review mountain biking uk

BikeTest
ALPINE BIKES
£2,950-£3,100
ALPINE BIKES
Words Guy Kesteven Pics Steve Behr
A
lpine, all-mountain,
enduro – whatever you
want to call them, the
best big-hitting
all-rounder bikes are
now even faster and
more fun downhill, yet easier
to get back to the top again
than ever before.
Downhill bike style geometry
boosts flat-out technical terrain
confidence massively. Wide
bars and short stems are now
standard issue for sorted
steering, and dropper posts let
you get loose on descents but
give a perfect pedalling position
on climbs. Mid-sized 650b
wheels roll slightly smoother
and faster, and the latest
enduro tyres give DH grip and
strength at ride-all-day weight.
But as bikes seemingly get
more and more expensive, how
much do you need to spend to
get a properly top-performance
machine? And should you be
looking at the bigger picture or
is the devil in the details? We’ve
tested four quite different bikes
for around £3,000 to see what’s
available and work out what
really matters when you’re
riding in real mountains.
THE
TESTER
Guy Kesteven
No one’s tested
more bikes in the
past decade than
our northern test
chief. He’s a veteran
of the world’s most
radical mountain
routes, from the
Megavalanche race
track to the trails of
Finale Ligure and
the Sierra Nevada.
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BIKE TEST
THE LINE-UP
YT CAPRA COMP 1
€3,563 (c. £2,950)
MONDRAKER DUNE R
£2,999
SCOTT GENIUS LT 720
£2,999
COMMENCAL META AM2
£3,099.99
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BikeTest
ALPINE BIKES
£2,950-£3,100
REMOTE CONTROL
Scott’s three-position
TwinLoc lever gives a
unique level of ride
tweaking from the
handlebar, but the
system seriously
affects overall
suspension control
BIG BROTHER
The Genius LT
squeezes 650b wheels
and 170mm of travel
into Scott’s proven
Spark and Genius
full-sus template
BIT OF A STRETCH
Extending Fox’s 34
fork to 170mm of
travel adds structural
flex but the Factory
damper is an
improvement over the
Evolution version if you
tune it right.
SCOTT GENIUS LT 720
£2,999 Scott’s smart-arse Genius is as much about going up as going down
SO GOOD
Well shaped, neatly
detailed, reasonably
light frameset
Decent own-brand
kit including large
diameter bar/stem
NO GOOD
Rear end fails to
deliver anywhere
near 170mm worth
of control
Extended travel Fox
34 fork is flexy
when worked hard
Unbalanced
suspension
undermines sorted
geometry
JARGON BUSTER
Remote
A handlebar-mounted
suspension switch or
dropper post lever.
Dual compound
A tyre with harder,
faster rolling, longer
lasting rubber in the
centre and softer,
grippier shoulders for
safer cornering.
T
he shape and spec of Scott’s
Genius LT mean it looks like
many other bikes on paper. But
some unique features give this
long-travel bike a significantly
different ride character.
The frame
While the ride is a definite opinion
divider, there’s no doubt that the frame
is superbly put together. While you
don’t get the carbon mainframe of the
shorter-travel Genius 720, Scott’s alloy
frames have always been among the
lightest and neatest detailed, and the
Genius LT 720 is no exception.
Smooth formed and curved main
tubes leave plenty of standover
clearance, while the offset curved seat
tube lets the rear wheel tuck right in to
give the LT 170mm (6.7in) of travel –
20mm more than most comparable
650b wheeled bikes.
The way the shock driver linkage
wraps around the seat tube is
particularly neat, while a flippable
insert changes the ride height by 6mm
and slackens the geometry by half a
degree too. External down tube control
routing protects the frame and keeps
servicing easy. The rear axle is
142x12mm, the bottom bracket is
press-fit with ISCG chain guide tabs if
you need them, and there’s a small
rubber chain keeper dangling under
the chainstay as standard.
The kit
To match the frame, Fox have
stretched their 160mm (6.3in) travel
34 Float CTD fork out to 170mm
(6.7in). It also gets a remote low-speed
compression adjuster to sync with
Scott’s unique TwinLoc bar lever. As
the name suggests, this also links to
the custom designed Fox rear shock,
toggling it between fully open, a
reduced travel ‘traction’ mode and a
‘locked’ setting to match the fork.
The rest of the kit is more
conventional, with a mix of X5 to X9
spec SRAM gearing and a twin-ring
and bashguard equipped chainset.
Solid Shimano braking power is
boosted by a 203mm front rotor, while
the Performance series Schwalbe
tyres get a dual compound mix for
better wet grip.
Scott’s own-brand Syncros kit
includes a super-stiff, on-trend 35mm
diameter stem and bar. DT Swiss
spokes and Shimano hubs create a
durable centre for the Syncros rimmed
wheels, and an externally routed KS
dropper post completes the
reasonable value kitlist.
The ride
With the geometry set to low and
the front wheel stretching out beyond
the fat diameter, wide span 760mm
bar, the Genius LT feels ready to get
stuck into some serious terrain. But
the TwinLoc lever is a big part of the
bike’s character rather than just
being an incidental extra like most
remote lockouts.
As soon as you press the pedals in
the ‘open’ position, there’s noticeable
sag and wallow in the already linear
stroke that saps enthusiasm and
wastes effort. Fortunately, clicking into
the ‘traction’ mode with its firmer
compression tune and smaller volume
shock chamber makes for a tighter,
more pedalling friendly feel that still
moves enough to boost traction on
rocky climbs or chattery corners.
The light wheels are also a
noticeable bonus when you’re hard on
the pedals out of corners or fighting
gravity. Add lockout when you need it,
plus a decent length top tube to
balance the short stem, and the Scott
is a bike that you can hustle
surprisingly fast round flat cross-
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B I K E BIKE
T E TEST
ST
THE SCOTT IS A BIKE THAT YOU CAN HUSTLE
SURPRISINGLY FAST ROUND FLAT XC TRAILS OR
EVEN UP EXTENDED MOUNTAIN CLIMBS
country trails or even up extended
mountain climbs.
Unfortunately, while it works OK as
a slack-angled short-travel bike
(though it’s heavy for that category),
it’s much more difficult to find a happy
medium with the suspension in
full-travel ‘open’ mode. Despite
months of extended testing and tuning
time on our test sample and our
long-term Genius test bike, we’ve still
not found a sweet spot. The rear shock
either blows through its travel very
easily once it gets moving or chatters
really badly off an over-solid top.
There’s little sense of additional
control despite the extra travel either,
and certainly nothing to push
through corners with.
As a result, we ended up leaving the
shock in the more progressive,
shorter-travel ‘traction’ mode on even
the roughest descents to get more
predictable control and handling. The
trouble is, that automatically switches
the fork into the middle ‘trail’ mode of
an already firm damping tune. You can
loosen the remote cable so it leaves
the fork in ‘descend’ when it should be
in ‘trail’ or run much soft pressures
than normal and learn to cope with
excess upper stroke dive, but neither
solution is ideal. The extended fork
length also means a noticeable loss of
wheel precision no matter how firm
things feel through the big bar.
Scott’s unique alpine all-rounder
clearly puts its priorities in trail,
climb, descend order
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BIKE TEST
NO HOOPLA
UNEVOLVED
Joytech and Jalco are
the names behind a lot
of more fashionable
brand products and
they create a solid
wheelset for the Meta.
Fox’s Evolution series
34 forks are seriously
lacking in
sophistication and
consistent
smoothness this year,
so a pro retune is
recommended.
LOW SLUNG
Commencal’s Meta
frame design puts all
the suspension
weight as low and
central as possible for
maximum stability.
COMMENCAL META AM2
£3,099.99 The Meta’s solid frame still shines despite suspension issues
SO GOOD
Super-strong and
surefooted frame
Design makes the
best of the Evolution
series Fox shock
Kit is low on bling
but works fine
NO GOOD
Evolution series fork
undermines control
on rougher trails
Weight makes long
climbs murder
Rear shock needs
careful tuning
JARGON BUSTER
Spike
A sudden jolt in the
suspension stroke
caused when the oil in
the compression
damping circuit can’t
move fast enough to
keep things smooth.
Press-fit
A bottom bracket
with bearings that
push, rather than
screw, into the frame.
C
ommencal totally changed their
Meta frame family a couple of
years ago to create one of our
favourite hardcore bikes. You’ll
need to work on the fork to get
the full potential from the AM2 though.
The frame
The Meta AM frame is bang up to date
in terms of its fully internal cable
routing and super-wide press-fit
bottom bracket. This helps maximise
stiffness and is equipped with ISCG
mounts for a chain guide, should you
wish to switch to a single chainring at a
later date. The oversized top tube is
super-sloped for huge standover and
the whole back end is shifted to the left
for better crank clearance.
The bottom half of the seat ‘tube’ is
actually an open hoop that the shock
drives backwards and downwards
through, thanks to a solidly built
rocker link. The massive rear stays are
joined together with similarly
earthmover-sized double-sided pivots
and the solid barrel dropouts are
pinned through with a 142x12mm
Maxle screw-through axle.
The end result is massively stiff and
strong, with most of the weight as low
and centred as possible. The high
chassis mass is obvious when
accelerating or climbing though.
The kit
The Meta’s SRAM transmission is
fractionally below the level of the other
shop-bought test bikes here. The
Formula C1 brakes are OK as long as
you bed them in properly and the
180mm rotors are heavier and more
robust than those that come with
aftermarket brakes. With their Joytech
hubs, Jalco rims and straight gauge
spokes, the wheels aren’t big on pose
value, but they’re a decent width and
average weight. The Maxxis High Roller
and Ardent tyre combo is spot on for
maximum control and easy speed on
all but the rockiest alpine trails too.
Commencal’s own-brand Alpha
cockpit kit is well shaped and sized for
the job in hand, and the KS Lev Integra
post gives clean, internally routed
saddle dropping simplicity that’s as
reliable as any other dropper we’ve
used. The other good news is that
many places selling Commencals are
already offering significant discounts
on 2014 models so ‘real world’ value is
better than the official pricing. Like
many manufacturers at this price, the
Andorran brand have opted for an
entry-level Evolution series Fox 34 fork
and Float rear shock though, and
that’s a choice that dominates the ride.
The ride
After criticism for having too linear a
fork feel in 2013, Fox have flipped the
situation around. The 34 now has a
much more progressive feel that’s
softer off the top and then slows down
dramatically in the mid-stroke. With
the angles of the bike naturally
pushing weight back rather than on to
the fork, that meant we spent most of
our first rides repeatedly lowering fork
pressure to get into the deeper part of
the stroke. Unfortunately that leaves
the fork diving through the top and it
can still spike dramatically if it slaps
into something big at speed. That
means rapid arm fatigue is an issue on
longer, rockier descents and we’d
recommend getting it professionally
re-tuned (approx £150 from www.
mojo.co.uk) as soon as possible.
The good news is that the spiking
and choking we often experience with
Fox’s Evolution series rear shocks is
much less obvious on the Commencal
than on other bikes we’ve ridden. It still
needs smart tuning to balance the
linear stroke against the chattery
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BikeTest
ALPINE BIKES
£2,950-£3,100
LOW-SLUNG WEIGHT AND THE MASSIVELY
STIFF FRAME ARE A BIG BONUS WHEN IT
COMES TO BLASTING HIGH-SPEED TURNS
compression, but get it right and the
back end still feels good whether
you’re blatting through rocks or driving
the Meta hard through berms.
Tons of low-slung weight and the
massively stiff frame are also a big
bonus when it comes to blasting
high-speed turns. Whether you’re
riding roost-spraying natural berms on
a big mountain moor, alpine fireroad
gravel or sculpted trail centre
rollercoasters, the Meta loves to get its
super-surefooted groove on. The
slightly shortened 150mm (5.9in)
stroke of the Fox fork tangibly
improves its stiffness on smoother
trails, where its suspension
shortcomings are less obvious. The
Maxxis tyre combo also naturally
keeps the front hooked up and the
back end flaring wide if you push
things a bit too hard.
The faster rolling semi-slick rear tyre
helps offset some of the bulk of the
bike under power as well, but you’ll
definitely want to flick the shock into ‘Trail’
mode to get a positive pedalling
experience. The Meta’s near 15kg mass
still makes any climb a real chore as soon
as momentum dies too.
Disappointing fork and leg crushing
weight, but a great hardcore frameset
with some decent kit
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BIKE TEST
POWER STEERING
FLOATING SHOCK
Mondraker’s Forward
Geometry centres
around a radically
short 10 or 30mm
stem and extended
front triangle to
deliver super-light
steering with
impeccable balance
The open-belly frame
allows the Fox Float X
shock to be squeezed
between the upper
and lower linkages
TENACIOUS TREADS
The big Onza tyres
underline the already
comically surefooted
Dune with maximum
grip to create a total
ripper of a bike
MONDRAKER DUNE R
£2,999 Does Mondraker’s mad looking geometry make perfect sense on insane trails?
SO GOOD
Impeccably
balanced and
precise Forward
Geometry handling
Zero suspension
soaks up the hits
Surprisingly good
technical climber
NO GOOD
Serious clatter and
arm pump from the
Evo series Fox fork
Heavy wheels/tyres
kill acceleration
JARGON BUSTER
CTD
Fox’s three-position
low-speed
compression damping
system. ‘Climb’ mode
is almost locked out,
‘Trail’ has an initial
stubbornness to stop
pedalling bob/braking
dive, ‘Descend’ is the
fully open setting.
Retuned
Oil height, spring
volume and internal
valving can be altered
to change the way
your fork feels.
S
panish innovators Mondraker
have now built every aggro bike
in their 2014 range around their
radical Forward Geometry
concept. What is it, and can the
rest of the Dune R match up?
The frame
The physical side of Forward Geometry
is simple. Mondraker add 25mm (1in)
to the top tubes (and wheelbases) of
their frames and take it off their OnOff
stems, which are available in the 30mm
format here or a mad looking ‘bar on
top of the head tube’ 10mm length. The
angles are pretty standard, but the seat
tube and chainstays are very short.
The bottom corner of the mainframe
is an open bottomed ‘basket’ that
allows the Fox Float X shock to be
squeezed between the upper and lower
linkages that join the front triangle to
the relatively skinny-tubed rear
subframe. There’s a lifetime frame
warranty, though details like the
easy-to-lose 142x12mm rear axle
terminal and a glue-on cable guide that
peeled off our bike are disappointing.
The kit
Non lock-on grips and an Evolution
series Fox 34 fork aren’t a welcome
sight when it comes to smoothly
consistent control either. Happily the
Factory series Float X piggyback shock
is much smoother than the Evolution
series standard Floats on the Genius LT
and Meta. Tuning is complicated by the
almost impossible to reach rebound
adjuster, but leaving the CTD lever in
‘Trail’ mode kept the bike on its toes
without it tapping out too much on
stutter bump sections.
The mixed SRAM 2x10 transmission
and Formula C1 brakes are roughly on
par with the kit on the Commencal and
Scott. The externally routed X-Fusion
dropper post works OK too. The
straight-pull spoke DT Swiss Spline
wheels and heavy-duty Onza IBEX
tyres don’t do overall weight or
responsiveness any favours but they
provide a reassuringly surefooted
baseline to the Dune’s radical handling.
The ride
It says a lot about Mondraker’s
mindset that they put geometry before
specification on their website. You’ll
soon realise that’s totally appropriate
too, as the Dune rapidly begins to
outride its kit restrictions on the trail.
Despite the radical looking front
end, if you stop looking down and
concentrate on riding the trail, not the
bike, the Dune feels ‘right’ surprisingly
quickly. The 30mm stem and wide
760mm bar need minimum effort to
turn but the slack head angle keeps
the steering totally stable and on track.
The long front end also means you
feel sat within the bike rather than
about to be spat over the front, while
the short back end flicks out with
insolent ease. The result is a bike that
can corner so fast and confidently
that it can potentially reset all your
braking point, grip level and exit speed
expectations on any turn, from loose
and open to ragged and rutted, if
you’re brave enough to trust it.
Despite noticeable flex in the back
end, the extra long wheelbase and rock
eating Zero suspension set-up keep
the Dune trucking or carving through
serious trouble without stammering
off line or hanging up on square edges.
The Float X shock works OK to shrug
off hits and stick the wheel on to the
trail through most random rock and
root sections too.
The Evolution series fork was as
underwhelming as ever though, feeling
OK for the first 40 per cent of the
stroke but then refusing to give up the
rest even at super-low pressures.
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BikeTest
ALPINE BIKES
£2,950-£3,100
IT CORNERS SO FAST AND CONFIDENTLY
THAT IT CAN RESET ALL YOUR BRAKING POINT,
GRIP LEVEL AND EXIT SPEED EXPECTATIONS
It’s a mark of how well the geometry
works that even with the fork banging
off more stuff than it soaked up, the
front wheel was always where we
wanted it – or at least back there a
split second after being knocked off
line. It’s definitely worth getting the
fork retuned to give a more consistent
feel right through the stroke though.
While the wheelset weight certainly
doesn’t help the Dune’s acceleration, it
still climbs surprisingly well,
clambering up steps and rock ledges
with enough pedal feedback to let you
know when to power up or back off.
Flicking into ‘Trail’ mode keeps the
suspension steady even when you’re
stomping the pedals in the big ring,
though granny ring pedalling is more
mushy. Wheel placement is
impeccable even on tricky switchbacks
too, with none of the usual pop-up or
flop of slack, long-travel bikes.
As you can probably tell, most of our
test team were really into the Forward
Geometry handling, though some
riders complained that the Dune was too
glued to the ground to feel alive (in which
case, try the 140mm Foxy). A few just
didn’t sync with the handling at all, but
with Mondraker’s UK distributors Silverfish
running an extensive demo tour, we’d
definitely give one a go if you can.
Disappointing fork and hefty weight,
but outstanding high-speed control
if you’re into the radical handling
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ALPINE BIKES
£2,950-£3,100
SUSPENSION STARS
The RockShox Pike
RCT3 fork and
Monarch Plus RC3 rear
shock are in a different
class to the Evolution
series Fox dampers on
the other test bikes
WISHLIST KIT
The Race Face, SRAM
X01, e*thirteen,
Maxxis and RockShox
Reverb Stealth
specification is an
enduro Who’s Who and
incredible value too
FIBRE DIET
The carbon mainframe
is cross-braced for
extra stiffness but still
impressively
lightweight and fully
loaded with all the
essential features
YT INDUSTRIES CAPRA COMP 1
€3,563 inc shipping (approx £2,950) Is this direct-sell enduro racer as good as it looks?
SO GOOD
Phenomenally
damped downhill
speed, but fast
uphill too
Incredible value for
money spec
Lightweight yet
stiff, mostly carbon
fibre chassis
Sorted flat-out fast
geometry
NO GOOD
Comes in a box, not
from a shop, so
needs DIY set-up
and careful size
checking
JARGON BUSTER
Piggyback
A rear shock that has
an additional chamber
parallel to the shaft to
increase the volume
of damper oil.
Well damped
Suspension that
holds ride height well
and doesn’t dive too
deep or bounce after
an impact or hard
braking/cornering.
W
ith its carbon frame and
wishlist spec, the new Capra
from German direct-sell
hardcore bike specialists YT
Industries offers incredible
performance for the price – as long as
you get the sizing right.
The frame
The Capra (it’s named after a breed of
mountain goat) gets a broad-tubed
carbon fibre mainframe with a tapered
head tube, multi-section down tube
and an extra reinforcing bridge
between the curved seat tube and
down tube to keep steering and power
inputs tight. A RockShox Monarch
piggyback shock delivers 165mm
(6.5in) of progressive travel via the V4L
four-bar linkage suspension layout.
Gear cabling is internal but an
external rear brake line means easy
servicing. The front mech mount is
removable and the e*thirteen chain
guide mounts on to moulded ISCG
tabs, while alloy chainstays and
rubberised belly armour provide
increased impact resistance.
YT still claim an impressively light
2.4kg (5.3lb) weight for the complete
frameset, and given that their
claimed bike weight of 13.2kg (29.1lb)
is absolutely bang-on, we’re inclined to
believe them.
The kit
By cutting out the inevitable costs that
national distributors and local shops
have to add to stay afloat, YT can fit an
outrageously good spec for a few
hundred quid more than most brands
would ask for the carbon frame alone.
RockShox provide their top-of-therange Pike RCT3 fork, Monarch Plus
RC3 shock and Reverb Stealth dropper
post. Super-tight, monster hubbed
e*thirteen wheels are wrapped in
excellent Maxxis rubber, and the Avid
four-pot brakes get power-magnifying
200mm rotors at both ends. Race
Face provide the thick/thin-toothed
crankset to drive the 11-speed SRAM
gears, as well as the super-stiff 35mm
diameter Atlas bar and stem.
The fact that YT highlight the spare
gear hanger option on their website
isn’t a sign of weakness (it’s a superthick piece) – it’s a sign they’re serious
riders themselves who know that
carrying a spare mount is a wise move.
The ride
While outstanding kit value is definitely
the bait that attracts most riders to YT,
it’s the ride of the Capra that blew us
away. Within a couple of stepdowns
and corners of our first set-up ride, it
was obvious the YT was something
special. The overwhelming impression
is of an incredibly well damped and
quiet ride that still leaves all the
essential feedback coming through,
like the suspension equivalent of noise
reducing headphones. With just a few
tweaks of pressure and clicks of the
RockShox dials, it delivers an
impeccable balance of sensitivity and
support that can easily be altered to
different rider styles.
The progressive linkage stroke that
gives the Capra the bite and feedback
that’s so vital to its dramatic velocity
means you’ll rarely hit full travel, and
it’s certainly no trail-soaking comfort
sponge. The way it tightens every
corner, opens every exit and stays
composed through the roughest rock
sections is inspirational though. Add a
dramatically low weight (considering
its travel) to the super-precise feel
from the frame, dampers and wheels,
and this is a bike that loves to be
thrown around or thrashed through the
pedals. It climbs remarkably well too,
with the same power neutrality that
glues it through corners serving it well
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BikeTest
ALPINE BIKES
£2,950-£3,100
THE WAY IT TIGHTENS EVERY CORNER, OPENS
EVERY EXIT AND STAYS COMPOSED THROUGH
THE ROUGHEST ROCK SECTIONS IS INSPIRATIONAL
up steps and stutter rocks. With the
dampers flicked into firmer settings it’ll
happily chase XC bikes round flatter
trails for hours on end too.
The result is a true all-mountain
all-rounder that’s genuinely in a
different class to the other bikes on
test in terms of speed and composure,
and at least an equal to any other bike
we’ve ridden on our test trails. If that
sounds a bold claim for a new bike,
then the fact it picked up four Strava
descent segment personal records on
trails we’ve ridden for years on our first
30-minute ride shows just how fast
this bike can go. It continued to pick up
more personal records throughout
testing too, literally leaving the other
bikes in the dust on the way to an
increasingly inevitable perfect score.
The only thing to watch is the sizing.
With a top tube that’s only 580mm
long, a super-steep seat tube and
50mm stem, the medium Capra is
very short and we’d have gone for a
large (602mm) if we hadn’t been
sharing the bike with smaller testers. The
large is the biggest option available too,
so if you’re proper tall you’re out in the
cold. We’d also put a 180mm rotor on the
rear, as the big 200mm disc can jerk the
back end up into your butt if you pull the
lever too hard.
The fastest, best value enduro
all-rounder we’ve ever ridden,
if you don’t mind DIY set-up
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BikeTest
ALPINE BIKES
£2900-£3100
THE SPEC DECK
SCOTT GENIUS LT 720
COMMENCAL META
AM2
MONDRAKER DUNE R
YT CAPRA COMP 1
PRICE
£2,999
£3,099.99
£2,999
€3,563 inc shipping (c. £2,950)
DISTRIBUTOR
www.scott-sports.com
www.decade-europe.com
www.silverfish-uk.com
www.yt-industries.com
WEIGHT
14.36kg (31.66lb)
14.92kg (32.89lb)
14.77kg (32.56lb)
13.21kg (29.12lb)
FRAME
6061 alloy, 170mm (6.7in) travel
6066 alloy, 150mm (5.9in) travel
Stealth Evo alloy, 160mm (6.3in)
travel
High-modulus carbon, 165mm
(6.5in) travel
SIZES
S, M (tested), L
S, M (tested), L, XL
S, M (tested), L, XL
S, M (tested), L
FORK
Fox 34 Float CTD (Factory Series),
170mm (6.7in) travel
Fox 34 Float CTD (Evolution
Series), 150mm (5.9in) travel
Fox 34 Float CTD (Evolution
Series), 160mm (6.3in) travel
RockShox Pike RCT3 Solo Air,
160mm (6.3in) travel
SHOCK
Fox Float CTD (Factory Series)
Fox Float CTD (Evolution Series)
Fox Float X CTD (Factory Series)
RockShox Monarch Plus RC3 HV
HEADSET
Syncros FL2.0
Neco tapered
FSA Orbit 1.5 ZS No.57
Acros tapered
WHEELS
Hubs: Shimano M618
(15mm F, 142x12mm R)
Rims: Syncros XC67
Spokes: DT Swiss Comp
Wheel weight: 2.01kg F, 2.56kg R
Hubs: Joytech
(15mm F, 142x12mm R)
Rims: Jalco 26.5mm
Spokes: Stainless plain gauge
Wheel weight: 2.14kg F, 2.58kg R
Hubs: DT Swiss E1900 Spline
(15mm F, 142x12mm R)
Rims: DT Swiss E1900 Spline 27.5
Spokes: DT Champion
Wheel weight: 2.24kg F, 2.79kg R
Hubs: e*thirteen TRS+
(15mm F, 142x12mm R)
Rims: e*thirteen TRS+ 650B
Spokes: e*thirteen TRS+
Wheel weight: 2.13kg F, 2.59kg R
TYRES
Schwalbe Hans Dampf
(Performance Series), 27.5x2.35in
Maxxis High Roller II 27x2.3in F,
Maxxis Ardent 27.5x2.25in R
Onza IBEX FRC TLR 27.5x2.4in
Maxxis High Roller II 27.5x2.4in
CRANKSET/
BOTTOM BRACKET
SRAM S1000 w/ bash, 38/24t/
SRAM PF92
SRAM S1000, 38/24t/
SRAM PF92
SRAM S1000 w/bash, 38/24t/
SRAM GXP
Race Face Turbine, 32t/
Race Face Turbine X-Type PF30
DERAILLEURS
SRAM X9 Type 2 R, SRAM X5 F
SRAM X7 Type 2 R, SRAM X5 F
SRAM X9 R, X7 F
SRAM X01 R
SHIFTERS
SRAM X7
SRAM X7
SRAM X5
SRAM X01
CASSETTE/CHAIN
SRAM PG1050, 11-36t/KMC X10
SRAM PG1030, 11-36t/Yaban
SH-10c
SRAM PG1030, 11-36t/SRAM
PC1031
SRAM XG-1195/SRAM PC1090
BRAKES
Shimano M615, 203/180mm
Formula C1, 180mm/180mm
Formula C1, 180mm/180mm
Avid Elixir 7 Trail, 200mm/200mm
BAR/STEM/GRIPS
Syncros AM1.5, 760mm/Syncros
XM1.5, 50mm/Syncros Pro
lock-on
Alpha, 750mm/Alpha Enduro,
60mm/Commencal lock-on
Mondraker, 760mm/OnOff Stoic
FG, 30mm/OnOff Wave
Race Face Atlas 35, 770mm/Race
Face Atlas 35, 50mm/Race Face
Half Nelson
SADDLE/
SEATPOST
Syncros TR2.0/KS EXA eTen
KS Lev Integra/Commencal Meta
by Velo
X-Fusion Hilo Remote/SDG Circuit
Mountain
RockShox Reverb Stealth/SDG
Duster
DIMENSIONS
Standover 760mm
Standover 695mm
mm
581
mm
450
mm
420
438mm
346mm
432mm
350mm
1,176mm
Standover 730mm
mm
625
mm
440
mm
440
440mm
FRAME ANGLES
Standover 725mm
mm
595
mm
600
430mm
345mm
1,148mm
350mm
1,197mm
1,169mm
Head 66.3° Seat 74°
Head 66.5° Seat 73°
Head 66.5° Seat 74.5°
Head 65.5° Seat 75°
Scott’s unique alpine all-rounder
clearly puts its priorities in trail,
climb, descend order
Disappointing fork and leg crushing
weight, but a great hardcore
frameset with some decent kit
Disappointing fork and hefty weight,
but outstanding high-speed control
if you’re into the radical handling
The fastest, best value enduro
all-rounder we’ve ever ridden, if you
don’t mind DIY set-up
VERDICT
WHAT OUR SCORES MEAN: We give each bike one overall score to sum up how it performs and its value for money. If a bike gets a score of five, it really is the best you can get in terms of both
Poor: simply put,
don’t bother
Below average:
fl awed in some way
Good: it’ll do the
job and do it well
Very good: one of
the best you can buy
Exceptional: a
genuine class leader
142 Mountain Biking UK
MBK303.biketest.indd 142
4/11/14 3:57 PM
BIKE TEST
WINNER
YT CAPRA
COMP 1
FINAL VERDICT
L
ooking at the scores, it could
look like this test was a
foregone conclusion. Read
the reviews though and you’ll
realise any of these bikes
could be your personal winner.
As a trail, climb, descend (in
that order) all-rounder, Scott’s
Genius LT has some unique
features that make it ideal for the
German ‘marathon tour’ fireroadcentred style of alpine riding. If
you’re after a seriously strong bike
with surefooted handling and the
support of a proper shop, then
Commencal’s Meta AM is a great
long-term upgrading platform.
And if you’re prepared to get your
fork fettled, Mondraker’s Forward
Geometry Dune R is a uniquely
balanced, runaway train of
corner-carving confidence.
If you don’t mind getting your
bike in a box though, then YT’s
Capra is a true standout machine.
Its impeccably balanced handling,
superbly damped suspension and
lightweight frame make it race-fast
on descents yet trail-fast on climbs.
Add an incredible spec and a rare
perfect score was the unanimous
verdict from our testers.
NEXT MONTH
Cycle to Work Scheme bikes
What’s the best buy for sub £1,000? ON SALE 30 MAY
Mountain Biking UK 143
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4/11/14 3:57 PM