150 millimetres of suspension travel, 15 kilos total weight - the Univega "RAM E-90" is intended to close the gap between all-mountain bikes and freeriders in the manufacturer's range. Our first look is at the equipment - in this price category, you can't afford any weaknesses: the "Nixxon" fork and the "Swinger" shock from Manitou fit the application profile well. The gearing: a sensible mix of "Deore" and "XT" components. The 2.3-inch Maxxis tyres are light and grippy. In terms of equipment, there is nothing to criticise.
The riding position on the "E-90" is upright and comfortable, almost compact - thanks to the short top tube. But without measuring, the head angle seems very slack to us. This impression is reinforced on the test lap - the Univega steers somewhat reluctantly. On singletrack, the bike does not make a convincing impression. The values from the lab confirm this impression: 66.7 degrees of head angle is not much, even for a freerider. Thanks to its tolerable weight and lowerable fork, the bike rides passably well uphill and is almost unstoppable downhill. But as soon as you get into tighter bends, the riding fun is somewhat spoilt. The bike simply doesn't feel agile enough and even tends to tip over when turning in tight corners. On the other hand, the "RAM" cuts a very good figure on small drops and rough terrain thanks to its forgiving suspension. So it definitely feels at home in the bike park.
For just under 3000 euros, the Univega "RAM E-90" is a neatly equipped bike that is a little too cumbersome for an enduro bike and a little undersized for a pure freeride bike. It lies somewhere in between - but even in this niche it will find its
find its customers.
PLUS
- good price/performance ratio
- Suspension with good grip
MINUS
- limited range of use
- Steering angle too slack, therefore sluggish
- Shift cable catches on seat clamp
