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Even Confucius described the centre as the right path. Trail bikes are therefore probably the category that comes closest to a biker's life in philosophical harmony. With 120 to 140 millimetres of suspension travel, they lie exactly between the purist race bikes with 100 millimetre suspension on the one hand and the downhill-hungry all-mountain bikes and enduro bikes with up to 170 millimetres of suspension travel on the other. If you analyse the BIKE reader surveys of recent years, it becomes clear that more and more mountain bikers want to take the middle way. The manufacturers have also recognised this and put a lot of energy into developing this category. More modern geometries, better suspension and telescopic seat posts fitted as standard are transforming the once rather stuffy touring bikes into fun trail speedsters. The corresponding marketing is even attracting the interest of enduro riders. The question remains: Can the trail bikes for around €3000 harmonise touring suitability and downhill fun - the yin and yang of bike sport?
To find out, we travelled to Baiersbronn in the Black Forest. There, the tourism association has signposted official routes that combine technically demanding nature trails with challenging climbs. Along for the ride: reader Dominik Pleyer, who we invited to the test for a more comprehensive result. The key data of our test tour: 46 kilometres, 1620 metres in altitude and a high proportion of single trails. The Steile-Hänge-Tour is one of the highlights of the region and, as the name suggests, starts with a steep climb. The idea that you would fly up the mountains on these bikes is not quite confirmed on the first few metres. The test bikes weigh 14.5 kilos on average, including pedals. Really light trail bikes with a lively uphill acceleration are only available for considerably more money.
Technically demanding single trails have become the core of mountain biking for many bikers. Our test round also fulfils this requirement: rough root carpets, particularly steep descents and tight hairpin bends - the trails in Baiersbronn demand our full attention. It's a good thing that the manufacturers have done their homework when it comes to the suspension. Almost all rear triangles can handle even the biggest bites without any problems.
You can download the complete comparison test of the seven trail bikes around € 3000 from BIKE 8/2021 as a PDF below the article. The test report costs 1.99 euros.
Why not free of charge? Because quality journalism has a price. In return, we guarantee independence and objectivity. This applies in particular to the tests in BIKE. We don't pay for them, but the opposite is the case: we charge for them, namely tens of thousands of euros every year.
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