Grab yourself an end of 2017 season bargain!
Whyte's T-130 series consists of true do-anything bikes. Devised to conquer every aspect of off-roading, they are both light and efficient enough to hold pace with the fastest on race day, but also tough and disciplined enough to tackle the most brutal black runs. Delivering such balanced, composed and fast bikes, the series rewrites what you would normally expect from a 130mm full suspension trail bike. Having hoovered up the awards in 2016, including the T-130 RS being deemed What Mountain Bike's “Trail bike of the year”, the 2017 series doesn't rest on its laurels but instead delivers continuing innovation and improvement. The T-130C RS is one of two bikes in the T-130 series built with a carbon frame, to take everything that was already great about the frame and make it stiffer and lighter.
The T-130C RS's uni-directional carbon fibre frame benefits from being designed specifically for its single chainring (SCR) drivetrain. Symmetrical chainstays, are lighter and stronger, than the weaker and heavier asymmetric chainstays often required on non-SCR frames in order to accommodate the front mech. The frame is lighter and weight distribution is improved, due to their being less weight on the right hand side of the bike, with the front mech and extra chainrings removed. This also opens the door for increased rear pivot span, improving stiffness and therefore handling and power transfer. With no front mech and less cables to maintain the bike is harder to break. Whyte only settle for the best SCR groupset for the T-130C RS. SRAM's Eagle groupsets are the current kings of the SCR market and precisely what is best to get the most out of Whyte's phenomenal frame. The 1x12 speed Eagle X01 fitted to the T-130C RS provides a gear for every situation. A 34 tooth chainring combined with a 10-50 tooth cassette, will have you flying up hills and soaring along flats, as you blow the rest of the competition away.
Not satisfied with just the benefits conferred by being SCR frames, the T-130 series takes full advantage of Whyte's wisdom on frame design. By slackening the head angle and pushing front wheel of the bike out, the frame delivers assured stability at speed and a front end more predisposed to self correcting, when bouncing off tricky obstacles. To make sure no agility is compromised as a result of this enhanced stability, Whyte make sure the back of their frames is compact and that their stems are short and handlebars are long, so you retain a responsive ride. This clever geometry is part of what makes the T-130 series such a good set of all-rounders. Whyte provide further frame innovation to the T-130C RS, with the provision of their weather-proof integrated seat clamp system, to make sure that the, RockShox Reverb Stealth dropper seatpost doesn't get clogged up with mud and water. Whyte's unique MTB innovations deliver a poised and pacey frame, capable of agile handling and robust enough to take you anywhere.
To compliment the awesome T-130C frame, Whyte build the T-130C RS with RockShox top suspension, their Pike RC 130mm fork takes care of the front and the Monarch Debonair RT3 provides a quality rear shock. Not wanting to deprive a beautifully stiff frame of its feel and handling, the choice of RockShox suspension was a great one. This suspension will allow you to eat the trail up, its reassuring sure-footedness freeing you up to really let loose. SRAM's Guide RS disc brakes add to the sense of reassurance, as you know you're in good hand when you want to stop.
Still not done there, it's clear Whyte have taken every aspect of this bike seriously. Providing the point of contact between you and the ground are tubeless ready RaceFace Arc 30 rims, with tubeless ready Maxxis front and rear specific tyres, with special EXO construction for added side-wall protection. The option to go tubeless is very rewarding when riding off-road. It reduces the chance of punctures, removes the weight of an inner tube and decreases rolling resistance for a faster and smoother ride. At 30mm wide, RaceFace's rims give great traction, through having a larger point of contact with the ground, something vital on tricky trails for both acceleration and control. The T-130C RS is a true trail demolisher, that perfectly blends, speed, composure and pin-point handling to make whoever is lucky enough to be riding it very happy.