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Enduros are expensive. If you click through the websites of popular bike brands, you will quickly realise that many enduro bikes have ambitious price tags of more than 8,000 euros. Even if the top models from most manufacturers are purely prestige objects with homeopathic sales figures, their appeal also casts a spell over normal earners. When looking at your own budget, the question quickly arises: Can it be cheaper? How well does an enduro bike for 3000 euros work, for example, when there are bikes for over 8000 euros? Or is this question even dangerous? The American social psychologist Leon Festinger warned as early as 1954 in his theory of social comparison that constant upward comparison can diminish one's own self-esteem - not a good prerequisite for confident trail riding. Nevertheless, we took the plunge and ordered nine rather inexpensive enduro bikes for a comparison test. Does a mid-range enduro bike really dent the sensitive ego, or do the price bangers ultimately perform just as well as the top models?
The equipment lists provide the first clues. Of course, you shouldn't expect golden Fox Kashima suspension and Sram XX1 Eagle cassettes in this price range, but the equipment on most of the bikes doesn't have to hide. With the exception of the Fuji, all test bikes have the latest 1x12 drivetrains. Despite Eagle technology, Canyon, Cube and Rocky Mountain only have a gear range of 455 per cent instead of the usual 500 per cent with the affordable Sram NX cassette. A small disadvantage compared to the top models. After all, all suspension forks and shocks come from the two most renowned manufacturers, Fox and Rockshox. Four test bikes even surprise with a full carbon frame. The mail-order companies Radon and Rose even keep the total weight including pedals below 14 kilos with a light chassis and good equipment. Cube, as a specialised dealer brand, is only just above this with its 29er bike. Interesting realisation when comparing upwards: the bikes don't get any lighter if you pay over twice as much for them.
In BIKE 12/18 we published an enduro test without a price limit. Despite significantly higher prices, the test bikes weighed an average of over 14 kilos with pedals back then. The wheel acceleration and frame stiffness of the top models were at about the same level as our current test field. On paper, most of the bikes for around €3,000 look pretty good. And in practice?
The test group
3000 Euro
Below this price limit, it is very difficult to find reasonable models of enduro mountain bikes. That's why we're talking about affordable bikes in this test field - even if 3000 euros is a lot of money.
Consignor or specialised trade
Three of our nine test bikes can only be ordered online. Rose, Radon and Canyon have individual flagship stores, but no nationwide dealer network. The mail order companies are known for their good price-performance ratio, but offer less local service. Complaints or repairs mean more effort for customers. This is where specialist brands such as Cube, Trek and Rocky Mountain score points.
Impeller sizes
More and more bikes are now rolling on large 29er wheels. However, two very good bikes from this test, Radon and Rose, have small 27.5-inch wheels. Both wheel sizes have their place in the market.
You can find the complete comparison test of these nine enduro bikes, including points tables, laboratory measurements and ride reports, as a PDF in the download area below:
- Canyon Strive CF 5.0
- Cube Stereo 150 C:62 Race
- Fuji Auric 27.5 LT 1.3
- KTM Prowler 291 12
- Polygon Siskiu N9
- Radon Jab 10.0
- Rocky Mountain Altitude A50
- Rose Pikes Peak 2 EN
- Trek Slash 8
You can find the complete comparison test including all data, points tables and the score overview in BIKE 9/2019. The comparison test costs € 1.99 as a PDF. Why not free of charge? Because quality journalism has a price. In return, we guarantee independence and objectivity. This applies in particular to the tests in BIKE. We don't pay for them, but the opposite is the case: we charge for them, hundreds of thousands of euros every year.
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:
