The starting shot is fired. The starting field rolls through a corridor full of cheering people. Almost 600 kilometres and 21500 metres of altitude lie ahead of us until the finish in Riva. Suddenly it's there, the uplifting feeling that everyone always raves about: feeling like a pro for a week. With all the highs and lows. Diving into another world for a week, one that is far removed from everyday life than a family holiday on the beach.
But for me, the Transalp Challenge is also a business trip. The assignment: to test eight bikes. A different one every day. The 2004 vintage in its first endurance test. And not only that. All categories were to be represented. From hardtail to hardcore freerider. To find answers to questions that you don't get in normal everyday testing: How much suspension travel do you really need? How noticeable are serious weight differences? How effective are the new suspension systems?
All bikes in this test:
Cannondale Scalpel 3000, Fusion Floyd, Giant T-Mobile, Rocky Mountain Element 70, Rotwild RCC 1.0, Scott Genius MC 10, Scott Octane Proto, Specialised Enduro S-Works
