All mountain bikes up to 5000 euros: 7 bikes up to 160 millimetres on test
CATEGORY: All Mountain | FEDERWEG138 to 160 millimetres PRICE CLASS 3500 to 5000 Euro
We tested these bikes:
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All-mountain MTBs: Bikes for 3500-5000 euros in the test
Surfing over alpine trails with the last light, your eyes fixed on sun-dappled peaks. All you can hear is the wind in your ears and the rumble of tyres on bare rock. Endorphins flood the bloodstream. These are the images that flicker through my mind when I think of all-mountain biking.
Unfortunately, the reality of our test looks very different. Bikers scurry across the car park like a horde of startled chickens, trying to find some shelter under the tailgates of their vehicles from the thunderstorm that is currently pouring over the Geißkopf bike park like a downpour. Within seconds, the potholes are filled to the brim with water and the temperature slips out of the comfort zone.
The heavens have opened their floodgates so wide that the chairlift has to stop operating and even comes to a standstill as the rain slowly subsides. But it's all half as bad. Even though our all-mountain test field of fullys with around 150 millimetres of travel are supposedly strong downhill riders, the candidates in this test category also have to prove themselves on the climbs. So pedalling is the order of the day today.
Bundled up in our rain jackets, we unload the first bikes from the transporter, adjust the suspension and fill all the tyres with the same air pressure to one decimal place. Six of the seven all-mountain bikes are priced between € 3999 and € 4999, with the Cube at the lower end of the price range and the Scott at the upper end. At 3499 euros, the Marin Rift Zone is well below this price level and is therefore out of contention.
The All Mountains weigh 15.1 kilos on average
Shortly after the last pump strokes, we turn into the Uphillflow trail under the last drops of rain. It takes us less than five minutes to peel ourselves out of our rain jackets, drenched in sweat. This is hardly surprising, as you won't find record weights in the mid-price segment of the all-mountain category. On average, our candidates weigh 15.1 kilos. That can certainly cause you to break out in a sweat on the uphill - even after just five minutes.
This naturally raises the question of whether all-mountain bikes are the right companions for pedalling-heavy Alpine tours. Do slimmer trail bikes perhaps offer the better all-round package? Or do the bikes already weigh so much that you might as well drag a more downhill-focussed enduro bike to the summit? For comparison: The Trail bikes from the same price segment up to 5000 euros weighed an average of 14.1 kilos. If you can afford to sacrifice a little confidence on the downhill, you will find much more pedalling-friendly touring companions among the trail bikes. Enduros in the same price category weighed in at around 15.5 kilos in previous tests.
Equipment advantage: 4 All Mountains remain under 15 kilos
According to this, YT and Specialized allow comparatively relaxed climbs with a total weight of well under 15 kilos. Radon and Cube also land under the 15-kilo mark and thus create clear boundaries to the other categories. The rest of the test group plays in the enduro league in terms of weight, with the Focus Jam making us sweat the most on the climbs with its 15.9 kilos.
The fact that the results on the scales are so different is mainly due to the fact that the industry disagrees on how an all-mountain bike for 3500 to 5000 euros should be equipped. Traditionally, direct-to-consumer brands equip their bikes with premium-class parts and invest heavily in carbon. The Fox suspensions from YT and Radon even have a shimmering golden Kashima coating - a sign of the highest quality. Although the Fox 36 in the Performance Elite version on the Cube does without the elegant coating, it also has the Grip2 cartridge with a four-way adjustable damping unit.
Scott, Specialized, Marin and Focus come without high-end suspension and specify mid-range parts from Fox and Marzocchi. However, the differences in suspension are more noticeable in terms of function than they are in terms of overall weight. The decisive role here is played by the frame. The two lightest bikes (YT, Specialized) and the Cube all roll on a full carbon frame. On the other hand, the Focus Jam frame is over 800 grams heavier and only uses carbon on the main frame. The rear triangle is made of aluminium. Marin is the only one to rely exclusively on aluminium as a material, but is still 182 grams ahead of the Focus in the weight ranking.
Test your climbing ability on the Uphillflow trail
On the Uphillflow trail, my colleague Jan has just switched to pedalling in order to test the efficiency of the suspension. Although the heavy Focus generates a lot of traction with its sensitive rear suspension, it pumps noticeably with every pedal stroke. Reaching for the shock platform is a must here. The rear end of the Marin, Radon and Cube also comes alive as soon as you get out of the saddle and accelerate. The Scott parries any kind of speed increase the best: its rear end is very stable in its travel even with the shock open. YT and Specialized are in between. Also noticeable: In addition to weight and suspension efficiency, the choice of tyres also has a big influence on the uphill performance. YT, Cube and Focus specify Maxxis tyres with the extremely soft MaxxGrip rubber compound on the front wheel. They stick to your hands like resin when cornering and also provide good damping, but unfortunately roll noticeably worse than the tyre combinations of the competition. In other words: If you're going to cover a lot of altitude on asphalt or gravel, you can make your all-mountain bike a little more suitable for climbing with faster tyres.
Playful on the descent
After a good 250 metres in altitude, the summit of the Geißkopf is reached. Now the all-mountain bikes have to show what they are made of on the descent. According to the measured values from our laboratory, this should be the showpiece discipline of this test field. With the exception of YT, the steering angles of all test candidates are between 64 and 65 degrees - dimensions that would also suit full-grown enduro bikes. This means that all the test riders are very composed when things get fast and rough. Only the Jeffsy, which is now four years old, with its 66-degree steep front is reminiscent of the times when all-mountain bikes were more tame touring bikes than downhill robbers. But that's not necessarily a bad thing. Thanks to the short, conservative geometry, the YT rushes playfully around tight bends and can be pulled into flight mode at any terrain edge, no matter how small.
The Radon is similarly playful, its extremely light carbon wheels literally giving it wings. The geometry of the Focus also raises hopes of a playful riding experience. However, the physical effort fizzles out in the overly comfortable suspension, and the high weight also makes it difficult for the Jam to take off. On the Cube, Specialized and Scott, the long chainstays in combination with generous wheelbases also demand a little more effort on winding trails. On the other hand, the bikes are at their best on steep terrain and at high speeds. Unimpressed even by big bumps, these candidates purr through the terrain. The biggest surprise, however, comes from the Marin: with its very long main frame and slack steering angle in combination with the short rear end, it manages the perfect balancing act between composure and agility. Only the meagre equipment limits the Rift Zone.
A few descents later, we rumble down the enduro trail one last time in the fading evening light. The bike park hordes have long since left. The sun is still blinking shyly through the dense treetops of the Bavarian Forest. The wind rustles in your ears and the quiet rumble of tyres over carpets of roots. Endorphins flow through the bloodstream. Head cinema? No, this time it's reality.
Conclusion - All-mountain bikes up to 5000 euros in the test:
Almost all candidates are priced well above 4000 euros. Anyone investing that much money should know exactly what they want to do with the bike. Cube and Specialized best fulfil the requirements of an all-mountain bike. They are easy to pedal and have hardly any limits on the downhill. Scott and Radon land in third and fourth place. The Scott shines with its efficient suspension, especially on pedalling-intensive tours. The Radon, on the other hand, with its lively character, is also fun on tame terrain. The same applies to the YT. Due to their extreme weight, the Focus and Marin are only suitable for all-mountain use to a limited extent. - Max Fuchs, BIKE Editor
What the testers say to the All Mountains 2023
None of the test bikes are exceptionally light and agile. That's why I would always choose an all-mountain bike based on its downhill potential. - Tobias Knetsch, BIKE tester
Even with 150 millimetres of travel, I don't just want to ride downhill. An all-rounder must also be able to climb. YT and Specialized are my favourites when it comes to long tours. - Jan Timmermann, BIKE editor
All-mountain bikes used to be all-rounders. Now most models are too heavy for me on the uphill. So when I'm looking for an all-rounder, I prefer a trail bike. - Max Fuchs, BIKE editor
Facts, figures and data
The points
In terms of riding performance alone, the Cube clearly wins this comparison. In terms of the overall score, however, it only manages to beat the competition from Specialized by a hair. Scott, Radon and YT land in the midfield. The heavy Focus can't quite keep up here. The much cheaper Marin brings up the rear.
Stiffnesses
The voluminous carbon main frame of the Scott dominates the stiffness ranking. It is followed by the full carbon frames from YT and Specialized. Radon falls behind.
Impeller inertia
The carbon wheels on the Radon are the best for accelerating. The Cube is slow to get going with heavy tyres.
Weights¹
Specialized and YT weigh the least with their full carbon frames. Cube also relies exclusively on carbon, but only lands in the midfield due to the downhill-heavy equipment.
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Max Fuchs
Editor
