First Look: Esker's Updated Hayduke Hardtail

Feb 1, 2023
by Dario DiGiulio  
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As a smaller brand that regularly marches to the beat of their own drum, it's no surprise to see Esker incorporating some design elements that are less often seen on other bikes. The Hayduke has been a running model of theirs for a few years now, serving as a multipurpose bikepacking, trail riding, adventure-curious hardtail for all who need such a thing. With a frame geometry geared towards balance, adaptability, and carrying capacity, the updates for this newest generation simply take that intention to the next level. Distance-focused steel hardtails may not be the bread and butter of the Pinkbike crowd, but I think it's a pretty rad little niche in the market.
Esker Hayduke

• Quad-butted 4130 steel frame
• 120mm fork
• Designed around 29" wheels
• 5 sizes available
• 4-position adjustable dropouts
• Weight: 2589-2899 grams (frame only)
• Colors: Darkness, Bluebird, Chili
• Frame: $1000 USD
• GX Complete: $3000 USD
• XT Complete: $4000 USD
eskercycles.com/

The self-powered joy of getting really far out there is a core part of why many of us got into this sport, and bikes like this simply help facilitate that. In Esker's own words: "Hayduke is your most trusted adventure buddy - always ready to roll out into the unknown at a moment's notice. Loaded for the long haul or light and nimble singlespeed missions, this is the bike for your adventure rides."

Though tamer than the fictional ecoterrorist that serves as its namesake, the Hayduke is an interesting beast nonetheless, so let's dig in.


Geometry

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It should be no surprise that a bike geared towards touring and distance doesn't sport the most cutting edge geometry on the market, but the Hayduke isn't quite as conservative as one might expect. With a static head angle of 65.6° that steepens up by around 2° at sag, this won't necessarily be the bike for picking your way down the steepest tech, but by no means will it hold you back on typical trails. The stack and reach numbers grow reasonably with each size, with the largest option sitting at 490mm long and 626mm high. Coupled with a sorta-low 60mm bottom bracket drop, the body position should be fairly upright on the Hayduke, which is a welcomed departure from the typically cramped XC geo of yore. Especially over the course of back-to-back long days, a comfortable body position is key.

The rear end of the bike is quite adjustable, with chainstays ranging from 425-437mm long. This is achieved with Esker's 4-position Portage dropout system, which allows you to bolt in different dropout plates to achieve your desired setting. The Portage system is also how the Hayduke achieves a tire clearance of up to 29x2.8", which should be welcomed news for folks still on the fat tire program.


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Plenty of room to experiment with the Portage dropouts.
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A very bike-shaped bicycle.

The Hayduke is billed as the bikepacking-specific bike in the Esker family, and I think this geometry suits that niche quite well. I'm not going to pull a Levy and call this a downcountry hardtail, even though the angles would suit most trail riding quite well. This is a bike designed to be balanced, comfortable, and predictable, even when loaded up with gear.

When it comes to loading it up, that's where the finer details of this frame really give it a leg up over more generalist options out there.

photo
Natural habitat.

Frame Details

We've already covered the utility of the Portage Dropouts, and their ability to change geometry, tire clearance, and axle standards, but that's not the only trick up Hayduke's sleeve. Pinkbike commenters rejoice, as there are about 50 different ways to mount a water bottle to this frame. With provisions for a bolt-on frame bag, three-bolt cage mounts on the downtube, and threaded rack mounts on the rear end, cargo capacity is the name of the game.

I've done quite a lot of long-distance bikepacking, and the convenience of built-in mounts like these is hard to overstate. Velcro and Voilee straps certainly do the trick, but having a clean and bolted connection really simplifies the whole setup. I know touring really isn't the focus around here, so I'll spare y'all my excitement about how many Poptarts you can strap to this thing.

photo
Oh baby look at all those bottle bosses...

Other frame hardpoints are nicely modernized, so you'll be able to build up a complete from a wide array of parts, should you want to start with a bare frame. The 31.6mm seat tube has plenty of insertion depth, allowing for ample dropper travel for each size. The 44-44mm headtube is a nice feature, as it allows you to play around with angle/reach adjust headsets, if you want to get funky with it. The steel frame itself is ED (Electrophoretic Deposition, if you must know) coated to protect from rust, which bodes well for the longevity of the bike.

Build Kits

The Hayduke comes in three flavors: Frame-only, GX complete, and XT complete - priced at $1,000, $3,000, and $4,000 USD respectively. Though none of the options are terribly cheap, I think they pose a pretty decent value for folks looking to buy a turnkey bikepacking bike that will serve them well in a wide variety of applications. Both the GX and the XT feature a well-considered selection of parts that should hold up to the rigors of long backcountry tours, as well as performing nicely on trail.

There are a few elements that set the XT apart from the GX, aside from the drivetrain. The Industry Nine 1/1 wheelset is a significant upgrade over the Stan's Flow alternative, with a more robust design and better longevity. The Wolf Tooth dropper post is a nice thing to see on the higher spec, as their fully rebuildable and serviceable design lends itself well to an adventure-ready bike. The one component I'm less sure of is the MRP Raven fork, only because I don't have time on one myself - it's hard to say how it would compare to a Pike or 34 in the same application.

For folks who want to kit out the nicest camping and trail riding bike they can, Esker offers a few upgrade options that you can tack onto the stock builds. The fork can be upgraded to a Fox Factory 34 with a Grip2 damper, and the wheelset can be swapped out for an Industry Nine Enduro S carbon option. Obviously these jack up the price, but that's to be expected for the bump in performance.

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A fitting graphic for the rowdiest member of the Monkey Wrench Gang.
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A different sort of e bike.

Last Thoughts

The rapid pace of change that we've seen in the world of bike design has been a little more slow and steady in the bikepacking niche, but the packmules are still modernizing alongside their sportier cousins. My personal touring rig is a bit dated at this point, and the well-considered details and geometry of a bike like the Hayduke have me wondering how much better the endless days of pedaling could be on a newer frame. With spring around the corner, I might try something akin to this Esker and see how it fares - both on singletrack and over the long haul.

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Hayduke Lives!


Author Info:
dariodigiulio avatar

Member since Dec 25, 2016
167 articles

98 Comments
  • 141 2
 Very impressed with how they managed to hide the shock. Take notes, Bold.
  • 75 2
 I appreciate that they listed both sagged and unsagged headtube angles. I wish every company did that for their hardtails.
  • 14 28
flag Inertiaman (Feb 1, 2023 at 10:13) (Below Threshold)
 All you really need is one number for HA and a note for whether it is based on sagged or unsagged fork, or better yet the actual crown to axle length the geo #'s are based upon. Pretty trivial math to figure any delta to that baseline. But you're larger point is still correct: many companies can't even be bothered to clarify what fork length the published geo is based upon.
  • 49 0
 @Inertiaman: I mean, sure. There's a bunch of geometry numbers I could derive if I really wanted to. Or the company could just tell me what the numbers are, since they already know.
  • 12 13
 @toast2266: I'm not sure that subtracting 0.5deg for each 10mm really counts as "deriving".
  • 46 2
 @Inertiaman: look at Good Will Hunting over here Smile
  • 9 1
 @Inertiaman: Sure, angles are simple, but stack and reach require a bit more thought, and most people don't use trig on a daily basis.

HOWEVER, who runs 30% fork sag? If they're going to publish all geo numbers at such a high sag, they should at least publish them unsagged as well. That way someone can split the difference to get more realistic numbers.
  • 56 0
 I'm honored.
  • 21 0
 Hayduke lives!
  • 22 0
 What a refreshing article.
  • 21 0
 I'll wait for the DaisyDuke.
  • 65 0
 Early reviews say it comes up shorts.
  • 20 1
 I heard it has a leg up on the competition, but it is not very buttoned up.
  • 13 1
 @OzarkBike: its time to cutoff this conversation
  • 4 1
 The DaisyDuke has more bolt ons.
  • 15 2
 I only bought an Esker Japhy in late 2020 as a stand-in to hang parts, while I was waiting 9 months for a Transition Spur (which has a very similar fit and geometry). Even after the Spur was built, I liked the ride quality and versatility of the Japhy so much that I kept it around. I still spend almost half the year on that hardtail. As great as my full suspension bikes are, the itch for steel hardtail never really goes away.
  • 13 1
 "Eco-Saboteur" is a better term than "ecoterrorist" since the point of the (fictional) book was just breaking stuff, not using violence to achieve a political means "ecoterrorist" is a term propagated by the police in real cases.

Also, even though the book was fictional, the characters were loosely based on real people. In Hayduke's case it is environmentalist Doug Peacock.
  • 9 15
flag garrisond5 (Feb 1, 2023 at 19:33) (Below Threshold)
 Are the people that pounded railroad spikes into trees to kill loggers like my uncle "eco-saboteurs"? I prefer the term murderer myself.
  • 14 1
 @garrisond5: I'm not arguing for people doing that, I don't think they should. But a google search shows there has never been a confirmed death from tree spiking in the US- only one injury. Most claims were from other things that ended up grown into logs like barbed wire. Care to correct me with a source?
  • 14 0
 Long live the mariachi!
  • 7 0
 I wonder why Salsa no longer makes it?
It seemed pretty popular.

Been riding mine for over ten years and am really happy with it.
Sometimes I wonder if I should get something a bit more modern geometry wise, but there don't seem to be that many options.
This one however seems to tick all the boxes.
They seem to have copied the Mariachi, from the alternator drop outs down to a slogan on the inside of the chainstay.
  • 14 0
 @IntoTheEverflow: what if I told you… it’s the same designer.
  • 11 0
 @IntoTheEverflow: QBP left all the steel to Surly. The white el mar ss is still one of the prettiest mountain bikes ever.
  • 5 0
 EXCEPT...the Fargo is the bikepacking version of the El Mar, and its still offered by Salsa in Steel and Titanium frame options. Fargo's are compatible up to 29 x 3.0 tires, don't need to change out the entire dropout plate to change the wheelbase/tire clearance, and the price of a steel fargo frameset includes the carbon fork with more 3-bolt cage mounts and a length equivalent to a 100mm travel fork at 20% sag.
  • 7 1
 @deeeight: You are right about Salsa still having some steel, but you compared a dumpy fargo to the el mar Frown
  • 7 0
 What's the point of attaching a wobbly pack on the dropper post's stanchion when you can attach a proper rack to the eyelets included on the frame?
  • 5 0
 Lots of people are opting to use the modern rear rack designs as opposed to a seatpack, so here you have the option to do either.
  • 4 0
 Thats exactly why we added the rack mounts this year. Seat Bags are really cool, and work well for some use cases, but racks work better in other use cases.
  • 3 0
 @tim-at-esker-cycles: That's an excellent idea. Rack mounts should exist on almost every hardtail IMO, just in case of a sudden need for a bike trip.
  • 3 0
 Been pondering a bikepacking bike for some time now. I'm not a complete noob to bike touring but never on a more modern "bike packing" setup. I've always had a trailer, panniers, or both. Recently did a short, 2-night, 3-day family bike trip, and it went well enough that we want to do more. So now I'm in the market for a bikepacking bike as I don't want to subject my daily-driver full-suspension trail bike to the rigors of touring, not to mention I'd be way overbiked for the types of gravel roads and easy singletrack we're likely to be doing as a family.

I'm waffling between a gravel rig and a hardtail MTB. Leaning towards gravel, 'cause none of the routes I'm likely to be doing with family in tow (Literally in the case of my 7 yo.), are likely to be technical enough to require the use of a full-on MTB, and because even though I don't ride road any more, I could see myself doing some longer mixed-surface rides on a gravel rig when I just wanna put some miles in.

Nice looking, well equipped hardtails like this still tempt me, and make the decision a bit harder.
  • 7 1
 If you don't already have a gravel bike I'd absolutely do that. Linking up pavement, dirt, and bits of green/blue singletrack on long rides is one of my favorite things. Covering road miles is WAY faster/easier than on my trail bike, and if you already have mtb handling skills, riding singletrack on the rigid skinny(er) tire bike is different enough to make even lame trails really fun.
  • 1 0
 @bkm303: This was my thinking, and honestly probably the direction I'll go, but I still get tempted by a nice looking hardtail. Must be my XC background.

Doesn't hurt that most trails around here ("Here" being = 30 min. from my house.) are what most pinkers would probably term "lame", so I have maybe two spots I can ride regularly where I'm not majorly overbiked on even my 150mm trailbike.
  • 9 0
 In my experience, be it an overnighter or a multiweek trip, the hardtail is always the right move. Way easier to pack up with flat bars, more comfortable body position, more fun to mess around on as the days pass by. Rigid or hardtial, hard to go wrong with that base.
  • 8 0
 @dariodigiulio: I agree with this. I been on a few routes now, and I have no idea why gravel is so asssociated with bikepacking. Most bikepacking routes I have done here in the west have pretty much required a hardtail or rigid MTB. Drop bar on 48s means a lot of hike a bike.
  • 2 0
 Disclaimers: never did the bikepacking I wanted to before I moved, I had both a 27.5+ aluminum hardtail and a gravel bike (which I no longer have). That said I could offer the following:

- I liked my gravel bike. It was steel, 1x11. I put the widest Cowchipper bars available on it. This particular bike was a 700c but came with 1.9 mtb tires on it. So very flexible with tires if you wanted the volume to be loaded up or a wide road tire if you're wanting to do less demanding stuff. However, the steel made it not much lighter than an aluminum hardtail, and no matter how wide your drop bars are putting a bar bag out front is limited or clunky due to wanting options to use your controls.
- Even on my + hardtail it's possible to get narrower/slicker tires to "gravel it out". Even if your family is sticking to tame gravel, just add some more pressure and lock out the fork. I find the flat bars offer much more room to mount a bar bag set up. It is possible to convert to a drop bar on the hardtail (or flats on a gravel bike) but costs can get high depending on your drivetrain/control choices.

All that said, you already have a f/s trail bike that you could use on any harder-core bikepack attempt. So if you don't have a gravel bike, I would suggest trying one. Do a lot of looking and test riding if able since fit is a pretty big factor with drop bar/endurance set ups, and then hopefully the match in size, drivetrain and frame infrastructure sorts itself out. I can tell you life can be short so owning a bike you've never owned before is worth it. Be forewarned though, it's easy (fun?) to buy all sorts of accessories and shit for a gravel bike too.
  • 3 0
 I have a CX bike I've used from some gravel riding and a steel rigid bike I've set up for commuting/touring/light trail. Opinions may vary, but drop bars, no matter how wide are terrible on trails. Since my commute can include up to 7miles of mild single track and 2 miles of gravel path, riding on a bike with a 71* hta, no dropper (can't install one, due to seat mast) and curly bars can make even smooth trails way to exciting. My rigid steel bike however has a 67*hta and a 650ish top tube, swept flat bars (I think 23*) and a dropper, it makes the same trails way more manageable and the dropper makes commuting easier by allowing you to drop it at stop lights.
Now my CX bike lives in my mag trainer and Ive decided I hate drop bars.
  • 2 0
 @BikesBoatsNJeeps: I went through the same trajectory, slowly weaned myself off drop bars and haven't looked back
  • 2 0
 I own both a steel Hayduke and Ti Hayduke. I have mind set up with 27.5 wheels. I use it as my normal trail shredder and not bike packing. It is a great geometry for most of the singletrack trails around here in the Upper Midwest. It's well balanced and not too slack like most of these bikes designed pretty much essentially for going down the sides of mountains. Those slack bikes don't make sense for 85% of mountain bike trails throughout the country. The Hayduke is spot on even if you don't bike pack. It is even awesome hitting jump lines!
  • 4 0
 These are some great updates. Should be a fantastic trail bike and bikepacker.
  • 2 0
 Agreed, seems really well thought out.
  • 5 0
 @dariodigiulio: Thanks. We like to be proud of our bikes as being born from experience, and being refined for their purpose, so "well thought out" is one of the best compliments we can receive!
  • 4 4
 Many bike MFG's want a piece of the lucrative cycling pie - they realized a sizable amount of money can be made.

But there must be a saturation point - many companies x min production runs = a heap of stock in a slowing market? So I'll wait ... and wait, for the discounts.
  • 1 1
 I am a bit confused what is so special about this bike - Marin Pine Mountain and Kona unit come to mind quickly as some pretty good alternatives... @dariodigiulio care to comment?

New Trek Marlin might be aluminium but it has almost identical geometry to this! I think that should be the biggest article for PB at the moment - geometry that is not complete crap (I had the previous generation as a hack bike in China, and the frame is sound) and still available on a good budget price to get people into the sport
  • 3 0
 The Pine Mountain is a fairly similar frame, but lacks the adjustable chainstay element and the higher-quality build kits, should you want a nicer bike out of the box. The Unit is a classic for good reason, pretty dialed frame for dirt touring, especially when set up rigid.

The Marlin is still way behind the ball geometry wise, nearly 2° different in seat and head angle. I'd sooner go with a Specialized Chisel, if you wanted a relatively cheap aluminum frame.
  • 1 0
 @dariodigiulio: Hi Dario - fair points, however not sure from a frame point of view that the extra cash is worth it. Put an angleset on either the unit or the pine mountain and you are close to the geo of this bike...

I don't think the US has the Gen 3 marlin yet:

www.trekbikes.com/gb/en_GB/bikes/mountain-bikes/cross-country-mountain-bikes/marlin/marlin-8-gen-3/p/36969

74STA and 66.5 HTA - not bad on a genuine budget bike! In lots of sizes as well...

With the Hayduke - is STA at sag or unsagged? If unsagged, once sagged it might not be great for long days in the saddle. I would rather make a STA steeper by moving the saddle forward than slacker by moving it back - the latter increases the likelihood of bending seat rails (I am a fat b@stard).
  • 10 1
 @DaveRobinson81: Hey Dave - Yes, frame-only prices are expensive on bikes, and thats a hard comparison. If you are considering the Pine Mountain, we think thats a fine bike to get people into the sport. We dont really consider the Pine Mountain a competitor, as its a bike thats aimed at a different price point, with a different level of refinement. But at the complete bike level, look at it this way, the Hayduke is just another step up. For $650 more (comparing Marin Pine Mountain 2 to Hayduke GX), you get adjustable chainstay length, a much lighter, yet still steel frame, brand name wheels, a step up in drivetrain and brakes all around, brand name cockpit parts, etc. At Esker, we consider our product to be more in the upper end, so we do have stuff starting at middle price points, but how we spec a bike is to always use parts that are brand named, with support and warranty. So thats the major thing to consider when comparing Esker to a more budget oriented big-brand bike, is things like headset, we use Wolf Tooth, compared to a no-name. wheels where we use a NoTubes Flow wheelset over a no-name, or brakes, where we choose the best options such as the SLX 4-piston brake with the finned pads, compared to the M520. M520 is a fine brake, but often larger companies will save some spec cost by choosing the model without all the features such as the lever adjustments, or the finned brake pads. We always choose the optioned-up specs, so that you dont have to go back and upgrade later. None of this is to say the big companies are bad, they are serving a purpose of getting more people onto affordable bikes. We are just a different choice, aimed more at customers that are upgrading to their 3rd or 4th bike, and have begun to know, and understand these spec nuances, and have higher requirements of their bikes as they get deeper into the sport.
  • 1 0
 @tim-at-esker-cycles: Hi Tim, understand your viewpoint - you get what you pay for. To me weight is not an issue - first place where I can and should reduce weight is the engine! Big Grin

Component spec is always a subjective topic. I guess for me the kind of features that would make the bike stand out more would be things that other 'similar' bikes don't offer like head angle adjustability (say 2 deg between options) and being able to raise/lower BB relative to rear wheel axle (I drew up some sliders for my bikes, but haven't been ae to get them made a competitive price yet - need to look farther and wider) to make it able to be the ONLY hardtail you need.
  • 1 0
 Purpose built. Looks great! I’ve been using my Surly Karate Monkey for bike packing and couldn’t be happier. But then this wasn’t available when I bought the KM…
  • 4 2
 And I can do more laps and go farther than any ebike..ebikes suck and so does strava
  • 3 2
 Lost me at strava
  • 2 0
 That's just a good lookin' bike. If I ever get the bikepacking itch, I think this would top my list
  • 2 0
 Trying to decide between the Japhy and the Hayduke. Can anyone comment on their differences after this update?
  • 2 1
 Between the two, I'd definitely go Hayduke. It's a bit slacker, has way more mounting options (if you plan to bikepack), and most importantly: it's not sold out.
  • 8 0
 @dariodigiulio: Actually, the new Hayduke is 1.5 degrees steeper in HTA than the Japhy. If you want a pack mule with a full-size front triangle for bike packing and more conservative geo, get the Hayduke. If you want a a more capable trail hardtail with a slacker front end (66 degrees at 30% sag) and a lower toptube (to run a longer dropper), get the Japhy.
  • 3 0
 @fentoncrackshell: Ah yes, my bad. Read their Japhy geo chart and forgot it was a sagged HTA number.
I'd still go Hayduke, that frame space is paramount if it's seeing any sort of touring miles.
  • 4 0
 Hey - The Japhy and the Hayduke used to be 29er / 27.5er Big/little brothers. Now, we are seperating them on the use cases a lot more, with the Hayduke more intended for bikepacking / dirt touring, and the Japhy more intended for trail. The Japhy does get some updates this year as well that we will announce in a few weeks to seperate it, mostly in geometry being a bit more "trail" than Hayduke, as the Japhy will be slacker, with a steeper seat tube, a shorter standover, and much different frame attachments.
  • 2 0
 Na na na nananana, nannana……Haaaayduke…..
  • 1 0
 So the Japhy'd the Hayduke, does the Japhy get updated or discontinued?
  • 4 0
 Japhy gets an update as well, to be announced soon. Steeper STA, Slacker HTA, Shorter seat tube lengths, and it loses all the bolt-on frame bag mounts in exchange for simpler cable routing. Japhy will be more for "trail" and Hayduke more for touring/bikepacking/going long.
  • 1 0
 @tim-at-esker-cycles: Oh great, will be interested to see the update!
Hoping rear tire clearance was addressed too?
  • 1 0
 @tim-at-esker-cycles: can it also get a high enough bb to run 27.5x2.8 (preferably 3.0) or wide enough stays for 29x2.8? It's nice at 190# (tall not big) to get some cushion for my pushing.
  • 3 0
 @icanreachit: Japhy is 29" only for sure, so it will keep the lower BB. The Hayduke BB is still "in the middle" to run either wheel size if wanted, but from our customer feedback, the market is 95% demanding 29" wheels for this use case right now.

The Japhy (and the Hayduke) does clear 29x2.8 in the 437mm chainstay position. Being that 3.0 tires are all but vaporware at this point, we are not designing around them.

Tim
  • 2 0
 @tim-at-esker-cycles: But do the updated versions actually fit a real 2.6 (on i35 rim) in the shortest position with useable dry conditions clearance now? As I know V1 of the Japhy really did not.
  • 1 0
 A less aggressive Japhy. I like this a lot!
  • 1 0
 Is the Ti version also going to get corresponding updates?
  • 2 1
 No chainstay protection?
  • 4 1
 Wrap with an old tube.
  • 3 0
 If you want a totally silent bike, get some STFU trail dampers. I just put them on my enduro rig and I can't go back to riding anything with audible chain slap.
  • 9 0
 Ride it single speed.
  • 5 0
 @IntoTheEverflow: Single speed is the only way to ride a hardtail.
  • 1 0
 @matyk: Single speed sounds painful for bike packing
  • 3 0
 @gnarnaimo: Not if geared properly.
  • 1 0
 @matyk: Yeah, I suppose... I guess my vision of bike packing is like traversing the Chilcotins, +1000 m/+30 km days. To me, that just sounds rough on a single speed regardless of how it's setup lol
  • 2 0
 @gnarnaimo: You adapt quickly
  • 1 2
 Is it really the commenters that have been asking for more water bottles? That hasn't been my impression.
  • 1 2
 @Esker give me a frame at wholesale for knowing that you measure your trip length on the Hayduke in cans of beer.
  • 1 0
 Interesting proposal, tell me more.
  • 1 0
 @tim-at-esker-cycles: You must read the books, I suppose. Hayduke frequently mentions travel distance (when he's driving his patent blue jeep) measured in cans of beer - ergo something like this: "Yuma - that's at least two beers from here." Such a great writer, such a great series. I don't need a frame just tickled about your having named it after such an appropriate character.
  • 1 3
 So, aside from the STA being 2 degrees slacker it's a Camfield Yelli Screamy, but heavier and $300 more expensive with chainstays I'll never mess with.
  • 5 0
 So then its not for you, and we are OK with that. We are not a company telling everyone that they must think our product is the best, and its the only one for them. We make specific things, for specific purposes, for people that want that. Yelli Screamy is a great bike, but altogether different in use case from the Hayduke. And you sound like a guy that more aligns with the use case of the Yelli Screamy, so as a company, we would never try to convince you ours is better for you, we will simply tell you to get the Yelli Screamy. But for someone who needs the specific things we have done to the Hayduke, for touring, bikepacking, riding down Baja, doing 2 weeks on the bike in the mountains, we think these features we have added specifically make it better than a Yelli Screamy, for the purposes I mentioned, because of the features you say would not mess with. The problem with modern bike marketing is that they try to tell everyone their product is best for all uses, and thats almost never true. And the biggest problem, is then consumers try to compare products for two entirely different use cases, and say which is better. But the point is that the Yelli Screamy will be better than the Hayduke for certain use cases. And the Hayduke will be better than the Yelli Screamy for other use cases. So rather than try to take two different bikes and decide which is better, just think about how you ride, and find something made for that purpose. We made the Hayduke, because we know there are riders, and places they want to ride, where the Hayduke is actually the best bike for them.
  • 1 0
 I love the name.
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