Every acceleration is heard and immediately converted into acceleration. Only a few bikes with 140 millimetres of travel are so agile and light-footed. The reason for this is, on the one hand, the very low weight in this suspension travel class and, on the other, the drive-neutral kinematics. At just 11.4 kilos, the new (pre-series) Slide mutates into an absolute trail rocket. For the production bike, with the new Fox 34 and Race Face Next SL cranks, Radon even promises a very ambitious weight of less than eleven kilos. The rider does not have to do without a dropper post. Despite excellent propulsion, comfort is not neglected. The rear suspension with the new Fox DPS damper reacts sensitively, offers good traction and lets the rider feel the available suspension travel when it counts. Nevertheless, the rear triangle has good progression and therefore protection against bottoming out when the going gets tough. At just 1900 grams, the full carbon frame, which has the same rear triangle and rocker link as the Slide 160, is very light. The flipside of the emaciated construction is the rather average stiffness on the trail. Due to the short stem, the riding position is rather upright. Together with the wide handlebars and 67.5 mm head angle, this results in very good bike control, even when the trail becomes more demanding and scares the rider with key sections. The open shock only pumps when the rider is pedalling out of the saddle due to the change in load. If you prefer a smooth rear end, activate the effective damper platform. Downhill enthusiasts can trim the wide-set Slide 140 in this direction with fatter, grippier tyres. In the setup we tested, the narrow 2.25 mm Schwalbe Nobby Nic tyres in the fast PaceStar compound were the limiting factor downhill.
Conclusion Radon's new development is an excellent all-rounder with very good propulsion. The Slide 140 is up for anything and performs convincingly on a wide variety of trails.
PLUS Very good propulsion, superior handling, low weight
MINUS Average stiffness, narrow tyres
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