Last year, we whipped the 29er over the Lago trails, this time it's the 27.5er's turn. Unsurprisingly, it is more compact, the riding position seems almost squat due to the short cockpit, it is not made for the mountain price. Although the test bike weighs 400 grams less than the 2015 29er, the solidly constructed aluminium chassis is still a heavy piece of kit. However, it is very stiff, making the Whaka particularly suitable for heavy riders. As the definition of all-mountain demands, the Whaka instils you with confidence on the descents. The suspension works very well, you choose your line and the bike does the rest. Easy terrain bores the Whaka, it wants to be challenged. At the limit, you could criticise the fact that the high front end doesn't put enough pressure on the front wheel. We liked the very high-quality equipment. A small criticism: the Kind Shock dropper post extends slowly and only lowers by 100 mm.
Conclusionsolid, high-quality equipped bike for difficult terrain. The motto is: leisurely uphill, full throttle downhill.
The alternative: For 2499 euros, even the flashy Whaka 27.5 offers a reasonable overall package. Fox suspension, telescopic seatpost and 2.35 tyres form the all-mountain basis, with 20-speed Shimano XT gears.
