COMMENCAL Meta TR 29 Race 2021 Review

When you first climb onto the COMMENCAL Meta TR 29 Race 2021, you'll notice that the riding position is central and upright, with a significant amount of weight on your hands when riding on flat terrain. This bike is clearly designed to tackle steep climbs and descents with ease. At 180 cm tall, you'll still fit comfortably within COMMENCAL's size recommendation if you're on a size medium.

The seat tube angle is extremely steep at 78.5°, which provides a more balanced ratio of reach to chainstay length when paired with the size medium. The 433 mm chainstays are remarkably short in comparison to the ultra-long front centre on the size large. In fact, its length necessitated downsizing to a medium with a 470 mm reach.

The bike's geometry is aggressive, with a slack head tube angle of 63.6° and an impressive reach in the size large at 495 mm. This means that the COMMENCAL Meta AM already looks very aggressive on paper. Unfortunately, this also means that it falls short of expectations when it comes to aesthetics, particularly with the cheap-looking Ride Alpha cockpit.

At €5,299, the META AM 29 is not an inexpensive bike, and customers will rightly expect top-notch performance as well as a corresponding look and feel. However, the bike's weight does contribute to its overall performance, reaching the 17 kg mark quickly with heavier tires.

The frame of the META AM 29 was built to last, particularly in areas like the brake mount. The suspension is defined and firm, dispelling any notion that the rear will be super plush with the coil shock. The finishing quality of the frame leaves a bit to be desired, with rough edges around the head tube, weld seams, and cable routing.

One notable feature of the bike is its dropper post, which offers 150 mm travel in the size medium, increasing to 175 mm on the size L and 200 mm on the XL. The Shimano XT 12-speed drivetrain, DT Swiss wheels built with robust EX511 rims, and Kind Shock dropper post provide a solid foundation for performance.

While the COMMENCAL team relies on a direct-to-consumer sales model, sending their bikes directly to customers, it's no wonder that the bike tops the scales at an impressive 16.20 kg when paired with Öhlins coil suspension and complete renunciation of carbon parts.

Overall, the COMMENCAL Meta TR 29 Race 2021 is a capable and aggressive bike designed for tackling challenging terrain. With its burly frame, big bearings, thick frame protectors, and massive rocker links, it's clear that this bike was built to last.

Commencal meta tr 29 race 2021