It's clear that expensive enduro bikes with high-end suspension reliably provide plenty of downhill action. But what if you're not prepared to fork out five grand? Does that automatically mean less trail fun? Will you have to pimp your newly purchased bike sooner or later to push the fun barometer all the way up? Or would you be better advised to dig a little deeper into your pockets right away?
We wanted to get to the bottom of this question and selected four enduro bikes with 160 to 170 millimetres of suspension travel - price limit: 3200 euros. However, we had to turn a blind eye to Propain: The Tyee AL costs 3234 euros - provided you use the telescopic seatpost in the online configurator. In order to clarify whether a somewhat generous price range is worthwhile, the € 4299 Haro Greer Alloy LTD 2 is the reference bike.
All bikes and facts in the picture gallery
Click here for the detailed tests of the five enduro bikes
- Merida One-Sixty 500: Is € 2899 worth it for the entry-level enduro bike?
- Dartmoor Rocbird Enduro Evo: What can the entry-level enduro bike for 2699 euros do?
- Propain Tyee 6.1 AL on test: Balanced in the hearts of the testers?
- Cube Stereo One77 Pro 29: Test victory for the 2799 Euro Enduro!
- Is the surcharge worth it? Haro Greer Alloy LTD 2 in a favourable enduro comparison test
The price question
Yes, the discussion is very old. But let's be honest: assuming a little common sense, this comparison shouldn't really be called a beginner's test. Full stop. Anyone interested in an enduro bike these days is faced with price tags that were still emblazoned on race-ready equipment a few years ago. In an entry-level enduro test conducted by our former sister magazine FREERIDE in 2017, for example, the price limit was €2,500 - and the equipment level was a notch higher across the board. Today, the financial pressure caused by supply bottlenecks, inflation and rising energy costs is also forcing the mountain bike industry to raise prices.
The test group in the lab check
Impeller inertia
Due to the small 27.5-inch rear wheels, the wheel inertia of the mullet bikes from Merida, Dartmoor and Haro is lower than that of the 29-inch candidates. The Newmen wheels on the Cube deliver the best value in terms of weight. The heaviest wheels are specified by Propain. The heavy Schwalbe tyres with stable Gravity casing and the massive S1000 cassette of the Transmission drivetrain are the main factors driving up the weight.
Stiffness
The Propain, Cube, Merida and Dartmoor are on a similar level in terms of both the main frame and the rear triangle and behave inconspicuously. The Propain has the softest chassis overall, but filters out vibrations best and thus ensures less fatigue on long descents. The only outlier: the rear triangle of the Haro. Due to a massive brace between the chainstays, the stiffness value at the rear is extremely high. However, you hardly notice this on the trail. The extremely sensitive suspension can make up for the lack of flex with plenty of traction and comfort.
Weight plays (no) role
To reopen an old wound: the average weight of the test group at the time was 14.1 kilos - making the bikes light enough to be used on tours, as the original enduro concept intended.
Our current test group weighs a whopping 16.2 kilos on average. Of course, bigger wheels, thicker suspension forks and ever more robust components add a lot to the baller potential. However, for all those who also ride off the lift and shuttle, the bikes have long since exceeded the pain threshold in terms of weight. Our testers are unanimous: those who found the perfect all-rounder among the enduro bikes back then are better off fleeing to the trail bike sector today - at least in this price range.
Buying cheap means paying twice?
To get back to the initial question: Are the €3000 enduro bikes any good, or is it better to go straight for the €1100 more expensive Haro to really get your money's worth? The answer is as simple as it is bitter: 3200 euros can be worth it - but only if you are prepared to make compromises. Cube is the prime example of this: the suspension is top-notch - plush, traction-strong and with just the right amount of pop. So, Haro or Cube? In terms of performance, the bikes are on the same level. The handling also gives no cause for criticism. Uncompromising riding fun? Check!
However, there are still some drawbacks. If you want to upgrade the Stereo One77 to one of the robust and extremely precise Sram Transmission drivetrains, you'll be left out in the cold - because Cube has saved the necessary UDH derailleur hanger. From a technical point of view, the other bikes can hold their own against the Haro, but on the first root carpet at the latest, it becomes clear what the 1100 euro surcharge is good for - and: how much a second-class suspension reduces the fun factor.
BIKE review: All bikes in comparison
| Category | Subcategory | Haro | Cube | Propain | Dartmoor | Merida | Weighting / Note |
| Price | Price (€) | 4299 | 2799 | 3234 | 2699 | 2899 | - |
| Driving behaviour | Uphill - Riding behaviour | 3 | 3 | 2 | 2,5 | 4 | 8 % |
| Driving behaviour | Uphill - Efficiency chassis | 3 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 4,5 | 10 % |
| Driving behaviour | Play instinct | 2,5 | 2 | 3,5 | 3 | 1,5 | 7 % |
| Driving behaviour | Downhill - Riding behaviour | 2 | 3 | 1,5 | 3 | 3,5 | 20 % |
| Driving behaviour | Downhill - Chassis | 1,5 | 2 | 3,5 | 4 | 4,5 | 20 % |
| Driving behaviour | Grade | 2,18 | 2,43 | 2,68 | 3,28 | 3,68 | 65 % Total |
| Laboratory | Total weight | 5,75 | 4,25 | 5,5 | 4,5 | 5,25 | 6 % |
| Laboratory | Impeller inertia | 4 | 4 | 5 | 4 | 3,5 | 4 % |
| Laboratory | Grade | 5,05 | 4,15 | 5,30 | 4,30 | 4,55 | 10 % Total |
| Equipment | Equipment quality | 2,15 | 2,79 | 2,98 | 3,56 | 3,74 | 5 % |
| Equipment | Usability / added value | 4 | 4 | 3,25 | 4,25 | 2,75 | 5 % |
| Equipment | Transport volume bottle | 2 | 3 | 2 | 1,5 | 3 | 5 % |
| Equipment | Saddle retractability | 1 | 2 | 1,5 | 2 | 2 | 5 % |
| Equipment | Quality / Processing | 2,75 | 2,75 | 0,5 | 4,75 | 0,5 | 5 % |
| Equipment | Grade | 2,38 | 2,91 | 2,05 | 3,21 | 2,40 | 25 % Total |
| Miscellaneous | Guarantee | 6 years | 5 years | 2 years | 2 years | for life | - |
| Miscellaneous | Service friendliness | medium | Weak | medium | medium | medium | - |
| Miscellaneous | Frame rigidity (v/h) N/mm | 8,4 / 42,5 | 8,7 / 23,9 | 6,4 / 18,1 | 6,8 / 28,1 | 7,3 / 24,2 | - |
| Overall grade | BIKE grade | 2,52 | 2,72 | 2,79 | 3,36 | 3,45 | 100 % |
Directly to the test articles of the five enduro bikes
- Merida One-Sixty 500: Is € 2899 worth it for the entry-level enduro bike?
- Dartmoor Rocbird Enduro Evo: What can the entry-level enduro bike for 2699 euros do?
- Propain Tyee 6.1 AL on test: Balanced in the hearts of the testers?
- Cube Stereo One77 Pro 29: Test victory for the 2799 Euro Enduro!
- Is the surcharge worth it? Haro Greer Alloy LTD 2 in a favourable enduro comparison test
Conclusion from BIKE editor Max Fuchs
Haro invests the additional budget in a first-class chassis and thus secures a solid lead. In the core test group, the Cube secures victory with fun handling characteristics, good equipment and successful suspension. The Propain delivers with consistent enduro geometry, but is narrowly beaten by the Cube due to a lack of rear suspension comfort. Dartmoor and Merida take the rear ranks - with a significant gap.
Max Fuchs
Editor
