A few last snowflakes cover the dusty Vinschgau soil like a thin, white curtain. With clammy fingers, we drag the first test bikes out of the editorial bus. Last autumn, our colleagues were still sprinting past the photographer's lens in their short outfits. Today, we hope that at least a few warming rays of sunshine will break through the wintry cloud cover. Even though the mercury hangs frozen at zero, the conditions for testing the entry-level hardtails could hardly be better. Nine models in a price range from 1299 to 1549 euros and a reference model for just under 2000 euros have to prove themselves in Val Venosta/Vinschgau. After a quick forest descent to the start, a steep, technical climb leads to the flowing part of the Sunny-Benny-Trail. From here, the test circuit meanders gently downhill over the slightly sugared trail, dotted with roots and small rocks, between pines and spruces, before returning to the starting point via a leisurely ascending forest road. The perfect terrain for beginner bikes.
A hardtail is a hardtail, we thought as we unloaded the bike. Surely manufacturers have little room for individuality, especially in the entry-level segment, due to the tightly calculated prices? Even the first test laps prove the opposite: the characters of the candidates are very different. Geometry, equipment, riding behaviour. Despite the tight price range, the manufacturers manage to differentiate themselves from one another. The only thing they all agree on is the wheel size: for several years now, entry-level hardtails have been fitted with 29-inch wheels due to their better rollover behaviour. However, with Canyon, KTM, Radon and Stevens, four manufacturers have adopted so-called size-splitting, whereby the smallest frame sizes have been slimmed down to smaller 27.5-inch wheels.
The entire article with all the test results for these hardtails including points tables, technical data and grades is available as a PDF in the download area below:
- Bulls Copperhead 3 S
- Felt Dispatch 9/30
- Fuji Tahoe 29 1.5
- KTM Ultra Ride 29.12"
- Mondraker Chrono R
- Radon Jealous AL 8.0
- Silverback Sola 1
- Specialised Chisel Comp
- Stevens Sentiero
- Canyon Gran Canyon AL 9.0 SLX SL (reference bike)
You can find the complete comparison test including all data, points tables and the score overview in BIKE 4/2019. The comparison test costs € 1.99 as a PDF. Why not free of charge? Because quality journalism has a price. In return, we guarantee independence and objectivity. This applies in particular to the tests in BIKE. We don't pay for them, but the opposite is the case: we charge for them, hundreds of thousands of euros every year. You can read the entire digital edition in the BIKE app (iTunes and Google Play) or the print edition in the DK shop reorder - while stocks last:
Downloads:
Stefan Frey
Editor
