The classic four-link is the product of a one-man corona project and is nearing completion. Philipp Brunn is the man behind the young Grin brand. With over 20 years of experience in vehicle development and a pronounced penchant for technical trails - keyword bike mountaineering - the man from Munich realised his dream of his own bike without further ado. We have already been able to obtain one of the first rideable samples for this test.
However, potential buyers will need to be patient until series production, which is scheduled for spring next year. Even if the One is already 90 per cent finalised, there are usually still small adjustments that need to be made to the first model. But first, let's take a look at the current state of the new enduro bike in the mullet set-up. At just 14.5 kilos without pedals, the weight is surprisingly low. There are no compromises in the choice of tyres (Maxxis Exo+ at the front, DD at the rear) or in the rest of the equipment. Even though there is "only" a Rockshox Lyrik suspension fork at the front, the One offers 170 millimetres of travel at the front and 160 millimetres at the rear. Brunn has both suspension elements fine-tuned by suspension experts Anyrace.
Grin One Enduro: robust and compact
To guarantee the rider maximum freedom of movement, the top tube of the aluminium frame drops sharply and the straight seat tube is correspondingly short. In series production, a small moulding set reinforces the long seat tube overhang. This ensures enormous retractability of up to 240 millimetres of travel on the telescopic seat post. Instead of a sensitive paint finish, the Grin One comes in an aluminium raw finish, and bike park approval is a matter of course. Apart from the internal cable routing, the Grin dispenses with unnecessary gimmicks and focusses on pure functionality. At 489 millimetres in size L, the One has a long reach. In combination with the 64 mm steering angle, this results in neutral, not overly smooth handling. Due to the very steep seat angle and the short 35 mm stem, the riding position is actually quite short and upright. On steep ramps, the front wheel stays on the ground in a controlled manner. The lightweight One also climbs steep ramps reliably.
The tiny 26 mm chainring helps here, providing plenty of ground clearance on steps both uphill and downhill. When pedalling out of the saddle, the rear suspension pumps at an average level. Downhill, the Enduro benefits from its low weight and can be positioned effortlessly on the trail. You can actively choose lines and are less of a passenger. However, when things get fast and rough like on the trails at Lake Garda, the desired comfort falls by the wayside. The specially tuned Lyrik Ultimate fork was particularly disappointing and was reluctant to release its travel even with low air pressure and open compression damping. The rear suspension, on the other hand, utilised the travel better, even if there are more sensitive bikes in comparison. So there is still room for improvement with the suspension elements, although the Grin One will only be available as a frame kit for the time being anyway. The bottom bracket will also be seven millimetres lower and the steering angle slightly slacker before series production. In addition, frame sizes L and XL will have the option of a 29er rear wheel. A flip chip on the lower shock mount should make this possible.
Grin One: The equipment
- Fork: Rockshox Lyrik Ultimate
- Damper: Rockshox Superdeluxe Ultimate
- Spring travel: 170/160 mm
- Circuit: Sram GX Eagle, 1x12
- Translation / Bandwidth: 26; 1052 / 520 %
- Brakes: Magura MT7 203/203 mm
- Telesupport / Hub: One Up/ 210 mm
- Impellers: Newmen Evo SL A.30
- Wheel size: 29/27,5"
- Tyres: Maxxis Assegai Maxxgrip Exo+/Minion DHR II Maxxterra DD 29/27.5 x 2.5/2.4
- Price: from 2450 Euro (frame)
Measured values
- Total weight: 14.5 kg
- Weight of wheels: 5108 g
- Acceleration impellers: 4157 kg x cm²
Rating: The BIKE judgement is made up of the subjective impressions of the test riders and our laboratory measurements. The judgement is independent of price. Range of grades: very good (0.5-1.5), good (1.6-2.5), satisfactory (2.6-3.5), sufficient (3.6-4.5), poor (4.6-5.5).
BIKE rating
LABOUR (10 %): 2.9
- Weight without pedals 2.5
- Inertia impellers 3.5
EQUIPMENT (25 %): 3,0
- Equipment quality 1.88
- Usability/added value 4.00
- Transport vol. bottle 5,00
- Saddle retractability 0.50
- Quality/processing 3.75
Driving behaviour
+ Good all-round properties due to low weight
+ High freedom of movement thanks to compact frame
- Less sensitive chassis
Service friendliness
Conclusion
The first product from the still young Grin brand is very promising. The no-frills One has a broad range and builds on the enduro virtues of the past. We are already looking forward to the first production bikes. - Jan Timmermann, BIKE editor
