Radon Swoop 170 or....
 

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[Closed] Radon Swoop 170 or....?

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eldest_oab has had a second hand Slide 150 for the last couple of years, and it's served him well.

He's earned enough money for an end of school pressie to himself.

The Swoop 170 looks like a total winner, and currently a few quid off. Spec is good, reviews are ace, it's cheap...

He rides anything steep, fast and (natch) races enduro. Think Laggan off piste, Dunkeld, Thornilee, Ft William, Comrie are his go to places.

Other suggestions please.


 
Posted : 12/05/2019 5:58 pm
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The choice is between the 27 or 29in version now, surely?

Some good deals about on Whyte G170s recently, if he really must have little wheels.

😉


 
Posted : 12/05/2019 6:15 pm
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Radon are really good value usually so only other direct to consumer brands are likely to get close. So Canyon Strive / YT Capra / Commencal Meta. Then probably a bit more expensive the Bird Aeris 145LT and Nukeproof Mega.


 
Posted : 12/05/2019 6:43 pm
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Propain,Alutec and Commencal are all good bang for buck direct brands. The Radon 29r looks like a bargain though I just need to talk my Missus into having one now. lol.


 
Posted : 12/05/2019 6:52 pm
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Whyte G170s

We've a friend with one, it's a hefty beast, Yari (Vs lyric rc2 and +£400...)

YT Capra

One we had forgotten about.


 
Posted : 12/05/2019 8:10 pm
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Bird specs up both expensive and out of stock of some stuff...

What's the difference between Pike and Lyric? I understand all the different dampers, just not chassis.


 
Posted : 12/05/2019 8:12 pm
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Lyrik is a stiffer, slightly heavier chassis. That's the fork he wants.

As you know I had a Swoop and loved it, so I may be biased, but I don't think it can easily be beaten full stop - let alone for the very reasonable price.


 
Posted : 12/05/2019 8:28 pm
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Lyrik is the beefier fork for hard hitting rocky trails. Same stanchion diameter as a Pike but it has thicker walled tubing and a bigger crown.

Other than that the airspring is mostly the same and they both have a charger damper.


 
Posted : 12/05/2019 8:32 pm
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When I buy a bike I usually change a fair few bits and spend money tweaking this and that.

I’ve had a Radon Swoop170 10 in 27.5 flavour since October and the only parts I have changed are the grips, the saddle and the 2 finger Magura levers. They spec the bikes really well and are amazing value.

Their customer service is woeful in my experience. Didn’t seem interested when they sent me the wrong bike and argued the toss over a brake hose that was too short and only backed down when I left a poor review.

I’m 5’9” and ride a medium.


 
Posted : 12/05/2019 8:52 pm
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Shame about the costumer service...hmmm

Eldest is also 5'9" and is on med Slide, plus tried medium Slide Trail Carbonz last night.


 
Posted : 12/05/2019 9:03 pm
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Others have said they are good. Maybe I just got the same guy on both occasions who was a bit crap.


 
Posted : 12/05/2019 9:11 pm
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I had pretty decent service on two different issues with my swoop.


 
Posted : 12/05/2019 11:16 pm
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Morning all

Order placed. 😎

A heads up - I tried to pay via PayPal to save my non-sterling fee on card. This added £300+ to the price of the bike.


 
Posted : 13/05/2019 8:21 am
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Nice one @matt_outandabout

I'm now on my second Swoop (650 then 29er) and I've had great customer service from Radon / Dike-Discount, through sale, delivery and a couple of warranty issues.


 
Posted : 13/05/2019 8:31 am
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what model did he get?


 
Posted : 13/05/2019 8:33 am
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I’m now on my second Swoop (650 then 29er)

Did you stay on the same size or go up?

Order placed.

Do they only sell the 29er now?


 
Posted : 13/05/2019 8:59 am
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@chakaping I went from a medium to a large. I'm 5`11. Obviously it feels bigger, but it feels just right.


 
Posted : 13/05/2019 9:08 am
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29er Swoop 170 in medium


 
Posted : 13/05/2019 9:08 am
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Had a quick go on one last week, very fast bike and better balanced than the 27in IMO.

The black and red one?


 
Posted : 13/05/2019 9:38 am
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Yes, the 8.0 8 think. He is racing this weekend, fingers crossed for a quick delivery...

Anyone want a med 2017 Radon Slide...? Mucho cheapness...


 
Posted : 13/05/2019 9:51 am
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Let us know how he gets on with it. Damn good value with the Lyrik RC2, possibly a better fork than the 8.0 and 9.0 get!

And looks the coolest in black & red IMO.


 
Posted : 13/05/2019 10:18 am
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Also interested in how he gots on wih the new bike- this is one of the ones I was considering getting!!


 
Posted : 13/05/2019 10:34 am
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#newbikeday

*Edit*
Please note that kerbs belong to council, hedge and tree the neighbours and I don't own that toddler.


 
Posted : 28/05/2019 6:59 pm
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Ride now, chat later...


 
Posted : 28/05/2019 6:59 pm
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That your Seat? I ask because according to the mot history the exhaust is on the way out... 😂

Great looking bike...sure he will have a blast!


 
Posted : 28/05/2019 7:07 pm
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I knew someone would pull me up for something... 🤣🤣😋


 
Posted : 28/05/2019 7:12 pm
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Some feedback.

It took 15 days from order to delivery.

In the (comically huge!) box there were tubeless valves, protection stickers / tape and volume spacers.

The frame already has a lot of thicker protective patches on in places such as chainstay, rear disc line rub on chainstay, down tube protector and cable patches. Hubs are usual DT with adaptors for centrelock.

The frame has had a full inspection and there is fresh thread lock on the pivots. No issues with the build at all apart from one small (2mm) mark on the fork brace.

The only ride feedback so far is that it's flattening the trail, brakes are amazing and although it's longer it doesn't feel it with slacker head angle and steeper seat angle.


 
Posted : 29/05/2019 6:50 pm
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Nice....

I was really tempted by the swoop 10 but a)I don’t need it and b)it’s been sold out for ages. Looking at the spec though the 8.0 seems if anything even better value! Truly a mentally good price!


 
Posted : 30/05/2019 12:21 am
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Having just purchased exactly the same bike can I firstly say great choice! It's been giving me PRs at the Golfie since I bought it! My only gripe is the MT5s, the rear in particular having pulled all the way to the bar within 3 weeks of receiving it. I bled it last night and I have to say it was a total doddle relatively but it didn't prevent me having an almighty crash in the SES a couple of weeks ago. Oh and don't go to heavy on spacers in the RC2 as it's already much plusher than I expected.

Happy riding!


 
Posted : 30/05/2019 6:39 am
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didn’t prevent me having an almighty crash in the SES a couple of weeks ago.

I think we spoke at top of stage 4 - I was Marshall and commented we had one on the way...


 
Posted : 30/05/2019 11:42 am
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Haha I seem to remember someone saying that although I didn't make it as far as stage 4 on Sunday 😀 Having now bled said brakes they are rock solid again. Still a bit bemused they needed bled so soon after buying...


 
Posted : 30/05/2019 6:50 pm
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An update again...

- Magura MT5's are incredible. Absolutely huge power, with control. Brilliant, and I'm wishing that I got these not the Deore 4-pots I bought for me.

- The suspension took some faffing, but by heck it swallows things up that the 130mm bike rattled over.

- so balanced and easy to ride fast. Lots of good Strava times (top.10% in most places) and PR's all over the place.

- the tyres are weak. DH carcass now on the back, both having issues of cut tread or torn blocks though.

- Radon and bike24 customer service is slow and meh. Local bike shop (Stirling Bike Doctor) is teh shizzle to get warranty on a burst Lyric seal.

He's now off to Morzine for a fortnight to really put the thing through its paces...


 
Posted : 30/07/2019 7:32 pm
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Glad he’s enjoying the new bike.
His old Slide just got back from a fortnight in Morzine oddly enough 👍


 
Posted : 30/07/2019 7:51 pm
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Had mine on the uplift at Inners on Sunday - where it was in its element. So calm and composed.

It's a big bike for faster and more technical riding IMO, not a trail bike and it makes easier terrain a bit dull.


 
Posted : 30/07/2019 7:57 pm
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Glad he’s enjoying the new bike.
His old Slide just got back from a fortnight in Morzine oddly enough

👌😎


 
Posted : 30/07/2019 8:09 pm
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It’s a big bike for faster and more technical riding IMO, not a trail bike and it makes easier terrain a bit dull.

This.
I borrowed his for a lap of Comrie upper Red. It makes it too easy...


 
Posted : 30/07/2019 8:10 pm
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Can I ask what exactly you did with the suspension?


 
Posted : 30/07/2019 9:06 pm
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Can I ask what exactly you did with the suspension?

I can kind-of answer this, though I swapped the stock Monarch Plus for a Fox X2 I already had.

I've needed to fit four spacers in the shock to get the support I needed. Three is the supposed maximum, but I'm not running mega-high pressure so it's OK. I weigh 75kg in my birthday suit, for reference.

It was a bit wallowy with three sapcers, now it feels and rides spot-on. I suspect the leverage curve lacks a bit of progression?


 
Posted : 31/07/2019 9:19 am
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Another update.
The bike and rider just spent nearly three weeks in the Alps, including clearing 30' gaps, Nico Vinks jump lines and Les Gets black... It's outrageously capable.

But I'm going to say do not buy a Radon. Bike-discount take weeks to reply. Radon never reply. Both seem to be the same building.

The dropper cartridge failed on day 1 in alps. Two emails in three weeks have been ignored. I've called and the phone just rings out.

The forks were warrantied by us paying a local bike shop to get them into the UK warranty system. The reply to the email asking to claim was replied to eventually - four weeks after it was sent, two weeks after we got the fork fixed ourselves.

Just don't bother - there's other bikes that are a touch more expensive, but with proper warranty department.


 
Posted : 22/08/2019 9:15 pm

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