Ventana El Rey performance review

Posted by FatBob on December 4, 2008

In a nut shell, the Ventana is very good. Nothing super notable.There is a bit of movement in the rear shock (bob) while pedaling but nothing annoying. The rear shock that comes stock on this frame is a Fox float R. I would like to see a Fox Float RP23 come stock on a bike in this price point .($1995.00 )Edit...Since I bought this frame I have since talked to Ventana. The 2009 El Rey frames are now sold stock with a Fox rp23 high volume air can at the current retail price of $2295.00.

If the slight bobbing in the rear shock bothers you ,its very easy to just slow down the rebound on the shock . To completely eliminate the bobbing you have to slow down the rebound to a point that I felt like compromised the down hill ability . As noted above the slight movement wasnt annoying and really is no worse then almost every other dual suspension bike on the market.

I would say the weakness of most 29ers is in very slow speed technical riding ,like trialsing over sequences of rocks . that's not to say it cant be done ,its just a little harder then a 26" wheel bike .

The El Rey is no exception to this . However in tight sweeping switchbacks it really wasn't an issue . I found that the El Rey did great in tight twisty trails . I did not notice much of a difference compared to the many 26"wheeled bikes I have ridden .

This frame was designed around a 4" travel fork. The initial set up I used was a 4" travel (100mm) fork. When the bike is set up this way ,It handles very neutral.

When climbing very steep hills I never experienced the front end getting light. It steers very predictable. If any word describes this bike I would say predictable is it .

The only way I can describe the predictable label is imagine an old friend . Its reliable and its easy to get used to. It really doesn't surprise you . Its comfortable but not really exciting . (I really hope none of my old friends are reading this. ouch)

The above comments sound a little negative . It really isn't . If you are the type of rider that likes to hop on your bike and just ride, not thinking about your equipment , the El Rey is your kind of bike.

As far as performance in technical climbs, pedal strikes have been fairly frequent. Not enough to make the bike unenjoyable, but enough that when I am climbing technical terrain, I am aware of it constantly. As long as you accommodate for it, it isn't that much of a problem.

To me, this is not a plush bike. It does not soak up all of the trail. It handle hard hits adequately. Occasionally it feels like there may be a compression spike. When it happens, it is jarring to your body. I believe that a higher volume air shock would solve the problem. (see edit above ,according to Ventana this is one of the reasons for the shock upgrade ).

This bike really shines in the stability department. On small roots and rocks, it motors over with little hesitation. Contrary to popular opinion, it still rides like a four inch travel bike.

Many people say that with 29 inch wheels, it feels like you have an extra inch of suspension. I did not find this to be true. While it is a different ride than a 26 inch wheel bike, it still rides like a four inch travel cross country frame.

While descending, the bike is sure footed and confident. Even when the trail points downhill, I prefer a four inch fork (100mm) on this bike. As of lately, I have been riding it with a 120 mm fork(4.7 in). Even on the downhills, the 120mm travel fork causes the bike to steer poorly.

Normally when you put a longer travel fork on a bike, it will descend with more confidence, due to a slacker head angle. Frankly, that did not happen with the El Rey. I washed the front end out on two descents that I have never had a problem with. The first time resulted in a crash. I figured I was just off my game. The second time I was trying to turn, but the bike seemed to ignore me. This is the first time I have experienced that on any bike. FYI, I have owned many bikes.

The long travel fork didn't really effect climbing much. I had to use a little more of a forward riding position but only on the steepest climbs.

Overall, there were more negatives to riding this bike with a 120mm fork. I would stay away from anything but a 100mm fork.

As far as the rear suspension, it's not harsh or plush, it's just there. I definitely felt fresher at the end of my rides. I also feel like I have more control, but it's not really noticeable on the trail.

I have the rear shock set with the recommended 25% sag with fairly fast rebound and I have never been wowed by the rear suspension.

That being said, I have never been disappointed. One thing I do like is the end of the travel feels very progressive. I have never bottomed out the shock. I Have come close off of a drop on my local loop but never completely.

Overall this is a very good bike. It does everything very well and nothing bad, but it did not rock my world . Frankly, I expected more from this bike. As more bikes come through, I will have more to compare to. As of today, if you're looking for a neutral handling bike with excellent craftmanship, you'll like this frame.

chia-rock