Could a 5″ full suspension bike really roll like a big wheeled step brother, but handle like it’s smaller older step brother?

Yes! After 4.5 months of logging saddle time on this Ventana El Bastardo I can simply say yes.  From there is the complicated details. I’ve spent some decent time on 5″ travel bikes.  The mountains of Pisgah are one of my favorite places to visit and that was the goal for this El Bastardo.  Could I climb things that I had climbed on a geared 29er and also navigate rocks, small drops and technicals like I had on a 26″?  I did, and better than I had on either of those bikes.

To say I’m out of shape right now is an understatement.  Trips to Pisgah or Dupont that once were normal afternoon rides after work at Cane Creek felt like death marches on my hardtail 29er.  The big wheels didn’t want to turn when you are way over your riding weight, your legs lack the muscle and your lungs are sucking like a smoker.  The Ventana was completely the opposite.  The slacker angles due to the offset of the XFusion fork made climbing a breeze. No need to move forward on the saddle, gear down and the bike went up like a billy goat.  Clearing many rocky sections that I had never cleared before, even when I weighed less and faster.

That slacker angle also helped on the decents. Drops that I normally wimped out due to not being able to pull the front wheel up were manageable.  The front wheel easily pulled up for a safe landing.  My issue with the rocky technical sections was always momentum. Yes 29ers roll better but you need to keep them at that certain speed to use that momentum.  If I got stuck and had to do a pedal stutter on a 29er I most likely would be done.  The Ventana propelled forward quickly like a 26″ but rolled over those rocks and logs close to a 29er.  It was rather eye opening getting in certain sections, preparing myself to clip out and put a foot down and the bike simply going by itself.

Now about the Ventana as a bike, not just riding it.  One word that I have is durable.  The welds, gussets and bearings are all beefy and strong.  For ‘09 the El Bastardo is coming stock with the quad bearing like that was installed on my test frame. The detail on the linkage and welds are first class.  See attached photos for evidence.

This bike will constantly be in the back of my mind as I take my hardtail back to the same routes.  Long term if I make trips to the mountains 2-3 a month it will warrant me buying one. For now the 1 or 2 trips I can suffer on a hardtail.

Boy was the bike fun to ride, if you get a chance test ride one.