DISTANCE 4,400 km | 80,000 hm
The Numinis has already proven its potential with a podium finish at the Cape Epic. However, I wanted to find out whether the sports bike with its carbon frame could also prove itself in a long-term test in the foothills of the Alps?
The rather steep head angle of 70.5 degrees (Scott Spark 68.5°) initially demands an active riding style. However, once you get used to it, nothing stands in the way of KOM hunting on Strava. A big advantage is the DT Swiss Lockout lever, which can be used to control the three platform settings of the Fox suspension. When locked out, you can blast up the climbs like Chris Froome and then test your limits on the downhills like Gwin - well, that might be a bit of an exaggeration, but the Numinis really motivated me both uphill and downhill.
We have competed in marathon races such as the Ronda Grande in Riva, the Bike Festival in Willingen and the Oberstdorf Marathon. Long, demanding routes suit the Numinis. The trail mode with half-open suspension is economical and equalises the additional weight of the shock with fewer impacts on the back compared to the hardtail. It also offers more traction uphill on rough trails. The option of mounting two bottle cages puts the bike in a very good light overall.
And the durability? Technical problems only arose after winter use with a defective bottom bracket and worn brake pads. The Sram gear lever also caused problems. A few drops of Loctite fixed the thumb lever again without twisting. It was the same with the rear triangle. The screw on the main bearing came loose, which was quickly fixed with threadlocker. The spike of the internal cable routing on the frame was already deeper. Initially inconspicuous, the outer casing of the derailleur got stuck more and more frequently at the entrance to the chain stay. The constant compression and rebound of the rear triangle pulled the sleeve inwards bit by bit and reduced the shifting quality of the Sram Eagle immensely. I relocated the shifting sleeve to the outside and lo and behold, everything was fine again.
Conclusion: on the Centurion Numinis XC Team
Despite the exemplary weight, there were only minor component failures during the endurance test. The uncompromisingly race-orientated frame, on the other hand, did not cause any serious problems.
TUNING
DEFECTS | MAINTENANCE
RELATIONSHIP HIGHLIGHT
THE BIKE: CENTURION NUMINIS XC TEAM
Material Carbon, size 48 cm
Price / weight 7299 Euro / 9.83 kg without pedals
Suspension travel (front / rear) 100 mm / 100 mm
Wheel size 29 inch
Fork Fox 32 SC Factory
Damper Fox Float DPS Factory
THE TESTER: BEN MÖSSMER
BIKE test rider
Age / Height / Weight 28 years / 1.76 m / 67 kg
Driver profile Cross Country, Marathon
Favourite areas Alpine foothills from Oberammergau to Füssen, southern France Provence
You can find this article in BIKE 5/2019. You can read the entire digital edition in the BIKE app (iTunes and Google Play) or the print edition in the DK shop reorder - while stocks last:
