Mountain Biking UK

PRIVATEER 141

£3,949 Trail bike that’s ready to be rallied like an enduro rig

The 141 is Privateer’s do-it-all trail rig, designed for long days in the hills and, according to the brand, even tackling the odd enduro race if you fancy it. This is the second generation of the bike, which includes some significan­t changes to the suspension kinematics. The geometry stays largely unchanged, although the British brand have now incorporat­ed more adjustment, in a bid to accommodat­e a wider range of riding styles and individual preference­s.

THE FRAME

Made from 6061-T6 alloy, the 141 frame uses a four-bar Horst-link suspension platform to deliver – you guessed it – 141mm of rear-wheel travel. The second-generation bike has a different leverage curve to its predecesso­r, dubbed ALP (Aligned Linear Progressio­n). A higher starting rate help should help the bike sink into its travel more easily, then the linearly progressiv­e curve should provide ample support around the sag point, followed by a smooth ramp-up towards the end of the travel. That’s the theory, anyway. Privateer have also increased the anti-rise figure (which now stays almost constant throughout the travel) to improve chassis stability under braking and prevent the rider from being pitched forward. Anti-squat has been lowered a bit, to keep the suspension more active when pedalling.

There are four frame sizes to choose from (P1-P4). Full builds come with 29in wheels front and rear, but a flip-chip in the seatstay pivot allows you to fit a 650b back wheel should you prefer. Reach figures range from 445mm to 510mm, while chainstay lengths are size-specific and span from 450mm to 460mm (437mm to 447mm with the smaller rear wheel). A flip-chip at the rear axle lets you lengthen these by 10mm if you’re looking for more stability. We measured the head angle to be 64.5 degrees, while the effective seat tube angle (with the saddle set to our preferred height) is steep, at 79 degrees.

The 141 has a mount for a bottle and another for carrying spares, along with loads of frame protection (not all pictured on this preproduct­ion sample), a removable ISCG mount, Enduro MAX bearings and external cable routing.

THE KIT

Damping duties are taken care of by a Fox 36 Performanc­e Elite fork with 150mm of travel and a matching Float X shock. Privateer’s sister brand Hunt provide their Enduro Wide V2 wheels. These are wrapped in Maxxis rubber – a sticky 3C MaxxGrip-compound Assegai up front and a tough Double Downcasing Minion DHR II out back. SRAM’s mechanical GX Eagle drivetrain takes care of shifting, while the brakes – Hayes’ four-pot Dominion A4s – aren’t all that common, but probably should be, because they’re really good. The bike tips the scales at 16.89kg – closer to the weight of a full-blown enduro rig than most trail bikes

THE RIDE

Get pedalling and you can watch the linkage beavering away, subtly tickling the shock and allowing the rear tyre to trace bumps, lumps and steps as you climb. Things remain relatively calm as you start to pile on the power, helped by the steep seat tube angle, which thrusts your hips forward for a strong position to turn the cranks from while seated. The Privateer’s weight and its slow-rolling front tyre mean it doesn’t shoot up the climbs like some racier trail bikes. Instead, you need to make the most of the comfort on offer and be a little more patient as you grind your way uphill.

Tip the 141 into a descent and its low-slung, well-positioned weight gives plenty of confidence. Bank the

bike over into a turn and it feels like you can just keep on leaning, making full use of the tyres’ shoulder tread and dancing around the limit of traction. That solid, planted feel translates well to higher-paced sections of trail, too, where the 141 remains stable and capable. Things are well-balanced in choppier terrain, too, although our bike did suffer from some rattling – which could potentiall­y be down to the preproduct­ion frame protection.

On steeper, more technical descents, the traction on offer, along with the bike’s weight, confidence­inspiring geometry and high-speed stability, meant we found ourselves pushing the 141 right to its limits – and sometimes beyond. It almost begs to be ridden like an enduro bike, and, while it won’t match most longer-travel rigs for outright composure or smoothness, is certainly capable of tackling technical sections without wincing. You can still load it and bounce from line to line, but this requires a little more muscle than on some other trail bikes, and it doesn’t offer quite the same level of playful pop or liveliness.

Overall, the 141 is a solid, very capable trail bike, but its weight and burly build mean you’re more likely to ride it like an enduro bike on the descents, and on the climbs, too. It may not have the sprightly feel of some of the competitio­n, but it’ll put a smile on your face as you rip through the turns. Rob