The frame of the Carver stands out in particular: the head tube swallows tapered fork steerer tubes, the cables disappear into the tube and the rear brake calliper sits in the frame triangle. The equipment of Fahrrad XXL's own brand is fully in line with the average and is thoroughly sensible. However, this time it was not enough to win the test. This is because the suspension fork and brakes cannot keep up with the chic, high-quality impression made by the 1794 gram lightweight chassis. The air pressure chart on the Manitou fork is more confusing than helpful, and the fork was over-damped. With the weak Hayes stoppers, our 90-kilo reader tester had to grip more than hard to come to a stop. That's a shame, because the riding impression on the twisty test lap suffered greatly as a result. The Carver would have been made for the starting block. Its low front end allows a sporty position with a lot of pressure on the front wheel, and the 4384 gram wheels are easy to accelerate.
ConclusionLightweight sports bike with a high-quality frame, which is spoilt by a tough fork and weak brakes.
PLUS Lightweight frame, sporty geometry, good acceleration
MINUS Overdamped suspension fork, weak brakes
