The quirky vehicle makes perfect sense in its home country, the Netherlands. Because there are actually mountain bike races over endless sandy beaches there. And that's exactly what the matt black bike is made for. Although it looks like a crosser, the geometry and frame details are more similar to those of a 29er. The beach racer rides correspondingly smoothly and safely. The tyre clearance for 2.35 at the rear and 2.1 at the front, mechanical disc brakes, single cranks with chain guide and the special handlebar - which offers a lot of control in the aero position and is still easy to grip at the top - are further curiosities.
The bike can also be quickly converted to 2x10 via the brake/shifter combination from the 105 road group if required. However, the huge super moto slick tyre at the rear is too extreme for our paths and trails. That's why we fitted a 2.25 Thunder Burt tyre for the test. The first contact with the Beachracer is a mixture of respect and disbelief. However, once you get used to the low, narrow steering position and the stretched position, the Beachracer is a lot of fun, even on local trails. The bike draws a lot of comfort from the large-volume tyres and the pleasantly flexing carbon fork. The mechanical disc stoppers may not work at mountain bike level, but they always slow the bike down safely.
Test summary of the Koga Beachracer
Originally developed as a niche product for beach races, the Beachracer has the potential to become a wonderfully comfortable training device for forest roads and flowing trails with only minor modifications. With its 29er-like handling, it is particularly interesting for bikers for whom the crosser is already too extreme.
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