I admit it: I'm a fair-weather biker. Nobody gets me on my bike in the rain, snow, mud and cold. Not because I'm a wimp, but because I don't fancy the bike maintenance afterwards. But with this hardtail from Hilite, which I was entrusted with for the ride test, I don't think I can get away with this excuse. Encapsulated drive thanks to the Pinion gearbox plus Gates belt drive - in contrast to the sensitive derailleur gears, there's nothing to be said against a steam jet treatment. And after two minutes, the bike looks like new again. So put on your warm clothes and head out onto the winter muddy trails.
No rattling chain, no shifting, no need to watch out for anything. The Pinion gearbox runs completely silently in conjunction with the belt. The power transmission is smooth and yet direct, you literally glide over the trails. Only in seventh gear is there a very quiet ticking sound to remind you that precise gears are working in the box on the bottom bracket. The 18 gears are shifted using a twist grip. This works quickly and smoothly, but unlike derailleur gears, not under load. You have to reduce the load to downshift, which can be annoying in some situations. On the other hand, you'll be all the more pleased that you can engage any gear when stationary if you forget to shift down again during a break. The Hilite does well uphill. Thanks to the sporty geometry, it always has enough traction. However, the gearbox does add quite a bit of weight. 13.2 kilos is quite a lot for a hardtail with this equipment.
Test summary of the Hilite Pinion
The anti-stress concept has been consistently realised in this bike. Especially in combination with the belt drive, the gearbox makes sense. No more shifting, no jumping chains, hardly any maintenance - the geared bike with its perceived high efficiency is sure to find its fans. Personally, I will continue to ride maintenance-intensive and failure-prone derailleur gears. The extra two kilos of weight due to the gearbox are too much for me personally. Even the low maintenance effort doesn't make up for it.
PLUS Virtually maintenance-free drive with good power transmission; agile, sporty driving behaviour
MINUS Relatively high weight
Info on the Hilite Pinion hardtail
Price/Info 3999 CHF (approx. 3260 Euro)
Web www.hilite-bikes.ch
Weight 13.2 kilos, 7005 aluminium frame, double and triple butted tubes
Suspension/drive Rock Shox Reba fork, Pinion P1.18 gearbox, Gates belt
Equipment Ritchey Pro attachments, Notubes ZTR Flow rims, Continental Mountain King 27.5x2.2 tyres, Shimano XT hubs, Selle Italia Q-Bic saddle, FSA headset
