a very steep seating angle
and steep seating angles can help keep your position
over the suspension that doesn't bog a lot,
but overall, active climber.
Yeah, it doesn't feel very efficient.
- Alicia, it sounds like between the weight
and the act of climbing this bike isn't exactly ideal
for someone who faces a lot of vertical
to get to their trails.
- Agreed, yeah, it does bog up and down quite a bit.
A super sluggish feeling.
I think a combination of just the amount
of energy you're losing in the suspension
combined with dragging the dead weight up the hill,
it's a lot to pedal.
- So Kaz, it sounds like this thing
is maybe not the best climber of the bunch,
but it's relatively short and it sounds like the act
of suspension might help with traction.
So, thinking of about some upsides to the Ghost,
when it's technical and wet, as it's been here,
is it a good technical clamor?
- It has decent grip,
yeah, the coil shock does provide more traction.
So the rear wheel is stuck to the ground
helps you climb over things,
but some of the geometry makes it
a little bit awkward climbing
regardless of what the suspension's doing.
So, it has fairly long backend 450 millimeter chain stays,
which is fine,
longer chainstays can actually make bikes
be better climbers,
but then front end, the reach is 467 millimeters.
So it's a little bit kind a cramped cockpit
with a longer backend.
All these kind of ingredients mixed together
into something that's a little bit odd to climb.
It's fine, I just don't think it's amazing.
And it's definitely not gonna be the climbers' bike choice.
- Yeah, that's what it sounds like.
And as we already touched on, Kazimer mentioned it earlier,
the efficiency test results also back that up.
It was the slowest bike out of all of them by a fair margin.
So there you go.
(upbeat music)
- The party's on, we're going back down the hill.
Now, the Ghost uses a dual link suspension design,
and Ghost has all sorts of fancy words
to describe it, whatever.
Tell me how this thing works on the trail though.
- I'd say overall as a fairly neutral feel,
it's not overly supportive.
It must be active on the climbs
that translates to the descends as well.
It sits a little bit deep in its travel,
even with the proper spring rate,
you'll set up for my body weight
just definitely felt like it set deeper in the back.
And at times it felt like the fork had more support
than the shock,
so kind of a little bit of not quite
as balanced feel for me.
One thing that you can't do though,
formula offers different compression cartridges
for the fork and the shock.
So kind of need feature
with a little bit more tinkering could probably even
that out a little bit more.
But overall it's supple, no harsh bottom outs,
but it likes to use its travel more than some
of the other bikes.
- Alicia, I wanted to ask you about coil versus air.
This bike obviously has that coil sprung formula mud shock.
Do you think that helped the bike or hurt the bike?
Because we've also got a bunch here with air spread shocks.
- Mm-hmm. Yeah, is one of just two bikes
with the coil spring on the back
and I think for what the bike is trying
to be 140 millimeter bike, it would do a lot better
with an air shock.
I think that the coil added unnecessary weight
and didn't really add enough of a benefit
to make it worthwhile or any benefit at all honestly.
- Yeah.
- And what Kazimer saying about it,
sitting back in the travel is I think entirely accurate
and it just made the bike feel a little bit bogged down.
- Yeah, I think overall the thing with this bike,
it just seems a little bit confused.
And if you look on paper,
if you just saw image of this bike,
it's got the coil shocks, it's got the purple,
it's got the full party,
- [Mike Levy] It's got the purple.
- [Alicia] It's got the purple.
- [Mike Levy] That's what we look for.
- Exactly, but then you kinda like dig in
a little bit deeper and you start looking
at the geometry chart or actually ride the bike
and those numbers don't Work out as well.
- Kazimer, I wanna stop you right there.
Let's talk about handling now.
Geometry chart, Ghost is using something
that they call SuperFit and they have a lot of sentences,
a lot of words about how this is the size
that Kazimer and Alicia should be on.
But when you started going down the hill,
how did that front end feel?
- The front end just felt really odd because it was steep
and kind of pulled you forward over the bike,
which combined with the long rear end
was a little bit sketchy to ride.
Now, Kazimer and I actually did
the interactive bike fit thing online this morning again,
and the SuperFit system put us both on a medium.
I am close to the top of medium,
Kazimer is right at the top of the medium,
but it didn't entirely work for either Of us.
- Yeah, the size is large.
I think the head tube length grows by 30 millimeters.
- 30 millimeters?
- It's 140 millimeter head tube on the large, yeah.
(laughing)
So it's very confusing.
Also the seat tube length grows
and this bike has around a 440 millimeter seat tube,
which these days is pretty typical for a large,
but we're talking about a medium.
So either way, 400-
- [Mike Levy] It's long for a medium.
- Yeah, long for medium.
But then if you look at the large,
it's a 465 millimeter seat tube.
So like we're on the right-ish size, but not really.
So there's a lot going on.
- Germans are tall.
- Yeah, it's very confusing.
I just wanted this bike to do better.
Like in my mind, I like the idea
of like 140 millimeter aggressive trail bike
with coil just like a fun thing, but this one,
just all the ingredients didn't add up
- Now to back all this up.
Of course we do time to testing as, as always, Kazimer.
- [Kazimer] I had my slowest time on the Ghost.
- [Alicia] I also had my slowest time on the Ghost.
- [Mike Levy] There you go.
- It's just a hard bike to get comfortable with.
I think we'll talk a little about the components too,
but it has a flat bar so we get kind of a lower front end
because the 140 millimeter fork, the flat bar,
the steep seating angle, and then the long back end
and the short reach that puts you in a position,
that's kinda like the triangle,
it's like a Illuminati triangle.
(laughing)
that's this bike.
- It sounds like you guys are more like a octagon
or something going down the hill.
- Yeah, it's kind of like you're trying to touch your toes.
So you're kind like that.
So it's a little bit tricky to ride.
(upbeat music)
- Before we get to the ideal Ghost owner,
we're gonna talk component highs and lows.
'cause there are definitely some interesting things
on this bike, Alicia.
- I thought those formula breaks were awesome
except that they were a little loud in the wet,
but otherwise I think they performed really well
and it is nice to see something not from SRAM or Shimano
that's working pretty great.
- Yeah, I would say I would agree with that too.
Like it's just cool to see a bike
that has like different stuff, formula suspension,
and it has some really interesting too many options as well.
Kazimer, does it come with with those compression circus
to change or do you have to get those yourself?
- It did come with a box of compressions circuits
for the fork and I have to double check,
but I think it at least comes with a couple of them.
And those options are available aftermarket.
I think they have an even wider range of different tunes.
So, I do like the fact that you can tune the suspension
and that way it's something
that most other suspension manufacturers don't offer.
- Yeah, exactly.
Now the one thing that stands out component wise
on this bike, is gotta be that seat post.
- Yeah, is that integrated seat post,
was it around five years since we first saw it
and it's still kind of only seen mainly in German brands,
but it is integrated into the seat tube,
it attaches further down.
But then the strange thing about this,
so the idea with the integrated seat post,
is you should be able to slam the seat all the way down
and it's kind of adjustable to your height,
but this one only has 165 millimeters of drop,
which works for this bike.
But I kind of want it slammed all the way down
since that seemed to be the original selling point
of that design.
- Yeah, if it's integrated, I thought the idea was there
to get the most drop you can get out of it.
- Yeah, I think there's just different options
over this when they pick the 165 version.
- Now another thing I noticed is that drop
or post mode on that bike,
it looks like it's from 2003, Alicia.
- It really does,
I think most these levers are pretty good.
Like they work ergonomically.
They move in the direction that your thumb typically moves.
You can adjust them, you can set them up with your break.
You can set them up wherever.
This one was just a little behind the curve
and it didn't work for me.
(upbeat music)
- So Ghost offers two models of this bike.
We have the Trail Full Party,
which sounds like a lot of fun.
And there's also the Essential Model,
which sounds like less fun.
Alicia, which one would you reach for?
- I would go for the Essential Model
just because it comes with an air shock
and it comes with slightly lower grade parts,
but still really great value.
And I think that this bike's strongest point
offering pretty good value for what you get
(upbeat music)
- Okay, on the pros and cons.
Now, we had a lot of negative things to say about the Ghost,
but let's start with the positives first
- For the parts kit and the prices,
it's actually decent value considering what comes on it.
Unfortunately, it's not available to US customers,
but in Europe I do think that the price,
is fairly reasonable for what you're getting.
So it's a good built kit.
(upbeat music)
- Alicia, do you wanna touch on a couple
of the negatives again?
- Yeah, I think the biggest negative
is it just doesn't fully know what it is.
Like it's a 140 bike, you could build it up
as a mini DH bike, if it had a slack head angle,
which it doesn't.
And then, it has burly parts, it has a coil shock,
but again, it's not quite built to be confidence inspiring,
which is just a tiny bit disappointing.
(upbeat music)
- So who would be the ideal Ghost owner?
I'm picturing somebody, I'm sort of joking here,
but I am picturing somebody in Europe,
who's riding steep, awkward trails with tight switchbacks
and that's kind of the stereotype,
but isn't that where this bike would work well.
- Yeah, I think so.
I think kind of low speed, you want a short bike,
someone who maybe isn't super into the finesse
and doesn't read the fine print,
but does want a bike that'll last forever
and comes with really good parts.
- Yep, I'm on board with that.
I think that a slower speed stuff is where it works well,
rough terrain kind of just picking your way through,
it's a very small niche,
but I think there are people out there
that could appreciate this bike.
- All right. That's it for the Ghost Riot Trail Full Party,
let us know what you think of the bike in the comments below
and remember to subscribe
so you don't miss any videos from the Fall Field Test
and we'll see you in the next one.
(upbeat music)