Good things take time. Goethe already knew that. But Liteville boss Jo Klieber also lives by this motto. Since 2005, he has been perfecting the legendary 301, stage by stage. In 2022, we were allowed to put the 15th version of the cult full-suspension bike through its paces. Test result: Super. Our readers are just as enthusiastic about the bikes from Tacherting, which is why Liteville is regularly voted one of the most popular manufacturers in our reader surveys. So it's no wonder that the name Liteville also appears among our community's dream bikes. As rumours of a new Liteville model called the 303 have been circulating since 2022, we invited the newcomer to our editorial office at the request of our readers.
Still Liteville pre-series, but still exciting in the test
"This is basically a completely independent, more downhill-orientated version of the 301." - With these words, Liteville employee Andi hands us the latest offspring, the Liteville 303. As a reminder, the Liteville 301 has always been regarded as a lightweight enduro bike suitable for touring. Until now, Liteville wanted to distance itself from the extreme downhill orientation of its more modern competitors. This is now set to change. 164 millimetres of suspension travel at the rear, 160 at the front. The steering angle measures 66 degrees. That doesn't sound too extreme at first. However, our bike is still from the pre-series. The 303 will be delivered with a Fox 38 fork with 170 millimetres of travel and a 64.5 degree steering angle - just as it should be for a modern enduro bike. In addition, the standard model also has a mounting device for the in-house steering assistance system K.I.S. (Keep it Stable) on the top tube. Also new: the rear suspension kinematics. Although the rear shock is still linked via the rocker on the top tube, the shock mount is located significantly further down on the seat tube than on the 301. Otherwise, the Enduro remains true to the company philosophy.
Liteville 303: top workmanship, long service life
The simple frame construction made of solid aluminium tubes promises a long service life. As always with Liteville, attention to detail is not neglected either: all cables on the handlebars run through the head tube into the inside of the frame. A mini-tool is concealed in the rear thru-axle. The integrated Eightpins seatpost can be lowered to the edge of the seat tube and, thanks to the variable chainstay length, the rear triangle can accommodate either a 29" or 27.5" rear wheel.
Quick direction changes for the Liteville 303 are child's play
Our test bike comes with a mix of wheel sizes. Paired with the very short chainstays, the Liteville 303 chases nimbly over winding trails and is easy to pull onto the rear wheel. The steering angle, which is not too slack, transforms every twitch of the handlebars into accurate changes of direction. You will look in vain for this characteristic on many enduro bikes. To achieve similar precision with the slacker standard model, we recommend specifying a 160 mm fork, as on our test bike. If, on the other hand, you are hoping for a fast downhill rider from the newcomer, you should go for a 170 mm fork. Because at high speeds, the handling characteristics of the 303 are more reminiscent of those of an all-mountain bike.
Super handling uphill
As advertised, we had hoped for a smoother and more composed downhill version of the 301. The suspension also only unfolds its potential on hard hits. On the other hand, the rear end doesn't digest single hits or small bumps as well. The previous Liteville models were able to do this at a similar level. It was only when we swapped the X2 shock from Fox for the Rockshox equivalent that we were satisfied with the suspension. The Liteville Enduro climbs willingly. The moderate reach and steep head angle give you a compact riding position. The 50 mm stem distributes the centre of gravity generously over the front wheel. Despite the short rear end, our test crew attested to the Liteville 303's excellent uphill handling. The suspension remains pleasantly composed, but as on the climbs, it doesn't respond too sensitively to bumps.
The series model has to undergo further testing
Whether the 303 in its final trim, with the option of the 170 mm fork and the K.I.S. steering assistant, will be able to follow in the footsteps of the Liteville 301 will have to be tested again. But as mentioned at the beginning: good things take time. And Jo Klieber and his team will certainly optimise the 303 to perfection.
Conclusion on the Liteville 303 Mk 1 by Max Fuchs, BIKE test editor:
It's a shame that we could only get a pre-production model for our first test of the Liteville 303. In our test configuration, there was still no great advantage over the more moderate Enduro 301 on the descents. On the other hand, the bike is characterised by its all-round qualities thanks to its successful handling and efficient suspension. Liteville fans will appreciate the 303 for its reliability and well thought-out details.
Technical data and notes on the Liteville 303 Mk1
Manufacturer information
- Price: 6999 Euro
- Available from specialised dealers
- Frame material: aluminium
- Frame size: S / M / L / XL / XXL(tested size L, 48 cm)
Measured values
- Weight without pedals: 14.56 kg
- Frame weight: 3305 g
- Weight of wheels: 4952 g
- Acceleration of running wheels: 3733 kg x cm²
- Handlebar width: 780 mm
- Frame rigidity (absolute): 61 N/mm
Equipment
- Wheels:: Syntace C 33i
- Tyres: Maxxis Minion DHF; 3C MaxxTerra Exo Protection TR 29 x 2.50; Maxxis Minion DHR II; 3C MaxxSpeed Exo Protection TR 27.5 x 2.40
- Fork: Fox 36 Float Factory Grip2
- Shock: Fox Float X2 Factory
- Suspension travel: front / rear: 162 / 164 mm
- Brakes: Shimano XT BR-M 8120 / 203 / 180 mm
- Gear system: Shimano XT 1 x 12
- Gear ratio / bandwidth: 30; 10-51 / 510 %
- Telescopic post / stroke / Ø: Eightpins NGS 2.0 / 200 mm / 34.9 mm
Valuation
- Driving behaviour uphill: 21.25 from 25
- Chassis efficiency: 16 out of 20
- Rolling resistance: 8.5 out of 10
- Weight: 3 of 15
- Inertia impellers: 5 out of 10
- Bottle cage: 2 out of 10
- Driving behaviour downhill: 28 from 35
- Front suspension: 20 out of 20
- Rear suspension: 18.75 out of 25
- Saddle retractability: 10 out of 10
- Brakes: 13.5 out of 15
- Tyre grip: 12.75 out of 15
- Driving stability: 5 out of 10
TOTAL UPHILL: 55.75 OUT OF 90
TOTAL DOWNHILL: 108 OF 130
Other: 26.75 out of 30
Ease of maintenance: medium
Bike test rating*: very good 190.5 out of 250 points
This is Liteville
Liteville is an own brand of the component manufacturer Syntace and was integrated into the company in 2004. Why? Liteville boss Jo Klieber explains: "We were fed up with begging other bike manufacturers to customise their frames for us." He then decided to build his bikes himself. The first models were a success, which is why he decided to produce more of them under the Liteville name. Since then, the bikes have been characterised by innovation, attention to detail and durability.
¹Price may be subject to additional costs for packaging, dispatch and coordination.
²The BIKE judgement reflects the laboratory measurements (BIKE laboratory measurement) and the subjective impression of the test riders.
The BIKE judgement is independent of price. BIKE judgements: super (250-205 P.), very good (204.75-180 P.), good (179.75-155 P.), satisfactory (154.75-130 P.), with weaknesses (129.75-105 P.), unsatisfactory (104.75-0 P.).
Max Fuchs
Editor
