2026 Cinelli Hobootleg Geo : MTB fun
Hi all ! New to bikepacking, but having a lot of fun !!!
As I'm living in center France, a MTB dream place with so many trails, I'm transforming my commuting in 25km bikepacking trips. Not sure it's still bikepacking but hey I'm everyday adventuring on my bike and this helps building confidence for the much bigger trips to come 💪💪💪.
Anyways, I had a Koga Miyata Grandtourer and was struggling... I had to custom cut my fenders, still, the tires were either to skinny and this was deflecting puncturing the wheel and hard on my 50 year old back, either touching and abrading my bike frame.
So I decided let's go full stop 29er MTB. Still drop bars for comfort... Then I stumbled on this Hobootleg Geo and just ... This was the bike I'd be getting to be free to adapt it to whatever : touring, commuting, SUP-carrying, mountainbiking...
So currently it's become a very capable mountainbike! Back from work, or during week-ends, back country roads, forest gravel roads, single track, rocky 25% descents with gravel and boulders, this bikes takes it all, and still, I feel secure, I can quickly stop.
I can climb as well, the same trails, 6-8kph sitting climbs or have a small standing part @3-5 kph. The lack of suspensions is compensated by the fact that I don't loose my energy in the climbs, but yeah I have to properly steer this bike and sometimes just to push or carry it.
It's equipment is really great. I was fearing the saddle, it's tough, but better on +25km rides than my old SMP that is comfortable at first but then make your muscles hurts (still Ergon core is better but not far, goes up to 60km rides WO pain).
I was fearing the tyres, but they allow for 25kmh on flat gravel, 45kmh in descents and are surprisingly fast rolling, especially in tubeless and with the right pressure, they just float on gravel even train-track sized gravel... Sure they are not silent on roads but the medium knobs offer enough traction in climbs with some mud, wet stones, some roots.
I was fearing the carbon fork but that thing has taken so much punishment loaded with water, work clothes, computer, my 85kg and surprise transition from smooth gravel to eroded paths full of boulders. It's supple but stable, descending in the drops there's no fear even on steep terrain where in have to get reaally flat on the bike to not fall.
I was fearing not to be able to mount fenders. But no, the Bluemels gen2 75 style mount great on the back, and on the front cheapo Aliexpress removable eyelets, tubes and strong zip ties do the job.
What they could get better, though, is a thicker handlebar tape, more protective stickers especially the cables rub on the carbon fork, eyelets on the front or why not just create Cinelli custom removable eyelets? I find the paint a bit on the softer side, but then I give this bike pure hell and back to my place I dunk it in a pond and bingo, clean.
Anyways, since I got it the biking opportunities went up, I feel so much younger sprinting in the trails around my home. Honestly this bike is for me freedom and joy of the outdoors on a daily basis.