Knolly Endorphin 27.5

Discussion in 'Bike Reviews' started by herzalot, May 2, 2016.


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  1. herzalot

    herzalot iMTB Hooligan

    Location:
    Laguna Beach
    Name:
    Chris
    Current Bike:
    2020 Revel Rail,Yeti SB 130 LR
    Yes, I was a Knolly ambassador. I had to put that title aside for a while as I get to know my Intense Tracer. However this review of the Endorphin sums up Knollys really well. Incredible bikes that do so many things well by an incredible company that holds steadfastly to some key MtB values - durability, performance and fun designed by and for riders.

    http://www.pinkbike.com/news/knolly-endorphin-review-2016.html

    They are not fast fire-road climbers, so they are not very popular here in SoCal. They climb (and descend) chunk incredibly well, thus their popularity in Canada and SoMo Phoenix.
     
    littlewave and riiz like this.
  2. riiz

    riiz Member

    Location:
    Redlands, CA
    Name:
    Eric
    Current Bike:
    Santa Cruz Heckler/Killmaleon
    My only gripe with Knolly, is their build pricing. The frames are actually priced well at $2200-ish with a great shock, but a damn complete does not make any sense.
     
  3. herzalot

    herzalot iMTB Hooligan

    Location:
    Laguna Beach
    Name:
    Chris
    Current Bike:
    2020 Revel Rail,Yeti SB 130 LR
    Be an ambassador - get a deep discount.
     
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  4. riiz

    riiz Member

    Location:
    Redlands, CA
    Name:
    Eric
    Current Bike:
    Santa Cruz Heckler/Killmaleon
    So basically, sell-out and get cheap Sh!t... lol
     
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  5. littlewave

    littlewave Well-Known Member

    Location:
    Newport Beach
    Name:
    Brett
    Current Bike:
    GG Smash (Alu)
    I want to be an ambassador! I really love the Warden, can only imagine how fun the Endorphin is. Flipped the shock into the steep setting for last night's ride (along with lowering my seat and raising my stem), no back pain where normally I would be suffering big time.

    Although, after demoing some Ibis' recently, I'm thinking about getting back onto a DW Link bike as they kill the fireroad climbs.
     
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  6. Maui808

    Maui808 Newbie

    Location:
    Kihei
    Name:
    Artie Lange
    Current Bike:
    2015 Intense Tracer 275a
    herzalot, How would you say the Knolly Endo compares to the Intense Tracer. I'm new to mountain biking and own a 2015 Tracer 275A. I have never ridden another bike so I have nothing to compare it with. Any input would help....Thanks.
     
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  7. herzalot

    herzalot iMTB Hooligan

    Location:
    Laguna Beach
    Name:
    Chris
    Current Bike:
    2020 Revel Rail,Yeti SB 130 LR
    I never rode the Endorphin 27.5, but my Tracer 27.5 is a better all-around bike for me than my Endorphin 26er. The Knolly climbed and descended chunk very well, but on non-chunky climbing like fire-roads and mostly smooth trails, the Knolly felt sluggish. Like it was fighting its own kinematics. The extreme seat tube angle of the Knolly means the effective seat tube angle varies widely based on saddle height. For me, my high saddle on the XL had my effective STA around 72°. The 74° on the Tracer 275c feels a LOT better on my back and helps me climb better. The Knolly was a very., very good descender. Better than the Tracer, even though the Endo was 140mm and my Tracer is set at 160 and has a GREAT shock. Both had the same Marzocchi 350 fork (set at 150 on the Endo and set at 160 on the Tracer).
     
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  8. Maui808

    Maui808 Newbie

    Location:
    Kihei
    Name:
    Artie Lange
    Current Bike:
    2015 Intense Tracer 275a
    Thanks for your reply. When hitting flow trail/bike park jumps and berms you prefer the Endo over the Tracer? I have read that the Endo is a poppy/snappy playful bike.
     
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  9. herzalot

    herzalot iMTB Hooligan

    Location:
    Laguna Beach
    Name:
    Chris
    Current Bike:
    2020 Revel Rail,Yeti SB 130 LR
    I'm not much of a jumper. The Endo handles braking bumps better, and that's a constant part of bike park flow trails.

    Here's a 26er Endo with a marginally acceptable X-Fusion Slant handling some substantial terrain...

    https://www.pinkbike.com/video/385426/
     


As a former Amazon Associate I continue to get screwed trying to stay qualified as an Amazon Affiliate. So I quit!


Want to donate to imtbtrails?