Review -

Bike Review: Propain Tyee FLO – Ladylike with the Ladybike!

A pink flower finish, glittery grips, and a fluffy plush saddle – a girl’s dream bike! That’s what the guys think! We girls, on the other hand, have a completely different idea of dream-bike, far from any clichés. Nowadays, a women’s enduro bike not only has to meet the aesthetic demands of the female gender, but also has to be adjusted to the often lower weight, smaller body size, and our requirements.

Propain Propain Tyee flo Title

Enduro Mag requested a new Tyee FLO (For Ladies Only) 1 650B for testing and asked the key question: how much specific development went into the Propain to make it
“For Ladies Only”?

Propain Propain Tyee Flo
Propain Tye FLO

Equipment:

The guys (and girls) at Propain are true masters of individualization: not only the frame‘s color and decals can be selected, but also wheel size and equipment, chosen from the Propain portfolio. Shopping à la carte! With 650B wheels and a RockShox Reverb Stealth upgrade for the Tyee FLO 1 equipment package, the test bike amounts to 2400 Euro at a weight of 13.1 kg.

The centerpiece of this women’s enduro bike is the aluminum frame. In comparison with the guys’ counterpart, the geometries are the same and that is a good thing. Who would dare to claim that we do not have a riding style that is just as aggressive? The differences are made up in the small details. Every single bike is specially adjusted to the lower weight of the female
rider. Because of the lower pressures in the air springs, the regular adjustment range of the shock is usually not sufficient anymore. The rear suspension is equipped with a RockShox Monarch R shock with custom tune, and offers 160mm of travel. The front runs with a RockShox Pike RCT3 2Position Air fork, also with 160mm of travel. In addition, Propain offers the Tyee
in an extra-small frame size.

Propain Cockpit

Regarding the drivetrain, Propain exclusively relies on SRAM components. The transmission is well-chosen for both up- and downhills with a combination of two chainrings at the front (22/36 teeth) and a 10-speed cassette at the rear (11 – 36 teeth). The Avid Elixir 7 Trail brakes provide excellent deceleration with a 200mm disc rotor at the front and a 180mm rotor at the rear.

The narrow 2.25” Schwalbe Hans Dampf Performance folding tires have a good profile for providing sufficient grip. But can the cheaper compound of the “Performance” version of the German tire manufacturer convince us on the trail?

The overall package is completed by the Sixpack components. Thanks to the close cooperation between Sixpack and Propain, the Propain customer may choose the desired components from the entire Sixpack color portfolio. The Leader handlebar is responsible for well-controlled handling at the cockpit. Last but not least, the bike is equipped with Sixpack Leader 650B wheels that again
allow an individual choice of colors. The Skywalker saddle comes in a slim, racer-like look. Does it provide comfort on a 500 meters-of-altitude uphill? That’s what we were about to find out. So we hit the trails.

Pushing the Propain Tyee Flo

Handling:

Thanks to the sag-indicator on the air springs, initial settings were a piece of cake. Quick adjustments were made regarding the saddle
-height and angle of the handlebar, and off we go. The slack head angle of 65.5° and plush rear travel promise a nice downhill performance from the Tyee FLO. But first, we have to ride uphill!

The Tyee can be pedaled uphill confidently and without major bobbing at the rear – even without a lockout-function at the shock. The only single point of criticism: despite the steep seating angle of 75.2°, you get the feeling of slightly pedaling from the back – but it soon becomes forgotten.

As indicated by its geometry and rear travel, the Tyee FLO especially craves one thing: downhills!

With the large 650B wheels and the plush but defined chassis, the Propain feels at home on both singletrack and rough downhill sections. The geometry conveys security – not least because of the relatively long wheelbase (1161mm) and the slack head angle. The Tyee FLO even takes jumps with joy, adding to the feel-good-factor par excellence. Thanks to the low top tube, the Propain offers loads of mobility. For a change of direction on tight and narrow trails, the long wheelbase
requires quite a bit of emphasis from the rider.

An unexpected surprise was the Schwalbe Hans Dampf tires. Not only fast on dry ground, but also providing nice grip on slippery and wet terrain to keep on track confidently – despite the cheaper “Performance” rubber mixture. For rougher terrain, the tires should be offered in 2.4” dimensions.

Sixpack as far as the eye can see. The components nicely round off the overall look. The 750mm- wide handlebar, in combination with the 50mm stem, creates a visibly downhill-oriented cockpit.
Sixpack as far as the eye can see. The components nicely round off the overall look. The 750mm-
wide handlebar, in combination with the 50mm stem, creates a visibly downhill-oriented cockpit.
The measure of all things – the RockShox Pike RCT3 2Position Air fitted as standard not only has awesome looks, but also offers great performance. Weighing less than 2,000g, it is a real lightweight, saving loads of muscle strength for active riders. This low weight is a bonus for uphills, as is the three-position- adjustable compression. Of course, there is also externally adjustable rebound.
The measure of all things – the RockShox Pike RCT3 2Position Air fitted as standard not only has awesome looks, but also offers great performance. Weighing less than 2,000g, it is a real lightweight, saving loads of muscle strength for active riders. This low weight is a bonus for uphills, as is the three-position-adjustable compression. Of course, there is also externally adjustable rebound.
We would ask for wider tires for more demanding trails. However, for many excursions, the Schwalbe Hans Dampf tires with a width of 2.25” are totally fine.
We would ask for wider tires for more demanding trails. However, for many excursions, the Schwalbe Hans Dampf tires with a width of 2.25” are totally fine.
The Tyee FLO is equipped with an aluminum seatpost as a standard feature. We chose a valuable upgrade that maximizes riding fun: for an additional 189€, you get the RockShox Reverb seatpost, available in three lengths. Girls with rather short legs should get the shortest version (100mm) to ensure that the saddle height is not too high when the seatpost is fully extended. Other than that, the more drop the better (125mm or 150mm). A low seat position when the post is lowered provides better maneuverability on the descents.
The Tyee FLO is equipped with an aluminum seatpost as a standard feature.We chose a valuable upgrade that maximizes riding fun: for an additional 189€, you get the RockShox Reverb seatpost, available in three lengths. Girls with rather short legs should get the shortest version (100mm) to ensure that the saddle height is not too high when the seatpost is fully extended. Other than that, the more drop the better (125mm or 150mm). A low seat position when the post is lowered provides better maneuverability on the descents.

Propain is totally up-to-date with its Tyee FLO 1 650B. With this favorably priced but well-equipped bike, the ladies have the perfect equipment to show their male colleagues how biking is done properly. On top of that, it looks pretty damn nice! The online modular system provides the opportunity to adjust the equipment to individual personal needs. No matter if that is 26” or 650B, double crankset or XX1 – everyone looking for a rather downhill-oriented enduro bike will be pleased with the Tyee FLO.

Price: 2.400 EUR weight: 13,9 kg (excluding pedals) More Info: www.propain-bikes.com

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Words: Carina Hildebrandt | Photos: Christoph Bayer

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