"Hopefully the trails in Eberbach will at least look good." The displeasure in Peter's voice can hardly be ignored as we hurtle through the first traffic jam five minutes into the journey. The sat nav predicts another four hours of pure driving time.
Of course, we didn't choose Eberbach as our destination at random. The small community in Baden-Württemberg is said to have one of the best legal trail networks in Germany. Whether this is true and the ride is worthwhile remains to be seen. With this in mind, I can understand my colleague's mood, especially as my anticipation is also limited when I look into the hold of the BIKE transporter. Crammed in between travelling bags, tools and photo equipment, there are "only" three All Mountains for a budget price of between 2299 euros and 2529 euros.
Why so cheap, some of you might ask. However, if you browse through our BIKE tests, the question seems quite justified. The number of affordable MTB models with good functionality has been decreasing for a long time. Prices at new car level, above the 10,000 euro mark, are no longer an exception. Even in our favourable comparison tests, we usually start at 3000 euros in the fully segment. So far, only very few manufacturers have been able to put together a truly off-road-compatible overall package below that. Will that still be the case? We dare to try. Will we be able to get our money's worth on the highly praised Eberbach trails in two days' time with such affordable bikes?
Review of the all-mountain bikes in BIKE-Test
Test candidate one is the YT Jeffsy Core 1. The best-selling all-mountain got an update just last autumn. What's new? Apart from the more straightforward and reduced design language, at first glance there are no major differences to its predecessor. The changes are in the details: a more modern geometry and optimised kinematics should make the bike even more capable both uphill and downhill. Of particular interest for this test, however, is the pricing of the new Jeffsy. For just 2499 euros, the aluminium frame has the same features as the high-end carbon models. These include a flip chip, size-specific chainstays and a hexagon socket in the rear wheel axle. The fact that the Forchheim-based company is able to offer these technologies at a low price is partly due to its online-based business model. In contrast to the two specialist brands in the test, YT sells its bikes exclusively via the internet. You choose the bike you want on the website, pay for it and then have it delivered to your door. There are no costs for the dealer. In our case, this leaves more budget to invest in a very high-quality chassis. And without having to compromise too much on the components.
This is exactly the case with our second test candidate: the aluminium frame of the Merida One Forty 400 also shares its functional features with the carbon models that cost up to 10,000 euros more. For example, the bike comes with flexing seat and chain stays instead of additional bearing points on the rear triangle for just 2299 euros. All cables run neatly integrated through the headset into the inside of the frame and the agilometre concept allows the customer to choose their size based on their preferred length. Thanks to the flip chip, the bike can also be ridden in a mullet setup with a small rear wheel. In other words, a full cabin. To finance this, Merida is taking a radical austerity course in terms of equipment. So radical, in fact, that the specialist brand is the only manufacturer to dispense with a 1x12 drivetrain and specify Shimano's Cues hybrid groupset with just eleven gears.
The third candidate, the Marin Rift Zone 2 for 2529 euros, on the other hand, takes a different approach. The Californians have only one goal in mind with this model series: great driving pleasure at a low price. At its premiere at the end of 2022, the model range therefore only comprised three variants between 1999 and 3499 euros. Carbon fibre? Too expensive. Instead, the cult brand relied on a simple frame design made of round aluminium tubes with a simple four-link rear triangle for all three Rift Zone versions. You won't find any technical gimmicks such as a flip chip, unusual shapes or system integration. Instead, the Marin has by far the best suspension in the test, a functional Deore drivetrain from Shimano and solid tyres. The geometry also leaves nothing to be desired. Whether Marin can best harmonise price and performance with this approach remains to be seen.
We tested these 3 all-mountain bikes:
The practical test
After a five-hour ride, including a stop for breakfast and a pee break, I take the key out of the ignition at the foot of the Hebert. At 519 metres, it is the highest mountain in Bikeländ-Eberbach, as the people of Baden call their trail park. We quickly slip into our bike gear, top up our carbohydrate stores with biscuits and set up our test bikes. Descent. If you believe the trail map, we are currently surrounded by a network of twelve single trails specially designed for bikers. Today and tomorrow, we want to comb the entire network of trails with the three budget bikes. With a maximum altitude difference of 270 metres on steep and technically demanding descents, the area should be perfect as a test course for our comparison.
With the trail map in our luggage, we set off. Some fairly steep gravel ramps, interrupted by two shorter descents, lead us to the highest point of the area. Here it quickly becomes clear that low weight alone is not enough to deliver on the climbs. On the Merida, it becomes clear that the efficiency of the suspension and the tyres determine how much time you have to plan for uphill. Although the bike from the industry giant almost breaks the 18-kilo mark with pedals, all the testers would still recommend the Merida One Forty with its easy-rolling tyres and the drive-neutral rear prefer the lighter competition on the uphill - and that with two kilos more weight compared to the Marin Rift Zone 2mind you.
And what about the downhill performance? Here our choice is clearly in favour of the Marin. Although all the candidates have first-class geometries, the Merida and YT Jeffsy Core 1 However, the suspension and especially the suspension forks ultimately proved to be the limiting factors. The Marin Rift Zone, on the other hand, scored the most points with a healthy mix of playfulness and confidence, coupled with its superior suspension quality.
After two days at Bikeländ Eberbach, it is not only clear that Peter's initial displeasure was completely unfounded. The trails impressed us across the board. And our comparison test also provides clear answers. In the end, there is no question that fullys for around 2500 euros are fun. The test winner from Marin is the best proof of this. Whether the Bikeländ Eberbach is really Germany's best trail park is still up for debate. But we now have a whole five hours to do so.
Rating: The BIKE judgement is made up of the subjective impressions of the test riders and our laboratory measurements. The judgement is independent of price. Range of grades: very good (0.5-1.5), good (1.6-2.5), satisfactory (2.6-3.5), sufficient (3.6-4.5), poor (4.6-5.5). Frame stiffness: Lateral stiffness in N/mm separately for the rear triangle and the front triangle including the suspension fork. Wheel inertia: The lower the measured value, the better the wheels accelerate. Weight: BIKE measured values, total weight with pedals, wheel weight with tyres, cassette and brake discs.
Like-minded - favourable alternative to our test bikes
Marin, Merida and YT are not the only manufacturers in the 2500 euro price bracket. We show you five exciting alternatives.
Rockrider Feel 700 LT - Price 1999 Euro
Suspension travel 150 / 140 mm // Wheels 29" // All Mountain
Since the introduction of the new Feel models, Decathlon's own brand has shed its discounter image. The All Mountain is no longer just affordable, but also top equipped. The geometry also promises great riding fun.
Cannondale Habit 4 - Price 2499 Euro
Suspension travel 140 / 130 mm // 29" wheels // Trail bike
Newschool shredders know the Habit from the videos of the Trickser Crew 5010, in which superstars like Josh Bryceland demonstrate what is possible with the all-rounder. But the Habit has also scored highly in previous BIKE tests.
Polygon Siskiu T8 - Price 2499 Euro
Suspension travel 150 / 135 mm // Wheels 29" // All Mountain
Not everyone will probably be familiar with the Polygon brand. However, anyone looking for an all-mountain bike in the 2500 euro class should change their mind. Because the Siskiu offers plenty of suspension travel, harmonious geometry and top components.
Canyon Spectral 5 - Price 2199 Euro
Suspension travel 150 / 150 mm // Wheels 29" // All Mountain
When it comes to all-mountain bikes with a good price-performance ratio, there is no way around the Spectral from the German mail-order company Canyon. The bike has already scored top marks in our tests in all variants and configuration levels.
Radon Slide Trail 8 - Price 2199 Euro
Suspension travel 150 / 140 mm // Wheels 29"// All Mountain
Radon's motto has always been: a lot of bike for little money. In the all-mountain sector, the mail-order company has put together an extremely promising overall package for just 2199 euros. The absolute highlight: the carbon fibre main frame.
Our test spot in the "Bikeländ"
A trail park with 12 routes in the land of the two-metre rule: this is what you need to know about Eberbach.
The Neckar runs in a valley from Heilbronn to Heidelberg. At the northernmost bend, where the Itter flows into the Neckar, the municipality of Eberbach is located in a small basin. Over time, the rivers here have carved deep through the sandstone of the Odenwald and modelled the perfect terrain for mountain bikers. The highest mountain in the Odenwald, the Katzenbuckel, is just a sandstone's throw away from Eberbach. At 626 metres above sea level, there is a difference in altitude of 500 metres between it and the centre of Eberbach. Impressive for a low mountain range.
The trails of the so-called Eberbacher Bikeländ meander left and right along the slopes of the Neckar. The old town is almost always in sight. A total of twelve specially designed trails, all of them of the more challenging variety, can be combined into a 44-kilometre tour with 1800 metres of elevation gain. The trail fun is quite straightforward on paved forest roads. Once you have found the starting point, you can find your way without a satnav thanks to the exemplary signposting. If you want to stay longer in the Odenwald, you can enjoy the twelve Bikeländ trails as well as the Beerfelden bike park with nine trails and a drag lift. The three flow trails in Mosbach are also worth a visit.
Max Fuchs
Editor
