THE FASTEST BIKES IN THE WORLD
Let's not kid ourselves. The hand-picked test field, consisting of eight carbon hardtails from the 2009 season, marks the spearhead of hardtail technology - there are no cucumbers here. Especially as the prices range from 4000 to 6000 euros. Ghost, Merida and Rocky Mountain are in the lower price range, while Specialized and Cannondale charge the most for their well-trained carbon racers. Rotwild, Scott and Storck are in the mid-price range of this test. The showdown for the test victory is therefore at a very high level.
This makes an eye for detail and the search for a decisive competitive advantage all the more important when seconds are at stake in the battle against the clock. Because nobody can judge the performance of race bikes better than a racer with extensive testing experience, we also engaged the two professionals and reigning German champions Karl Platt and Manuel Fumic for eight fast laps in the Palatinate. Platt, still in full flow, travelled directly from the Roc d'Azur, where he was the best German. Fumic, on the other hand, had already been enjoying his well-earned winter break for a few weeks.
Corrected points table
An error has crept into the points table on page 54 (issue 12/08). When the Excel table was transferred to the magazine layout, the warranty rating was printed twice instead of the rating for paint quality. The table on the right shows the correct rating for paint quality. However, the addition of the points or the total number of points and thus also the test judgement does not change.
.
