The classic, robust freeride has become a niche product. Nevertheless, some manufacturers have developed something precisely for this niche. Does that still make sense? We put three bikes in the price segment up to 2500 euros into the race.
YT Industries "Noton 2.0" competes against the Kona "Entourage" and the Specialized "Status 1". The classic division (mail order = cheap, mass-produced = expensive) has been turned on its head this time. Specialized offers its park bike at a competitive price of less than 2000 euros and is therefore a whopping 500 euros cheaper than the two competitors. To achieve this, simple components and suspension elements were inevitably used.
However, the industry giant is convinced that the new single-pivot bike is very well suited to its target group. With the "Noton 2.0", the German manufacturer YT Industries is also launching a brand new chassis for pure park use. The costs that YT saves on the distribution network are invested in high-quality frame details (wheelbase adjustment, extreme hydroforming) and high-end equipment. We were able to test Kona's "Entourage" in the Deluxe version last autumn and were impressed by its agile handling. But does the concept also work for significantly less money? In order to survive in the price war, Kona also had to make savings on the suspension elements and equipment.
Niche products
You can see it immediately: the trend in the park is increasingly moving towards big bikes. And why not? Beginners benefit from the enormous riding safety and comfort. But on modern trails with flowing lines and lots of jumps, true downhillers are often too sluggish and unwieldy. Kona and YT have hit exactly this niche in terms of handling. Jumps, tricks and landing with impunity - both bikes are ideal for this. The "Noton 2.0" shows few weaknesses, while the "Entourage" suffers somewhat from the soft fork set-up. In comparison, Specialized is aimed more at downhill enthusiasts. It allows you to descend even the roughest trails with stability and confidence, but the dynamics fall by the wayside.
Conclusion
For 2000 to 2500 euros, you can get a lot of riding fun from all three manufacturers. But in our eyes, only YT and Kona are park bikes that really bridge the gap between enduro and downhill bikes. The Specialized is more of an affordable entry into the downhill segment.
The test results of these bikes are available in the PDF download:
- Kona Entourage 170
- Specialised Status 1
- YT Noton 2.0
