Acros carbon handlebars, DT Swiss Spline 1 wheels, Magura MT7 brakes and a reverse chain guide are real rarities in this class. The result: lowest overall weight, lightest wheelset and therefore top acceleration and very good uphill behaviour. On top of this, the frame, which does not come with the Boost standard, is relatively light at 2738 grams. In terms of the geometry of the Signature, the very long seat tube stands out from the very first few metres, which, in combination with the 150 mm seat post (length can be selected by the customer), resulted in the saddle being too long. On the trail, the bike with its low front end makes good progress, but never leaves the rider in the dark as to what they are rolling over. Compared to the competition, the rear suspension lacks a little sensitivity and therefore traction, but has high reserves against bottoming out. The more expensive Rockshox Revelation fork performs slightly better than the cheaper Revelation in the Specialized, but also falls behind the other forks in the test.
Conclusion: Top-equipped and very light all-mountain bike with good propulsion, but slight weaknesses in the suspension.
The alternative: The 3.0 version of the Transalp costs 2299 euros. Cheaper wheels and a Magura MT5 have been fitted.
