The classic freerider used to be your number 1, a bike like the Specialized SX Trail from 2006, remember that? It had 170 millimetres of suspension travel, an almost indestructible frame and weighed 18 kilos. Phew, we were panting as we pedalled to the summit. But since everyone was panting, groaning and sweating, that was okay. But progress did away with the chubby little bikes, just as world history once wiped medieval knights and their armour from the scene: too heavy, too sluggish, too immobile. Resourceful bike technology then gave us enduro bikes - bikes that could suddenly do everything: they not only climbed nimbly to every mountain peak, but also rolled downhill as smoothly as the freeriders once did. As a result, the smart bike buyer now opted for an enduro bike or even a downhiller if he was in a hurry downhill. Only a few manufacturers stuck to the classic freeride concept or upgraded their enduro models. These bikes were then called super enduros or light freeriders. We now call them short and sweet again: Freeriders, because the old lead bombs are now extinct. Two typical representatives of this new freeride class are Rose's Soul Fire and Radon's Swoop 170.
More fairness is hardly possible
The two mail-order rivals Radon and Rose cost roughly the same and have an almost identical chassis, even a very similar mix of components. Rose's component configurator makes it possible: the customer can choose what they want. Both test bike rear triangles are fitted with RockShox Vivid Air downhill shocks, with Lyrik suspension up front. Radon, however, gave its bike the top version RCT3 - nevertheless: ideal conditions for a concept comparison. Which manufacturer has the better geometry? For even more equality of opportunity, we fitted standard tyres: Contis Kaiser Project at the front, Baron Project at the rear - the ideal combination for tough downhill and park use.
ConclusionBoth mail-order bikes offer tremendous value for money and are a hell of a lot of fun. In our downhill-orientated test, we liked the Rose with its freeride geo a little better. The Soul Fire is both manoeuvrable and safe. The long, flat Radon also develops amazing smoothness and riding confidence, but is less lively in direct comparison.
Duellist 1: Rose Soul Fire 1 Custom
Rose calls its new Soul Fire a "touring freerider". Designer Max Sistenich completely overhauled the old bike, putting it on larger wheels and giving it a more modern geometry. Max had learnt a lot about kinematics from Radon designer Bodo Probst when they both worked for Fusion, which makes the battle between the two particularly exciting. Sistenich opted for a moderate geometry, i.e. not as long, flat and low as is currently fashionable due to the racing hype. This is good for the bike, because pure race geometries are too special in our eyes. The rear end of the Rose feels a little sluggish when stationary, but you don't notice it when riding. We opted for the full rear travel: 190 millimetres; 180 is also possible. Striking: the high level of ride comfort. The suspension feels plush and gives the bike a lot of confidence, even on the bumpy downhill track in the Spicak bike park. Here the Rose revised our credo: If park, then big bike please. The Soul Fire was able to cover everything with ease, but proved to be much airier and more agile on jumps than the double bridge faction. Very good! Chic: the neon yellow paintwork. We wouldn't have expected such an aggressive look from the rather conservative mail order company from Bocholt. At 15 kilos, the Rose is a little chunky bike that works up a sweat on trail rides and climbs with a red head (34 t chainring!). More than the weight, the rather slack seat tube angle puts pressure on the uphill performance; you pedal noticeably from behind. This limits the range of use, in short: no enduro; freeride!
Manufacturer information
Distribution Rose Bikes GmbH, www.rosebikes.de
Material/sizes Aluminium/S,ML,XL
Price/weight without pedals 2 879 Euro/15 kg
Measurement data
Front/rear suspension travel 180 mm/180-190 mm
Rear suspension system Four-bar linkage
Equipment
Fork/damper RockShox Lyrik RC/RockShox Vivid Air RC2
Cranks/gears Race Face Aeffect SL/SRAM GX
Brake system SRAM Guide RS
Impellers DT-Swiss E 1900 Spline system wheelset
Tyres Schwalbe Magic Mary Evo SG Vert Star 2.35
TRAIL 2 out of 6 points
FREERIDE 6 out of 6 points
DOWNHILL
5 out of 6 points
Performance: The performance points relate exclusively to the respective duel. They are not comparable with other duels.
Duelist 2: Radon Swoop 170 9.0
We know the Swoop. It already had to prove itself in the enduro test (FREERIDE 1/16) and wowed the testers because it rolled confidently through nasty rubble. Although Radon calls the bike a Superenduro, it clearly has a mini downhill heart beating in its aluminium hull. Swoop designer Bodo Pobst favours flat, low and long. This creates a very smooth ride that you would never have expected from a fairly light 170-millimetre bike. That's why fast bolts and full-throttle sections are very much to the Radon's taste. The other side of the downhill coin: playfulness suffers. If the trail hits a bump, the Radon feels more unwieldy and less agile than the freeride Rose. Clever: the Radon's flip chip. An aluminium plate with three positions (Tour, Trail and Park) makes the bike very variable. In the park setting, the steering angle flattens out to 63.8 degrees and the bottom bracket moves downwards. The conversion takes just a few minutes. Great: the steep seat angle. The Swoop develops a lot of propulsion, can be pedalled efficiently and, with its lower weight, outperforms its competitor Rose on trail rides and uphills. If you find the 1x11-speed drivetrain too energy-intensive despite the small 30 t chainring, the Swoop is also available with 2x11-speed.
Manufacturer information
Distribution H & S Bike Discount GmbH, www.radon-bikes.de
Material/sizes Aluminium/S,ML,XL
Price/weight without pedals 2799 Euro14.3 kg
Measurement data
Front/rear suspension travel 170 mm/170 mm
Rear suspension system Four-bar linkage
Equipment
Fork/damper RockShox Lyrik 170 RCT3/RockShox Vivid Air R2C
Cranks/gears SRAM GX/SRAM GX
Brake system SRAM Guide RS
Impellers DT Swiss E1900 Spline 2 system wheelset
Tyres Continental The Baron Project 2.4
TRAIL 4 out of 6 points
FREERIDE 4 out of 6 points
DOWNHILL
5 out of 6 points
Performance: The performance points relate exclusively to the respective duel. They are not comparable with other duels.
Dimitri Lehner
Editor
