First Look: Whyte M-109

Last week MoreDirt were invited to view the 2013 range for both Marin and Whyte Bikes at the Lotus F1 factory in Oxford. We got a detailed look at the next years offerings and over the next few days we shall be featuring some of the bikes that caught our fancy.

Next up is a look at the new M-109 XC marathon bike. Its Whytes first attempts at a full sus 29er. They were by no means the first company to have a crack at the full sus 29er but they had there reasons. They weren't going to do it if they couldn't do it properly.

They needed the development of components to advance to make it viable to build the bike they wanted and knew would be a great package. For instance front mechs 2 years ago would of been to large to fit the wheel in the frame with the desired short chain stay length, they were just too bulky. Finally 2013 components have advanced enough and are finally becoming compact enough to give that 26" short rear end they were after even with a 29" wheel. They are the only ones out there with a sub 17" chainstay on a 29er.

To most people all these numbers don't mean a lot. Put simply it means handling like a 26" bike with the added rolling and bump flattening benefits of the 29" wheel. On paper it is the perfect model. We think Whytes 2013 range of 29ers will make people stand up and think.

Check out what the designer of the entire range Ian Alexander has to say about it.