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Commencal Bicycles Essence XC Hardtail

5/5 (1 Reviews)

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Product Description

  • Frame: Nuts 4
  • Fork: Fox F100 RL
  • Size: XS/S/M/L/XL
  • Weight: 10.8 Kg


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    Reviews 1 - 1 (1 Reviews Total)

    User Reviews

    Overall Rating:5
    Value Rating:5
    Submitted by G Hall a Cross Country Rider from UK

    Date Reviewed: July 19, 2007

    Strengths:    Geometry, component mix, forks, weight, basically everything!

    Weaknesses:    I’d be nit-picking – maybe tyres and the Commencal flat bar, but that's just personal preference.

    Bottom Line:   
    I bought a used 2005 Essence off of eBay for £650 – totally mint and by admission of owner ‘bought on a whim and hardly used’. The receipt that came with the bike had an original sale price of £1260! Strangely, Commencal fitted a flat bar to this bike as standard, which has been changed to a riser bar. At the same time, a layback post was fitted to compensate for the more upright position offered by the riser bar. Other changes include the tyres; the original Hutchinson Pythons had to go in favour of the Schwables; lighter and better cornering grip if you ask me, although a little prone to flats.

    Anyway… I love this bike. It looks pretty trick, with matt black paint and carbon rear mech. The forks are amazing – full adjustable for preload and rebound, they can be trimmed to suit anything you throw at it. Even though the bike is designed for XC use, the rimes, forks and frame can take not-so-mild drops, and the SRAM X-0 doesn’t slap your stays when you do find your self landing. Because of it’s light weight (around 10kg all up), it climbs like a demon, with the front staying planted and the rear just hunkering down and gripping on and on. The breaks are really good, but you must remember that they are XC items and are not suited for prolonged downhill use. Mine have never faded, but it is always in the back of my mind if I take them outside of their comfort zone.

    The bottom line then; if you want a top notch XC bike, then this has to be on the shopping list. It climbs like a mo-fo, is short so corners like a loon, and has only the very best components. There is very little room for upgrades on this bike, as there is very little better out there, and for the price – even new – you won’t get anything that comes close.

    Expand full review >>

    Favorite Trail:   Forest of Dean

    Duration Product Used:   1 Year

    Price Paid:    $650.00

    Purchased At:   eBay

    Similar Products Used:   Scott Scale 20

    Bike Setup:   NUTS 3 frame, Fox RL100, SRAM X-0 Carbon, Thompson Layback post, Raceface Evolve XC riser bar, XT Front mech, LX hollowtech, Formula B4 pro’s, Schwable Racing Ralphs, DMR V8’s and Shimano SPD’s.
    Reviews 1 - 1 (1 Reviews Total)

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