Issue #044, Review - October 16, 2020

Pipedream The Full Moxie review – Tapping into the feel of steel

The Pipedream Moxie hardtail has gained something of a cult following with its outrageous geometry and brutish ride. Does the new full-suspension Pipedream Full Moxie channel that same roll-up-your-sleeves mentality or is it a more refined performer?

Click here for an overview of the 3 interesting steel enduro MTBs on test

**Pipedream** The Full Moxie | 150/146 mm (f/r)
16.10 kg in size Long | € 4,070 | Manfacturer’s website

Even from a distance, there’s no mistaking the material used to fabricate the € 4,070 Pipedream Full Moxie. The classic silhouette and slender seat- and chainstays instantly mark it out as a sculpture in steel.

The Pipedream Full Moxie in detail

Manufactured in Taiwan from heat-treated CrMo 4130, Pipedream have designed their frame without external gussets, resulting in a super clean finish. With 140–146 mm rear travel (changed by adjusting the stroke length of the DVO Topaz T3 Air shock between 62.5 mm and 65 mm) and geometry optimised for a 140–160mm travel fork, the Full Moxie is targeted at the trail rider and built for the sort of terrain most of us ride. The frame can be configured as a 29er or as a mullet, and we opted to test it in full 29er guise. Pipedream offer a number of full-build options for the € 1,950 frame and sent us their 16.1 kg DVO build with a 150 mm DVO Diamond D1 fork and DVO Topaz T3 Air shock delivering 146 mm of travel. A Shimano SLX 12 speed drivetrain delivers reliable shifting, though the smaller range 11–51 t SunRrace cassette was a surprise. Shimano twin-piston SLX brakes with 180/180 mm rotors dutifully slow down the bike, while a Burgtec bar, grips and stem add a touch of ‘boutique’ class to the cockpit, further underlined by the beautifully machined Hope headset. Rolling on slick HUNT Enduro Wide 33 mm internal rims with Michelin Wild Enduro 2.4 tires in the Magi-X compound front and Gum-X rear, we expected no issues with grip. The build is finished with a OneUp V2 180 mm dropper, which plays to the strengths of the Pipedream’s ‘Drop Optimised Geometry’ which maintains the same 420 mm seat tube across all sizes, allowing riders to choose based on reach, not seat tube height.

The Pipedream has a bottle mount but its location under the downtube collects a lot of wheel-spray. If you ride through cow fields, drink with caution.

**4130 steel**
It might not be as ‘exclusive’ as Reynolds 835, but the Pipedream Full Moxie’s 4130 tubing has a distinctive steel spring in its step.

**Knob-twiddlers**
The DVO Diamond D1 is a knob-twiddlers dream but it didn’t take long to find a nice setup. We opened up the OTT (Off The Top) adjustment for maximum traction on the trails.

**Size up**
We would swap out the front 180 mm rotor for a 200 mm one – that should really be the standard for 29ers.

Pipedream The Full Moxie

€ 4,070

Specifications

Fork DVO Diamond D1 150 mm
Rear Shock DVO Topaz T3 146 mm
Seatpost OneUp V2 180 mm
Brakes Shimano SLX 180/180 mm
Drivetrain Shimano SLX 1x12
Stem Burgtec Enduro 45 mm
Handlebar Burgtec RW 800 mm
Wheelset HUNT Enduro Wide 29
Tires Michelin Wild Enduro 2,4"

Technical Data

Size Long Longer
Weight 16.10 kg

Specific Features

**Cables should not be frame protection**
We were disappointed at the cable routing, leaving the gear cable outer right in the line of fire from the chain.

**Distinctively steel**
The slim chain- and seat stays are distinctively steel and play to the material’s strength, loading up through turns to add a spring as you exit them – like a cheetah, not a charging rhino.

**A touch of class**
The Burgtec cockpit complete with bar, grips and stem is very comfortable and looks classy on the thin-tubed steel bike.

The geometry of the Pipedream Full Moxie

The Pipedream Full Moxie is a generously sized bike. We were testing the biggest Longer size (two sizes are available, Long and Longer) targeted at riders from 178+ cm. The reach of the bike is huge at 510 mm with a short 420 mm seat tube. The bike has a sweet spot 77.5° seat tube angle, with a big, roomy cockpit. The moderate 440 mm chainstays do their best to balance out the long front centre and are combined with a 20 mm bottom bracket drop. The low 602 mm stack puts the rider in an aggressive position and a 64° head angle is well-matched to an aggressive trail bike. Like the Cotic, the wheelbase is long at 1,290 mm.

Size	Long	Longer
Seat tube	420 mm	420 mm
Top tube	604 mm	644 mm
Head tube	110 mm	110 mm
Head angle	64.0°	64.0°
Seat angle	77.5°	77.5°
Chainstay	440 mm	440 mm
Wheelbase	1,250 mm	1,290 mm
Reach	470 mm	510 mm
Stack	602 mm	602 mm

A bike for the people – the Pipedream Full Moxie on the trail.

After spending a lot of time on the thuggish (in a good way) Moxie Hardtail, we weren’t sure what to expect from the Full Moxie. Ride it, and it doesn’t take long to get a handle on the personality of the bike. Instead of a thug, the Full Moxie is a more refined character, happy to smash out all-day loops and rewarding agile and playful riding. On undulating trails, the Pipedream Full Moxie is intoxicatingly fun, easy to keep stoked up, pumping and generating speed effortlessly. Taking advantage of the stretched riding position, we were able to push the seat fully forward to maximise the effective seat tube angle for the steep test location climbs. The climbing position is efficient and only required us to reach for the shock’s climb switch on long fire road hauls. As with most long front-centre bikes you have to push weight over the bars to keep the front wheel in line on short punchy climbs. Playing well to the properties of steel, the thin chain- and seat stays give the bike a lively, springy response under power, making it feel like a much lighter bike than the portly 16.1 kg weight would suggest.

The Pipedream Full Moxie showcases the unique properties of steel – the long, slender chainstays load up in hard corners, helping the bike to spring out of them with a lightness that defies its weight.

On the descents, unlike the Moxie hardtail, the Full Moxie is more of a ‘pick-your-line’ than ‘charge-on-through’ kind of bike, rewarding good lines and dynamic riding. In fast turns, the low stack helps keep the front wheel tracking accurately, however, the long reach requires a dynamic position from the rider to avoid understeer. We were impressed with the Full Moxie’s ability to find grip, largely due to the DVO Topaz T3 shock which is very plush and controls the single-pivot suspension with buttery smoothness. The shock is driven using a relatively flat yoke to give a mildly progressive leverage ratio through the travel. While this kinematic generates a lot of traction, predictability and comfort for all-day cruising, it starts to get overwhelmed on full-bore enduro tracks through fast repetitive hits. Aggressive riders will want to add more spacers to the shock for more end stroke support/progression or make full use of the Topaz’s ability to adjust the bladder pressure for a firmer ride. While the frame is handsome, we weren’t fans of the gear cable routing over the chainstay. On rough descents in higher gears, we could hear the chain slapping the cable outer and could feel slight marks in it after a few test rides. We would look to wrap this as soon as possible. We would also suggest that riders sitting between the two sizes, or looking for a more agile bike should choose the Long size with a (still generous) 470 mm reach.

Der Charakter des Full Moxie ist ideal für alle, die ein komfortables Bike für lange Tage im Sattel suchen. Die langen und schlanken Overall, the Full Moxie’s trail-focussed personality will delight riders who are looking for a plush and comfortable ride for big mountain days or long laps out on the hill. The long and slender chain- and seat stays add a unique spring to the bike, boosting jumps and giving a light and poppy feel that defies the bike’s weight. It’s a unique feel and a nice alternative to the more capable but sometimes dead-feeling aluminium and carbon competition.

Tuning tips:size down if between sizes | aggressive riders should make use of the DVO Topaz bladder pressure adjustment | an old-school neoprene wrap for the chainstay to protect the cables

Conclusion

We were expecting a rough-and-ready big-brother to the rowdy Moxie hardtail, but instead, the Pipedream Full Moxie is a more refined character. With a suspension design that favours all-day trail comfort over big-hit downhill action, it’s an accomplished trail bike with classic looks, that plays well to the strengths of the steel from which it is made.