Forbidden Druid CorE vs Crestline

[PhoS]

Yes and no, he's right. He just doesn't explain it very well, the more aggressive you are getting your weight out over the front of the Druid the better it corners. If you're the type of rider that hangs off the back of the bike when carving corners you probably won't like how a Druid feels as you'll get a lot of front end push and have some good washouts.

Have you ever ridden a Forbidden? The guy in the video also seems to have zero clue.

Odd.
I found it to ride just like any of the forbidden bikes, you need to push in aggressively with your feet and hips, as opposed to weighting your hands. And are rewarded with amazing grip, particularly on flatter, loose corners.

Exactly, you don't have to do much of anything but stand there and lean the bike.

 

[jbrown15]

Have you ever ridden a Forbidden? The guy in the video also seems to have zero clue.



Exactly, you don't have to do much of anything but stand there and lean the bike.

Yeah, I have one right now.

 

[Suns_PSD]

Yeah I've never ridden a Forbidden but short chainstays require you to put your weight over the front. Not long chain stays.

 

[PhoS]

Yeah, I have one right now.

To each his own then. I can't think of a bike that was has been as balanced and easy to corner on, no weight shifting required. I generally reserve loading the front for short chainstay bikes.

 

[E-NUB]

Obviously the Crestline WINS in this case, the OP ordered one in January!!

But please, continue so all can benefit from some of these contrasting opinions based on real world feedback as I too was contemplating the same, and am getting a lot from this banter.

Also that hot new Commencal Meta may as well get tossed into the mix with this company, it sure caught my attention!

Ultimately the best bike is the one you like riding the most, and certainly would suggest to demo anything you can to find what works for yourself for where and how you like to ride.

And congratz op, a fine choice indeed!

 

[Plummet]

Obviously the Crestline WINS in this case, the OP ordered one in January!!

But please, continue so all can benefit from some of these contrasting opinions based on real world feedback as I too was contemplating the same, and am getting a lot from this banter.

Also that hot new Commencal Meta may as well get tossed into the mix with this company, it sure caught my attention!

Ultimately the best bike is the one you like riding the most, and certainly would suggest to demo anything you can to find what works for yourself for where and how you like to ride.

And congratz op, a fine choice indeed!

Yeah, there are so many good bikes out there at the top end. Hell, all of them are. Its just what suits our individual needs best. Even then any of the bikes discussed would be an awesome choice.

One thing i have seen diving back into racing as that there is no one suspension platform standard well apart from another. The podium is typically represented with a cross section of bikes types. The reality is there is very little performance differences when we compare apples with apples. The rider makes the biggest and most significant difference.

 

[Heckler Sb130]

I don't think anyone here is saying travel is better in isolation. None of us want to ride a 180mm bike from 20 years ago with fucked geo.

But here we compare two high end modern geo excellent bikes of different travel and different suspension platform.
The moot from the high pivot fans is that the rearward axle path counteracts the less travel. This is the standard sales pitch of high pivot bikes and quite frankly that sales pitch is misleading. Sure you get some square edge dulling with high pivot rear axle path but that absolutely does not counteract having considerably less travel.

Now there is certainly times when high pivot works real well I would say small to intermediate chuck it does a real good job. Hp pivot also does a good job and getting more stable as the chain stay lengthens giving the impression of more travel through extra stability of a longer wheelbase.
But get above small to intermediate chunk into big sends, hard hits and big chunk that's where the shear mm of travel rule (assuming an equally modern geo and suspension design). Dropping out of the sky off a 12 ft step down to bottom out? give me more mm any day of the week. This is were Astro's statement is 100% correct. Hit the below drop on a 180,, Crestline then hit the same drop on the 150mm druid, The druid rider will be absorbing more impact from that hit because less of it is dissipated through the suspension. In the landing out of the sky example, there is no advantage from hp.

Now Cresty interestingly runs some reasonably high anti squat and kinetmatics make it feel playful like a lower travel bike on the smaller stuff but when you open it up into the big chunk.... there it is, there's the capability. Its not a fully blown squish machine all the time. I can see a scenario of a rider operating below that big chunk window that they can get as much out of the druid as they could out of the crestline. I can also see a scenario where the that intermediate chunk level is the riders bread and butter and they are happy to weather harder hits on occasional big chunk they might ride and find the druid absolutely a better bike for them.

But if you love to play in the big chunk and that's your bread and butter, the 150mm Druid wont be the bike in that instance. It will be constantly under gunned and the bigger travel bike would be the better.

I'm in the big travel camp. I'm grinning the most hitting the biggest chunk and silliest of lines. If i purchased a druid i'd be dissappointed at the lack of travel in the rear end and it wouldn't be the bike for me.



View attachment 179825

Now add in a We Are One Fuse wheelset with the hub of your choice and we are talking!

 

[Heckler Sb130]

I don't think anyone here is saying travel is better in isolation. None of us want to ride a 180mm bike from 20 years ago with fucked geo.

But here we compare two high end modern geo excellent bikes of different travel and different suspension platform.
The moot from the high pivot fans is that the rearward axle path counteracts the less travel. This is the standard sales pitch of high pivot bikes and quite frankly that sales pitch is misleading. Sure you get some square edge dulling with high pivot rear axle path but that absolutely does not counteract having considerably less travel.

Now there is certainly times when high pivot works real well I would say small to intermediate chuck it does a real good job. Hp pivot also does a good job and getting more stable as the chain stay lengthens giving the impression of more travel through extra stability of a longer wheelbase.
But get above small to intermediate chunk into big sends, hard hits and big chunk that's where the shear mm of travel rule (assuming an equally modern geo and suspension design). Dropping out of the sky off a 12 ft step down to bottom out? give me more mm any day of the week. This is were Astro's statement is 100% correct. Hit the below drop on a 180,, Crestline then hit the same drop on the 150mm druid, The druid rider will be absorbing more impact from that hit because less of it is dissipated through the suspension. In the landing out of the sky example, there is no advantage from hp.

Now Cresty interestingly runs some reasonably high anti squat and kinetmatics make it feel playful like a lower travel bike on the smaller stuff but when you open it up into the big chunk.... there it is, there's the capability. Its not a fully blown squish machine all the time. I can see a scenario of a rider operating below that big chunk window that they can get as much out of the druid as they could out of the crestline. I can also see a scenario where the that intermediate chunk level is the riders bread and butter and they are happy to weather harder hits on occasional big chunk they might ride and find the druid absolutely a better bike for them.

But if you love to play in the big chunk and that's your bread and butter, the 150mm Druid wont be the bike in that instance. It will be constantly under gunned and the bigger travel bike would be the better.

I'm in the big travel camp. I'm grinning the most hitting the biggest chunk and silliest of lines. If i purchased a druid i'd be dissappointed at the lack of travel in the rear end and it wouldn't be the bike for me.



View attachment 179825

Now add in a We Are One Fuse wheelset with the hub of your choice and we are talking!

 

[Plummet]

Now add in a We Are One Fuse wheelset with the hub of your choice and we are talking!

I'm running Enve foundations and are super impressed with them. I have abused them for years smashed them hard into rocks and roots without inserts . One time so hard i though for sure it would be a destroyed rim.... nope not even a scratch..

Worst i've needed to do is get a spoke replaced here and there and replace the rear hub bearings.

Super impressed.

 

[PhoS]

I'm running Enve foundations and are super impressed with them. I have abused them for years smashed them hard into rocks and roots without inserts . One time so hard i though for sure it would be a destroyed rim.... nope not even a scratch..

Worst i've needed to do is get a spoke replaced here and there and replace the rear hub bearings.

Super impressed.

Shit happens when you nuke into rock gardens sometimes. They're good wheels but I find them to be on the stiffer side compared to my other carbon wheelsets, they're always pinging at the same tire pressures. I still rode this the rest of the day btw.