20 millimetres more travel in the suspension and smaller wheels compared to its predecessor should make the new Skeen a better all-rounder. In terms of equipment, the two mail-order bikes in this test agree on just a few details. As with Canyon, there are high-quality DT Swiss Spline wheels and Fox Factory Fit Kashima suspension. The riding position is upright and somewhat front-heavy. Due to the rather long stem (90 mm), there is a lot of weight on the front on descents, which makes the handling feel unbalanced. The narrow 2.2 mm Conti X-King tyres interlock moderately with the ground and only support the suspension to a limited extent when absorbing big impacts. For trail bikes, we would like to see wider tyres with more grip. The trail platform on the shock helps to stabilise the sensitive rear suspension on climbs.
ConclusionGood frame and high-quality equipment for the money. Details such as the long stem and the CC tyres reduce the range of use.
Characteristic curves: Radon supplied a replacement damper as the wrong version had been fitted initially. The second shock improved the performance.
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