27.5, 650B, Durango Bike Company, Enduro, Moonshine - May 30, 2014

First Impressions: Durango Bike Company Moonshine 650b

First Impressions

We had the opportunity to meet the owners of Durango Bike Company and try out their Moonshine bike in our local forest. First, we were impressed with the knowledge and enthusiasm that Jeff Estes displayed. He knew every inch, every bolt on his bikes and how they contributed the ‘radness’ of his bikes. As a small manufacturer, he tried to optimize the key details so he could offer a competitive advantage. He also set up the business right with enough capital so he could gain the purchasing power of bigger companies and get the best spec on his bikes. His aim was to deliver really competitive bikes for the money.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=NewcwdXd_zI

We got to try out the bikes and our first impressions are that the bikes and branding have a little bit of a homegrown feel to it. The logos, colors and lines aren’t quite as dialed as the modern crop of All Mountain bikes, but that may be part of the Durango Moonshine’s appeal to the right buyer with the lack of carbon, internal routing and ‘enduro’ colors. Going through the spec, one notices that every single component is dialed in with Shimano brakes, Reverb post and 1×11 drivetrain. Geometry seems just right too with a 67 degree head angle, 17 inch chainstay and a nice and low 13.3 inch BB height with 160mm of travel.

On the ride, we noticed the seatpost or seat dropper couldn’t drop down very low because of the curved seat angle. So the buyer should absolutely get a dropper post and get the optimal drop seatpost that will allow the perfect seat height for the rider. There is no water bottle mount in the front triangle too, so hydration pack is a must with this one.

The rest of our first impressions are mentioned in the video, as the bike delivers the goods as promised. It climbs, rails and jumps well as it has all the right geometry numbers and all the best components. The Horst Link rear suspension with Cane Creek Double Barrel seems dialed in as well, as it was easy to climb with and it seemed so capable on the fast downhills. Again, these are just first impressions, but the Durango Moonshine seemed easy to ride well on fun terrain.

In the video below, industry veteran and Durango Bike Company Owner Jeff Estes gives us the rundown on the Durango Moonshine 650b. Hand-built in the U.S., the Moonshine is a 6.3-inch travel full suspension bike that utilizes a modified Horst Link design most often seen on trophy trucks, Formula 1 race cars and in the motorsports world. Estes tells us this suspension design contributes to a bike that pedals more efficiently on climbs and descends better overall. Simple, lightweight pivots aid in allowing the aluminum six-inch travel bike to weigh in under 28 lbs.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=grT0gmFoWW0