Alongside the Trek, the Saracen is definitely another candidate that offers more suspension travel than it promises. Instead of 150 millimetres, the Ariel even has 162 millimetres of suspension travel and thus turns out to be a genuine enduro bike. The weight of over 14 kilos is correspondingly heavy. Added to this are the heaviest wheels in the test and the lack of a bottle cage. To calm the sensitive rear suspension, you should use the effective shock platform on the climbs. However, you won't want to pedal uphill for long anyway with the thick 34-42 climbing gear. And downhill? Downhill, the Ariel from the United Kingdom is fully in its element: the rear suspension works perfectly and has plenty of reserves when things get rough and fast. The geometry is also trimmed for maximum smoothness thanks to the very slack steering angle. The WTB tyres in Fast Rolling Compound with little damping are the limiting factor here. The poor warranty performance costs points.
ConclusionThe Ariel from the UK is much more of a downhill enduro bike than a touring-orientated all-mountain bike.
The alternative: The German importer MRC only offers the Ariel in one configuration. The frame kit is available for 1999 euros.
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