[Closed] Stooge review by singletrack.

No.

Have you checked your garage, I've heard due to budget cuts journos are nicking bikes to test

I found the review interesting as it's on the radar as I'm looking at a 27.5+ 29er trail/bikepacking type thing and it's very rare these days to see anything at all negative in a modern bike review. Also comfort is very subjective. But at the end of the day the look of the thing sells it to me more than any review could sway me lol

GregMay - Member

No.

Care to add anything more, or is 'no' going to be the only word you post in response to the many critical comments re your Stooge 'review'

It's one honest review among many positive reviews. It's by someone who clearly does big rides and has used lots of different bikes to do so. Summarised as a nicely designed bike which is lovely looking and fun on shorter rides over 'easier' trails, but becomes uncomfortable over long distances and gets out of it's depth on rockier, more mountain(y) terrain.
Sounds spot on for a nice looking 'standard' steel rigid bike.
We can't harp on about reviews not being fair, just because you don't agree (but have you ridden one a long way over similar terrain?). You could argue it was the wrong ride to review the bike over, but who/what do Stooge pitch it at?

I'd be interested in a similar ride review by greg on a 2016 genesis longitude 😉

Me too. Though I don't have one, don't really want one, and don't work for Genesis 😕

It's one honest review among many positive reviews.

No, it's a negative review among many positive reviews. Honest? Well that's down to your opinion. Who's to say the positive reviews were not "honest"?

I didn't think the Stooge was ever envisioned as a bikepacking bike though, more finding fans with the bikepacking crowd because of the generous tyre clearances (at the time). That's where the review seems misleading to me.

What if... they're all honest!

😯

How dare you warpcow, this is STW!

If that's what the bloke thought then that's what he thought. Only a dafty reads one review of a bike and then thinks that's the definitive verdict, so what does it matter that one review found some negatives as well as positives.

fanbois 🙄

It was never designed as a bikepacking bike. It's a 'progressive trail 29er' according to the head badge, designed for ragging around the woods on wee rides.

However, it has found favour among bikepackers, because some of us clearly find it good over long distances. I've ridden several multi-day rides on both the steel and the Ti, and the bike isn't the limiting factor by a long shot. I've ridden a fair few bikes, my previous bikepacking ride was a Salsa El Mariachi, but I personally think the Stooge is better over distance.

I think that everyone is entitled to an opinion on the bike, how it rides and so on, but there are two parts of the review that are factually incorrect. It wasn't designed for bikepacking (see above), and the frame triangle is more than big enough for a frame bag. I use an XL Wildcat Ocelot which fits perfectly. My El Mariachi had a frame bag that fits inside the Stooge main triangle with about three inches gap at the front, and half an inch all the way along the top tube.

Greg had tried one before the review and hadn't been that excited by the bike/ concept.

Not sure about the decision process to give him another one to then review. But at least he has been consistent.

From me reading of the review, he had tried it previously as a bikepacking bike, ahd came away unimpressed. For the review, he tried it more as a trail bike, and wasn't blown away by it in that guise either.

I'm not sure what people think that the reviewer would stand to gain by writing an intentionally "negative" review (I didn't read it as massively negative - just came across as honest).

'People who constantly ask for 'honest' reviews disappointed by someone's actual opinion shocker'.

You're missing the obvious point, the butthurt on here have spent about 30 pages spaffing over their latest nichewagon. The truth is they're absolutely petrified that the bike is actually crap but they got that caught up in their ****athon that they didn't actually notice! Poor wee bairns!

Let's hope they are all honest - different reviewers will come to different conclusions. 'He' doesn't think it's great for 'that'. Alisdair up there disagrees and I believe him too, as I've seen him riding his after many, many hours in the saddle. Don't give reviewers hassle for writing what they've found. I find Sam Smith's voice downright irritating, but thousands clearly disagree.

Monkeyfudger gets it....a STW forum niche favourite gets a less than stellar review and owners have a meltdown, love it!

My thoughts; I rode rigid steel MTBs in the 90s....there's a reason they're not used anymore in XC, DH etc...progress has moved most of us onto suspension forks at the very least...most onto full suspension....the thought of taking a fully rigid bike for a ride around the woods or on an uplift day like I do my current HT with bouncy forks leaves me cold....the Stooge is a retro bike in that respect, a throwback....if you review it to modern trail standards it's not surprising it will fall short, it'd be like reviewing a Ford Anglia to modern benchmarks and then acting surprised it doesn't measure up!

Well there's a stooge test bike coming over to one cog cycling for testing by some of the more aggro singlespeed rigid riders around including the 24hr monster that is Steve day and some serious bike backing beasts in scotland so we'll see what proper riders think in a brutal and open review. These boys dont need to mince their words for publication so it will be warts and all.

These boys dont need to mince their words for publication so it will be warts and all.

They sound amazing, proper awesome, but if they're not writing for publication how will we ever know what they think? Confused. 😕

It's kind of interesting how this bike that seems to be based on Jonesesque geo has got all the owners up in arms when they've seen one shit revue.
Yet Jones owners that see shit reviews of Jones bikes just carry on riding there Jones bikes and don't really care.

Runs for cover. 8)

Where's the like button 😉

[understatement][b]this bike that seems to be based on Jonesesque geo[/b][/understatement]

@badlywireddog it will be going out in closed facebook to singlespeeders from around the world so there are no worries about having to watch what is typed. Its also speaking directly to the folks that would be stooge buyers , rather than mincertrack magazine which is for portly blokes with enduro gnarsleds who ride slowly around a trail centre, so a bad review will have a lot more impact. 😀

It will also be tested back to back with jones diamond and spaceframe bikes to see if the "budget jones" comments are actually true.

[understatement]

I was trying to be kind...

So how would one get to see this review tazzy

@badlywireddog it will be going out in closed facebook to singlespeeders from around the world so there are no worries about having to watch what is typed. Its also speaking directly to the folks that would be stooge buyers , rather than mincertrack magazine which is for portly blokes with enduro gnarsleds who ride slowly around a trail centre, so a bad review will have a lot more impact.

A bit like the Freemasons then, but on FB. Thanks for the explanation.

+1 - definitely interested in that, especially the 'normal' Jones.

Well join one cog on facebook or we can make an open section for reviews so that joe public can link to iit

Well I do have an ss. I also have one cog on my shand but it's attached to a rohloff;)

And defiantly like the freemasons, but with less trouser leg and funny handshake and more beer, nichebikes and knob gags

Well join one cog on facebook

A bit like the outcast mag then. I left a copy out at work once they thought it was a gay bike mag 🙂

Which one tazzy, I'm seeing a few?

I don't get all the Jones references. It looks like an On One Fatty in steel to me.

Anyway, pleased to see the online fury, hopefully now the important issues are dealt with you can now get emailing your MP asking about less pressing issues like tax credits and steel plant closures.

I'm seeing a few

Stu- licking my ring just got you sexy boy action for the night and you damn well know it. Gagging me with a set of loop bars whilst thrusting from behind and screaming about your long front offset was a little over the top though

But it is 51mm.
That's defo worth shouting about.

Silly sod! Although I do believe a long offset helps stablity and control in muddy conditions

singlespeedstu - Member
It's kind of interesting how this bike that seems to be based on Jonesesque geo has got all the owners up in arms when they've seen one shit revue.
Yet Jones owners that see shit reviews of Jones bikes just carry on riding there Jones bikes and don't really care.

Runs for cover.

LOL - apart from with (the relatively few) Jones' owners, I don't think there is much of an association anymore Stooge with Jones, despite their appreciable similarities. The more bikes of this ilk the better imo, so I'm calling long puller

The point of this thread is the shit review, and its uncanny negativity on what are essentially non-issues (rigid bike compromised in rocky conditions shocker etc)

@ lol tazzy 🙂

^^ Classic touchy stooge owner.^^ 😉

^^ Classic touchy Jones owner.^^

8)

This is amazing. 😀

This is greeeeaaaaat.

There you go - a positive Stooge review

And a negative, for balance.

Stooges? - No fun

and a double super positive, just to put everything in perspective

[url=

bollocks, that worked well 🙂

Too many http//

I like the colours they paint em in.... 😀

The STW review is just an extension of his 2014 review on a bikepacking build set up on regular tyres. That review was more detailed and the STW update is based on the 29+ build and simply suggests (previous negative thoughts clear in mind) it doesn't offer huge improvements.

Being a rigid bike I'd say setup/Spec can make or break it.
At the end of the day " it's just, like his opinion maan "

I prefer my review anyway and that's all that matters.

So hang on a minute, is the Stooge being flamed for being too niche and also not niche enough in the same thread here?

Wonderful.

PS - good work Boxelder 😀

You might find it's just mates taking the piss out of each other. 😉

I haven't ridden one so I'm qualified to comment. It looks shit and therefore justified a shit review (actually, I read it as very mildly negative overall but there are clearly some touchy people about).

HTH

Was only asking.

This is STW. One doesn't just ask. There's always an ulterior motive 😉

...and reply 1 gave the answer - but where was the fun in that? How's the back mrvear? That bike of yours must be to blame 😉

Backs grand now thank you. Being lanky is to blame.

So should I still buy a Stooge or not?

I can't see past the fact "one frame fits all" & I'd need a skyscrapers worth of stem spacers, a stem from the early 90's & a layback 400mm+ post to make it fit. I don't trust that philosophy. It's my own fault for being tall probably.

I quite like the aesthetics & ethos but as above don't buy into

one frame fits all

jimoiseau, if you're willing to take the grumblings of a middle-aged man with a bad back as gospel then probably not, but if you fancy a rad bike that will make you smile then yes. You're more than welcome to come and take a test bike out if you're in the area

The Stooge isn't one size fits all, but it is only available in one size (my size, funnily enough). It's a 23.5 toptube, and because of the low stand over also suits shorter riders. I'm a guy in a shed following his passion, not a bike company, if the demand was there id happily make a longer bike for the taller gentleman, though since the review can't see that happening any time soon

I wouldn't worry about one so so review a a sea of hundreds of positive feedback tbh. And they do look ace 🙂

People who like it won't even consider his opinion worthy of print.

Unfortunately, magazine reviews are the last place I'd look for objective buying advice. I really do mean unfortunately, but it's just so hard to trust them.

I'm a guy in a shed following his passion, not a bike company, if the demand was there id happily make a longer bike for the taller gentleman,

And that's part of the appeal, plus the fact that the likes of you (& Cy, Brant etc) frequent the forum and offer insight into your designs, the bikes, the shipping, the builds etc.

Every journey forwards will require a few steps back, you'll shrug the review off by persisting with your design beliefs.

Keep 'em coming.

And that's part of the appeal, plus the fact that the likes of you ([s]& Cy, Brant etc[/s]) frequent the forum and offer insight into your designs, the bikes,

Just had a look at the review, it's a bit MBR...
I don't own a Stooge.

Stu you really are a magnificent charlie uniform November tango...I think I love you 😀

Stu, you're starting to sound like a member of a cult, there's free help out there if you need it 😉

Kisses to tazzy and jonestown. 🙂

fanboi alert on

I'm 6'4" and the Stooge feels great for me

Strange, I've just bought a Trek Stache and went for a 21.5 which is the 'XL'

Stache's ETT with a 50 stem is EXACTLY the same as Stooge with 90 stem

One size fits all? Maybe 🙂

SS Stu

[img] [/img]

Stache's ETT with a 50 stem is EXACTLY the same as Stooge with 90 stem

My 6 year olds bike has the same Ett as the stooge with a 150mm stem and a Thompson setback 😉

I'm not sure about the whole one size business but it never seemed to be an issue for people getting a 4k Jones so who knows. It would fit me anyway as I'm standard size 😉