Ellsworth Moment Review - All Mountain Ripper

April 4th, 2013 11:56am

Ellsworth Moment - 6” travel all mountain ripper.

With the explosion of growth in Super D, Enduro racing and the fact that many people are tired of having to feel like they need multiple bikes to be competitive and just want to get back to good old fashion fun riding, the emergence of the 6” bike as a must have in a brands lineup can’t be understated.

The Moment, is Ellsworth’s offering. It is not a new bike as they have been making and refining this model since before 6” bikes were cool. Now that they are, take notice, the Moment is a must consideration if you are looking for this type of bike. Having put it through the paces on our test loop and comparing it back to back with every bike in their 2013 line up and other test bikes, all I can say is that I was absolutely blown away from the first pedal stroke to the last. It simply kept impressing me. So much so that I didn’t want to ride the other bikes in the lineup. I had found my nirvana.

Out of the Gate

The bike we tested was from the Ellsworth demo fleet which means it had a mixed bag of components. Of all the bikes we tested, this one was probably the closest to a current build spec offering. Utilizing a full Shimano XT (3x10) drive train and brakes, a Fox Talas 36 120-160 fork, a Fox RP23 air shock and Ellsworth custom built wheels with a 20mm axle, the bike was built to take care of business. Pulling the entire front end together is a unique Ellsworth only 1.5" tapered head tube.

Immediately out on the trail the bike pedaled with solid efficiency. The bike moved along very well considering we didn’t have the lightest build kit on the planet.

Ellsworth Moment - reviewed

Up the Hill

Having begun our ride on a slight grade it was only ten minutes into the ride when we hit the first of several short steep and rocky climbs. Thanks to a great 3x10 crank set up and the fully active ICT suspension, we managed to clean the climbs at steady pace before taking on the biggest climb of the loop. Here is where I wanted to see what the bike would do. A steep pitch, lots of loose debris and other energy sucking obstacles I simply dropped it into the small ring and kept the motor running. Doesn’t climb like an XC bike but it’s not supposed to. It climbs well enough to get you up anything you want to ride down.

Round the bend

Once at the top and start letting gravity take over, the rider instantly feels like they are in the cock pit of jet fighter. Our test loop is a super twisty gradual descent that has more rocks than any good trail should have in it, but an excellent test of a bikes ability to corner and soak up nastiness. That makes choosing the exact line critical to achieve a good timed run. And this is where the magic happens. The Moment has the most solid front end on the planet. The bike will go where you point and in the shortest possible distance. It is like having gun sites on the handle bars. It begins with the Ellsworth Hand Made wheels and hubs. Top quality stuff if ever there was a set. Paired with a burly Fox Talas 36 and massive 20mm axle, you have a set up that rides like a Down hill bike in a lighter, nimble single crown set up. Magic. Period

Down the Hill

I had so much fun going down the twisty bits, I turned it right around to ride the trail in reverse just to get some steeper dirt action. If my smile couldn’t get any bigger, pointing that bike downhill just blew me away. The front end that sticks like no other gave me so much confidence that I flew down the trail barely touching the brakes. Where I looked, the bike went - no questions asked.

Geometry

There have been lots of comments by people on both sides of the Ellsworth fence about their geometry. And while everyone is entitled to their opinion, I will tell you to simply demo one of these bikes for yourself and let your experience tell you what is real. Don’t read the specs or ask your friends or waste your time on forums. Just ride it and prepared to be blown away. The bike does offer several fork options, but paired with the Fox 36, the steering geometry is perfect. Neutral and predictable.

Upgrade

New for 2013, Ellsworth is offering a carbon shock stay to their build. The stay saves about 100 grams and accommodate the new trend of 12 x 142 rear axles giving the bike an even stiffer rear end.

(Our test bike came with a 9 x 135 quick release set up and it performed very well but we love 12 x142 rear axle on most bikes, but didn't get to test this one with it)

Summary

By now you can tell I loved this bike. As an all mountain bike it is simply amazing. It could see duty as a park bike and be your everyday steed. In both settings you would not be disappointed. The Moment we test came in at around 30 lbs with the burlier build but can easily be built to a 27lb Enduro (Super D) Race Rig by simply specing lighter components. You may have seen Ellsworth Rider Andre Pepin pulling down top 10 finishes on this bike in the Fontana DH Winter series. The test bike leaned a bit more toward the gravity part of the ride than the XC part, but that’s just the way I like it.

Price

MSRP on the Moment is $5695.00 but I suggest you check out their website where you can build the perfect bike for you and price it out more accurately.

Reviewers Side Note –

Aluminum VS Carbon – if you are one of those riders that think that a full carbon rig is a must have you probably haven’t ridden Ellsworth Aluminum. Yes, the Moment is an aluminum bike featuring SST.2 tubing and it’s outstanding. In order to make a great bike from any material it requires knowing how to work with the material it to get the exact ride characteristics and durability riders want. Just because something is made of carbon may work to impress the posers but doesn’t necessarily make it good. And the same goes for aluminum. One of the really noticeable things I took away is how solid the bike is. That is years of refinement in action. Again, don’t believe all the marketing hype out there about carbon. You need to ride one of these for yourself before cracking open that wallet.