Other bikes are less fun to ride, inspiring less confidence, have a less well-rounded performance, or are built with components that hold you back from having a great time. Both YT and Polygon sell direct to the consumer and both have the most impressive build kits of all the models in this test. However, our test field included five other outstanding bikes that deserve mentioning here and which, depending on personal preferences and where you plan to ride, may even be the better choice for some. This group test also revealed some exciting findings that could play a decisive role in your bike purchase, or simply keep you up to date and informed when you chat with your mates on the trail. The Levo SL is the logical evolution of non-motorised bikes and takes the riding experience to the next level! Besides forest service roads, we also took on a lot of technical climbs. The geometry is modern and progressive, spot on by today's standards and the primary reason this bike rips so hard. Our 29-inch wheeled test model now has 150mm of travel and is pretty much spot on with today's modern trail bike geometry trends. Und immer mit dem Anspruch Räder zu bauen, die Spaß machen und besser als alle Anderen sind. E-MTB Test 2020: Wir haben uns der ... KTM ein preislich ziemlich attraktives Highend E-MTB in die Saison 2020. One value that you can’t trust is the seat tube angle. It has a very nice build for the price. All of the bikes reviewed here are different, with varying geometry numbers, component specifications, and strengths and weaknesses that define the way they perform out on the trail. However, one thing is clear: stiffness is noticeable on the trail. The builds of bikes in this price range have improved dramatically in the past couple of years. How can we improve GearLab? You’ll see this reflected in our group test too. Een hardtail is het lichtste type mo Bikes aus den USA lösen bei uns immer noch Sehnsüchte aus. Kona's new Process 134 29 also earned itself an award by setting itself apart from the competition with its hard-charging downhill capabilities. On the other hand, there are always brands that don’t take up our invitation to take part in the group test. A bike with mixed wheel sizes benefits from better rollover behaviour at the front while staying agile thanks to the smaller rear wheel and usually shorter chainstays. We would rather resort to SRAM CODE RSC brakes instead. Here is our review of the Specialized Levo SL Expert Carbon. Fully-Tests MTB-Traumräder aus den USA 7 US-Trailbikes im Test. The result is a bike that is far more capable and confidence-inspiring on the descents than you'd ever expect at this price point, yet it has retained its versatility, well-rounded demeanor, and climbing abilities. The Polygon Siskiu T8 is another bike that is shockingly capable, with a well-rounded performance that simply performs well everywhere. On flat, flowing trails and when jumping, the suspension absorbs a lot of energy and the rear end wallows slightly. Similarly, the Polygon Siskiu T8 really impressed us with its redesign for the 2021 model year. In the market for a new mountain bike for trail riding... Mountain bike tires have the ability to make or break the... We conducted a mind-numbing amount of research to identify... Are you searching for the best dropper seatpost for your... Searching for a new mountain bike helmet? The Trance 29 feels quick and energetic when pointed up the hill, with comfortable geometry and reasonable weight compared to many of the other models in this test. Arguably the most important element of a mountain bike's performance for most riders is how it performs on the downhill. He is also the author of Mountain Bike Tahoe , a mountain bike guidebook for the Tahoe region. Otherwise, the Jeffsy really knocked our socks off. However, even if there is nothing to complain about in terms of the stopping power on their current model and we prefer the friendlier mineral oil brake fluid, we find the loud rattling of brake pads and the constantly wandering bite point on many of Shimano’s brakes to be very annoying. We think the Specialized Levo SL Expert Carbon represents the next level of mountain biking and therefore secures this group test’s coveted Best Buy tip! Both the Kona Process 134 29 and the Trek Fuel EX 5 were plenty competent but relatively unimpressive on the climbs. The bike industry has spent many years categorising bikes. Both bikes have the same front suspension in the form of a RockShox Recon fork. The changes to the new Jeffsy included adding 10mm of front and rear suspension as well as a generous dose of the long and slack treatment. Reproduction without permission is prohibited. Our testers are full-time, year-round, bike fanatics. The Polygon's updated geometry has also made it more capable on the descents. Ghost Bikes: Seit über 20 Jahren bauen wir bei GHOST Fahrräder. Instead of being put off by too much or too little travel, we recommend that you read our reviews and ideally test ride the bike extensively on different trails. Our team of professional mountain bike testers rode these bikes for months while analyzing their performance, design, and build kit. The trump card for the Thron² is its battery system. The Genius plays in its own league on the climbs where it is super efficient, quick and light-footed. Grip, damping and puncture protection are definitely more important here than weight savings. Both bikes feel fast-rolling and have similar seated pedaling positions and geometries that perform well in a range of uphill riding situations. Now Shimano have made an impressive comeback with their new 12-speed drivetrain, particularly with its very smooth shifting and powerful clutch mechanism, which is even more effective at suppressing chain-slap than SRAM Eagle. It's important to note that all of the moving parts on mountain bikes eventually require maintenance. If you buy this bike, you get the handling of a classic trail bike with the benefits of an eMTB, minus the disadvantages you would get with a classic eMTB. Sub-£1k full sussers are going to be overly hefty and sport low-end kit that will impair your ride experience. The Fuel EX is an efficient and quick climber and it is more than comfortable enough for long days in the saddle. More than 250 pages of extensive buyers advice, tons of eMTB know-how as well as reviews of the 35 most exciting eMTBs and the 7 best motors. It is the fastest bike on test and on top of that, it’s the most balanced in the corners. They aren’t especially light but they aren’t restrictively heavy either. If you step on the pedals, you expect propulsion! The Trail Brothers team and others have created a one-of-a-kind network of trails at the nearby Monte Arsenti, from flowing to rough, it’s got something for everyone. 1 Die Top 10 der besten Ergebnisse unter 25000 Euro. We researched virtually every model on the market in the $2,000-$2,500 price range and bought eight bikes for side by side testing. MOUNTAINBIKE hat sieben aktuelle US-Dreambikes auf Herz und Nieren getestet. Of course, he still writes a lot of content himself, reviews almost 100 bikes a year and rides his bike almost every day. It also comes with a very nice build kit that performs great on the trail and won't have you shelling out extra cash for upgrades. When work doesn't feel like work, then you've probably done everything right. The Trek Fuel EX has won this test in the past and it was among the top contenders here once again. ... Doch beim Cube Reaction GTC Eagle bekommt man für 2500 ... Test 2017: Orbea Alma M-LTD. Over the course of several months, our Tahoe-based mountain bike testers rode the trails throughout the Tahoe Basin and surrounding areas. It is rounded off with carefully specced, super functional componentry, where we can only really criticise the annoying rattling of the Shimano XTR brake pads. For 2020, Focus has expanded its incredibly popular e-MTB catalogue to include the all-new Thron trail bike range. Bikes like this are fun to ride since they have such balanced trail manners that can handle a huge range of speeds, trail types, and conditions. But more on that in a moment. Ludwig Döhl; ... Neuheiten 2020: MTB-Helme. The Jeffsy Base returns to the test and was a tester favorite for the second year in a row. For 2020, the YT JEFFSY CF Pro has been given one centimetre more travel at the rear and, like the CF Pro Race model, now offers 150 mm travel front and rear. Both YT and Polygon sell directly to the consumer, allowing them to provide a higher price to component spec/build kit ratio. This is a great trail bike and a truly amazing one at this price. Once again, the Ibis Ripmo was able to assert itself as the most versatile and best trail bike of the group test. We don’t hold back in the tops and flops of this test. There are a number of factors that dictate the way a bike descends, most notably geometry and component specification. After all, one of the main criticisms of eMTBs from traditional mountain bikers often concerns their increased weight. The Polygon Siskiu is a very capable bike on the descents thanks to its geometry and impressive component specification. None of the new players managed to knock this bike off its throne. When we included the Specialized Levo SL in the test, we actually wanted to compare the best trail bikes with an eMTB. They perform on the quick after-work lap just as well as they do on long multi-day rides and don’t have to shy away from bike park excursions either. For a detailed review on how the bike rides and in which aspects it differs from the Stumpjumper and Levo, read the separate article we dedicated to this topic further on in this issue. But there is a dark force that often has a big influence on a bike’s handling that is difficult to assess on paper – we are talking about stiffness. The 130 mm travel at the rear feels like a lot more on the descents and we would actually have preferred to ride the bike with a 160 mm travel fork. The Ripmo continued to impress us with its excellent pedalling position, efficient suspension and high-quality frame. We ride these bikes as if they are our own, pushing them to determine their strengths, weaknesses, and ride characteristics. Just like our recent enduro bike group test, we also included an eMTB in the test field: the brand new Specialized Levo SL. You gotta get up to get down, and as mountain bikers, we typically spend the majority of our time riding while going uphill. With each pedal stroke and each pump, you pick up speed and the grin on your face grows. The Jeffsy Base returns to the test and was a tester favorite for the second year in a row. In the sub $2500 price range, a few hundred dollars goes a long way in the quality of components attached to a frame, and generally speaking, you're better off spending a little bit more for a better build. The Process 134 29 is a ripping mid-travel trail bike that is capable of charging way harder on descents than our testers expected for a bike in this price range. Following modern trends, Polygon lengthened the reach and wheelbase, slackened the head tube, and steepened the seat tube, bringing the Siskiu's geometry up to date. The Trance 29 brings a high degree of liveliness and a playful demeanor to the table in a short-travel package that really impressed us with its versatility and all-around performance. If you’re looking for a fast-rolling combination with an aggressive profile, but you can accept compromises in damping, we can recommend the 2.3” MAXXIS Minion DHF and DHR II as on the Giant Trance 29. Next up in our cross-country mountain bike reviews is the X-Caliber 7, another fine model from Trek’s deep bench.. Volume spacers can help to a limited extent, but the suspension lacks the all-round qualities necessary for the test victory. Sprinting, there is also so much flex that the tire rubs audibly on the rear linkage. The only exception here is for particularly short riders up to around 165 cm tall. In the last few years, things have been quiet in Shimano’s camp – instead, the market was dominated by SRAM’s Eagle. The new Kona Process 134 29 is a mid-travel trail slayer that comes to life when pointed down the hill and speeds increase. All the bikes in our test selection were put through their paces on a wide range of trail types, with test laps that aimed to hit the full spectrum of mountain bike riding. The YT Jeffsy remains a great-value bike. Unfortunately, the bike’s handling doesn’t live up to what the marketing promises. Een hardtail mountainbike leent zich voor het rijden van vaste routes, toertochten, marathons en XC (cross country) wedstrijden. It is striking that apart from the Canyon Spectral, all of this year’s bikes are rolling on 29” wheels. While some aspects of its build are dialed, the important job of handling the front end travel is left to a low-end RockShox Recon fork. At ENDURO, we prefer to keep it simple: for us, it is not about categories for the sake of categorisation but rather about finding the best solution for a specific application. If you’re looking for a classic, do-it-all trail bike, this is it! You can easily spend a small fortune on a new mountain bike these days, but after testing these affordable models, it's clear that you don't have to. Kona's bikes typically perform well on the downhills, and even the entry-level version of this bike handles speed and aggressive terrain with the confidence and composure we've come to expect from the brand. Got feedback? He grew up right at the base of some of Tahoe's most famous mountain bike trails. That said, the rider who prioritizes downhill performance and isn't that concerned about weight should give the Process 134 a look. Hardtail oder Fully? It’s here to stay. While the rear suspension feels very defined that also means that it’s not overly comfortable. Nevertheless, we were able to identify some components that none of our eight riders could get on with: the saddles and grips some brands spec on their bikes almost amount to assault. Here is our review of the YT JEFFSY CF Pro. Benson is known for putting in an obscene amount of time in the saddle while testing, training, and riding just for the fun of it. For a long time this made a lot of sense, but then those categories became increasingly specific and niche until the individual designations became absurd. In addition to the Specialized S-Works Enduro, Santa Cruz Megatower, Rocky Mountain Slayer and Pole Stamina 180, the Nukeproof Mega 290 Carbon caused a lot of excitement even before we reviewed it in our group test. 6 Enduro-29er unter 3.000 € im Vergleichstest. The lack of a dropper post is the most egregious aspect of the build, especially for a bike that is so good on the descents. The Z2 is a departure from the typical budget fork specs, and after having it serviced it outperformed the forks found on most other bikes in this price range. Hardtails are the most common, but full-suspension options also exist. Fortunately, the Trance 29 3 is as good going up as it is fun to ride back down. The Trance 29 has a moderate modern geometry that gives it excellent versatility, and it feels highly maneuverable and comfortable at a range of speeds and terrain. YT have combined this with a low slung top tube and plush suspension kinematics, giving you a bike that is lots of fun to ride and that excels on demanding trails. They also both sport similar wheels and tires that are tubeless-ready and beefy enough to stand up to hard trail riding. It can't match the build on the YT or Polygon, but it gets the job done for less. While the market is dominated by all-rounders, there are also more and more trail bikes that focus on specific handling characteristics. When it comes to brakes Shimano was considered the ultimate in reliability for many years. The steep seat tube angle lines the rider up in an efficient and comfortable seated position and the Ssikiu is an effective and well-rounded climber. There are several worthy options in this review that'll put a smile on your face. Related: How We Tested Best Mountain Bikes Under $2,500s. If you are looking to spend a grand and a half on a brand spanking new mountain bike, we check out just what you get for your money in the model year 2020/21. The 27.5-inch wheeled Trance 3 also came quite well equipped for the price with a stout fork and burly wheels and tires. Trail bikes are the most versatile of the lot. Alongside our Best in Test and best buyers tips, we also discovered what is probably the biggest revolution in the mountain bike segment for 2020! Our biggest gripe was the touchpoints of the bike, most notably the grips and the saddle. Our only point of criticism is the tires – these should be replaced as soon as possible!