Dec 12, 2010 at 16:25
Recently Pinkbike were among a handful of UK journalists invited to Glentress in the Scottish Borders for the launch of the 2011 range from Ghost Bikes. A brand from Germany, they were introduced to the UK at the start of this year and things are looking good with some sharp products, a successful Cross Country race team and some killer spec for the money.
We took a look at the RT and AMR models, so read on for our first impressions:
 |
| Taking a glance at the Ghost catalog and you are inundated with acronyms, some for technology which is pretty common, but underneath all that are a few ideas which are a little more interesting. Firstly, let's take a look at SCL. This is something that the average rider will perhaps not see much benefit from, but should you be shorter or taller than that average then there is a good chance you will appreciate SCL. With SCL (Specific Chainstay Length) the chainstay length is increased or decreased to suit the specific frame size in question. It isn't a huge difference, but it helps to reduce the effect of chainstay length feeling too short on the large sizes and too long on the small. And for proof that it matters? World Cup racer Ben Reid once chopped the swingarm down on his small sized bike so that it gave a more balanced ride. As they say "It's all in the details..." |
 |
| The two bikes featured in this article also feature the BB30 standard, press fit bottom brackets which are being utilized increasingly by manufacturers. This creates larger welds and thus correspondingly stronger and stiffer joins for the tubes and pivots that sprout from the BB shell. While stiffness is the key in this area, you obviously want your suspension to be compliant and free moving. To this end Ghost have fitted both ends of the shock with an Enduro needle bearing arrangement which features hardened steel pins alongside plastic seals and o-rings to keep dirt and grime out; improving both performance and longevity. |
 |
| Starting with the AMR, the basic structure of this bike remains unchanged going into 2011; 120mm travel front and rear with a 69 degree head angle and a 60mm stroke shock which produces a 2:1 leverage ratio. With plenty of options for spec to suit most budgets, this is a bike that doesn't feel nearly as twitchy as the head angle would lead you to suspect. Those who had ridden this bike previously suggested that it used its travel well and it does, feeling balanced and supple yet still having the sprightliness associated with having a little less travel. |
 |
| Although we were riding in ice and snow, which is always going to be a bit of a mask to the real traits of a bike, the AMR felt stable at speed, slid predictably (partly down to the Schwalbe Nobby Nic tyres fitted) and was quick to get the power down out of corners. The bars were perhaps a little narrower than a gravity orientated rider would choose to use and the stem a little longer, but neither were to the detriment of the bike and would suit the general buyer of this bike well. Do you buy the bike for the terrain you want to ride or the terrain you actually ride? |
 |
| The RT is the newly revised bike in the range for 2011 and is sharper than the AMR although visually they share very similar design cues. With 20mm less travel, the head angle is also XC race inspired at 69.5 degrees. Sitting on it for the first time you are left with no doubts as to its intentions. Narrow and flat bars, a long stem and a low front end thanks to a set of 100mm Fox 32 FITs all combine to create this feeling. |
 |
| Get it on some flowing single track and it easily holds technical lines and takes the edges off the hits well, even without taking into account that its total travel is less than the sag some bikes run. Using the Enduro needle bearings in the shock as mentioned earlier helps to keep things supple, but no doubt also helping is the 2:1 leverage ratio to push the RP23 through its stroke. |
 |
| All of this combines to make the RT a lightning quick bike that uses what travel it has to great effect based on our brief ride. Throw some wider bars and a shorter stem on there and you will improve its surefootedness on the descents while still allowing for all the benefits of the sharp and sprightly chassis out the corners. |
 |
| Materials play an important role in any bike, from the overall picture of whether it's steel, aluminum or carbon, to the more detailed look which tells you what particular composition your chosen material has. In the case of Ghost they offer the vast majority of their bikes not only in multiple parts kit levels, but also with a choice of frame materials which should make it easy to find the bike for you. Starting with a full aluminum frame, at the top is the full Carbon frame which is signified by the Lector name. But just below that is a halfway house which features a carbon front triangle for significant weight saving (about 600g in the case of the AMR) which is matched with an aluminum rear triangle to help make it a little friendlier to your wallet. |
 |
| The all carbon AMR saves a further 300g over the half fat model. What really stands out on all of these is just how similar both the carbon and alumiium models are visually thanks to a tubeset that has seen extensive use of hydroforming. This makes it virtually indistinguishable from the carbon framed options so it takes either a very close look or 20/20 vision to tell them apart at anything more than a few paces. |
 |
| When it comes to the parts kit level on each of these bikes it's fair to say that you get a lot for your money with no short changing going on by hiding cheap components away where you won't notice them. If it says yo''ll be getting full Shimano XT then that is just what you shall have, right through to the cassette, front derailleur and hubs. It helps with weight, it helps with longevity and avoids the occasionally contentious point of window dressing that can arise when a predominantly SLX level bike is fitted with an XTR derailleur because that is what a buyer is likely to notice first. Additionally, all bikes are built using either complete SRAM or Shimano components so that everything matches. Also matching is the full Ritchey finishing kit on the upper models and Ghost branded Alex rims across the range. |
[PI=5959524 size=l align=c] We were certainly left impressed with the bikes for their clean looks, attention to detail, high spec and price. From our brief rides they performed well and showed promise that we would love to explore further. Possibly of greater interest to the bigger hitting community will be three bikes on the cusp of being available. The first of which is the new AMR Plus which will feature 150mm of travel and is slated to be launched early 2011. Then of course are the 4x and downhill models. Unfortunately neither of these were available at the launch, but we will be doing what we can to get some saddle time on these and of course, when we do, you'll all be the first to know about what we think!
Pricing
AMR Lector 8700 (Carbon) £2,999 and the
RT Lector 7700 (Aluminium/Carbon) £2,799For full information and your nearest dealer check out
www.ghost-bikes.com
We enjoyed our few first rides on the Ghost bikes, but we'd like to hear from some owners. How do you like your Ghost bike, and why did you buy it? Share your stories below!
Must Read This Week
