Even the name Trailster is a promise. The people from Hamburg could otherwise have called the bike Forstwegster, or Roadster. Trailster sounds like fun on narrow trails, and everything you discover on the bike fits with Trailster. The robust, very stiff aluminium frame, the telescopic seat post (125 mm drop), wide tyres (soft trail compound at the front) and powerful XT brakes. The long top tube gives you a surprisingly sporty position on the bike and allows you to climb steep ramps with ease. You wouldn't expect that at first glance. The Isar Trail seems to be made for the concept. The short stem compensates somewhat for the long wheelbase and slack head angle - the bike feels more agile at medium speeds than these figures would suggest and still keeps on track at high speeds. The light fork also plays its part in the manoeuvrable steering. However, the Trailster suspension is rather firm overall and transmits the terrain directly. Both the fork and the rear suspension are not bottomless, you can feel the end progression. There is some criticism for the DT fork: it dives away in the middle range. Downhillster would therefore be the wrong name for the bike.
Test summary of the Bergamont Trailster 8.0
The Trailster is a sporty all-mountain bike with modern geometry and good equipment. The suspension could do with some fine-tuning.
PLUS Solid equipment with triple cranks, rigid frame
MINUS Fork dips away in the centre area
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Stefan Frey
Editor
