The fact is that rear suspension has revolutionised the off-road capability of mountain bikes. However, not every biker prioritises off-road performance when making a purchase. Often bikers simply dream of an inexpensive and uncomplicated overall package.
uncomplicated overall package. So it's hardly surprising that a hardtail was also chosen as one of our readers' dream bikes.
The Radon Cragger is unbeatable value for money
The Radon Cragger 8.0 represents the original form of mountain biking in this test and costs just 1895 euros. It rolls on 29-inch wheels and has 133 millimetres of suspension travel. Without the defect-prone rear construction of a full-suspension bike, the Radon benefits from long maintenance intervals.
Life with a fully is accompanied by worn-out bearings, defective dampers and creaking joints. This increases the running costs for spare parts and takes up time for repairs. So if you can do without a comfortable rear end, the Cragger is a far less complicated and less maintenance-intensive overall package - typical hardtail.
Radon Cragger: an uncomplicated trail hardtail
With its generous suspension travel, our test candidate, the Cragger 8.0, is already unmistakably recognisable as a trail hardtail in the BIKE test lab. Manufacturers try to give this type of bike as much off-road capability as possible despite the rigid rear end. The downhill-orientated geometry and the robust components of the Radon leave no doubt about this. We particularly liked the tyre combination from
Maxxis tyres. The robust EXO+ carcass even outperforms the standard tyres of some enduro bikes in terms of puncture protection. In practice, this allows lower air pressures, which improves traction and comfort off-road.
Top features despite low price
To ensure maximum comfort on the front wheel too, the direct mail order company relies on the sensitive response behaviour of the DVO Sapphire suspension fork. The fork with adjustable high and low-speed compression damping is a real rarity in this price range. At 13.5 kilos without pedals, the Radon Cragger is no lightweight, but considering the price and the solid equipment, the value is acceptable. For comparison: The Trail hardtails from our comparison test weigh an average of 13.8 kilos. Thanks to a cassette with 520 per cent gear range, the Radon masters long tours in a relaxed manner even with a little excess weight and climbs even the steepest ramps effortlessly. Also good: The four-piston brakes from Magura with a 203 mm disc on the front wheel pack a punch and remain stable even on long descents.
Saddle forwards for more control on the Cragger 8.0
The moderate seat angle and long top tube give the Radon Cragger a very sporty riding position. The wide handlebar (800 millimetres) also elongates your posture. Our recommendation for a more compact riding position and more control on the singletrack is therefore to push the saddle forwards and shorten the handlebars. Otherwise, the geometry made a good impression on our test riders. On steep descents, the rider is always safely behind the high front end - thanks to the strikingly long head tube. The telescopic seatpost with 150 millimetres of travel offers plenty of room for compensating movements. On high-speed sections, the super-slack steering angle (64.5 degrees) keeps the Radon Cragger safely on track. Thanks to the short chainstays, bikers with a playful riding style will also get their money's worth.
Speaking of costs: Our test bike for € 1895 still comes from Radon's 2022 test fleet. The price of the current model was initially to be raised to €2199 as part of the general price increase. In fact, however, the Bonn-based mail order company is currently offering a 300 euro discount - so the 2023 model fortunately only costs 1899 euros. Compared to a fully, the Radon Cragger is the affordable alternative for technical terrain - that's a fact.
Conclusion on the Radon Cragger 8.0 by Peter Nilges, BIKE Test Manager:
Thanks to the consistent tyres, good suspension fork and flat geometry, the Radon Cragger 8.0 can also cope with rough terrain. Considering the equipment, even the higher price of the 2023 model would still be okay. With the discount, the Radon is perfect for price-conscious touring riders.
Technical data and notes on the Radon Cragger 8.0
Manufacturer information
- Price: 1895 Euro¹
- Available by mail order
- Frame material: aluminium
- Frame size: S / M / L (tested size L, 46 cm)
Measured values
- Weight without pedals: 13.49 kg
- Frame weight: 2121 g
- Weight of wheels: 5421 g
- Acceleration of running wheels: 4488 kg x cm²
- Handlebar width: 800 mm
- Frame rigidity (absolute): 49 N/mm
Equipment
- Wheels: Newmen Performance 30
- Tyres: Maxxis Minion DHF 3C MaxxTerra Exo+ Protection TR 29 x 2.50; Maxxis Minion DHR II 3C MaxxTerra Exo+ Protection TR 29 x 2.40
- Fork: DVO Sapphire 34 D1
- Suspension travel: 133 mm
- Brakes: Magura MT5 / 203 / 180 mm
- Gear system: Sram GX Eagle 1x12
- Gear ratio / bandwidth: 32; 10-52 / 520 %
- dropper post / stroke / Ø: eThirteen Infinite Vario Dropper / 150 mm / 30.9 mm
Valuation
- Driving behaviour uphill: 17.5 from 25
- Front suspension: 8 out of 10
- Rolling resistance: 14 out of 20
- Weight: 8 of 20
- Inertia impellers: 3 out of 10
- Bottle cage: 10 out of 10
- Seating comfort 5 out of 10
- Driving behaviour downhill: 25.5 from 30
- Front suspension: 15 out of 25
- Saddle retractability: 10 out of 10
- Brakes: 17 out of 20
- Tyre grip: 18 out of 20
- Driving stability: 1 out of 10
TOTAL UPHILL: 65.5 OUT OF 105
TOTAL DOWNHILL: 86.5 OUT OF 115
Other: 18.75 out of 30
Ease of maintenance: weak
Bike test rating²: very good 170.8 out of 250
This is radon
Radon has been known as the online giant Bike Discount's own brand since 1993. Initially, only a few cross-country bikes were sold under the name.
In the meantime, however, Radon has established itself as a permanent fixture on the mountain bike market and is known for its unbeatable price-performance ratio. Almost 50 of the 450 Bike Discount employees work for the mail-order brand. The Bonn-based company's mountain bike segment covers all areas of use, from race bikes to downhillers.
¹Price may be subject to additional costs for packaging, dispatch and coordination.
²The 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.).
Max Fuchs
Editor
