Issue #033, Review -

Whyte T-130 S review

Since we reviewed the Whyte T-130 S in Scotland eight months ago, nothing has changed apart from Whyte Bikes’ step to finally open up their distribution in Germany. Reason enough to include the T-130 S in this group test.

For an overview of the test fleet head to the group test: Good times guaranteed! 7 trail bikes under € 3,000 in Review

Whyte T-130 S review
Whyte T-130 S | 140/140 mm (front/rear) | 14.20 kg | € 2,999

The Whyte T-130 S is stylish in every detail, right down to color-coordinated components. But it’s not just aesthetically dialled: there’s also almost nothing to criticize when it comes to the components. The 130 mm travel on this 27.5″ bike is provided by a RockShox Revelation RC fork and a Monarch shock. The SRAM GX drivetrain offers all the gear range you’ll ever need, and shifting is silky smooth and very precise.

The Whyte T-130 S is stylish in every detail

Whyte relies on WTB Vigilante tires to provide grip on the front, with a faster rolling Trail Boss at the rear – a good combination! The cockpit comes from Whyte themselves. The stem is pleasantly short at 40 mm, but the bars could be slightly wider: 760 mm is too narrow for some riders. The SRAM Level TL brakes, unfortunately, lack power and reliability but upgrading to larger rotors could help. The integrated seat clamp gives the frame an elegant look. The dropouts, on the other hand, look a little cheap.

  Das Whyte weckt das Kind in dir! Ein echtes Spaßbike!

Ascending, the Whyte is no rocket. This is certainly due in part to the rolling resistance of the tires, but it isn’t helped by the bobbing of the rear end and the slack seat tube angle. When setting the shock to Trail mode, the performance improves, but the bike can’t keep up with the best in the test field. The Whyte’s moment of glory comes when you start to descend: particularly on trails where it’s all about carrying and generating a lot of speed by pumping the bike through rollers, dips and berms. The suspension is very firm, which means that the bike provides a lot of feedback and doesn’t sag excessively through compressions. It constantly encourages you to pop off ledges and is very balanced in the air. Thanks to the low bottom bracket (20 mm BB drop) and long front triangle (467 mm Reach in L) you sit in the bike rather than on it, giving you a lot of grip in off-camber sections. The Whyte blasts through corners thanks to its short chainstays and loves to zig-zag its way playfully down the trail. Its handling is very direct, holding lines with surgical precision. If the terrain becomes rough and demanding, however, the bike requires an active riding style and a lot of strength to stay on course. It doesn’t get nervous, but with its progressive suspension, it will let you know when you make a mistake.

Whyte T-130 S in detail

Fork RockShox Revelation RC 130 mm
Rear shock RockShox Mnarch RT 130 mm
Brakes SRAM Level TL 180/160 mm
Drivetrain SRAM GX Eagle
Seatpost RockShox Reverb Stealth 150 mm
Stem Whyte Gravity Stem 40 mm
Handlebar Whyte Custom 760 mm
Tires WTB Vigilante / WTB Trail Boss
Hubs Alloy, Double Sealed Cartridge Bearing
Rims WTB STP 129
Weight 14.20 kg
Price € 2,999

Firm
The rear end of the Whyte T130-S is on the firm side. This ensures fun on flowing trails but will cost you strength in rough terrain.
Neat
The integrated seat clamp neatens up the frame
Unusual
It’s not often you see WTB tyres part of standard spec – we can’t see why! The combination of a Vigilante on the front and a Trail Boss on the rear meant we were never short of grip.
Overwhelmed
The SRAM Level TL brakes paired with small rotors quickly reach their limit and offer insufficient stopping power – we’d recommend upgrading

Geometry of the Whyte T-130 S

Size XS S M L XL
Top tube 572 mm 591 mm 611 mm 631 mm 650 mm
Head tube 100 mm 107 mm 115 mm 120 mm 130 mm
Head angle 67° 67° 67° 67° 67°
Seat angle 74° 73,7° 73.5° 73,3° 73,2°
Chainstay 420 mm 420 mm 420 mm 420 mm 420 mm
BB Drop 20 mm 20 mm 20 mm 20 mm 20 mm
Wheelbase 1117 mm 1137 mm 1157 mm 1177 mm 1197 mm
Reach 415 mm 432 mm 449 mm 467 mm 483 mm
Stack 576 mm 682 mm 689 mm 594 mm 603 mm
The Whyte T130 S is the perfect bike for active riders who want to turn every trail into a playground.

  Upgrade tip: fit larger brake rotors or better brakes

Conculsion

The Whyte T130 S is the perfect bike for active riders who want to turn every trail into a playground. You can chuck it through corners and use every root as a lip to air off. But due to the firm rear end, it isn’t very comfortable, and there are better bikes for climbing.

Strenghts

+ direct, playful handling
+ good grip in corners
+ precise handling

Weaknesses

– brakes not up to the task
– sluggish climber

Uphill
Downhill
Stability
Agility
Value


For more information head to: whyte.bike

The test fleet

For an overview of the test fleet head to the group test: Good times guaranteed! 7 trail bikes under € 3,000 in Review

All bikes in test: Canyon Spectral CF 8.0 | Ghost SLAMR X 5.9 AL | Giant Trance 1.5 LTD | ROSE ROOT MILLER 2 | Trek Fuel EX 8 29 XT | YT JEFFSY 29 AL Comp


This article is from ENDURO issue #033

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