Either a carbon frame or high-quality equipment - with its All Mountain Slide Trail 9.0, the mail-order company Radon avoids this dilemma with a special approach. The main frame is made of lightweight carbon, while the rear triangle is made of cheaper aluminium.
However, the less rigid frame of the Radon Slide Trail does not make it under the three-kilo mark. On the other hand, Radon skilfully exploits the advantages of the sales channel and puts together the best equipment package. The Fox Performance Elite suspension stands out in particular. While a Float-X shock is used at the rear, a Fox 36 suspension fork with a multi-adjustable Grip2 cartridge smoothes out the bumps on the front wheel.
The gears are a mix of Shimano SLX and XT, while a Magura MT5 provides the necessary deceleration and stability. With these ingredients, the Radon MTB weighs in at 15.13 kilos including pedals - the best value compared to the others 2022 all-mountain bikes in our test.
The Radon Slide Trail is a perfect trail tool
The low weight of the Radon Slide Trail not only motivates you uphill, but also encourages you to play and ride actively downhill. Compared to the rest of the test field, the Radon is easy to pedal from behind, which is why it makes sense to push the saddle forwards a little. Then you can move forward light-footedly.
With a little less SAG on the shock, the rear end pumps only slightly. In this setup, the rear end is still very sensitive and comfortable, but offers more counter-pressure downhill.
Thanks to the shortest reach and the shortest wheelbase in the comparison, the Radon remains manageable and hits the compromise between composure and agility almost perfectly. The only drawbacks are the remote lever, which occasionally clicks, and the slightly high bottom bracket.
Test summary of the Radon Slide Trail 9.0
Peter Nilges, BIKE test director: "Best weight and top equipment as well as an outstanding chassis secure the Radon Slide Trail 9.0 the BIKE test victory in issue 7/2022. The versatile all-mountain bike cuts a fine figure in any terrain.
Technical data for the Radon Slide Trail
General
- Price**: 3199 Euro
- Frame material: carbon/aluminium
- Frame size: 16 / 18 /20 / 22" (tested size 20" / 46 cm)
- Order and further information on the Radon website->
BIKE measured values
- Weight without pedals: 14.78 kg
- Front / rear suspension travel: 151 / 149 mm
- Frame weight without shock: 3105 g
- Weight of wheels (with tyres, cassette, brake discs): 5209 g
- Weight fork / damper: 2168 g / 528 g
- Handlebar width: 780 mm
- Wheel moment of inertia front and rear wheel***: 4155 kg x cm²
- Stiffness (absolute/STW)***: 36 N/mm / 9.9 (quotient of stiffness and frame weight)
Equipment
- Fork: Fox 36 Float Performance Elite Grip2
- Shock: Fox Float X Performance Elite
- Crank: Shimano SLX
- Gear system: Shimano SLX / Shimano XT 1 x 12
- Gear ratio / bandwidth: 30; 10-51 / 510 %
- Brake system / disc (front / rear): Magura MT5 / 203 mm / 180 mm
- Telescopic post / stroke / Ø: Radon Comp. dropper / 150 mm / 31.6 mm
- Wheels: DT Swiss XM 1700 Spline
- Tyres: Maxxis Minion DHF / DHR II Exo Protection TR 29 x 2.50 / 2.40
- Ease of maintenance: weak
BIKE test rating*: very good / 185.75 out of 250 points
*The BIKE judgement reflects the laboratory measurements (BIKE laboratory measurement) and the subjective impression of the test riders. The BIKE judgement is independent of price. BIKE judgements: super (250-205 P.), very good (204.75-180 P.), good (179.75-155 P.), satisfactory (154.75-130 P.), with weaknesses (129.75-105 P.), unsatisfactory (104.75-0 P.).
**Price may be subject to additional costs for packaging, dispatch and coordination.
***Stiffness-to-weight (STW), the quotient of stiffness and frame weight white: absolute stiffness in Newtons per mm of deflection. The measurements were taken on a test stand at the Zedler Institute. Moment of inertia of the wheels: the lower the value, the better the wheels can be accelerated.
You can download the full test of the all-mountain bikes here:
Test All Mountains 2022 from BKE 7/2022
