The heart of the Zero2Nine is the neatly finished aluminium frame with a curved down tube and polished weld seams. The work not only shines visually, the Storck also sets standards in terms of stiffness. On the trail, this is noticeable in the uncompromising propulsion. The comfort is rather low. A glance at the scales makes you gulp: The frame with thru axle weighs an impressive 2200 grams in size L. That's almost steel frame values! The fork's 120 millimetres of suspension travel give hope for downhill fun, while the very long stem is more typical for uphill machines. So what is it? The concept is not entirely conclusive. The handlebars also offer a trail look with their rise, but are narrow for racing. The stretched riding position makes the handling a little unwieldy, especially on technical downhill sections. In addition, the hard Schwalbe performance tyres don't feel particularly comfortable on the trail. Thanks to the generous suspension travel, the downhill characteristics are nevertheless decent. However, the response behaviour of the Magura fork could be better. The good news is that with just a little tuning - a shorter stem, wider handlebars, better tyres - the inexpensive Storck can be upgraded to a solid tourer. Trail enthusiasts can add a quick release to the seat post clamp. By the way: With only three frame sizes, the grading is kept rather rough, which limits the choice. The size L is rather short with a reach of 423 millimetres.
CONCLUSION Florentin Vesenbeckh, BIKE editor: The equipment mix on the Zero2Nine is not entirely coherent. Handling and riding enjoyment suffer, especially due to the long stem. The good thing is that if you fit a shorter stem and better tyres, you can turn the 29er into a good all-rounder with a classy aluminium frame that clearly stands out from the crowd. The Shimano XT groupset is impressive.
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Florentin Vesenbeckh
Editor CvD
