Refined sugar in the shape of a cube was patented in the Czech Republic in 1848. This should come as much of a surprise to most people as the fact that the Eastern Europeans build excellent mountain bikes. But it's true: The trail bike from Superior is rolling proof. But before the first test lap, our enthusiasm is still limited. Yet another beefed-up race fully as a trail bike replacement? At first glance, the abbreviation "DC" for down-country and the sleek frame design are more reminiscent of sweaty training sessions than trail fun. If you look around the Czech company's portfolio, you will actually find the XF as a thoroughbred race bike. However, the 130-millimetre suspension and trail-ready equipment obviously work wonders.
Fact check: Superior XF 9.7 DC 29
- Price: 5699 Euro
- Range of use: Down-Country / Trail
- Frame material: Carbon
- Suspension travel: 130 mm rear / 130 mm front
- Wheel size: 29-inch
- Frame sizes: S, M, L, XL
- Weight: 12.8 kg in size L
- Wheel weight: 4806 g
- Warranty: 5 years
- Special features: integrated cable routing through the stem, two mounting points for bottle cages, Allen key in the rear thru axle, flexing seat stays instead of mounts on the dropouts, mini chain guide ex works
More convenient than expected
Our initial scepticism vanishes with the first few turns of the pedals. The saddle is pleasantly compact and upright. The seat angle is very slack at 74 degrees. By comparison, most modern trail bikes with seat angles of 77 degrees and steeper often place the rider very front-heavy on the bike. Not for long tours, as this puts a lot of pressure on the palms. The geometry of the Superior distributes the body weight evenly between the buttocks and the palms. This means you can survive long days in the saddle without any loss of comfort.
Speaking of comfort: the suspension doesn't have much in common with the firm ride feel of many down-country bikes, but reliably keeps small and large bumps away from the rider. The downside: noticeable bobbing when pedalling. However, the platform lever is within easy reach and prevents the bike from taking on a life of its own. On steep climbs, the slack seat angle and short chainstays force the rider to slide all the way forwards onto the nose of the saddle. If you remain in the comfortable riding position, you lose control of the front wheel early on. On the other hand, the Superior masters undulating trails and short counter-climbs literally with ease. With a total weight of only 12.8 kilos, it belongs to the light clique in the 130-millimetre league despite its heavy aluminium wheels. A brief superficial criticism: The slim carbon frame certainly looks good. On closer inspection, however, the sometimes uncleanly glued Superior logos spoil the overall picture.
Superior XF 9.7 DC: Equipment / Geometry
- Fork: RockShox Pike Ultimate
- DamperRs. Deluxe Ultimate
- CircuitShimano XT
- Translation / bandwidth: 34; 10-51 / 510 %
- BrakesShimano XT 180/180 mm
- Telesupport/lift:One Sport Dropper / 150 mm
- ImpellersDT Swiss M1900 Spline
- TyresSchwalbe Wicked Will; Evo Addix Speedgrip SuperGround TLE 29 x 2.40
More fun than expected
Downhill, the Superior gives us the biggest surprise. Contrary to our initial assumption, the candidate ignites a veritable firework of riding fun. Not a trace of race bike feeling. Above all, moderate, winding trails and flowing routes suit the bike. As if bitten by the bug, it whirls through the terrain - always with a hand's width of air under the wheels - and rushes from one bend to the next. The compact geometry with short chainstays and the poppy suspension make it possible. "Like a BMX bike for off-road", is how test rider Mario summarises the enormous playfulness of the Superior.
The response behaviour of the rear triangle? Beautifully sensitive - at least when riding freely. If you stand more on the brakes on steeper or more technical terrain, the rear triangle locks up and transmits impacts to the rider almost unfiltered. This is where the candidate's comfort zone ends, as the 480 millimetre (!) long seat tube also makes handling on technical descents more difficult due to the lack of room to manoeuvre. Then there is the choice of tyres: The Schwalbe tyres in the fast Speedgrip rubber compound roll hellishly fast, but lose traction early on and offer hardly any puncture protection. There is still potential for tuning here.
Evaluation: Ride behaviour, laboratory and stiffness
Superior XF 9.7 DC 29: Service friendliness
All lines and cables of the control centre run through the headset into the frame. Inside the frame, the cables are exposed and not in laminated guides or tubes. This makes repairs or replacing the brake system more difficult. Another pity: the headset is pressed into the head tube and can only be replaced with special tools. The press-fit bottom bracket also makes installation and removal more difficult during maintenance work and puts more stress on the frame than a bolted bottom bracket. The solid plastic protectors on the down tube and chainstay are praised. They also contribute to the durability. Thanks to the UDH derailleur hanger, the Superior is also compatible with the latest transmission drivetrains from Sram.
Conclusion from Max Fuchs, BIKE test editor
The Czechs have managed to build a fun trail bike for touring on a race-fully basis. Depending on the terrain, the bike is a lot of fun to ride. For technically demanding trails, however, you will find more competent models.
Max Fuchs
Editor
