![]() ![]() It has a way of making tough terrain look easy to me, and has me constantly finding those lines that are more direct and faster, but way sketchier, that I don’t seek out on other bikes. It’s so natural, so easy to control, and so composed when devouring rowdy terrain that it instantly boosted my confidence level. ![]() If the Meta AM 29 seems good at the thing it doesn’t specialize in, you should see it do the thing it does. Especially when those slogs wind up at the top of a ripping descent. This is by no means the lightest or most efficient bike at my disposal, but I don’t hesitate bringing on rides that include long, steep slogs. The rear wheel digs in and finds traction when pedaling up and over sketchy root mounds or ledgy rock faces, without the inefficient, boggy feeling I honestly expected it to have. Under heavy acceleration, the Commencal won’t lurch forward quite like a Pivot or Yeti, but it’s still very responsive. The steep 78.5 degree seat tube angle keeps the rider’s weight far enough forward and there’s enough anti-squat built into the system to make this big beast of a bike manage tough climbs with relative ease. Sure, the shock’s pedaling platform helps on long climbs and prevents squatting on super steep pitches, but pedaling with the shock open, running 30 percent sag, is really quite efficient. These days, the list of bikes that absolutely require a shock lockout is pretty small, and the Meta AM isn’t on it. You wouldn’t expect a big aluminum single pivot 160/170mm-travel 29er to defy gravity very well, but the Meta AM 29 is a surprisingly charismatic climber. Its functional simplicity shouts directly in the face of the current trend of re-clusterfucking bike design like the 37-pound, all-metal middle finger it is. What this bike does with such an elegantly uncomplicated design is pretty mind boggling. It’s so good everywhere that it really begs the question: Are all these other bikes way over-engineered? After having spent some time on the Meta AM 29, I think my answer would be: Yes. The Meta AM 29 does not employ fancy linkages, high pivots, or idler pulleys, yet this bike and its modest modified single pivot suspension somehow deliver a remarkably modern and sophisticated ride quality. ![]() On the other hand, if what you’re after is an efficient climber and balanced all-rounder, well, you’re also in the right place. If you’re looking for an unpretentious, no-nonsense enduro basher, look no further than the Commencal Meta AM 29. Jack can also often be seen zooming about with his partner aboard their beloved tandem.Heading out the door? Read this article on the new Outside+ app available now on iOS devices for members! Jack has been writing about and testing bikes for more than six years now, has a background working in bike shops for years before that, and is regularly found riding a mix of weird and wonderful machines. He is also particularly fond of tan-wall tyres, dynamo lights, cup and cone bearings, and skids. With a near encyclopaedic knowledge of cycling tech, ranging from the most esoteric retro niche to the most cutting-edge modern kit, Jack takes pride in his ability to seek out stories that would otherwise go unreported. He is also a regular contributor to the BikeRadar podcast. Jack thinks nothing of bikepacking after work to sleep in a ditch or taking on a daft challenge for the BikeRadar YouTube channel. Always in search of the hippest new niche in cycling, Jack is a self-confessed gravel dork, fixie-botherer, tandem-evangelist and hill climb try hard. Jack Luke is the deputy editor at BikeRadar and has been fettling with bikes for his whole life. ![]()
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