The VPace Matz 29C has long since made a name for itself among mountain bike enthusiasts. With large 29-inch wheels and a lightweight carbon frame, the German children's bike expert steers the Matz 29C unerringly into the hearts of youngsters. It's hard to imagine the thriving cross-country junior scene without the race hardtail for kids. We measured the 2799 euro toy in the BIKE lab and found out whether the popularity of the VPace Matz 29C is justified.
VPace Matz Carbon in detail
- Application: Cross country kids mountain bike
- Suspension travel: 100 mm
- Wheel size: 29"
- Frame material: Carbon
- Total weight: 9.7 kg
- Wheel weight (incl. tyres, tubes, brake discs, cassette): 3776 g
- Inertia of impellers (the lower, the better): 2700 kg/cm²
- Maximum rider weight: 65 kg
- Size recommendation: from 150 cm
- Test bike price: 2799 euros (available from 2349 euros)
Over 10 years of experience
The story of the VPace Matz began back in 2015 under the name Max. It was the first mountain bike from the German label that was specially developed for sporty use and the anatomical requirements of young bikers. The many years of experience can also be seen in the Matz 29C. Both the thin grips and the Q-factor of the short, in-house children's cranks meet the ergonomic needs of the target group. As kids don't always treat their material with care, VPace has fitted the bike with a handlebar bump limiter to protect the carbon frame in the event of crashes and falls. The internal cable routing ensures a clean look. The manufacturer approves the bike for jumps and drops up to 60 centimetres high.
Child-friendly equipment
Our VPace Matz 29C test bike comes with a lightweight Fox 32 Performance SC, which offers a sensible setup for the body weights of the target age group. Alternatively, the hardtail can also be ordered with a lightweight rigid carbon fork. According to VPace, weights from 8.3 kilos are possible. The wheelset with own-brand hubs and narrow aluminium rims from Duke also contribute to the low weight. The lightweight 29ers accelerate quickly and with Schwalbe tyres in a fast race compound, the children's mountain bike moves quickly. However, the rim/wheel combination can lose traction on very loose surfaces. Families need to experiment with the tyre pressure to get the best grip and puncture protection.
Thanks to a gear range of 500 per cent, sporty kids can take on almost any climb and endurance tours are also part of the Matz 29C's area of expertise. The rather long 85 millimetre stem and a flat bar provide plenty of pressure on the front wheel and kids can also conquer steep uphills without having to worry about losing control due to a rising front end. On the downhill, high-quality Magura MT8 brakes provide deceleration. Their short brake levers are well suited to small children's hands.
Sophisticated geometry
VPace integrated the large 29-inch wheels into the kids' bike concept at an early stage in order to allow them to benefit from the improved rollover characteristics compared to smaller wheels. The Matz family is also characterised by a low bottom bracket for safe cornering and a relatively flat steering angle of 68 degrees for a smooth ride even at higher speeds.
At 430 millimetres, the chainstays are compact and give the 9.7-kilogram hardtail uncomplicated handling even in tight situations or at low speeds. VPace has designed the geometry in such a way that young riders from 1.50 metres tall can achieve optimum weight distribution and a central position on the bike. On the climbs, a modern seat angle of 74 degrees ensures efficient pedalling.
Conclusion
The VPace Matz 29C is still the benchmark among sporty children's mountain bikes with carbon frames. Young racers benefit from the successful integration of large 29er wheels in a high-quality chassis. Easy handling and functional, age-appropriate equipment make the first racing experiences on the VPace Matz 29C child's play. - Jan Timmermann, BIKE editor
Pro
- Sophisticated children's MTB concept with 29-inch wheels
- Lightweight despite functional features
- Fully-fledged junior race bike
Contra
- possible loss of traction due to narrow, hard rim/tyre combo
- not a bargain
Jan Timmermann
Editor
