Esker Woodsy
Wheel Size: 29’’
Suspension Travel:
- Frame: 145 mm
- Fork: 160 mm
Geometry Highlights:
- Sizes offered: S1/SM, S2/MD, S3/LG, S4/XL
- Headtube angle: 64.5°
- Seat tube angle: 77.5°
- Reach: 501 mm (size S4)
- Chainstay length: 440 mm
Frame Material: Aluminum and Titanium versions available
Price:
- Frame w/ RockShox Super Deluxe shock: $2,000 (aluminum), $3,500 (titanium)
- Complete bikes starting at $4,000
Intro
Esker founder Tim Kruegger had metal bikes in mind when he started Esker. We recently had a great conversation with him about that, as well as what inspired Esker to completely abandon carbon fiber, among other topics, on Ep.276 of Bikes and Big Ideas. Esker’s departure from carbon fiber has led to an overhaul of their full-suspension mountain bike line, and the introduction of two new models made from either aluminum or titanium.
The Woodsy is the longer-travel bike of the two, and with 145 mm of rear travel, it’s jumping into a very crowded and competitive category. But the Woodsy has a few key attributes that set it apart — first and foremost, the Dave Weagle-designed Orion Dynamics suspension platform. We spent time on it when we reviewed the now-discontinued carbon Esker Rowl and came away impressed. Of course, the Woodsy will need more than a sprinkling of Dave Weagle suspension magic to mix it up with the best in the segment, so let’s take a look at the rest of the details.
The Frame
Esker welds the Woodsy frames in Taiwan, with front triangles made with your choice of 6061-T6 Aluminum or Cold-Forged 3/2.5 Titanium; both share the same 6061-T6 swingarm. There are no flip chips for geometry adjustments, nor is there any fit adjustability — Esker has taken a simple, less complicated approach here.
The Orion Dynamics suspension platform is similar to the more common DW-link design in that it employs dual short links, but the overall layout is fairly different. The Orion system utilizes a lower link that rotates around the bottom bracket with the upper one tucked in above it. Esker says the dual small links work in concert with the concentric bottom bracket to provide controlled lateral stiffness and keep braking forces in check. Esker also claims it provides an efficient and stable pedaling response on all terrain, as well as good mid-travel square-edged bump compliance.
Because the lower link is concentric with the bottom bracket shell, there are some large bearings rotating around the threaded bottom bracket. The whole assembly is held in place by a proprietary left-hand threaded lock ring, which requires a special tool for service and is available on their website.
Esker has routed all the cables externally; some will like this, others will not, but there’s no denying that it simplifies brake, drivetrain, and dropper post installations, as well as service. Frame protection looks good, and there are water bottle mounts on the inside of the front triangle and the bottom side of the downtube. There are also some accessory mounts on the underside of the top tube.
Fit & Geometry
Esker uses both numeric and nominal sizing for the Woodsy, and it comes in four sizes: S1/SM, S2/MD, S3/LG, and S4/XL. In comparison to Esker’s previous full-suspension offerings, the fit and geometry have changed considerably. The Rowl we tested had a fairly compact fit, and judging by the numbers, it looks like the Woodsy should be a good bit roomier. It has a notably long reach across the size range, with the size S3 (Large) coming in at a lengthy 501 mm. Now, fit is never reliant on just one number and is a combination of all of them, so we’ll have to see how it feels once we get on it, but I’ll admit it’s hard not to fixate on the reach number a little. That said, Esker does spec a short 35 mm stem on all sizes.
Esker made all-day comfort part of the design brief for the Woodsy, and in addition to the long reach, gave it a reasonably high stack height (646 mm, size Large) as a result.
The Esker Rowl had crazy short 425 mm stays, but given the Woodsy’s longer reach, it’s not surprising to see the rear end extended out to 440 mm — likely to improve fore/aft balance.
Finally, we love that Esker includes max seatpost insertion in their geometry chart, which is quite handy when deciding dropper post travel
The Builds
With a hybrid direct-to-consumer / dealer network sales model, it is possible to buy an Esker off a dealer’s sales floor or directly from the Esker website, shipped to your front door. For dealer sales, use Esker’s dealer locator on their website to find your closest dealer. Esker offers one base build ($4,000 for the aluminum frame, and $5,500 for titanium), and has customizable upgrade options for suspension, drivetrain, brakes, wheels, cockpit (dropper post, stem, and handlebar), headset, and seatpost clamp.
Esker’s online configurator is pretty slick and allows you to custom build your bike from the frame up. All the bikes ordered from the website are built to order in Minneapolis and are shipped almost fully built. Just install the front wheel, set up the cockpit, throw some sealant in the tires, and you’re pretty much ready to ride.
The base-level builds actually look really good, and given Esker prioritized making affordable mountain bikes, I’d say mission accomplished. Conversely, taking the mutt’s nuts approach and choosing the most expensive upgrades, it’s possible to ratchet the build price up to $8,224 when using the aluminum frame, and just shy of $10k for titanium. Overall, I think Esker has done a nice job of offering a wide range of options that should appeal to most riders.
- Drivetrain: SRAM Eagle 90
- Brakes: SRAM DB8
- Fork: RockShox Lyrik Select
- Shock: RockShox Super Deluxe
- Wheels: Stans Flow S2 Alloy
- Dropper Post: PNW Loam Dropper (S1; 150 mm: S2-S3; 170 mm; S4; 200 mm)
Some Questions / Things We’re Curious About
(1) How will the Orion Suspension on the Woodsy compare to the Esker Rowl we reviewed?
(2) Esker’s recommended sizing chart puts me (6′ / 183 cm tall) squarely on a size Large frame. Given its long 501 mm reach / 642 mm effective top tube, how will the Large frame fit? Does Esker’s recommended sizing seem accurate?
Bottom Line (For Now)
Esker’s decision to break up with carbon fiber may seem a little risky, especially given how prevalent it is as a frame material in the high-end bike world. However, switching to metal for their full-suspension models enables them to offer more affordable options, while also avoiding the need to manufacture bikes in locations that don’t align with their values.
The Woodsy can be built as an affordable aluminum bike or a high-end titanium bike (with tons of options in between). It features an Orion suspension system that impressed us on previous Esker bikes, along with geometry that leans on the progressive side without being overly so, and looks like a very interesting option in the all-around Trail bike category.
We have a Woodsy in for review and have a few rides on it, so check out our Flash Review for some initial ride impressions, and be sure to check back in for the Full Review.
Flash Review: Our Initial On-Trail Impressions
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Flash Review: Esker Woodsy
We’ve started testing Esker’s Woodsy Trail / All Mountain bike, and its combination of a compliant ride, efficient suspension, and all-day comfort has it looking like an interesting option in a crowded category.
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