Civilian Bicycle Co.

Young Turk Complete Mountain Bike - 2012

The 29er platform may seem omnipresent now, but it wasn't a smooth ride getting there. One reason for the resistance was that hardtail 29ers not only overshadowed 26-inch hardtails, they also outperformed large manufacturers' bread-and-butter, 26in-wheeled, full-suspension cross-country bikes — on the trail and bang for the buck. The dinosaurs weren't going to risk harming ROI by offering a direct competitor to the cash cows, nor were they willing to invest in the new tooling and R&D required to enter the 29er market. If it hadn't been for niche builders like Civilian, we wouldn't have 29ers like the Young Turk complete mountain bike… we'd still be pushing smaller-wheeled mountain bikes around.

The superior technology is clear now; just attend any XC race and you'll see the 29er hardtail is the preferred platform. Or, check out one of those large manufacturer's 2012 lineup. You'll see the 26in XC bike still exists, but in most cases it'll be outnumbered four to one. Because the smaller wheels are better suited for smaller/medium framed riders, they're quickly becoming the 'adolescent ride'. For that reason, you'll find them filling the sub-1200-dollar price point as a transitional size for growing riders — leaving 29ers for the higher-end, established rider.

Manufacturers may have caught up with the market, but unlike their offerings, the Civilian Young Turk has a history dating back to the days when the only way you could get a 29er was through a custom frame builder. One of those builders was Tyson Hart, Civilian's founder. Unsatisfied with the offerings available from 'the dinosaurs' and passionate about the bicycle, he attended UBI, a respected frame building school in Ashland, Oregon.

In 2005, Hart set out building frames under the Civilian brand. Seeing the undeniable advantages of the big wheels, his first bicycle under the Civilian brand was a 29er. And, at six-foot-six, Hart understood the attraction of 29ers to taller riders. He made one for himself, and after the maiden voyage, he was convinced of the big wheel's viability. These early 29ers sparked a wave of interest, and soon orders were pouring in for more. These distinctive bicycles quickly gained a cult following for their seamless balance of unique design with a fun-to-ride attitude.

Fast forward to today, and Civilian is now located in Park City, UT. It is there that Hart continues to hone his 29er designs on trails like the Mid-Mountain and Wasatch Crest. Applying his knowledge and skills, he molded the Young Turk into a willing climber and confident descender, with a long-distance-friendly smooth ride. Instead of reserving this design for individual and patient clients (custom builders often have a yearlong or more waiting list), the Young Turk retains all the attention to detail and ride quality Hart values in a package for everyone.

The Young Turk uses a double-butted 4130 Cro-Moly tube set which offers a ride and weight that rivals frames costing twice as much. What gives the Young Turk its distinctive ride quality is the shaped chainstays that offer explosive acceleration and kinked seat stays that dampen choppy trails. This keeps you fresh for the final sprint back to camp or the trailhead. The shapely stays are joined with Tange Design sliding drop outs — all you'll need to convert the Young Turk to a single speed is a rear cog and spacer kit.

The Young Turk's front end uses the Chubby head tube; a stout, oversized unit that ensures precise steering and strength. Keeping that theme alive is a Rock Shox Reba RL with a tapered steerer. The fork has 100mm of plush travel with preload and rebound adjustment, and a lockout for efficient climbing.

Hydraulic Avid Elixir 3s with a 180mm rotor in front and 160mm in the rear offer cool, smooth operation for long and steep descents. For long and steep ascents, a Truvativ FireX crankset offers flex-free performance and a low weight for a smooth cadence. It's equipped with a 33T chainring that spins a SRAM 1030 11-36T 10-speed cassette. This combination leaves ratio overlap, poor ground clearance, and heft to multi-speed front cranks. A SRAM X9 rear derailleur and X7 shifter ensure fast gear changes and long-term durability.

The Young Turk rides on WTB Speed Disc rims laced to Quando hubs with traditional J-bend spokes. Wide, 29x2.3in Kenda Nevegal tires are high volume for a smooth ride and offer the traction to keep the Young Turk from spinning out on loose, steep climbs. The handlebar, stem, and seatpost are constructed of 2014 aluminum and feature gradients to make fine tuning fit simple. Velo lock-on grips and a Cutter saddle complete the Young Turk's build.

The Civilian Young Turk Complete Mountain Bike comes in Small, Medium, Large, X-large, and XX-Large sizes, and it's available in two colors: Asphalt and Big Sky.