CATEGORY Hardtails - SPRING TRAVEL up to 100 millimetres - PRICE CLASS 1599 to 7348 euros
You will find these 4 carefree hardtails in the test:
(Click to go to the individual rating)
CONTENTS:
Carefree bikes 2023 test report
Even in soft conditions, some hard-used drivetrains can only survive a whole season with a lot of effort. After that, even a rather inexpensive Sram GX drivetrain will cost around 300 euros to breathe new life into it. As soon as the Material killer wetness, mud, snow and - above all - road salt wear parts can fail within weeks.
Just the idea of exposing your beloved fully or expensively built custom bike to the nasty conditions of winter sends a shiver down the spine of many a rider. Many bikers prefer to spend the winter on the roll or even give up their hobby altogether in winter. However, our test of four carefree bikes gives hope for year-round trail fun in the fresh air.
At first glance, the test bikes from Cube, Falkenjagd, Idworx and Salsa have one key feature in common: their rigid rear end. The lack of an elaborate rear triangle construction with vulnerable bearings, high-maintenance shocks and sensitive joints is the basic prerequisite for withstanding the harsh conditions in winter. Beyond the classic diamond frame, however, manufacturers are pursuing completely different approaches to defy the rigours of winter.
Cube Reaction: the simplest form of winter bike
The Cube Reaction embodies the simplest form of a winter bike. The motto here is: Damage limitation. The carbon race hardtail costs just 1599 euros, comes with a suspension fork and rolls on 29-inch wheels. Neither the frame construction nor the add-on parts are remarkably robust. Quite the opposite. With cheap bearings, simple seals and entry-level components, the Cube has little to offer in the way of dirt and mud. However, the spare parts for such an inexpensive bike only cost a fraction of the top components of high-end models. A classic hardtail as a spare bike for the cold season does not necessarily correspond to the moral concepts of sustainability, but it is easy on the bank account.
Idworx Rapid Rohler: 7348 Euro expensive contrast programme with carefree character
The 7348 euro Rapid Rohler from Idworx provides the contrasting programme to the Cube. The fact that the aluminium bike from Wachtberg near Bonn is a genuine carefree bike is clear from the company name. Idworx, based on the English "it works", has set itself the task of building mountain bikes and touring bikes for eternity.
To meet this requirement, Idworx sacrifices the efficiency and low weight of a classic derailleur system in favour of the durability of a Rohloff gear hub. Encapsulated from external influences, there are no limits to the system in terms of mileage. In order to transfer the leg power to the gearbox with as little loss as possible, Idworx uses a KMC chain instead of the traditional carbon fibre belt from Gates. Although a chain has to be replaced at regular intervals, it costs only a fraction of the 150 euro belt.
Also exciting: Odd numbers of teeth on the chainrings made of hardened blade steel mean that the same teeth do not always engage in the same outer or inner plate of the chain. This leads to slower and more even wear. Details such as a bottom bracket with rustproof ball bearings and the particularly corrosion-resistant crank made of 7050 aluminium with an indestructible steel axle live up to the company name.
The only drawback: the head tube contains a Sid Ultimate suspension fork from Rockshox. This does increase off-road riding fun. However, to round off the carefree character, purists are better off choosing a rigid fork in the online configurator.
Falkenjagd Hoplit R: Titanium bike with an almost unlimited service life
The Falkenjagd Hoplit R follows a similar path to the Idworx. In contrast, however, a Pinion gearbox with belt drive changes gears here. Its gears require an oil change every 10,000 kilometres. Otherwise, the gearbox, which weighs around three kilos, is completely maintenance-free. Only the carbon Gates belt needs to be cleaned after riding in the mud if you want to make full use of the intended mileage of around 30,000 kilometres.
With the maintenance-free rigid fork made of carbon, only the brake pads and tyres remain as wearing parts. So the titanium frame is only logical. Corrosion-free, extremely hard-wearing and scratch-resistant are the arguments in favour of this precious metal. However, when you look at the price tag, it takes your breath away: 5990 euros! Without suspension fork, mind you. However, if you put the purchase price in relation to the almost unlimited service life, your pulse calms down again.
Salsa Mukluk: Fatbike for the meanest days of the year
Our fourth contender for the title of Carefree goes by the name of Mukluk. It comes from Salsa and rolls on 4.6 inch wide fat bike tyres. The days when fat tyres were considered a pioneering innovation are long gone. Even we hardly have any contact with the oversized wide tyres any more.
But once a year - usually for one of our winter editions - one or two bikes undergo our test procedure. Because the myth that fat bikes are the perfect winter bikes persists. Logical, really. The fat tyres were specially developed for the nastiest days of the year. Softened ground, snow-covered paths or muddy trails are right at the top of the Salsa's specifications.
To minimise wear and tear, this exotic bike has been reduced to the bare essentials: Aluminium frame with rigid fork, disc brakes, low-cost single drivetrain. At a price of 1999 euros, you can't expect the drivetrain and bearings to last too long, as is the case with Cube. Especially not if you ride the Salsa adequately over snowy trails or through mud holes.
However, if you want to benefit from the Salsa's capabilities in the longer term, you have the option of retrofitting a gear hub with belt drive. Interchangeable dropouts make this possible. This means that even bikers from snow-sure regions are not condemned to spend the winter training on rollers or even having to give up biking altogether.
Conclusion from Max Fuchs, BIKE test editor
The custom candidates from Falkenjagd and Idworx set the benchmark in terms of carelessness. But only those who really scrub kilometres non-stop and appreciate the attention to detail can identify with the expensive endurance bikes. The riding characteristics alone cannot keep up with the cheaper Cube due to the significantly higher weight of the gears. Here you get an inexpensive and reasonably low-maintenance bike with good riding characteristics. The same applies to the Salsa Mukluk fat bike. However, its range of use is limited to rough terrain.
The neuralgic points on the mountain bike
Winter or not: the moving parts on a mountain bike are exposed to extreme loads. You should therefore always keep an eye on these problem areas.
1 Drive
The chain is the most vulnerable component in the drivetrain. A chain wear gauge can be used to easily determine the condition of the chain when it is installed. In eleven- and twelve-speed drives, the chain should be replaced if it is more than 0.5 per cent elongated. If you continue to ride a chain that is too long, you will also accelerate the ageing process of the chainring and cassette. If the links start to slip over the teeth under high loads, these wearing parts must also be replaced.
2 brakes
Especially in winter, no component on the bike wears out as quickly as the brake system. Like coarse sandpaper, dirt, sand and water gnaw away at the substance of the brake pad and disc. The minimum thickness of the pad can be found on most models and should not be undercut. If you replace them too late, you run the risk of damaging the much more durable disc with the worn pads.
3 Spring elements
If the manufacturers have their way, you would have to send your suspension fork in for a service after 200 operating hours at the latest. However, such short maintenance intervals are excessive for the average consumer. From experience, we recommend having suspension forks overhauled once a year - preferably after the winter. A complete service starts at 120 euros. In this article, we explain how to carry out maintenance work in just 20 minutes, even in your own workshop. How-to instructions with video. You can read concentrated workshop knowledge with hot tips from World Cup mechanics on over 100 pages in our Schrauber issue BIKE 9a/2022 (can be ordered online).
4 Bearing
Whether on the crank, in the hub or in the head tube - the moving parts on the bike only run really smoothly with bearings. Unfortunately, corrosion is one of the most common causes of bearing damage. This means that the running surfaces and balls are particularly at risk in winter use. If a bearing runs roughly, has play or shows signs of rust, the wear limit has been reached. Creaking noises can also be the cause of broken bearings.
The points table for the carefree bike test
In our BIKE tests, we rate fat bikes and normal mountain bike hardtails according to different scoring systems. This allows us to adapt the weighting of the various assessment criteria to the respective areas of use.
¹ BIKE measured values
² The BIKE judgement reflects the laboratory measurements (BIKE laboratory measurement) and the subjective impression of the test riders. The BIKE judgement is independent of price. BIKE judgements: super (250-205 P.), very good (204.75-180 P.), good (179.75-155 P.), satisfactory (154.75-130 P.), with weaknesses (129.75-105 P.), unsatisfactory (104.75-0 P.).
The fascination of singlespeed
BIKE Lab employee Dominik Scherer not only knows the screwdriver alphabet inside out, but also has a close relationship with what is probably the purist form of mountain biking: single speed.
"Mountain biking without gears sounds unimaginable to most people. For me, it's pure freedom. I don't have to struggle with the sensitive technology, let alone think about the next gear change. Off-road, you're always looking for the fastest line that takes away the least momentum. This trains your riding technique. But of course you also want to test your limits uphill. If you do fail on a hill, you simply walk. That's part of singlespeed biking."
