It is said that some drugs are addictive on first contact. It's the same with the Cirex. Shortly after getting on, you melt into the bike. Your heart races. Then the lactate level rises and the endorphins flood the body. Of the seven high-powered test bikes, the Cirex is the fastest downhill. And it is one of the fastest uphill. Why is that? First of all, the carbon fibre chassis. It is stiff, light and cleverly designed. One bottle fits in the frame, one under the down tube. Thanks to the steering stop limiter, a fall does not immediately destroy the top tube. The Vorarlberg company allows a total weight of 125 kilos for the bike/rider system. This is sufficient for the target group. The Rock Shox suspension elements can be completely locked out, but are very sensitive and traction-enhancing when open. There is no trace of the harsh ride feel of some other sports suspensions. Simplon combines these characteristics with lightweight wheels and an agile geometry (size L is compact). The 29er as a long haul lorry? Not so the Cirex. The short wheelbase and large wheels result in manoeuvrable but sufficiently smooth handling. The bike can be steered precisely through the rocky sections of the test lap, you can feel how the suspension works and helps you to reach high speeds. The dual XTR setup covers a wider range of use than the eleven gears of some of the competition. Long tours or marathons are more suited to the Cirex's performance profile than a CC World Cup. Simplon gives a six-year guarantee on the high utility value of the chassis. In the event of self-inflicted damage, the 2599 euro frame set is available at half price for the first year (Crash Replacement). Sounds like a sustainable investment. It's just a shame that the integration of the lockout lever on the handlebars wasn't a success. Unfortunately, the Sram clamp and Shimano XTR clamp do not fit together.
ConclusionCirex is like Crack: addicted the first time. The stiff, super fast race bike wins this comparison test on points. Suspension, handling characteristics and the selected equipment are a joy to ride in a wide range of applications.
The alternative: Simplon offers a customised race bike with various equipment packages. The Cirex RS version has an RS1 fork and Sram X01 gears with eleven speeds. It is said to weigh 10.25 kilos and costs 5999 euros.
