While a few years ago carbon fibre frames were only used in the high-end price categories, carbon technology is now penetrating the broad mid-range segment - especially for hardtails. Until a few years ago, carbon fibre frames still swallowed up huge manufacturer budgets in development and production, and the sales prices were correspondingly expensive in the end. A frame quickly cost four to seven times as much. With a limited budget of 1600-1800 euros, you were in a dilemma: either you opted for a bike with a carbon frame and poor equipment or you went for an aluminium hardtail with XT components - as our comparison test in BIKE 5/2010 showed.
Better equipment for the same price
This has changed somewhat in the meantime. Although the bikes in this test field all roll on 29er wheels, the carbon fibre frames weigh no more than the 26-inch bikes of a few years ago, with the same stiffness and significantly better comfort. The equipment on the majority of the carbon models is also impressive: There's nothing wrong with a Shimano SLX/XT mix with Reba fork and high-quality tyres. After all, you can't easily get a flawless XT groupset on an aluminium hardtail for less than 2000 euros. Compared to the past, carbon frames have become cheaper. That's why you can safely go for carbon fibre for less than 2000 euros.
The test results of these carbon hardtails and the detailed points table can be found below as a PDF download:
- Canyon Grand Canyon CF SL 7.9 (BIKE-Tip mail order)
- Cube Reaction GTC SL 29 (BIKE-Tip specialised dealer)
- Focus Black Forest 29R 1.0
- Ghost HTX Lector 2955
- KTM Aera Pro 29
- Radon Black Sin 29 8.0
- Rose Mr Big 2 29''
- Stevens Sonora
- Trek Superfly 9.6
The devil made a mistake: Unfortunately, we made a mistake in the print edition. In the test of carbon hardtails up to 2000 euros, an incorrect photographer was stated. The pictures were taken by Christoph Bayer.
