# Iceland advice--bike choice?



## OregonSS (Feb 29, 2012)

This is obviously a first-world problem, but I'm heading to Iceland on Friday and will be riding the "Raven" tour with Icebike adventures. I'm bringing my own bike, but I'm going back and forth about which one is more appropriate:

1. YT Capra: 165mm of travel in back and 170 up front with 27.5 wheels. It climbs reasonably well for what it is, but my biggest concern is the super slack head tube angle (65.2 degrees). I love this bike when things are reasonably open, but it could turn in to a handful if there are a lot of tight, slow moving rocky sections to deal with.

2. YETI SB95c: 127mm out back and 140 up front on 29er wheels. This bike is about 3 lbs lighter than the Capra and does well all-around (I did the BC Bike Race on this last year and it was a fantastic bike choice). Head tube angle is more like 68 degrees--faster handling, but without the bottomless feel of the Capra.

For anyone who has ridden there, which bike should I bring? I'm figuring the Capra would be a LOT more fun on wide open descents, but I don't know how much of the riding will look like that. I asked the guide company, and the person running the front desk just gave me a quick response based on wheel size (they don't like 29ers), so that wasn't super helpful.

Thanks in advance!


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## Steve-XtC (Feb 7, 2016)

OregonSS said:


> This is obviously a first-world problem, but I'm heading to Iceland on Friday and will be riding the "Raven" tour with Icebike adventures. I'm bringing my own bike, but I'm going back and forth about which one is more appropriate:
> 
> 1. YT Capra: 165mm of travel in back and 170 up front with 27.5 wheels. It climbs reasonably well for what it is, but my biggest concern is the super slack head tube angle (65.2 degrees). I love this bike when things are reasonably open, but it could turn in to a handful if there are a lot of tight, slow moving rocky sections to deal with.
> 
> ...


looks fantastic but there are two Raven tours, a AM and a XC

all i might say is consider you will be spending a lot more time ascending than descending ... and from the photos some time carrying the bike


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## OregonSS (Feb 29, 2012)

Steve-XtC said:


> looks fantastic but there are two Raven tours, a AM and a XC
> 
> all i might say is consider you will be spending a lot more time ascending than descending ... and from the photos some time carrying the bike


Thanks! Trip was actually this summer when there was still only one Raven offering (now the all-mountain). I took the Capra and it was the right call. There was a day that was more xc-ish and thenslack head angle was annoying on that day, but some of the ridgeline rides were insanely steep and loose, and an AM/enduro bike was absolutely the right way to go. The guides are all on enduro bikes as well, which is a good indicator.


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## milehi (Nov 2, 1997)

I kept it simple and took a steel single speed with rim brakes and it was the right call after visiting the bike shops. They were geared towards road bikes and there was no way you were getting suspension serviced or brakes bled. I was there for ten days and did a ton of riding. If I was going for a week I'd take a full sus with disc brakes.

I'm forming an itinerary for another trip in mid August right now. Anything earlier and the trails are full of tourist.


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