We've got ourselves into a bit of a mess: we only requested top bikes, the most expensive and finest from the manufacturers' collections. Naturally equipped with the best components and all made from the black miracle fibre: Carbon! As a bike tester who hunts down cunts and wants to warn his readers about technical failures and faulty bikes, this is a fiasco. It's like going on a bridal show with Ryan Gosling, Brad Pitt and Orlando Bloom. Let's not kid ourselves: This is a classic "this will never work" situation. Standardised 27.5-inch wheels, 1x11 gears, impeccable brakes and suspension elements - it's hardly surprising that we were able to award the top score of 10 three times in this test alone. Incidentally, the performance advantages of the mail-order bikes in tests with fixed price categories evaporate in our open-end scenario. What remains: the considerable price advantage. Image is expensive. For the price of the Santa Cruz, you can get two mail-order bikes from YT, Canyon or Radon. That's steep - but that's the way it is in our world of luxury brands. For some people, performance is only half the fun, otherwise we'd all be rolling around in a VW Golf.
You can find these carbon enduro bikes in the test:
- Canyon Strive CF 9.0 Race (FREERIDE TIP: Tope Score)
- Conway WME 1027
- Polygon Collosus N9 XX1
- Radon Slide Carbon X01 (FREERIDE TIP: Price/Performance)
- Santa Cruz Nomad C (FREERIDE TIP: Tope Score)
- YT Capra CF Pro (FREERIDE TIP: Tope Score)
All plastic!
Plastic reinforced with carbon fibre is light and stiff. Bike designer Lutz Scheffer from Canyon, and indeed the majority of the design guild, therefore claims that carbon is the superior material for sports equipment. In fact, the test bikes are surprisingly light. The miracle fibre saves weight (up to 1 kilo compared to aluminium) and light is good - especially in this bike class. Radon's Slide weighs a record-breaking 12.3 kilos (with standard tyres) and is half a kilo lighter than the competition. In combination with drivetrain-neutral suspension, the lightweight construction means a wide range of uses, from trail riding and long tours to bike park missions and downhill blocking. Unfortunately, there are also disadvantages. Carbon is sensitive. A chunk of stone hitting the down tube - and the expensive frame can be ruined. Especially if it is not protected by plastic pads (as on the Polygon). Tricky: In contrast to aluminium, where the dents are clearly visible, carbon hides its wounds and then breaks without warning. Minor problem: The thin carbon chassis of the bikes often look like a violin case. When pebbles hit this resonating body, it gets really loud; the slightest crackle in the frame is amplified to a loud crack.
Are enduro bikes the new freeriders?
Up to 170 millimetres of front and rear suspension travel from really potent chassis - this gives the lightweight carbon bikes real freeride qualities. Santa Cruz and YT in particular are so potent that you can throw yourself off drops in the bike park and confidently take on bigger jumps. Nevertheless, enduro bikes are not a substitute for big bikes; they are always a compromise, especially for less experienced riders. The lightweight Radon Slide suffered particularly from the downhill-orientated assessment of our test, which led to heated discussions among the testers. Its range of use extends far towards all-mountain, but the bike reaches its limits when the terrain gets really rough. "An enduro bike that accelerates with vitality through undulating trails and inspires with its featherweight. That's what most people want!" said one tester, claiming 10 points for the Radon. "We are FREERIDE, our focus is on downhill - and other bikes have more reserves in the rear end!", countered the test colleagues and noted a slight point deduction for this otherwise flawless bike.
Equipment: no compromises!
It comes as no surprise that the top models are equipped to a high standard at high prices. There was nothing to complain about. On the other hand, it was surprising to see how some manufacturers carelessly reduce the downhill performance of their bikes by fitting narrow handlebars (Conway, Polygon). Small detail, big effect! Our tip: If you want to ride seriously downhill, you need a wide cockpit (from 760 millimetres) Although the 1x11 drivetrains hold the chain firmly in place, almost all manufacturers (except Santa Cruz) install an additional chain guide - better safe than sorry! In terms of suspension forks, the Santa Cruz MRP surprised us. It developed a lot of comfort and plays in the league of the top forks on the market. Only Polygon made a mistake in the mounting box and put the somewhat narrow-chested Fox 34 instead of the 36 in the head tube of his bike. This fork works well, but can't keep up with the more potent competition. In order to be able to compare the bikes better, we fitted standard tyres. Our choice: Michelin's Wild Rock'r 2 tyres with soft rubber at the front and harder rubber at the rear.
CONCLUSIONS: Santa Cruz, YT and Canyon sent us true mini downhillers for the test, which scored particularly well in our test scenario. With the exception of the Polygon, which lagged somewhat behind with its geometry that took some getting used to, we can recommend all the enduro bikes in this test. The Radon Slide impressed with its light weight and handling, but defines the range of use more in the direction of all-mountain plus. Everyone has a different understanding of the term enduro.
Dimitri Lehner
Editor
