(Test from BIKE 6/2016) We mountain bikers are explorers and children in one: to scout out new trails in our home territory, we study old maps, squeeze the bike buddies and scroll through forum posts for hours. As soon as you turn off onto unknown terrain, your anticipation and heart rate rise noticeably. If the trail meets our expectations, a cocktail of happiness hormones floods the body after the descent and the corners of the mouth turn upwards. Like a toddler in a new playground. But you won't find really new paths and trails in the concrete jungle that is Germany any time soon. The network of tarmac strips, photovoltaic fields and terraced houses in Germany is too dense and extensive. Fortunately, however, there are more and more freshly created flow trails, trendy trail centres and 11.4 million hectares of forest, which accounts for 32 percent of Germany's surface area. And this is precisely where the best single trails in Germany are hidden, on which the eight bikes in this test group are as dependent as cars are on petrol. Why? Because the approximately 2.3 kilo slim carbon fibre chassis only reach top form the more technical and narrow the trail winds its way over roots, stones and off-road crests. And because the geometry, components and riding position are not geared towards the pursuit of best times or metre-high bike park stunts, but towards maximising fun on tours and narrow trails. So raise the curtain on the trail kings of the current season.
You can find these eight trail bikes in the test:
- Bergamont Contrail 9.0
- Cannondale Habit Carbon SE (BIKE tip: test winner)
- Focus Spine C SL (BIKE tip: price/performance)
- Giant Anthem SX Advanced 27.5
- Lapierre Zesty XM 527 e:i Shock
- Merida One.Twenty 7.7000
- Rocky Mountain Thunderbolt 750 MSL
- Specialised Camber Comp Carbon
All eight bikes in our test are available from your trusted dealer. As trail characteristics are as varied as personal preferences, we did not decide on a wheel size from the outset. We only included 120-130 millimetres of travel and prices of around 4000 euros in the specifications for the test invitation. With the Camber, Specialized sent a mature twentyniner into the race, while Cannondale and Giant's factory pimped trail versions of the Habit and Anthem took part in our lab and test marathon. The cheapest bike in the test field is the Spine C SL from Focus, which has a price tag of 3799 euros. Lapierre tries to outdo the competition with the E:i-Shock electronic assistance system. The eight trail bikes are completed by the carbon fibre One-Twenty tourer from Merida and Rocky Mountain's trail lightning Thunderbolt. Eight genuine mountain bikes, in other words, all of which leave a respectable hole in your wallet, but with which you don't have to hide on any low mountain trail in Germany. That's a promise!
Although we have the foothills of the Alps right on our doorstep from Munich, the trail bikes had to prove themselves in the practical test on soft Palatinate forest soil. Three experienced riders, eight super sports bikes and a challenging test lap on the Kalmit with five kilometres and 150 metres of elevation gain. 95 per cent on narrow paths - downhill and uphill - as befits the eight noble trail kings. The first realisation after eight loops around the Kalmit summit: the entire test field is at a very high level, or as one tester puts it: "There's not a single rivet in the bunch." So far, so good. Nevertheless, each bike has special sections on the test lap that suit it particularly well. Just like us bikers, because everyone has their own idea of the perfect trail.
On the undulating section away from the car park, Lapierre's automatically locking shock lockout is impressive. On even the shortest of climbs, a quiet whirring announces that the shock is closing automatically, only to open again just a few seconds later on the first bump. The direct handling of the stiff Cannondale chassis also stands out positively. In Enduro style, the Habit SE can be pushed directly into corners and confidently manoeuvres around boulders in the way. It then turns right into a fast downhill, where sharp rocks lurk and a few boulders block the ideal line. As soon as things get rough, the confident Spine rear suspension on the Focus comes into its own. The Thunderbolt, on the other hand, with its playful handling, tempts you to pull away from the edges of the terrain. On the Specialized, we experienced something of an aha moment in this section: the large wheels on the Camber allow for different lines, forgive mistakes and feel faster overall. The riding impression on the Bergamont is similar, although the large Contrail with its outdated 29er geometry, which limits the playfulness, ensures that the carbon bike is much smoother on the descents.
A road crossing takes you to the ascent that leads back to the starting point. Instead of gravel ladders to heaven, you gain 150 metres in altitude on rough serpentine trails. This is where the Giant comes into its own, as its four-kilo carbon wheels make it smoother to pedal uphill than Specialized & Co, which weigh up to one kilo more in total. The Merida, which is a real all-rounder, is still missing. In the saddle of the One-Twenty, we could have set off on a multi-day Palatinate crossing straight from the end of the test lap. The only flaw: the lack of a telescopic seat post, which is deducted from the points ranking and simply belongs in such a test group.
Handling differences, cockpit preferences and tyre choice (such as the performance compound on the Cannondale) or not. The suspension travel and drivetrains of the individual bikes differ significantly. While the Habit SE, Lapierre and the Merida-Fully offer a 13 centimetre buffer zone to the ground, the suspension on the rest of the bikes reaches its limit at 120 millimetres. At 108 millimetres, the Maestro rear suspension on the Anthem even lags behind the 120 mm fork. However, this emphasises the sporty genes of the bike, which was originally designed as a pure race platform with 100 millimetres of travel. The second controversial topic that we have often discussed is the drivetrain. Are eleven gears enough for the trail chase through the low mountain ranges? Or should it be the more finely graduated gear range of a double groupset? In the end, it's up to the rider's training level and thighs to decide. But if you are aiming for multi-day altitude metre orgies, such as a crossing of the Alps, you can hardly avoid a second chainring. For moderate speeds on trails, the small 28 t chainrings on Specialized and Cannondale may work perfectly. However, if you want to pick up speed on a downhill gravel track with the same gear ratio, you'll quickly run out of steam.
And what biker knows what awaits him around the next bend or on the next descent? After all, it's the unknown that awakens the childlike explorer syndrome in us. And the German forests are deep and still harbour plenty of trails and narrow paths that your best bike buddy might know.
Conclusion Stefan Loibl, BIKE editor:
"Rarely have I experienced a test group that performs at such a high level across the board. All eight trail bikes are genuine, modern mountain bikes that love to curve over narrow trails, want to be challenged and are out to maximise fun. Whether it's a root canal on the home circuit, a low mountain tour or a brisk Alpine crossing, the fully eight for €4000 doesn't care. Even if the best bikes in the test are in terms of points BIKE 1/16 and mail-order companies offer tempting alternatives, it's hard to ignore Cannondale, Specialized and Focus. This is because the trio impresses across the board in terms of riding fun, suspension and equipment.
...
What else does the market offer?
Same category, different price range: trail bikes are an integral part of the company's programme. We show you what you can get for 1500 euros less and also what you can dream of.
You don't have to spend 4000 euros for a good trail bike. The fact that bikes from as little as € 1799 - especially the mail-order models from Canyon and Rose - can be a lot of fun to ride was demonstrated by our test in BIKE 4/16 shown. Convincing carbon bikes can only be expected from 3000 euros (cf. BIKE 1/16). However, if you can do without an elaborate fibre frame, you can get bikes for between 2500 and 3000 euros that are in no way inferior to the models in our test in terms of equipment and usually only weigh a few hundred grams more. You should look out for a dropper seat post, high-quality tyres for your intended use and the right gear ratio when buying.
Open End: Dream trail bike
If you want to invest in expensive mountain bikes instead of a home, you can also invest your savings in a top trail bike model. Whether Rocky Mountain, Specialized or Cannondale: almost all of the bikes tested have siblings in price ranges that will make even high earners gulp. They are fitted with components that the industry celebrates as benchmarks: super-light carbon wheels, electronic groupsets and high-end suspension. Typical examples are the Specialized S-Works Camber, Cannondale Habit Black Inc. or the Ibis Ripley.
You can read this article or the entire issue of BIKE 6/2016 in the BIKE app (iTunes and Google Play) or buy the issue in the DK shop reorder:
