Tested last year on the UK Gravity Enduro and Enduro World Series races, Whyte’s new 650B G-160 adds 10mm of travel over last year’s bike and 20mm more toptube. The relatively affordable 6061 aluminum bike packs a lot of bang for your buck in the long travel trail bike sector, and will soon be ready for all of us to hit the trail as well this season. The good news for US readers too, is that as of last fall Whyte is now available in the US consumer direct from a California base thanks to a former VP from Marin bikes.
Whyte’s sponsored enduro team riders have been pedaling the bike up the fire roads and thrashing it down the trails throughout a wet winter, so hop past the break for a video of it in action and a more detailed look at the two specs available soon…
Along with its boost in rear travel, Whyte gives the new G-160 a bit of the recent all-mountain geometry update with a longer toptube and shorter stem. But they have actually been doing that for years and have always been fans of a long front-center for confident descending, including the fairly relaxed 66° headtube angle that the G-160 uses across the 3-size run.
Like their mid travel cross country and trail bikes, the enduro bike is a single chainring only setup. To get the short 425mm chainstays that Whyte holds so dear with bigger wheels and tires, freeing up the bottom brackets area has meant larger, wider main pivots that are stiffer and more durable, especially in their rainy UK climate(with lifetime warranty bearings to boot.) Out back they use a wide range 10-42 cassette paired to a 32T direct mount SRAM chainring to maintain wide, climbable gearing. Using the new Boost standard also helps increase stiffness at both ends.
With the advent of the dropper post, Whyte also has taken all of their full-suspension trail riding bikes to a low-profile Intergrip internal seatpost clamp. Now that saddle height gets moved on the at the push of a button, the QR clamp, and even the seatpost collar, are going the way of the dodo.
The £4000/$4700 G-160 Works is the exact bike their Gravity Enduro Team races. It pretty much gets the best spec possible form head to toe. From a mixed SRAM XX1 & X0 drivetrain, Guide RCS brakes, Reverb stealth dropper, and Rail 40 wheels with Maxxis High Roller/Minion tires to RockShox’s Pike RCT3 and Monarch Plus Debonair RC3. It’s ready to go out of the box, weighing in at 13.2kg/29.1lbs, whether you’ll pedal it with friends or race it against the clock.
The RS version of the G-160 saves a lot on price at just £2800/$3700 (and only gains 300g/0.67lbs), and uses the same asymmetric, hydroformed frame. It also gets the 160mm Pike and Monarch Plus Debonair, although in the less adjustable RC and RT3 variants. The RS gets WTB Asym i29mm rims shod in front and rear specific WTB rubber for the best of traction and control. gearing is the same as the more expensive bike, just with a SRAM X1 group and the Guide R stoppers.
Whyte.bike for the UK
WhyteUSA.bike for the US
