IF WE TURN, TURN, TURN

If you sometimes struggle around turns then our orange sheep (that is really a wolf) is for you. With its extremely low bottom bracket height and super slack head angle this bike goes around turns faster than an F1 Ferrari. It may not look like a Ferrari, but it goes around turns like one.

WE’RE HAVING BIG FUN

We did. Everyone who rode the BTR loved it. It turned their boring, mundane DH trails (that they’ve ridden to death over the last century on big bouncers), into something new and fun again. OK so it isn’t as comfortable, but if you are after comfort then buy a Silver Shadow not a sports car.

MO MONEY, MO PROBLEMS

Here’s the thing. The BTR frame isn’t cheap (it is £600). But in comparison to most DH suspension frames on the market today it’s similar to getting your shopping at ALDI instead of Harrods. Let’s put it this way, just because you buy ridiculously expensive dance shoes it doesn’t mean you’ll have more fun on the dance floor. You can either do the ‘moon walk’ or you can’t. Do you know what I mean?

THE ENTERTAINER

The BTR is a ‘fantastically’ entertaining bike to ride. It makes you think about line choice (because it’s a hardtail) but at the same time has all the qualities a suspension DH bike possesses (64 head angle and super low BB). To my knowledge, it is the only DH specific hardtail in the world.

I’VE GOT A BRAND NEW COMBINE HARVESTER

OK. So the BTR isn’t pretty. It looks very agricultural–like and weighs nearly as much as a combine harvester (nearly forty pounds with pedals). But once you get this thing going you go from farmer to fox. Just think…starving fox in a house full of chickens. It is pure carnage (but in a good way). Cluck, cluck, cluck.

SING US A SONG, YOU’RE THE PIANO MAN

Now then piano man, stop tinkling the ivories, listen here and listen good. If you like riding DH courses and are bored with your dance moves on a ‘full’ suspension bike then the BTR may be just the kind of piano you need to start playing. But, at the same time, if you already ride and race DH on a hardtail (cos you’re hard enough) and your keyboard skills are honed, then cash your ‘pretend’ DH hardtail bike in and buy a BTR. It will more than likely turn you into Beethoven (but on a bike). ‘Ode to Joy’.

‘Butch’