"Rider owned for life" is written on the homepage of the small American bike manufacturer, and the preferences of the developers are also reflected in their bikes. No off-the-shelf hydroformed aluminium frames, no oversized carbon tubes. The TransAm stands out from the crowd with its filigree steel tubes. The suspension travel is also unusual for a hardtail. The bike is released up to 160 millimetres and is primarily aimed at all-mountain and trail bikers. A special feature of the frame are the vertical dropouts, also prepared for single speed. The CNC-machined dropout, which also secures the rear wheel, is used for the setup with gears. The drawback is that the dropout has to be removed and the brake adapter loosened to remove the rear wheel. Even with the complete Shimano XTR in the trail version and handlebar/stem unit made of carbon, the weight is only just under twelve kilos. At 2.7 kilos, the frame is largely responsible for this.
In return, the biker is spoilt with plenty of comfort, typical of steel. The wide 2.4 mm tubeless tyres contribute to this and also provide plenty of grip and puncture resistance. The TransAm wants to be a bike for all occasions, and so the steep seat angle puts enough pressure on the front wheel when climbing to conquer even long climbs. The long wheelbase ensures a lot of safety and directional stability on descents. This does mean that you lose some manoeuvrability on playful trail sections. But that doesn't matter, the all-mountain hardtail is fun here too. With a little physical effort, even small drops and jumps are possible. A shiftable chain guide is mounted on the ISCG mount to keep the chain in place when the going gets tough.
MY CONCLUSION
A bike for all occasions, suitable for hardcore riding and functional. The 140-millimetre fork and stable wheels are the main reasons for this. The stylish TransAm really comes into its own on single trails.
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