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Pirelli Scorpion Race Enduro M first ride review – The grip of change?

Long gone are the days when just a handful of manufacturers shared the market for MTB tires. Italian tire colossus Pirelli want a slice of the pie too, and are working frantically to expand their MTB portfolio. We put the Pirelli Scorpion Enduro Race M flagship model to the test to find out what it’s capable of.
Pirelli Scorpion Race Enduro M | 29” or 27,5” | 1,260 g | € 89.90 | Manufacturer’s website

MAXXIS, Continental, Michelin, Goodyear… The list of tire manufacturers that are also trying their luck in the mountain biking segment is getting longer and longer, and Pirelli want a slice of the cake too. To get their foot in the door, the Italian tire colossus are also sponsoring several racing teams in the UCI downhill and enduro World Cups. The flagship model in Pirelli’s enduro tire portfolio is the Scorpion Race Enduro M which, as a true all-rounder, is supposed to deliver a solid performance over a variety of terrain, from hardpack bike park tracks to loose natural loam, providing you with huge amounts of grip regardless of the conditions. What makes it even more of an all-rounder is the fact that it can be used for both the front and rear wheels. However, the Scorpion Race Enduro M is only available in two versions: in 29″ and 27.5″, both of which come in 2.5″ width. If you want to roll on Italian rubber, you’ll have to fork out € 89.90 per tire.
To ensure the highest level of traction, Pirelli divided the tread pattern into three sections. The centre knobs are relatively wide and arranged in pairs, with transition lugs ensuring a smooth transition from the centre tread to the shoulder knobs. In addition, the transition lugs are supposed to support the side lugs in corners and thus to provide more predictable handling. The side lugs are all identical, both in size and shape. Particularly striking is that the shoulder knobs are extraordinarily tall and almost at the same height as the centre knobs. The dual-ply, 120 tpi DualWall casing was developed specifically for enduro riding and is supposed to offer a good compromise between puncture resistance and ride feeling. In the bead area, which is the most vulnerable part of the tire, Pirelli used an additional layer intended to improve puncture protection. And while the dual-layer casing might not be the lightest out there, the Scorpion Race Enduro M lies in the midfield of tough enduro tires in terms of weight, with the 29″ model tipping the scales at 1,260 g. Of course, maximum grip calls for a soft rubber compound! Pirelli use their SmartEVO DH compound, which feels incredibly soft to the touch and should therefore deliver plenty of traction for aggressive riders.

Now that’s some branding! Pirelli dug deep in the yellow paint pot for the lettering of the Scorpion!
The Scorpion Enduro Race M is available in two wheel sizes, 29″ and 27.5″, but only in one width – 2.5″.

We had the opportunity to test the Pirelli Scorpion Race Enduro M tire over several weeks and on all sorts of terrain, from our loamy, root-scattered home trails to fast hard-pack downhill tracks and bike park lines – basically everything a good enduro all-round tire should be able to handle. We mounted the tires on Stans Flow MK4 alloy rims, running 1.55 bar at the front and 1.7 bar at the rear. When climbing on tarmac and fire roads, you’ll quickly realise that the Scorpion is no KOM chaser. It feels rather sluggish on climbs and produces a rather loud background noise, which is perfectly normal for a gravity-oriented tire with soft rubber compound. However, the strong rolling resistance is also noticeable when you drop into the trail. In a nutshell, the Pirelli Scorpion Race Enduro M isn’t exactly fast rolling and doesn’t accelerate willingly. However, once you get them up to speed, you’ll enjoy the wide threshold zone between grip and slide. When cornering, the Pirelli Scorpion is incredibly responsive, following the contours of the trail as you lean into bends without unexpectedly breaking loose. And if you get a little too excited, the predictable breakaway point gives you a chance to adjust your line, with the aggressive tread pattern and soft rubber compound always ensuring plenty of grip, whether you’re riding on flowing trails or committing to techy highlines with plenty of roots.

The tread pattern is divided into three sections: the wide centre knobs, transition knobs and shoulder knobs.
Particularly striking are the tall shoulder knobs, which are almost as tall as those in the centre.

The Pirelli Scorpion Race Enduro M is pretty good, but not perfect. It generates excellent traction and cornering grip with a predictable breakaway point and wide threshold zone between grip and slide. It also generates tons of traction on technical trails with nasty root carpets, letting you know clearly when it’s about to break away. Unfortunately, braking traction is sub-par, which can quickly lead to tricky situations on steep or fast trails – Pirelli urgently need to improve this!
TopsWide range of applicationsExcellent cornering tractionGood grip on roots and on technical trailsFlopsHigh rolling resistanceVery poor braking tractionPoor damping qualities
Tester: FelixTest duration: 1 monthPrice: € 89.90Weight: 1,260 g (Manufacturer’s specifications)Manufacturer’s Website
For more info, visit Pirelli.com

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Words: Felix Rauch Photos: Peter Walker

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2023 Production Privée Shan 5 first ride review – Ladies and Gentlemen, this is Mambo No. 5

Looking for something obscure, exclusive and a little bit mad? Look no further than the Production Privée Shan 5! The small Andorran boutique brand is known for its steel bikes but has just broken new ground with the latest iteration of a classic. The 2023 Shan 5 combines a steel frame with a carbon fibre swingarm, generating 150/140 mm of travel. But how does the unusual Andorran deliver on the trail?
Production Privée Shan 5 | 150/140 mm (f/r) | 14.72 kg in size M | € 5,652 (rolling chassis) | Manfacturer’s Website

Production what?! Production Privée! While the small Andorran boutique brand might still be more of an insider tip, hardcore mountain bike connoisseurs really know to value their unique steel bikes. While visiting Forestal’s headquarters, we didn’t miss the opportunity to take a look behind the scenes at Production Privée, which was absorbed by its neighbours at Forestal, and is based in the same building. If you think that building steel bikes in 2023 makes you old-fashioned, you’re totally wrong! On the contrary, Production Privée research and develop a wide range of materials. For example, they build bike frames using thermoplastic mouldings and steel-alloy composites. With so much innovative drive, it comes as no surprise that the new Shan 5 is nothing but unconventional either, combining a 4130 chrome-molybdenum MCS steel frame and a carbon swingarm. The frame silhouette relies on a unique design language that combines the straight, slender lines of the steel tubes and the wide, curved carbon swingarm, creating a contrasting yet harmonious overall look. The aim of this unusual material combination is to reduce the unsprung mass at the rear by using a lighter carbon swingarm, which in turn should improve the rear suspension’s performance. In addition, Production Privée fine tuned the swingarm’s carbon lay-up to achieve an optimal degree of stiffness. Production Privée don’t just design the steel frame and carbon swingarm in-house in Andorra – they also manufacture them in-house. The Shan 5’s predecessor, the Shan N°5, which relies on steel for both the frame and swingarm, is still available for purchase, but has effectively been replaced by the Shan 5, meaning that it will soon disappear from their portfolio. The new Shan 5 is available as a frameset with Öhlins TTX2 AIR shock for € 2,929, or without a shock for € 2,299. Production Privée also offer a rolling chassis, which retails at € 5,652 and comes with a fork, shock, dropper post, a complete cockpit, wheels and tires. According to Production Privée, the core components are a perfect match for the bike and at the same time leave you with plenty of freedom for customisation. You can buy a Production Privée bike either directly on their website or from an authorised dealer – although there are only a few and all of them are based in Andorra and Spain.

The 2023 Production Privée Shan 5 in detail – Yellow lightning
When riding through the forest astride the Production Privée Shan 5, you certainly don’t go unnoticed. The unusual combination of a steel frame and carbon swingarm is topped off by a striking yellow finish, which attracts plenty of curious looks at the trailhead. Usually, you’ll get a simple side gaze at first, followed by an assertive nod of approval – and sometimes you can even hear someone shout “Steel is real”’! If they look closer, you might get asked: “is that a carbon swingarm?!” Simply put, the Shan 5 is the perfect tech-talk trigger! The decals are proof of the fact blending in wasn’t high on Production Privées priority list. The lightning bolts on the top tube and seat stays perfectly fit the Shan’s vibe and exude a cool vintage racing look – unsurprisingly, the design department was inspired by 60s and 70s motorsports. Alongside the striking, bright TZ750 Yellow finish of our test bike, there are three more colours called TZ250 Red, YZ250 Metal Blue and R3 Metal Silver – it’s hard to find a more blatant motorsport tribute out there!
Someone’s into racing…

Kachow! At our office, the Shan 5 was quickly renamed the “Yellow Lightning”.
Ladies and Gentleman, this is Shan Number 5.

Like most steel bikes, the Shan 5 has a rather slim frame silhouette. Swinging your leg over the saddle for the first time, the slim tubes might look a little weird, especially if you are used to beefy carbon bikes. The transition between the top/down tube and head tube is rather striking, with the head tube standing out as a well-defined, free-standing design element. The weld seams between the steel tubes are strikingly beefy, but at the same time harmoniously integrated with the bike’s overall appearance. The rear end is the polar opposite, relying on a more organic shape and burlier appearance, which is typical of carbon frame constructions. If you take a closer look, you’ll realise that the one-piece swingarm is reinforced with a bolt connector at the front of the seat tube, as well as with an additional brace between the chainstays. At first, we weren’t too sure about the tiny amount of clearance between the chainring and swingarm around the main pivot point, where you can barely fit a paper sheet between the frame and chain. However, on our test bike, there’s still no sign of the chain grinding against the frame – chapeau to Production Privée’s confidence!

Curvy! Steel doesn’t have to mean boring straight lines
With its organic shape, the carbon swingarm clearly stands out from the main steel frame triangle.

If you hold the Shan 5 against a modern carbon bike with beefy carbon tubes, the slim steel silhouette takes a little getting used to – but looks awesome once you do get used to it!
With the new Shan 5, Production Privée left the rear suspension layout untouched and employed the same single pivot design they use with all of their other full-suspension bikes. However, the shock isn’t driven directly by the swingarm, but by a clevis that connects the shock and rear end of the bike. Production Privée also stick to traditional methods with the cable routing, guiding the rear brake line and shifter cable through conventional cable ports on the down tube rather than through the headset. The alloy inserts in the cable ports look pretty smart, surrounded by thick weld seams. That said, the ports are too tight, preventing the cables from moving, which resulted in the dropper post cable ripping the port out of the frame during a crash that twisted our handlebars hard. Fortunately, the frame itself didn’t get damaged, but it’s still annoying. Production Privée should work on the ports to give the cables a little more freedom of movement. A generously sized, ribbed chainstay protector prevents paint chips and chain slap. The bottle cage bosses are positioned on the bottom of the down tube, where the water bottle is exposed to muck and dirt – which isn’t the best solution in our opinion. If you’re not so keen on getting a little extra fibre in your water, we recommend carrying your drinks in a hip pack or a backpack.
The ribbed chainstay protector of the Shan 5 ensures a quiet ride on the trail.

The cables run past the main pivot point without making a rattling noise on the trail.
For all weld lovers: don’t forget to wipe off the drool!

The spec of our 2023 Production Privée Shan 5
For this test, Production Privée sent a rolling chassis of the Shan 5 specced with components of their own choice. For the suspension, the Andorran manufacturer relied on Swedish suspension expert Öhlins, combining a 150 mm Öhlins RXF36 M.2 fork and matching TTX2 Air shock. The fork employs not one but two air chambers, allowing you to adjust the final progression of the spring using a conventional shock pump, without having to add or remove volume spacers. A sticker on the lower legs provides all the air pressure recommendations. Moreover, the fork features externally adjustable high- and low-speed compression adjustments as well as a low-speed rebound dial. The Öhlins TTX2 Air shock controls 140 mm of travel at the rear, and features both high-speed and low-speed compression and low-speed rebound dials. That said, there are no setup recommendations for the shock, and the Shan 5 is not yet listed in Öhlins’ online setup guide. With a 30% sag setting, our Shan rode like a treat.

Despite only having one air chamber, the Öhlins TTX2 AIR can be finely tuned to suit your needs and riding style.
The two air chambers allow for infinite adjustment of the final progression.

Crankbrothers supply both the dropper post and wheelset. Unfortunately, the Highline 7 dropper only offers 150 mm of travel, which isn’t enough for a modern trail bike, unless you have really short legs. Everyone else has to pull out the dropper from the frame to achieve the right saddle height, which restricts freedom of movement on the trail. The dropper post is paired with Production Privée’s in-house remote, which has great ergonomics and excellent haptic feedback, with both side-to-side and angle adjustment. The wheels are Crankbrothers’ Synthesis carbon model, which are designed with more vertical compliance built into the front rim and more stiffness for more stability at the rear. However, the expensive wheels are paired with MAXXIS’ paper thin EXO casing, both on the Minion DHF front tire and the HighRoller II rear tire. While the thinner casing might help save weight, it forces you to run higher tire pressures to avoid punctures and irreversible damage to the rims. On top of that, at 2.3″, both tires are pretty narrow, which detracts from their damping characteristics. The harder MaxxTerra rubber compound offers a good compromise between traction and durability, which works well at the rear but doesn’t provide enough grip at the front. We recommend upgrading to wider tires with a tougher casing and softer compound – you’ll enjoy better damping characteristics, and your carbon rims will appreciate it!

Hopefully it will grow with time! At 150 mm, the dropper post is far too short for a modern trail bike.
It’s never good news when you read “thin EXO casing” and “expensive carbon rims” in the same sentence.

The rolling chassis doesn’t include the brakes nor the drivetrain. Our test bike comes equipped with a cable-operated SRAM GX drivetrain, but SRAM’s UDH mech hanger also allows you to use their new Transmission drivetrain. The golden chain adds a touch of bling to our test bike – perhaps a bit too much for our taste! On the other hand, we like the minimalist look of the Formula Cura brakes, which feature tool-free lever reach adjustment, at least in theory! In practice, however, the small rotary wheel is pretty hard to turn with your bare hands, thus requiring a tool to adjust the lever position after all. On our test bike, the brakes are paired with a 200 mm rotor at the front and smaller 180 mm disc at the rear. We recommend upgrading to a bigger 200 mm rotor at the rear, which is more resistant to heat build-up on long descents and therefore delivers a better overall braking performance.
The golden chain and cassette are a bit too much for our taste! Fortunately, everyone’s free to choose their own drivetrain components with the rolling chassis!

For more braking torque and better modulation, we recommend upgrading to a bigger 200 mm rotor at the rear.
With their unique design, the Formula Cura brakes are an excellent match for the Shan 5.

Production Privée Shan 5€ 5,652SpecificationsFork Öhlins RXF 36 M.2 150 mmRear Shock Öhlins TTX Air 140 mmSeatpost Crankbrothers Highline 7 150 mmBrakes Formula Cura 4 200/180 mmDrivetrain SRAM GX/XX1 1x12Stem PP R2R 50 mmHandlebar PP LGB 780 mmWheelset Crankbrothers Synthesis Carbon 29″Tires MAXXIS MINION DHF MaxxTerra EXO/MAXXIS Highroller II MaxxTerra EXO 2.3″Technical DataSize S M L XLWeight 14.72 kgSpecific FeaturesSteel frame with carbon rear endNo bottle cage in the frame triangle

The geometry of the 2023 Production Privée Shan 5
The Production Privée Shan 5 is available in four sizes, S to XL. Overall, the bike’s on the long side, but still far from extreme, with reach values ranging between 445 mm in size S to 508 mm in XL. While this doesn’t cover the biggest size range, the intervals between sizes are rather moderate. Chainstay length is 437 mm across the board, which is on the lower end of the spectrum. However, it’s worth bearing in mind that the balance of a bike can vary greatly between sizes when the chainstays don’t grow with the bike. At 64.3°, the head tube angle is pretty slack for a trail bike, while the 450 mm seat tube in size L is very long, potentially restricting freedom of movement on the trail.

Size
S
M
L
XL

Top tube
580 mm
605 mm
630 mm
650 mm

Seat tube
410 mm
430 mm
460 mm
485 mm

Head tube
105 mm
115 mm
125 mm
125 mm

Head angle
64.3°
64.3°
64.3°
64.3°

Seat angle
74.3°
74.3°
74.3°
74.3°

Chainstay
437 mm
437 mm
437 mm
437 mm

BB Drop
36 mm
36 mm
36 mm
36 mm

Wheelbase
1,215 mm
1,242 mm
1,269 mm
1,291 mm

Reach
445 mm
468 mm
490 mm
508 mm

Stack
614 mm
623 mm
632 mm
641 mm

Helmet Troy Lee Designs Flowline SE | Glasses Smith Wildcat| Jersey Fasthouse Roam LS Jersey | Shorts Troy Lee Designs Flowline | Kneepads ION K-Pact | Shoes Northwave Overland Plus | Socks Tuscany Bike
The 2023 Production Privée Shan 5 on the trail – Mambo No. 5
How does the yellow lightning fare on the trail? When pedalling uphill, the Shan 5 places you in a slightly rear-heavy pedalling position, making you feel as if you were pedalling from behind. While this sensation isn’t at all unpleasant on level ground, it makes it more challenging to negotiate steep, technical climbs, where, together with the short chainstays, the rear heavy position causes the front end to lift off the ground a little too easily. As a result, you’ll have to actively weight the front wheel to keep it tracking. On long fire-road climbs, the rear suspension bobs slightly, but this can be quickly solved by reaching for the climb switch on the shock. If you don’t, the rear wheel follows the contours of the terrain with painstaking precision, which comes at the expense of climbing efficiency but also ensures a comfortable ride.

When gravity takes over, the Shan 5 turns into Mambo No 5, making you swing your hips on your way back down into the valley. The faster you carve through a corner, the more you’ll dance on the pedals. Especially with fast, consecutive turns, you can really throw the Shan 5 from one berm into the next, while a tall fortress of loam builds up all around you. The Shan 5 also feels at home on bike park tracks with man-made berms, where it encourages you to aim for corners in a straight line, only to shralp your way out with a loud braap, pushing the flimsy tires to the limit. The short chainstays make it easy to steer the bike with your feet and flick the rear end into corners whenever you feel like it.

Whenever you spot a natural kicker, you can’t help but pop off it and take off in the air. The firm rear suspension provides bags of support, making it easy to pop off ledges and generate speed by pumping through rollers. At the same time, the progressive suspension bails you out with botched landings when you get a little too excited. Overall, the rear suspension tune is on the firm side, which suits the bike’s character rather well. As a result, the Shan 5 isn’t the most suitable bike to simply bomb your way through rock gardens, and if you do, you better hold on tight, because the rear suspension is quite stingy at releasing its travel. Add speed to the equation, and the Shan 5 gets pretty nervous, threatening you to buck you off the saddle any second. Therefore, we recommend letting off steam by playing with the trail features rather than ploughing your way back down into the valley in a straight line. When negotiating flat corners, you should actively weight the front wheel to keep it tracking. This is partly due to the short rear centre, and partly to the hard rubber compound on both wheels – a tire with a softer rubber compound would already make a difference. When the trail gets steeper, the unfortunate combination of a long seat tube and short-travel dropper significantly restricts the freedom of movement on the bike, and on top of that, you have to actively weight the front wheel to keep it tracking when braking and cornering.

Who should take a closer look at the 2023 Production Privée Shan 5?
The Production Privée is a great option if you’re not fussed about fast laps and just want to have a great time on the trail. If that’s what you’re after, the Shan 5 is a fun companion that always encourages you to play with the trail features. If you spend lots of time on fast, rough trails, you better bring along the right set of skills or just look elsewhere. With its 150/140 mm of travel, the Shan 5 feels at home on moderate home trails but doesn’t shy away from the occasional bike park session either – albeit mainly on flowing trails where you can shralp through corners and collect some air miles. However, the Shan 5 cuts a great figure not only on flow trails, but also in your bike shed, where tech nerds could spend hours looking at it. But beware, taking Production Privées trail bike to the forest without having to answer questions is pretty much impossible.
Our conclusions about the 2023 Production Privée Shan 5
With its distinctive frame silhouette and exotic appearance, the Production Privée is a real head turner that doesn’t go unnoticed on the trail. The frame’s unconventional steel/carbon concept is a unique selling point that makes the Shan 5 stand out from the crowd of modern trail bikes. On the mountain, the Shan 5 slaps a big grin on your face and comes to life on flowing trails with its agile character, implementing direction changes with great eagerness. In fast, rough trail sections, on the other hand, it prefers to ride a tad slower and also requires some creative line choices.
TopsAbsolute head turner Playful handlingMean berm slicerFlopsGets nervous at higher speeds Requires you to actively weight the front wheel in open, flat cornersNo bottle cage mounts in the main frame triangle
For more info, visit Production Privée’s website.

Did you enjoy this article? If so, we would be stoked if you decide to support us with a monthly contribution. By becoming a supporter of ENDURO, you will help secure a sustainable future for high-quality mountain bike journalism. Click here to learn more.

Words: Felix Rauch Photos: Simon Kohler

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New 2024 Atherton AM.170M.1 first ride review – A one of a kind enduro weapon?

Futuristic manufacturing process meets old-school style: The new Atherton AM.170 is made of straight carbon tubes bonded with 3D printed titanium lugs. Combining a whopping 180/170 mm travel (f/r), it should be able to master the toughest of trails without batting an eyelid. We tested the new Atherton AM.170 to find out what it’s capable of!
Atherton AM.170M.1 2024 | 180/170 mm (f/r) | 16.24 kg in size 11 |€ 7,721 € | Manufacturer’s Website

The Athertons – Rachel, Gee and Dan – are best known for their long-term presence in the DH World Cup as well as for Gee’s breath-taking videos. The siblings have often climbed to the top of the podium over the years: together, they’ve secured a total of 7 world championship titles and countless individual World Cup victories. Aside from training hard for racing, the Athertons have worked on another dream, founding their namesake bike brand. Initially, the bikes were only used by the DH Factory team to tame the wildest trails in the world, but since the beginning of 2022, they’ve been available for purchase. Until now, you could choose from a DH model, the AM.130 trail bike and the AM.150 all mountain variant, which has already secured “Best in Test” in our big trail bike comparison test, where it came out on top of a test field of 14 bikes. In summer 2023, Atherton finally launched the AM.170 enduro rig, which we were very excited to get our hands on to see how it fares against its smaller sibling on the trail. The AM.170 combines 180/170 mm of travel and rolls on a mixed wheel setup, just like its downhill-specific counterpart. The spec was chosen uncompromisingly for trail performance – in other words, to get rowdy on your way back down into the valley. The AM.170M.1 flagship model we tested retails at € 7,721.66, but you’ll have to add your local VAT to that! However, the Atherton is exempt from customs duties as it is produced in Wales and can therefore claim preferential origin.

This is how the AM.170 is made – Atherton’s special manufacturing process
Going mainstream is too easy! The special feature of Atherton bikes is the manufacturing process, which involves bonding straight carbon tubes with 3D printed titanium lugs, rather than welding alloy or steel tubes. It’s basically like a model kit, only a little more expensive and probably loads more fun. While this manufacturing process might be unusual in the bike industry, it’s nothing new. For example, it’s used on a regular basis to build prototypes for Formula 1 and aviation, and we’ve also seen a few bike manufacturers using this kind of technique in the past. One of the pioneers of this method was the small Welsh company Robot Bikes Co., which began developing frames this way many years ago. Although Robot officially ceased operations at the end of 2018, they haven’t disappeared entirely from the scene, merging with Atherton instead. This allowed Robot’s experienced production team to work in close collaboration with three of the most experienced World Cup racers out there. While they were at it, they adopted the basic idea of the DW6 rear linkage, which Dave Weagle developed for Robot Bikes Co. at the time. It’s a mixture of a DW link (as you’ll find on Pivot Bikes, for example) and a classic Horst link.

But let’s get back to the actual production of the bikes for a moment. The double-walled titanium lugs are produced using an additive manufacturing process. Through a process called selective laser melting, a layer of titanium powder is applied to a base plate, which is then melted and fused by a laser beam until it achieves the desired hardness and mass – basically a very expensive form of 3D printer. The machine applies about 3,500 layers over 16 hours. When the lugs are finished and separated from their base plate, they’re bonded with correspondingly sized carbon tubes using an extremely strong industrial adhesive. This results in the bike’s straight lines and fully customisable sizes and geometry.

The 2024 Atherton AM.170M.1 in detail
With all their bikes, including the AM.170, Atherton don’t rely on your typical curved carbon frame design or any particularly unusual shapes. However, it’s precisely the simple, unusual look of the carbon tubes and titanium lugs that makes their bikes look so unique. In Germany, you’re more likely to cross paths with a bear in the woods than with an Atherton bike, so you’re sure to turn heads on the trail if you turn up astride an AM.170.
The straight carbon tubes, which are connected with titanium lugs, give the Atherton AM.170 its unique linear look.
Right from the first glance, the Atherton AM.170M.1 stands out with its minimalist design language, forgoing sophisticated details like a storage compartment and relying on the bare essentials. To be frank, it would be nice to have at least a tool mount, which has become standard on most modern enduro bikes. A chain guide prevents the chain from falling off, while a bash guard protects the chainring from nasty impacts. The plastic down tube protector is quite minimalistic too, but it effectively shields the frame from stray rocks. The chainstay protector is as thin as a fine slice of Parma ham but does its job rather well, preventing paint chips and chain slap. The cables are routed internally and disappear into the frame through the head tube. However, the cables aren’t clamped in place, leading to a faint rattling noise in the shock area on our test bike.

The chainstay protector is rather thin too, but it works well, preventing chain slap and paint chips.
The minimalist down tube protector might look a little flimsy, but it gets the job done, protecting the frame against impacts and stray rocks.

The cables are routed internally and run into the frame through the titanium lugs. Unfortunately, the cable ports aren’t clamped, which caused a slight rattling noise in our test bike.
The spec of the 2024 Atherton AM.170M.1
For this test, we rode the Atherton AM.170M.1 flagship model. It tips the scales at 16.24 kg in size 11, and comes equipped with FOX Factory suspension, which compliments the sleek look of the frame with its fancy Kashima coating. The 180 mm 38 fork features FOX’s superior GRIP2 damper, which allows fine control over the rebound and compression circuits with both high- and low-speed adjustment, allowing you to fine-tune your fork to suit your preferences and riding style. At the rear, our test bike has a FOX DHX2 coil shock, but you can also pick a FOX X2 air shock when configuring your bike on the Atherton website. That said, both shocks offer excellent adjustability and deliver a tremendous performance on the trail.

The FOX DHX2 coil shock fitted to our test bike can also be swapped for a FOX X2 air shock.
The top-notch GRIP2 damper of the FOX 38 fork leaves nothing to be desired in terms of adjustability and trail performance.

To match the fancy Kashima coated suspension, Atherton rely on FOX’s top-tier Transfer Factory dropper post, which offers 200 mm of travel, and can be inserted all the way into the frame. Shifting is taken care of by a cable-operated SRAM X01 drivetrain, while Hayes Dominion A4 four-piston brakes ensure powerful, reliable deceleration in combination with the 200 mm brake rotors. The brakes are just as rare as the bike itself, and offer a defined bite point and excellent modulation, even on long and steep descents. In terms of braking performance, they have nothing to hide from the SRAM Code RSC or Shimano XT brakes and can be quickly and easily adapted to different riders thanks to the tool-free lever reach adjustment.

Shifting is taken care of by a cable-operated SRAM X01 drivetrain.
The FOX Transfer Factory dropper post offers 200 mm of travel and can be fully inserted into the frame, thus ensuring plenty of freedom of movement on the bike.

The brake levers are attached to 800 mm FSA Gradient carbon handlebars, which are paired with a 35 mm long FSA Gradient stem. The Atherton AM.170M.1 rolls on a Stan’s Flow EX3 alloy wheelset and Continental tires, with a Kryptotal FR at the front and Kryptotal RE at the rear, both in the enduro casing and soft rubber compound. With Continental’s tires, the rubber compound always depends on the casing, meaning that the enduro casing is only available in the soft compound. Only the DH casing is available in both the Soft and Super Soft compounds.
For the wheels, Atherton combine a Stans Flow EX3 alloy wheelset and Continental Kryptotal in the Enduro casing and Soft rubber compound.

Atherton AM.170M.1 2024€ 7,721SpecificationsFork FOX 38 Factory GRIP2 180 mmRear Shock FOX DHX2 Factory 170 mmSeatpost FOX Transfer Factory 200 mmBrakes Hayes Dominion A4 200/200 mmDrivetrain SRAM X01 1x12Stem FSA Gradient 35 mmHandlebar FSA Gradient Carbon 800 mmWheelset Stans Flow EX3 29″/27,5″Tires Continental Kryptotal FR, Enduro, Soft/Continental Kryptotal RE, Enduro, Soft 2,4″Technical DataSize 1 – 22
Prices and specs of the 2024 Atherton AM.170M.1
Alongside the AM.170M.1 flagship model, Atherton offer two more pre-configured models, which only differ in the suspension and wheels. The entry level AM.170M.3 retails for € 6,544 and comes equipped with RockShox Ultimate suspension, a GX groupset and a Stans Flow S2 alloy wheelset, while the mid-range AM.170M.2, costs € 7,439 and employs Öhlins suspension, a GX groupset and the same Stans Flow EX3 alloy wheels as the flagship model. The spec can also be customised, as everything is produced in small quantities. As far as colour choice goes, you can choose between raw carbon and black.
The geometry of the 2024 Atherton AM.170
The Atherton AM.170 is available in 22 (!) different sizes. The sizes are arranged according to the reach, which grows from 410 mm (size 1) to 530 mm (size 22) in 10 mm increments. But, that’s only 12 sizes, what about the other 10!? The bigger frames with longer reach values (from 450 mm upwards) are available in two different versions, with different seat tube lengths. Our test bike in size 11 combines 480 mm reach and a short 420 mm seat tube, which still allows you to fully insert a long-travel dropper post all the way into the frame, ensuring excellent freedom of movement. At 440 mm, even the “long” seat tube in size 12 with the same reach values is still short. Chainstay length grows with the frame size, measuring 430 mm up to size 4 (reach 440 mm), and increasing by 5 mm to 435 mm between 4 and 12 (up to 480 mm reach). All other sizes above have 440 mm chainstays. As mentioned above, Atherton also offer custom geometries for an extra charge.

Size
1
12
22

Seat tube
395 mm
440mm
480mm

Top tube
554 mm
619 mm
665 mm

Head tube
90mm
110 mm
135 mm

Head angle
64°
64°
64°

Seat angle
77°
77.7°
78.5°

Chainstay
430 mm
435 mm
440 mm

BB Drop
15 mm
15 mm
15 mm

Wheelbase
1.176 mm
1.260 mm
1.326 mm

Reach
410 mm
480 mm
530 mm

Stack
622 mm
640 mm
662 mm

Helmet Bluegrass Legit Carbon | Google 100% Racecraft | Jersey Northwave XTrail 2 | Pants Northwave Bomb | Shoes Crankbrothers Mallet Lace

The 2024 Atherton AM.170 on the trail
As soon as you swing your leg over the saddle, the Atherton AM.170M.1 places you in a comfortable pedalling position, with the high front end putting minimal pressure on your hands. This makes it an excellent trail companion that allows you to tackle long days in the saddle without having to book yourself in with your chiropractor afterwards. On steeper climbs, there’s still enough pressure on the front wheel to keep it tracking, which allows you to negotiate tight, technical ascents with great precision. The rear suspension generates plenty of traction, while still providing good support, making the climb switch superfluous on long climbs. That said, the Atherthon isn’t going to be your weapon of choice for second-shaving uphill KOMs – it’s more of a leisurely climber. However, if you’re considering a bike like this, climbing is not your priority anyway.

When gravity takes over, the first thing that you’ll notice is the high front end, which integrates you deep into the frame and conveys huge amounts of confidence from the get go – the Atherton shreds its way down into the valley with no reservations. The AM.170M.1 encourages you to keep your fingers off the brakes for a few more seconds, forgiving small riding mistakes with its predictable handling and striking an excellent balance between composure and agility, which makes it almost unstoppable through nasty rock gardens. At the same time, it’s precise to manoeuvre, making it easy to carve berms at Mach 10 and thread your way between the trees on tight, twisting forest trails.

The suspension is pleasantly plush and generates tons of tractions, even in tricky, slippery off-camber sections. At the same time, it provides decent amounts of pop, making it easy to take off on small kickers and flick the rear end from one corner into the next. The Atherton also deals well with bigger hits, providing sufficient reserves to absorb bigger landings and drops without batting an eyelid. When pumping through corners and rollers, the Atherton AM.170 generates lots of speed despite its generous 170 mm rear travel, and doesn’t sink down into its travel with an aggressive riding style, converting your input into more speed. This makes it not only a great choice for tough enduro trails but also for tight, technical Alpine terrain as well as fast flow and jump lines.

Who should take a closer look at the 2024 Atherton AM.170M.1?
The Atherton AM.170 is an excellent choice if you’re looking for a truly unique bike that performs well on the trails. The special manufacturing method and unique look really stand out from the crowd of modern enduro bikes, ensuring plenty of curious looks on the trails. The countless sizing options should ensure a perfect fit, and if you’re really picky, you can even get Atherton to tailor the geometry to your own requirements. The Atherton AM.170 covers a wide range of applications and will take on anything you throw at it, from fast flow to enduro trails and rough bike park lines, but it really comes into its own on steep, technical terrain.

Our conclusions about the 2024 Atherton AM.170M.1
Despite its understated look, the Atherton AM.170M.1 is truly unique. With its top-tier spec, it’s trimmed uncompromisingly for downhill performance, although the frame is missing some of the typical features of modern enduro bikes, like a storage compartment or even a tool mount. Instead, the Atherton impresses with a top riding performance over a wide range of applications. Whether you’re a beginner or seasoned trail veteran, the Atherton is a tremendous riding companion in all sorts of situations, from flowing trails to tough enduro stages and even gnarly downhill tracks.
TopsExcellent performance on a variety of trails Strikes an excellent balance between composure and agility Unique look FlopsLack of modern frame details
For more info, visit athertonbikes.com

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Words: Mike Hunger Photos: Peter Walker

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The 2024 RAAW Madonna V3 on test – Built to last?

Performance, durability, and reliability – the new RAAW Madonna V3 promises to remain true to the company’s philosophy while offering a host of refinements. But does the Madonna V3 still have that typical RAAW DNA? We put the new enduro bike through the wringer to find out!
RAAW Madonna V3 | 170/160 mm (f/r) | 16,7 kg in size L | € 2,790 (Frame) | manufacture website

Believing that the best bike is useless if it spends more time in the workshop than on the trails, RAAW don’t just prioritise performance, but also durability and reliability. As before, the V3 frame relies on 6066 aluminium and a classic Horst-link rear suspension design, and the cable routing remains external. Like its predecessor, the Madonna V2.2, it has 170/160 mm travel (f/r) and rolls on 29″ wheels. In addition to the pure 29″ configuration, the V3 can now also be converted to a mullet setup with the help of a special shock mount. Thanks to the so-called Toolbox Concept, you also have the option of adapting the Madonna more to your own preferences or the track conditions, just like adding salt and pepper to taste in a restaurant. Along with the chainstay length, you can adjust the shock progression, bottom bracket height, head angle, and reach – but more on that later.

The 2024 RAAW Madonna V3 in detail
The new RAAW Madonna V3 immediately catches the eye. And it doesn’t do so with a wild rear end design, curvy lines, or bright colours, but with the classic RAAW look, boasting straight tubes and clear contours. Perhaps it’s precisely because of that, since the design has hardly changed over the years and can best be described as puristic, timeless, and simple. So, it shouldn’t come as a surprise that it looks confusingly similar to Madonna V2.2. It is available in clear coated aluminium or matt black to match the simple aesthetic. As usual, the RAAW logo is discreetly placed on the down tube, and machined into the head tube, lending the Madonna V3 a high-quality look.

The look of the new RAAW Madonna V3 is determined by straight tubes and clean lines.
The RAAW logo is machined into the head tube, which gives the frame a premium look.

The frame looks slightly skinnier around the bottom bracket than the predecessor, and it doesn’t have mounting tabs for a bash-guard. Instead, RAAW provide a removable ISCG05 bracket, which clamps directly to the bottom bracket. The rear end has also been revised: the bearings of the main pivot have shrunk in diameter, but are now wider to be more capable of taking the abuse. The bolts that hold the rear end together are stronger too. This should further reduce complexity and avoid any creaking noises.
The bearings have become smaller in diameter, but wider. Together with stronger axles, the complexity and potential for creaking should be further reduced.
So far, all RAAW bikes have external cable routing, including the Madonna V3. This clearly shows that performance and handling take precedence over appearance and design. However, those aspects haven’t been entirely neglected and the cable routing is neat and tidy, nonetheless. Some of the cable routing details have been further improved too, so that they’re more easily accessible, and don’t have to make any tight bends. As before, there’s a tool mount on the underside of the top tube, which you can use to carry a spare tube or tools.

The cables are firmly secured with metal clamps, and neatly routed in straight lines.
When it’s time to service the bike or replace any components, the cables are easily accessible.

The thick rubber down tube protector and generously sized seat and chainstay protectors fend off flying debris and slapping chains. Instead of annoying chain slapping, all you’ll hear is the tires rolling and throwing up dirt – braaap!

The thick rubber down tube protector fends off flying rocks and debris effectively.
The seat and chainstay protector is nice and long, ensuring a quiet bike.

The build variants of the 2024 RAAW Madonna V3
The RAAW Madonna V3 is exclusively available as a frame kit or rolling chassis. As the name suggests, the latter is not a complete bike, but a rolling basis on which you can build your dream bike. It comes with either FOX or Öhlins suspension, as well as a set of wheels, tires, seat post, and cockpit. You then have to take care of the groupset and brakes yourself. The frame kit is available with or without a shock and starts at € 2,790; the rolling chassis starts at € 4,945. Whichever version you choose, both are available via the RAAW online shop. The first frames and rolling chassis are available to order now, with delivery starting in February 2024. Here, too, the target group becomes clear: riders who know what they want, and know how to get it, preferring to work on their bikes themselves.
The components of the 2024 RAAW Madonna V3 on test
For our review, RAAW provided us with a custom setup. It weighs 16.7 kg in size L, which isn’t light, but it’s a no-nonsense build with zero compromises in terms of downhill capability and performance. First and foremost, the FOX 38 Factory fork doesn’t just look great with its golden Kashima coating, but also ensures maximum trail performance thanks to the high-end GRIP2 damper. With high and low speed compression and rebound damping adjustability, it leaves nothing to be desired. This is paired with a FOX X2 air shock on the rear, featuring a lockout lever, which isn’t absolutely necessary on the Madonna V3.
The FOX Factory suspension consists of a 38 mm stanchion fork, boasting the high-end GRIP2 damper, and an X2 air shock, offering first-class adjustability and performance.
Shifting is mechanical, via a Shimano XT drivetrain, which works as smoothly and reliably as usual. When ordering the V3, however, you can also opt for a UDH-compatible frame, giving you the option of fitting a SRAM Transmission derailleur. For this, the rear end is exchanged for a UDH-compatible version, which lacks the flip chip on the thru-axle to adjust the chainstay length. The four-piston XT brakes are supplied by Shimano, which are combined with large 200 mm rotors at the front and rear. This setup will bring you to a halt even on long, steep descents.

The Shimano XT groupset offers good performance and reliability.
The four-piston Shimano XT brakes are combined with large 200 mm rotors, providing plenty of stopping power.

The 210 mm OneUp V2 dropper post can be inserted all the way into the frame on our size L test bike, offering the rider ample freedom of movement – excellent! The cockpit also comes from OneUp, consisting of a 50 mm stem clamped to an 800 mm wide carbon handlebar. The NEWMEN Evolution SL E.G.30 aluminium wheels are shod with MAXXIS tires. Up front, you get an ASSEGAI with the soft MaxxGrip rubber compound, paired with a Minion DHR II featuring the harder MaxxTerra compound on the rear. Both rely on the robust Doubledown casing.

The long 210 mm OneUp V2 dropper post can be inserted all the way into the frame, thus offering enough freedom of movement for the rider.
The popular MAXXIS ASSEGAI and Minion DHR II tire combination is fitted to aluminium NEWMEN Evolution SL E.G.30 wheels. Both tires feature the thick Doubledown casing.

SpecificationsFork FOX 38 Factory GRIP2 170 mmRear Shock FOX X2 Factory 160 mmSeatpost OneUp Dropper Post V2 210 mmBrakes Shimano XT 200/200 mmDrivetrain Shimano XT 1x12Stem OneUp 50 mmHandlebar OneUp Carbon 800 mmWheelset Newmen Evolution SL E.G.30 29″Tires MAXXIS ASSEGAI MaxxGrip DD/Minion DHRll MaxxTerra DD 2,5″/2,4″Technical DataSize S M L XL XXLSpecific FeaturesToolmountFlip ChipProgression Chip
The geometry of the 2024 RAAW Madonna V3
The new RAAW Madonna V3 is available in five sizes, from S–XXL, and should cater to riders between 158 and 208 cm tall. As with the predecessor, there are two different rocker arms for riders over and under 90 kg. You can select the appropriate rocker arm when placing your order. The 445 mm seat tube in size L isn’t particularly short, though it’s not long either. Nevertheless, it allows you to insert a long 210 mm dropper post all the way, giving the rider sufficient freedom of movement. The 480 mm reach in frame size L is moderate, and the chainstays grow by 5 mm from one frame size to the next, which should keep the handling balanced regardless of size. With the new Madonna V3, the kinematics of the rear suspension have been adapted to make it even more sensitive, especially off the top. The Toolbox Concept mentioned earlier, which debuted on the Yalla! downhill bike, now also features on the new Madonna V3, allowing you to adapt almost every aspect of the geometry to suit your own preferences. A flip chip on the thru-axle lets you increase or decrease the chainstay length by 5 mm.
A flip chip on the thru-axle lets you increase or decrease the chain stay length by 5 mm.
With the headset cups, you can also steepen or slacken the head angle by 1°. Thanks to various shock mounts, the bottom bracket height can be dropped or lifted by 3 mm, and the shock progression can be varied between 22, 25 and 28%. In the standard setting, the frame is designed for 29″ wheels. However, thanks to the MX shock mount, you can install a smaller 27.5″ rear wheel without changing the geometry significantly.
Different headset cups, flip chips, and shock mounts are available in the RAAW online shop, but they’re not included as standard, unfortunately. The frame ships with all settings in the middle. Additional hardware lets you adjust the V3 in many ways, but you must know exactly what you want, or simply order the different parts on a hunch. Conveniently, however, the special thru-axle hardware can be used for both the short and long variant by flipping it around. It would be cool if you could get a kind of test toolbox that you could borrow for some time to decide which settings you prefer and which hardware to get.
Thanks to various shock mounts, the bottom bracket height can be adjusted, and the progression of the rear suspension can be varied between 22, 25 and 28 %.

Size
S
M
L
XL
XXL

Top tube
576mm
605 mm
618 mm
647 mm
672 mm

Seat tube
395 mm
420 mm
445 mm
470 mm
470 mm

Head tube
100 mm
115 mm
130 mm
145 mm
145 mm

Head angle
64°
64°
64°
64°
64°

Seat angle
77°
77°
78°
78°
78°

Chainstay
445 mm
445 mm
450 mm
455 mm
455 mm

BB Drop
35 mm
35 mm
35 mm
35 mm
35 mm

Wheelbase
1.216 mm
1.248 mm
1.284 mm
1.320 mm
1.346 mm

Reach
430 mm
455 mm
480 mm
505 mm
530 mm

Stack
637 mm
650 mm
664 mm
677 mm
677 mm

Helmet Giro Merit Spherical | Glasses 100% Glendale | Jersey 100% R-Core | Pants 100% R-Core | Shoes Ride Concepts Accomplice
The 2024 RAAW Madonna V3 in review
If you take a seat on the new RAAW Madonna V3, you’ll find yourself in a central and upright position that feels pleasantly compact and not too stretched. Riding on flat terrain, you’ll feel a slight pressure on your hands. This benefits the V3 on the climbs, however, as the front wheel stays planted even on steep and technical climbs without needing to shift your weight forward, letting you concentrate entirely on your line choice. The rear end feels soft at first, but becomes noticeably firmer as soon as you put the chain under tension by pressing on the pedals. This makes the Madonna V3 efficient to pedal, and you can spare yourself the effort of reaching for the climb switch, even on longer climbs. In combination with the balanced riding position, this makes it a capable climber.

Once you reach the summit and start to head back down, you’ll feel centred on the bike and comfortable from the get go. Anyone who has ever ridden a Madonna or already owned one will feel right at home aboard the latest version. But newcomers to RAAW won’t take long to familiarise themselves with the bike thanks to the intuitive handling, catering to both beginners and advanced riders. Warm up on the flow trail? Not with the Madonna V3: it prefers to jump straight into the deep end on real enduro tracks. The handling of the V3 is composed and intuitive enough for beginners to remain in control over roots and rocks even after a long, hard day of riding. Advanced riders can push the bike’s limits up to the final descent of the day: if you misjudge a corner and start washing out, the bike will let you correct and regain control. On steep descents, the tall front end further instils you with confidence. Despite the high stack, the RAAW Madonna V3 feels perfectly balanced, and you don’t have to shift your weight forward in the corners to maintain grip.

The RAAW Madonna V3 offers a good combination of composure and agility, making easy work of spontaneous line changes, and allowing you to chuck the bike from left to right through the turns. This is underlined by the performance of the suspension, offering plenty of support for you to generate speed through rollers and berms, or get airborne off anything on the trail that resembles a jump. It also has enough reserves to cope with flat landings when you launch a little too far. That said, the suspension isn’t too firm or harsh, responding sensitively off the top, and offering tons of grip when ploughing through loose forest loam.

Who should buy the RAAW Madonna V3?
The RAAW Madonna V3 is a bike for purists and riders who know exactly what they want. Since it’s only available as a frame kit or rolling chassis, it requires a certain amount of expertise to create a rideable bike. This goes hand in hand with the comprehensive adjustability provided by the Toolbox Concept. Many riders will love this, because it lets them find their ideal setup with their favourite components. Home mechanics will also be happy about the external cables and the robust aluminium frame, which can take a beating and still go strong. It’s on the descents that the Madonna V3 shines, and its intuitive handling lets both beginners and advanced riders push their limits.

Our conclusion of the 2024 RAAW Madonna V3
At first glance, not much seems to have changed on the new RAAW Madonna V3, but the devil is in the details. However, RAAW haven’t lost sight of their focus on durability and easy maintenance. In addition to the refined kinematics, it should let everyone find their ideal setup thanks to the extensive adjustability. Unfortunately, you’ll have to buy additional hardware to do so. The Madonna V3 is a full-on enduro bike that won’t let you down, on everything from relaxed trails to hard enduro tracks.
TopsFocus on durability and easy serviceabilitybalanced handlingextensive geometry and progression adjustabilityFlopsalternative flip chips, shock mounts, and headset cups must be purchased separately
For more information visit raawmtb.com

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Words: Mike Hunger Photos: Peter Walker

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Acros flatpedal – The new MTB pedals from Acros in review

Acros present their latest MTB pedals: the flatpedal. In typical Acros style, the model name is just as unassuming as the styling. And good pedals shouldn’t stand out on the trail; they should simply provide grip – if you’re thinking about them, something has gone wrong. The bearings should also hold up against mud and dirt for as long as possible. Do the Acros pedals ride as inconspicuously as they look?
Price € 120 | Weight 395 g per pair | Platform size (L x W x H) 106 x 105 x 12 mm | Number of pins 12 | Pins screw in from above | Manufacturer’s website

With the flatpedal, Acros claim to have built MTB pedals that work just as well on rough DH tracks as on big jumps, lonely single track, or on multi-day bikepacking tours. Our big MTB pedal group test only featured their clipless pedals, but now Acros have sent us a set of their new flatpedals to put through the wringer. For € 120 you get a set of 395 g pedals – not lightweight, but about average for aluminium pedals. They have 12 pins per side. The outer pins stick out of the pedals by 6 mm, whereas the inner pins protrude by just 4 mm, thereby creating a slightly concave platform. For those who want to customise their pin configuration, the flatpedal comes with a bag of spare pins included. The pins screw into the pedals from above with a 2 mm hex key, which can become a problem if you smash the pedals into rocks and damage the pins. Once the hex socket is bent, you’ll have to try loosening the pins with pliers – assuming they haven’t snapped off completely. The 12 grub screws are spread over a large platform measuring 106 x 105 mm, while the pedal is just 12 mm thick. When it comes to colours, Acros stay true to their no-frills ethos and only offer them in black and silver. If you want something a little more unique, you can opt for custom lettering on the top.

Pins that screw in from the top are often difficult to replace when damaged.
You can customise the lettering on the top of the pedals to your liking.

The Acros flatpedal in detail
The details are more important for a small component like a pedal than you might think. To maximise trail fun and minimise your time in the workshop, the service intervals should be as far apart as possible. And when the time for a service comes, small details can make the difference between a quick and easy process, and a time consuming, nerve wracking ordeal. One of the first things you’ll notice is that the pedal has no small cut-outs or recesses, which makes cleaning them that much easier, as dirt hasn’t got anywhere to get stuck. However, the spindle seals and bearings aren’t to be neglected either, since they determine how frequently you’ll have to service the pedals. Acros rely on two ball bearings and a bushing. To prevent the dirt from getting into the bearings, the spindle has a double seal. In time, however, every seal will eventually leak, every bushing will wear out, and every ball bearing will start feeling rough. So that you can keep your cool while giving them a service, Acros have put a lot of thought into the design. There are no special tools required to disassemble the Acros pedals – all you need are 6 and 2 mm hex keys, and an 8 mm open-end wrench. First, you simply loosen the two screws that sit either side of the axle. Then you can lift the locking plate and twist it 90 degrees. This can then be used to unscrew the axle. On the left pedal, you must turn the axle to the left, as usual, whereas the axle on the right loosens in the opposite direction. This is so that the right axle doesn’t unscrew itself while pedalling. After removing the axle, you can use the 6 mm hex key and the 8 mm open-end wrench to loosen the nut that sits inside the axle. Finally, all of the bearings and seals can be removed from the spindle by hand. Another nice detail is a short how-to video from Acros, which explains the disassembly process step by step. Allowing you to replace anything that breaks, Acros offer 3 service kits: an axle kit for € 16, a locking plate set for € 5, and a bearing set with seals for € 12.

The lack of small cut-outs and recesses make the Acros pedals super easy to clean.
Disassembling the Acros flatpedal takes just minutes.

The Acros flatpedal on the trail
When you step onto Acros’ new MTB pedals for the first time, you won’t notice anything unusual. The platform is pleasantly large, and the slight bulge needed to accommodate the axle is so small it isn’t noticeable. The pedals offer plenty of grip and your feet feel securely planted, always remaining in place through rock gardens and over roots. Nevertheless, it doesn’t feel like your feet are glued to the pedals, which makes it easy to correct your stance if necessary. We didn’t have any problems sticking one foot out to drift into a corner Sam Hill style, or dabbing the ground to maintain our balance when a root was not as grippy as it looked. And even if the conditions get so wet that you need a pressure washer to dig your bike out from under the mud, you won’t need to worry about the pedals. Thanks to the clean design and large openings, they shed mud with ease. So, you can rest assured that you’ll have ample grip regardless of the weather.
Our conclusion on the Acros flatpedal
The latest pedals from Acros are unremarkable in the best sense of the word, and they’re fairly priced too. Acros have clearly paid attention to the details: the flatpedal can be disassembled within minutes, making easy work of greasing or replacing the bearings when needed, they offer loads of grip on the trail, and don’t pack up with mud. They almost tick all the boxes; our only gripe is that the pins screw in from the top, which can make them difficult to replace.
Topsclean design with large openings doesn’t get clogged upquick and easy to disassemble good grip Flops
For more information, visit acros-components.com

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Words: Sebastian Dirscherl Photos: Simon Kohler

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New 2024 Santa Cruz V10.8 exclusive first ride review

With the new 2024 V10.8, Santa Cruz introduce the latest iteration of a true downhill classic, which has already secured 3 victories and 13 podiums in the Downhill World Cup. As the name suggests, this is the 8th generation of the V10, which retains the distinctive frame silhouette and proven VPP rear suspension of its predecessor, but relies on a more modern geometry and improved kinematics – and also allows for countless customization options. But how does the V10.8 fare on the trail?
Santa Cruz V10.8 2024 | 200/208 mm (f/r) | 29”/27.5” | € 4,299 (frame kit) | Manufacturer’s Website

The V10 has been the flagship model in Santa Cruz’s downhill portfolio since 2002, and it has been ridden to victory at countless World Cup races since, helping downhill icons like Steve Peat and Greg Minnaar to secure their world championship titles. Twenty-one years after the launch of the very first V10 model, the Californian cult brand is introducing the 8th generation of their legendary downhill bruiser, which still relies on the same VPP rear suspension as its predecessors. The latest descendant of the V10 relies on a mixed wheel setup, with a big 29″ wheel at the front and smaller 27.5″ wheel at the rear, except for the biggest XL frame, which rolls on two 29″ wheels. For 2024, Santa Cruz sent the full 27.5″ model into a well-deserved retirement. Like its predecessors, the V10.8 relies on their classic VPP rear suspension system, which generates a whopping 208 mm of travel. As a result, Santa Cruz’s engineers didn’t bother changing the frame silhouette too much, focusing on small practical improvements instead. To achieve this, they tuned the suspension kinematics to ensure a more sensitive response, and at the same time provide more support. In addition, they optimised the frame’s stiffness and modernised the geometry, above all by increasing the bike’s reach. The new V10.8 frame also offers countless adjustment options, allowing you to alter the chainstay length, bottom bracket height, reach and head angle in three settings.

New 2024 Santa Cruz V10.8 – Frame details
Needless to say, Santa Cruz didn’t just tweak the geometry, but also made some refinements to the design of the new 2024 Santa Cruz V10.8, integrating them seamlessly and beautifully into the new bike. For starters, they adapted the shape and position of the bump stops, integrating them neatly into the frame at the intersection between the head tube, top tube and down tube. These are meant to protect the frame from impacts and allow you to dispose of the annoying rubber lumps on the fork. A generously sized seat- and chainstay protector wraps far around the swingarm, preventing paint chips and annoying chain slap on the trail. On the down tube, a massive TPU plate guard protects the frame from stray rocks and nasty impacts, while an additional shuttle guard prevents you from scratching the paint when throwing your bike on the back of a pick-up truck.

The generously sized seat- and chainstay protector ensures a quiet ride.
The shuttle guard prevents you from scratching the paint when throwing the V10.8 on the back of a truck.

To protect the shock and suspension linkage, Santa Cruz rely on a small mudguard and an additional plastic flap, preventing flying mud and debris from damaging crucial parts. All cables are routed internally and only reappear briefly at the transition between the main frame and swingarm. Here they’re guided through small metal brackets, which hold them in place securely but still allow them to move when the rear suspension compresses. The cables aren’t clamped at the ports, but the tight routing sleeves inside the frame prevent them from rattling.

The plastic flap between the seat stays prevents mud and water from flying onto the shock and suspension link.
While the cables aren’t clamped at the ports, they’re routed through tight internal guide sleeves inside the frame, which prevents them from rattling on the trail.

At the transition between the main frame and swingarm, the cables are routed through additional brackets, which are elegantly and neatly integrated into the frame of the V10.8.
Spec variants of the new 2024 Santa Cruz V10.8
For the new 2024 V10.8, Santa Cruz exclusively use their high-end CC carbon layup, which relies on a larger proportion of higher strength fibres, providing the same degree of stiffness at a lower weight compared to its more affordable C counterpart. With most bike models, Santa Cruz also offer a more affordable C carbon variant and sometimes even an aluminium option. The V10.8, however, is available just in the high-end CC carbon variant and in just one colour for the time being – the gloss red finish you see in the pictures below. As far as the spec variants go, you can choose between the € 7,699 S build or the € 9,699 X01 build. If you want to build your own V10, you can buy a frame set with FOX DHX2 Factory shock for € 4,299.

2024 Santa Cruz V10.8 X01 spec variant
2024 Santa Cruz V10.8 S spec variant
2024 Santa Cruz V10.8 frame kit

Both spec variants come equipped with FOX suspension, including the highly adjustable GRIP2 damper in the fork. With the S-build you’ll only have to renounce the fancy Kashima coating, but this doesn’t affect the bike’s performance on the trail. For the shock, Santa Cruz employ a FOX DHX2 coil model on both spec variants, whereby the more affordable Performance Elite model of the S-build only offers externally adjustable low-speed compression and rebound settings. The flagship X01 model comes equipped with a 7-speed X01 DH drivetrain, while the S-variant features SRAM’s mid-range GX DH model, which might be cheaper and slightly heavier, but doesn’t compromise on shifting performance. The S-build doesn’t compromise on the brakes either, employing SRAM’s CODE Bronze stoppers, which omit only the tool-free bite point adjustment compared to the CODE Silver model of the V10.8 X01 flagship model. Both the CODE Bronze and Silver brake versions are from SRAM’s new Stealth model range, which position the hoses closer to the handlebars, preventing them from forming a massive arc in front of the cockpit. However, in our experience this also causes the hoses to rattle loudly against the frame – we just use a small zip tie to prevent this from happening. On both models, the brakes are paired with SRAM’s thicker HS2 rotors, with a big 220 mm disc at the front and 200 mm disc at the rear. Both spec variants of the V10.8 roll on Santa Cruz’s in-house Reserve 30 HD DH alloy wheelset with MAXXIS ASSEGAI tires in the robust DH casing front and rear. Santa Cruz also offer a lifetime warranty on their frames and wheelsets, as well as free replacement bearings.
The spec of our 2024 Santa Cruz V10.8 text bike
For this first ride review, we rode a custom-spec Santa Cruz V10.8 with an unpainted pre-production frame. However, most of the frame details and features were already in the final development stage.

Our test bike was equipped with RockShox suspension consisting of a BoXXer Ultimate fork and a matching Vivid Ultimate air shock. The latter was specifically tuned for the V10’s suspension kinematics. The drivetrain consists of a SRAM X01 DH 7-speed rear derailleur with matching shifter and 155 mm HOPE Tech EVO cranks. Powerful SRAM CODE RSC four-piston brakes with big rotors do stopping duties. Furthermore, our test bike was delivered with a Reserve 31 DH carbon wheelset and MAXXIS tires. On our test bike in size L, we paired a long reach setting with a small 27.5″ rear wheel.

Our test bike came equipped with a new RockShox BoXXer Ultimate fork…
… and RockShox Vivid Ultimate air shock, which had been released yet at the time of this test.

The geometry of the 2024 Santa Cruz V10.8
The new Santa Cruz V10.8 2024 is available in four sizes, S to XL, with mullet wheel setup in sizes S to L, and full 29 for the biggest XL size. Reach values range between 409 mm and 508 mm, which is made possible thanks to the many different adjustment options. The reach can be adjusted by +/- 8 mm using special headset cups.
Special headset cups allow you to adjust the reach between three different settings.
There’s also a flip chip on the shock mount, which allows you to switch between three different settings and affects primarily the bottom bracket height and head angle. Furthermore, the chainstay length can be increased or decreased by 5 mm, meaning that you have three settings to choose from. What we find particularly exciting is that all parts needed for the geometry tweaks are included in the box, whether you buy a full build or the frame kit.

Although the labelling on our test bike suggests otherwise, with the labelling only showing a high and low setting, the flip chip also has a third middle position.
The chainstay length can be adjusted by +/- 5 mm and the brake adapter can be easily moved to adapt it to the respective setting.

The geometry of the 2024 Santa Cruz V10.8 (0 mm Reach / Low / 0 mm Chainstay)

Size
S
M
L
XL

Seat tube
435 mm
445 mm
455 mm
465 mm

Head tube
100 mm
110 mm
115 mm
120 mm

Head angle
62.7°
62.7°
62.7°
62.7°

Seat angle
77.6°
77.1°
77°
76.7°

Chainstay
445 mm
450 mm
456 mm
461 mm

BB Height
351 mm
351 mm
351 mm
351 mm

Wheelbase
1,231 mm
1,276 mm
1,303 mm
1,335 mm

Reach
417 mm
452 mm
472 mm
499 mm

Stack
626 mm
625 mm
639 mm
644 mm

The new 2024 Santa Cruz V10.8 on the trail
For this first ride review, we were able to ride a custom-build model of the 2024 Santa Cruz V10.8, which we put through the wringer on the trails of Whistler Bike Park, where we also had a chance to compare it with a few other downhill rigs, like the new RAAW Yalla! and ROSE SCRUB. The first thing we’ve noticed is that the V10.8’s rear suspension reacts very sensitively to different air pressures in the shock, and that even the smallest rebound adjustment has a relatively big effect on the rebound speed, resulting in a completely different ride feeling even with just one click difference. We recommend playing around with different settings – which is exactly what we did. For example, we worked our way down from the Vivid Ultimate’s recommended 30% sag, ending up at around 25%.

When you drop into a trail with the V10.8, you’ll immediately notice the high front end, which integrates you deep into the bike, inspiring huge amounts of confidence in all situations. Despite the height, there’s still plenty of pressure on the handlebars, meaning that you don’t have to actively weight your hands to keep it tracking, even in open, flat corners and nasty off-camber sections. In other words, the Santa Cruz is intuitive, easy to ride and implements steering input directly and precisely.

The suspension – and especially the rear suspension – offers excellent small bump sensitivity and generates plenty of traction, whether you’re ploughing through nasty root carpets or gliding over braking bumps. At the same time, the V10.8 bursts with mid-stroke support, making it easy to pop off ledges and bailing you out of botched landings, and making you feel as if you had endless amounts of travel at your disposal. The rear suspension takes even hard hits with stoic composure, and during this test it never blew through its travel too abruptly. Moreover, when pumping through rollers and berms, the V10.8 rewards you with plenty of speed – the harder you push, the faster you ride!
The new Santa Cruz V10.8 makes you feel as if you had endless amounts of travel at your disposal, but at the same time offers excellent small-bump sensitivity, generating huge amounts of traction in the process.

The central riding position, direct handling and excellent mid-stroke support also make for a very lively character, making it easy to pull manuals and throw the V10.8 from one berm into another, allowing you to spontaneously change your line without feeling like you’re stuck to the ground. As a result, the Santa Cruz cuts a fine figure both on steep, gnarly natural trails and fast jump lines on a day out at the Whistler bike park.

Our conclusions about the new 2024 Santa Cruz V10.8
Despite maintaining the old V10 silhouette and proven VPP rear suspension, the new 2024 Santa Cruz V10.8 is a successful further development of a true classic. The frame features are beautifully integrated into the bike, while the countless adjustment options allow you to fine tune the V10’s geometry to suit your needs and riding style. On the trail, the latest descendant of the V10 dynasty delivers a tremendous performance, rewarding an active riding style with plenty of speed. The supple rear suspension works extremely sensitively, ensuring a top performance on the trail together with the agile yet composed handling.
TopsBeautiful, well-integrated detail solutionsCountless geometry adjustments allow you to fine tune your rideUnbelievably sensitive rear suspension generates tons of tractionInspires huge amounts of confidence, even on the wildest trailsFlopsA black frame option is a must for the V10!

For more info, visit Santa Cruz Bicycles

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Words: Peter Walker Photos: Robin Schmitt, Peter Walker

CategoriesUncategorized
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Is the future of the EDR under threat, and with it the future of professional enduro racing?

Since the UCI & Warner Bros Discovery took over the event organisation, media production and broadcasting rights of the global Enduro World Series – changing its name to the Enduro World Cup (EDR) – there’s been a lot going on in our favourite sport. However, it’s not just good things happening, and if you trust the paddock gossip, there will soon be no more Enduro World Cup. So, what happens next?

With the final race in Chatel marking the end of the 2023 EDR racing season, the first year of the new series is a wrap – it’s now time to reflect on the new format. Since UCI & Warner Bros Discovery took over the event organisation, media production, and broadcasting of the former Enduro World Series, changing its name to EDR enduro World Cup, enduro racing has the same status as XC and downhill racing – at least on paper! While part of the enduro fan-base has always been sceptical about the transition, others saw it as an opportunity for the sport to grow bigger and become more popular. In other words, it was a great chance to get more exposure and become more professional.
However, the initial optimism soon soured as we progressed into the season, as it became clear that the merger was actually detrimental to enduro racing, with all the most crucial aspects of the series getting far less attention than expected, from event organisation to broadcasting and public relations. If the paddock rumours from the last races are true, there will probably be no more Enduro World Cup from as early as 2025, and thus no more major international enduro racing series. The next EDR season has already been cut back, with events held only within Europe, and apparently only the EDR-E will continue going forward.

After speaking to some seasoned EDR and EDR-E racers, team managers and industry insiders about the current situation and the uncertain future that lies ahead, we’d also like to hear your opinion!

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Words & Photos: Peter Walker

CategoriesAdventure Bikes
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Miniature off-road adventure – Kids Ride Shotgun Dirt Hero off-road balance bike

So you think balance bikes are reserved for the city park or paved surfaces? Think again! With the Dirt Hero off-road balance bike, Kids Ride Shotgun promise next level off-road adventures for the littlest trail shredders. We introduced our youngest tester yet to the world of mountain biking to find out how it holds up on the trail.

Inspired by daring gravity riders who dominate steep, gnarly trails, Kids Ride Shotgun decided to develop an off-road balance bike for kids. Introducing the all-new Dirt Hero, a balance bike that is designed to give the youngest shredders a taste of the trails. With the development of their child seat for mountain bikes, the New Zealand based company originally set out with the vision of allowing parents and kids to enjoy the hobby of mountain biking together. But instead of just taking your kids along for the ride, they also want to introduce them to cycling, trails, and the outdoors as early as possible. The Dirt Hero off-road balance bike costs € 360 and weighs 4 kg. It’s made of aluminium and rolls on 12″ tires. The balance bike is designed for children from 2 to 5 years of age. The cool thing about it is that there are a wide range of add-ons available, allowing you to use it for several years. When your kid goes through another growth spurt, you can upgrade the 12″ hoops to 14″ wheels for just € 20, and to help teach children the correct braking technique from the get go, there’s an optional hydraulic disc brake kit available for € 99. Note: the disc brake kit isn’t being sold separately at the moment, so we recommend including this upgrade in your purchase 😉
Kids Ride Shotgun Dirt Hero Offroad-Laufrad | 12” | 4.0 – 4.6 kg | between 2 and 5 years | € 340–459 | Manufacturer’s website
It goes without saying that we didn’t test the bike ourselves, however much fun it might look. We enlisted the help of our little test rider Lotti, embarking on her first trail adventure for us at just 2 years old. Joschi, our 4 year old test rider, was also allowed to test the wheel. The Kids Ride Shotgun balance bike is intended to give kids the opportunity to improve their skills and confidence in off-road terrain. Trails, woodlands, and gravel paths are all part of the playground. Is this where you’ll be spending your family time from now on? Lotti and Joschi helped us find out!

The bike and its components: Dirt Hero off-road balance bike – Kids Ride Shotgun
The Kids Ride Shotgun balance bike looks like a miniature mountain bike, but it’s not just looks: it also features trail-ready geometry. The sturdy aluminium frame isn’t decorated with flowers or superhero stickers, looking all grown-up with subtle white paint job. But, in case you and your little one prefer things a little more playful, the package includes three different MTB skins with which you can decorate the bike and also keep the paint looking fresh. There should be an option to suit everyone, with a choice of pink unicorn, yellow lion, or blue T-Rex. By the way, you’ll find matching T-shirts in the Kids Ride Shotgun shop to complete the look.

With its 2.25″ pneumatic tires from VEE Tire Co. and aggressive tread, the Kids Ride Shotgun Dirt Hero is a sturdy bike with plenty of grip. The fat tires help absorb bumps and dampen vibrations, so the kids can have a pleasant riding experience on the trail. As an optional upgrade, Kids Ride Shotgun offer a hydraulic MAGURA MT4 disc brake kit for the rear wheel. This allows kids to practise the proper braking technique from an early age, and stopping them from rolling away down the hill. Thanks to the generous lever reach adjustment, the lever can be brought close enough to the handlebar for even the littlest hands. The child-friendly design continues beyond the levers – the designers also gave some thought to the rotors, producing the first child-proof rotor guard to prevent any incidents. That way you can rest assured knowing that your child’s fingers are safe. Furthermore, since kids tend to grow up a lot quicker than we’d like, the Kids Ride Shotgun has an adjustable saddle height, so you can keep using the balance bike for as long as possible.

12”
14”

Age
2 –3 years
3–5 years

recommended minimum in-seam length
337 mm / 13.3″
367 mm / 14.4″

minimum saddle height
317 mm / 12.5″
346 mm / 13.6″

Ready, set, go – Off-road adventures for kids
Our little tester Lotti and Joschi ventured out onto the trails for us, putting the Kids Ride Shotgun Dirt Hero through the wringer. At just 2 years old, Lotti was able to climb aboard the Kids Ride Shotgun Dirt Hero without any problems, like a seasoned pro. She put on her helmet like a little enduro champion and let rip. This was also no problem for the 4 year old Joschi.The test ride started in the south of Stuttgart, almost on her doorstep. In order to build her confidence aboard the Kids Ride Shotgun balance bike, Lotti and Joschi first tried it out on the asphalt. All it took was a few quick laps and she was ready to find out how the balance bike would stack up in the woods, on gravel, and some more challenging terrain. The rocks and roots of the home trail just around the corner didn’t seem to phase Lotti and Joschi. The Dirt Hero balance bike made easy work of rolling over obstacles, and our little test shredder had a blast. They sat securely on the saddle and easily stayed upright with their legs as they pushed themselves along the trails. The grips seemed to fit their small hands well and the saddle didn’t cause any complaints, so we’ll assume it was comfortable enough. Unfortunately, the grips came loose slightly during the ride – a touch of glue could fix the problem. For Joschi’s feet, the platform for keeping feet up was almost too small. Children with large feet will quickly outgrow this. With the 2.25” VEE Tire Co. tires, rolling over small obstacles was easy and they clearly gave Lotti the confidence she needed. Mud, puddles, slopes – no problem. Pushing herself along next to her mom, she felt like one of the adults!

There was hardly any stopping the little off-road queen and Joschi the racer. It was only when her legs got tired that we were allowed to head back home. During the test ride, we quickly realised that the Kids Ride Shotgun balance bike is more than just a toy. Rather, it’s a fully functional vehicle that allows children to explore their environment and improve their motor skills in a playful manner. It combines fun and adventure with the development of balance and coordination: jackpot! The Kids Ride Shotgun Dirt Hero is a recommended companion for young off-road explorers like Lotti and Joschi, who want to do everything their parents do.

Adventure without limits – who is the Kids Ride Shotgun balance bike for?
The Kids Ride Shotgun balance bike doesn’t just introduce kids to trail riding, but also allows them to explore the outdoors. While doing so, it allows parents to ride small trails together with their kids. It can expand your family’s horizons as your kids are no longer limited to parks and paved terrain, but can also head further off the beaten track to explore the woods. Balance bikes generally help improve coordination and balance, which is especially important at a young age. While kids learn to push themselves forward on the bike, it also lets them get a feel for speed and balance, discovering the world in a completely new way. If you transfer that to off-road trails, it adds a whole other dimension to the learning process.Of course, a normal balance bike that isn’t geared towards off-road performance can still have a similar effect. However, if you’re a parent who likes to ride mountain bikes, the Kids Ride Shotgun Dirt Hero balance bike allows you to introduce your child to the sport at an early age. The Kids Ride Shotgun balance bike is bound to produce the next generation of MTB pros.

Our conclusion on the Kids Ride Shotgun Dirt Hero off-road balance bike
The Kids Ride Shotgun Dirt Hero off-road balance bike is a must-have for little trail riders who know no bounds, and for parents who want to introduce their children to trail riding as early as possible. It lets them explore the mountain biking world in a playful way, and thanks to the adaptable size concept, it can serve its purpose for a long time. So, dear moms and dads, grab your little explorers and take them outdoors with the Kids Ride Shotgun Dirt Hero balance bike.
Topsadaptable wheel size from 12 inch to 14 inch cool features like the integrated rotor guardoff-road performance – yeah!Flopsbrake kit can’t be purchased on it’s own currently
For more information, visit kidsrideshotgun.de.

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Words: Antonia Feder Photos: Peter Walker

CategoriesBikes
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The evolution of bike design – Why do our bikes look the way they do?

Polarise, disturb, or please. Stand out or blend in? Modern mountain bikes are full of new technologies and innovations, yet many of them look very similar, or are even hard to distinguish at first glance. The design plays a decisive role in this in many respects. What’s going on here?
We’ve all seen the endless “looks like a Session” comments underneath new bike launches. Of course, these comments and jokes are not entirely unfounded, seeing as lots of modern bikes look almost indistinguishable at first glance, both in-house and compared to other brands. Why is that? Why do our bikes look the way they do? Why can you recognise a Santa Cruz from a mile away, and why does the colour turquoise bring a specific bike brand to mind?

Why bike design is so important
Considering the sheer mass of bikes and over 100 different brands, it’s hard to stand out and stick in people’s minds. A distinctive design decides whether a brand gets seen or overlooked, triggering emotional reactions. It doesn’t matter whether the design polarises, disturbs or is quite pleasing to the eye – an easily recognisable design promotes sales.
In the best case, the bike’s look doesn’t just increase brand awareness, but also to some extent reflects the values and image of the company, often doing so subconsciously. Spanish bike brand UNNO, whose bikes have caused quite a stir and garnered lots of attention in recent years, clearly demonstrate the level of importance they attach to modern and polarising design with a futuristic and striking look. SCOTT’S developers are increasingly hiding the shocks and cables inside the bike, making the bike look like one integrated unit. Integration is at the top of the Swiss brand’s list of priorities. In contrast, bikes like the RAAW Madonna place full emphasis on functionality and handling, with a simple, industrial look and no bling-bling or frills. That’s just to name three examples of modern bike companies whose credo is manifested in the design language of their bikes.
How much (if at all) attention a brand pays to its design, and what it wants to achieve by doing so, depends on its philosophy and its means, of course, because there are a lot of other ways to shape a brand’s image. For example, bikes from CUBE and Canyon are known for their affordability and sales concept, which is how they manage to stay in our heads.

Why do so many bikes look so similar?
Unlike many other products, bike frames aren’t just incredibly functional and form the basis of every bike, but also determine the bike’s look. This comes with unique challenges, though it also offers the bike companies certain opportunities since it allows them to place much greater and more obvious emphasis on their technology. Whereas with a car, the technical innovation is hidden under the body panels, quite independent of the exterior design, a bike’s shape and structure are interlinked.
If you look at the design of a bike, the rear suspension concept plays a massive role. In other words: the linkage, kinematics, and position of the shock. The options are far more limited than the number of bikes out there – at least at first glance. So, you’ll obviously see single-pivots, Horst links, or four-bar linkages on many different bikes from different brands. Then, of course, there is the frame material, which has a decisive influence on the shape and look of the frame. Again, the possibilities are limited, and most of the bikes we ride today are made of either aluminium or carbon.

Of course, both the rear suspension concept and the choice and finish of the frame material offer ways to stand out from the crowd or develop something entirely new that no one has ever dared to try. But what is much more exciting is that manufacturers usually don’t just choose the look of a single bike, but of their entire product range, incorporating all their expertise while also trying to minimise costs, of course. So, a concept and the technology it relies on doesn’t just have to work for one model, but for the entire product portfolio – otherwise, the brand recognition factor would suffer. This overarching design aspect gives brands the opportunity to really stand out from the crowd. As such, you’ll often find the same head tube or seat stay proportions and shapes on the whole range, giving a series of models their true recognition value in combination with the rear suspension concept and choice of frame material. This uniformity has the practical side effect for the manufacturers: since all or at least a large part of the bikes of a brand are developed and produced in a similar way, they can cut their design and procurement costs. It also simplifies the procurement of spare parts for consumers, as the same applies to the technical solutions, like the cable clamps, frame protectors, and bearings.

Bike design and brands through the ages
Bike designs inevitably have to move with the times and thus undergo change. It’s crucial to not fall behind technologically, implement improvements, and shape the current brand image. New design aspects allow current models to be set apart from their predecessors and thereby create further selling points.
One of the most striking examples here are SCOTT. Through step-by-step development, the shock on the Spark moved from a vertical to a horizontal position, and then ultimately became fully integrated into the frame. One year after the introduction of the new, fully integrated design of the Spark, the Swiss brand adopted it for their trail bike, the Genius ST, and we can expect that their enduro bike, the Ransom, will follow suit, thereby continuing SCOTT’s new line-up and strengthening the brand’s recognition value.
The same goes for Santa Cruz, which all tend to look pretty similar from a distance. One bike after the other, almost the entire portfolio adopted the striking VPP rear end concept with its low-lying shock. The Nomad 4 was the first bike with this look in 2017, inspired by the rear end of the V10 downhill bike, and just 6 years later, 9 of the 11 full-suspension MTBs in their line-up feature this design, making them almost indistinguishable from each other.

In contrast, Trek have taken a completely different approach despite inspiring the “looks like a Session” movement. Their new Fuel EX – which was launched last year – seems to have little in common with the newly introduced Slash and its high-pivot rear end. Of course, you’ll find subtle similarities in the shape of the stays, the head tube, and other details, but the recognition factor of the various model ranges is a lot less striking compared to SCOTT or Santa Cruz.
However, certain designs like a high-pivot rear end don’t make sense for every discipline, making it difficult to transfer to a light trail bike, for example. That’s because the supposed advantages of certain rear-end concepts – like the rearward axle path making a high-pivot rear more capable in the rough – may make sense on an enduro or downhill bike, but not on a cross-country or trail bike where other riding characteristics are more important.

So, to what extent do the designs of a bike influence its performance and is this still being prioritised during the development of modern bikes? What compromises are brands willing to make just to achieve a certain recognition value or to align models with their product range? There are different ways that brands approach this: for example, Santa Cruz develop their bikes specifically with one wheel size in mind, so they’re not convertible like you’ll find with some other brands, which offers clear advantages in terms of handling and for a specific use case. On the other hand, all of their bikes rely on the same VPP rear end, whether it’s a 120mm XC bike, a heavy eMTB, or a 170mm bikepark bike.
It’s up to you as the customer to decide how important the look and design of a bike is, since there are many other criteria on which to ultimately base your decision, such as the general brand image, service network, community projects such as get-togethers, or just the availability of a bike.

What will the bike design of the future look like?
What does the future hold? The massive increase in sales in recent years has led to rapid development on the market, of course. The steadily increasing demand for sustainable products also means that more and more companies are relying on recyclable materials, new production methods, and changed production processes, like moving production from Asia closer to the actual market, for example. Of course, this regionalisation and its associated adjustments also have an influence on bike design, though it’s usually difficult to recognise.
The use of new materials, and small-batch friendly manufacturing processes such as lugged carbon frame construction open up new technical possibilities, and significantly improve the speed, and cost of prototyping and small-scale production. If you’d like to learn more about this aspect, you should definitely check out our dedicated article on alternative production methods.
On the other hand, we’re seeing more and more platform approaches for increased cost-efficiency and speed. This is something that has been borrowed from the automotive sector and is primarily relevant for bike brands with large investors and huge product ranges. By transferring existing technologies, such as the VPP rear linkage or MERIDA’s FAST suspension, developing new bikes is much easier, faster, and more cost-effective. Smaller details and design aspects can also be carried over, including small parts such as bearings, which can be ordered in bigger quantities and thus offer economies of scale. Of course, end users also benefit from easier procurement of spares and reduced development costs, insofar as the savings are passed on to the customers.

The standardisation that we’ve hoped for and seen in recent years regarding the dimensions of certain components such as hub widths is now increasingly spreading to the development of frames or entire frame platforms, and will hopefully save us a lot of money, resources, and nerves in the future. Will this make the bike designs of the future boring and uniform? That remains to be seen. However, it’s clear that the bike industry is full of innovative and creative minds and there’s no stopping development. But the tinkerers and individualists will also play their part, and if you want an entirely unique bike that stands out from the crowd, you will always find custom options if you’re willing to pay for them, though you will usually have to resort to smaller brands who are able to produce small batches or one-offs.
Conclusion
Design can and must go with the times, because the values and philosophy on which a brand are based are constantly evolving too. In doing so, it’s up to every brand to strike the right balance between functionality, design, and recognition value. The crux of it all is integrating innovations and coming up with fresh new looks, without rocking the boat or changing the customers’ perception of the brand too much or in the wrong way.

Did you enjoy this article? If so, we would be stoked if you decide to support us with a monthly contribution. By becoming a supporter of ENDURO, you will help secure a sustainable future for high-quality mountain bike journalism. Click here to learn more.

Words & Photos: Peter Walker

CategoriesUncategorized
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New 2024 YT JEFFSY CORE 5 CF first ride review – Revolution or evolution?

Driven by the “Power of Friendship” mantra, YT claim to have found a solution to the ongoing energy crisis with their new JEFFSY 2024. The latest incarnation of their trail evergreen is supposed to cover a wide range of applications and thus expand your circle of riding mates, while at the same time putting a big grin on your face. We’ve tested the JEFFSY CORE 5 CF for you.
YT JEFFSY CORE 5 CF | 150/145 mm (f/r) | 29” | 15,3 kg in size L | € 5,999 | Manufacturer’s Website

What’s fun to hang out with, always has your back and never lets you down, even when things get ugly? No, it’s not your best mate! It’s the new 2024 JEFFSY! With the latest iteration of their trail evergreen the Bavarian direct-to-consumer brand is taking the concept of trail bike to a whole new level. The new JEFFSY combines 150/145 mm of travel with a pair of 29″ wheels, which are bolted to a full carbon frame. As usual, YT also offer a couple of alloy variants, but more on this later. Our YT JEFFSY CORE 5 CF 2024 test bike in size L tips the scales at 15.3 kg and retails at € 5,999.

The new 2024 YT JEFFSY CORE 5 CF in detail
At first glance, the new 2024 YT JEFFSY doesn’t look much different from its predecessor, relying on the same rear suspension design with a horizontally mounted shock, which merges seamlessly into the seat stays. In purely visual terms, YT didn’t exactly go crazy, with only subtle tweaks to the silhouette. Yet still, the design language is refreshingly modern, rounded off by a Space Blue paint finish on our CORE 5 CF test bike (or dark blue if you’re not called Elon Musk or Jeffsy Bezos). YT’s development team clearly chose evolution over revolution with the latest overhaul of the JEFFSY, which is reflected not only in the overall design of the bike but also the clever frame features, like the small storage compartment in the down tube. This is easily accessible and can be opened via a small lever, which is positioned right above the bottle cage, making it harder to activate the lever with a bottle in the cage. However, this only means that you have to remove the bottle before opening the compartment, which isn’t that big of a deal. The edges of the storage compartment are nicely rounded, preventing thin garments from ripping when you pull them out. On top of that, the compartment comes standard with two pouches for all your trail essentials, preventing the contents from rattling against the frame – and there’s still enough room for a trail banana. But that’s not all: there’s also a tool strap on the underside of the top tube, where you can carry a spare inner tube and tire levers, for example. The pouches, tool strap and tire levers are all part of the JEFFSY’s standard equipment.

Banana for scale! The storage compartment is easily accessible and comes standard with two pouches that can be used to store all your trail essentials, preventing them from rattling against the frame – and there’s still room for a snack.
You can carry even more stuff using the tool strap at the bottom of the top tube, which makes it easy to stow away a spare inner tube and tire levers.

A generously sized seat- and chainstay protector extends far over the front section of the swingarm, preventing chain slap and paint chips. The cables are routed internally and disappear into the frame through the head tube. Unfortunately, the cable ports aren’t clamped and only rely on rubber inserts, which tend to slip out of the ports – and when this happens, the cables knock against the frame. However, using a couple of small zip ties you can secure the inserts and prevent them from sliding.

The seat and chainstay protector extends far over the front section of the swingarm, preventing chain slap and paint chips.
The cables disappear into the frame through the head tube and are secured to the cable ports with small rubber plugs. However, these tend to slip out of the ports.

Tuning tip: Secure the cable port inserts with small zip ties to prevent them from rattling
The spec of our 2024 YT JEFFSY CORE 5 CF
We tested the JEFFSY CORE 5 CF flagship model, which retails for € 5,999 and offers a pretty insane price/quality ratio. For starters, you’ll get FOX Factory suspension consisting of a FOX 36 fork and matching FLOAT X air shock. Alongside the fancy Kashima coating, you’ll get FOX’s superior GRIP2 damper in the fork, which allows for countless adjustment options and delivers a tremendous performance on the trail. The shock features externally adjustable rebound and low-speed compression settings.
The 36 Factory fork features FOX’s superior GRIP2 damper delivers a tremendous performance on the trail and offers four-way adjustability with high- and low-speed control of both the rebound and compression circuit.
An electronic SRAM X0 Eagle Transmission drivetrain ensures butter-smooth, precise shifting and relies on a hangerless rear derailleur, which is bolted directly to the frame. For the controls, YT rely on a classic AXS Rocker controller rather than the new AXS pods, with a Matchmaker clamp making it easier to fine tune cockpit ergonomics.

The electronic SRAM X0 Eagle rear derailleur is extremely robust and bolted directly to the frame.
What is rather curious is that YT combine the new Transmission drivetrain with SRAM’s old AXS Rocker controller. However, in conjunction with the Matchmakers, this makes it easier to adjust the cockpit ergonomics than with the new AXS pods.

For the brakes too, YT rely on the conventional CODE RSC model rather than the new Stealth version, and pair them with 200 mm rotors front and rear. However, these deliver the same powerful braking performance and feature tool-free bite point and lever reach adjustments, as well as SRAM’s proprietary SwingLink technology, which is designed to minimise deadband and optimise modulation, thus reducing arm pump. Furthemore, the lever unit of the conventional CODE brakes isn’t positioned as close to the handlebars as the Stealth lever, meaning that the cables don’t rattle against the handlebars as easily.

The SRAM CODE four piston brakes feature tool-free bite point and lever reach adjustments as well as SRAM’s proprietary SwingLink technology, which is designed to minimise deadband and optimise modulation.
The brakes are paired with big 200 mm rotors front and rear, ensuring a powerful braking performance even on long, steep descents.

For the dropper, YT Industries rely on their in-house components, using a 170 mm Postman V2 dropper on frame size L. This can be inserted all the way into the frame, but it’s far too short for a modern trail bike. Renthal supply the cockpit, combining an Apex 35 stem and 780 mm FatBar 35 alloy handlebars. Our test bike rolls on a Crankbrothers Synthesis alloy wheelset with a classic MAXXIS combo, with a Minion DHF up front and Minion DHR II at the rear, both in the puncture-prone EXO+ casing and hard MaxxTerra rubber compound. Both heavy and rowdy riders should upgrade to the more robust Doubledown casing for better puncture protection and softer MaxxGrip compound for better traction at the front.

YT’s in-house Postman V2 dropper post only has 170 mm of travel, which is far too short for a modern trail bike in size L.
Both tires come in the thin EXO+ casing and hard MaxxTerra rubber compound. Heavy and rowdy riders alike should upgrade to a more robust casing and softer MaxxGrip rubber compound at the front.

YT JEFFSY CORE 5 CF € 5,999SpecificationsFork FOX 36 Factory GRIP2 150 mmRear Shock FOX FLOAT X Factory 145 mmSeatpost YT Postman V2 170 mmBrakes SRAM CODE RSC 200/200 mmDrivetrain SRAM X0 Eagle Transmission 1x12Stem Renthal Apex 35 mmHandlebar Renthal FatBar 35 780 mmWheelset Crankbrothers Synthesis Enduro Alloy 29″Tires MAXXIS Minion DHF MaxxTerra EXO+/Minion DHR II MaxxTerra EXO+ 2,5″/2,4″Technical DataSize S M L XL XXLSpecific FeaturesStorage compartmentFlip ChipTool Mount
All spec variants of the 2024 YT JEFFSY
As already mentioned, the new 2024 YT JEFFSY is available in both aluminium and carbon versions, and in many different colours. Alongside the CORE 5 CF spec variant we tested, there are four more affordable models to choose from, whereby YT don’t offer a top-spec variant of the alloy version. Both alloy models as well as the CORE 3 CF carbon entry-level model rely on a cable-operated drivetrain and more basic forks, which employ a lower-tier yet easily adjustable damper. The CORE 4 CF variant just below the flagship model comes equipped with a new, electronic SRAM GX Transmission drivetrain and top-tier RockShox suspension consisting of a Lyrik Ultimate fork and matching Super Deluxe Ultimate air shock. The fork’s easily tuneable, high-quality Charger 2 damper offers countless adjustment options and delivers a tremendous performance on the trail, sitting at the same level as FOX’s Factory suspension. Excluding the € 5,999 flagship model, prices for the new 2024 JEFFSY range between € 2,499 and € 4,999 and we wouldn’t be surprised if YT released a special Uncaged edition in the near future.

The geometry of the new 2024 YT JEFFSY
The YT JEFFSY 2024 is available in 5 sizes, S to XXL. However, with a rather conservative 475 mm reach in size L, YT’s sizing is on the small side. At 435 mm, seat tube length is average, and the geometry can be changed via a flip chip in the shock mount. Needless to say, we rode the bike primarily in the low setting, which is also the one we liked best. In the high setting, both the head and seat tube angle steepen up by 0.6°, while the bottom bracket lifts by 8 mm. Chainstay length is 437 mm in frame sizes S to L, and grows by 5 mm in frame sizes XL and XXL, which is meant to ensure consistent handling across all sizes.

Size
S
M
L
XL
XXL

Top tube
578mm
593 mm
609 mm
627 mm
645 mm

Seat tube
385 mm
410 mm
435 mm
460 mm
485 mm

Head tube
100 mm
108 mm
116 mm
124 mm
132 mm

Head angle
65°
65°
65°
65°
65°

Seat angle
77.2°
77.2°
77.2°
77.2°
77.2°

Chainstay
437 mm
437 mm
437 mm
442 mm
442 mm

BB Drop
33 mm
33 mm
33 mm
33 mm
33 mm

Wheelbase
1,191 mm
1,214 mm
1,238 mm
1,266 mm
1,289 mm

Reach
435 mm
455 mm
475 mm
495 mm
515 mm

Stack
613 mm
620 mm
627 mm
634 mm
642 mm

Helmet Smith Session MIPS | Glasses Coast Optics Nita | Jacket Velocio Recon Vest |Jersey Velocio Delta Trail Longsleeve | Pants Velocio Trail Access Pant | Shoes Crankbrothers Mallet Speedlace

The new 2024 YT JEFFSY CORE 5 CF on the trail
As soon as you swing your leg over the saddle, the 2024 YT JEFFSY CORE 5 CF places you in a compact pedalling position without putting too much pressure on your hands, thus allowing you to cover even longer distances without getting too tired. When you start climbing, the rear suspension generates good traction and only bobs slightly, making it easy to reach the trailhead even without activating the climb switch. As a result, the JEFFSY is an excellent companion for epic days in the saddle with plenty of elevation gain. When negotiating steeper climbs, the front end stays on track without the need to weight the front wheel.

When you drop into a trail to shred your way back down into the valley, the YT JEFFSY integrates you nicely between its wheels, making you feel at ease from the get-go. Handling is pleasantly intuitive, making the JEFFSY easy to ride for beginners while at the same time allowing seasoned trail veterans to safely make their way back to the car park on a technical trail, even after a long day in the saddle. The high front end inspires huge amounts of confidence and prevents unpleasant OTB moments on steep trail sections, though without forcing you to actively weight the front wheel in open corners. Overall, the 2024 JEFFSY feels at home on flowing, curvy trails, where the agile handling and poppy suspension allow you to flick the bike from one berm into the next, and generate speed by pumping through rollers with a massive grin on your face! At the same time, the sensitive suspension offers enough reserves to bail you out of botched landings. The JEFFSY doesn’t shy away from rowdy enduro trails either, taking on even nasty rock gardens with a big pair of cahoonas. That said, rough, technical trails require an active, vigilant riding style and good skills.

Who should take a closer look at the 2024 YT JEFFSY?
First and foremost, the YT JEFFSY CORE 5 CF delivers a ridiculous amount of fun, especially on flowing trails with rollers and berms, where the lively yet intuitive handling encourages you to carve through corners at MACH10, whether you’re a beginner or seasoned trail warrior. However, the JEFFSY doesn’t shy away from technical singletracks either, proving to be the excellent all-rounder that it claims to be, while the central, comfortable pedalling position also makes it an excellent companion for epic backcountry adventures. If you’re looking for a versatile, fun trail bike with a top spec and excellent price-performance ratio, the JEFFSY might be exactly what you’re looking for.

Our conclusions about the 2024 YT JEFFSY CORE 5 CF
While YT didn’t reinvent the wheel with the new 2024 YT JEFFSY, they deliver a sensible reiteration of a true classic, with modern details like the storage compartment and tool strap on the top tube. The latest descendant of the JEFFSY dynasty convinces with an excellent price:performance ratio and top spec – except for the short-travel dropper post. The intuitive handling makes it a great option for both beginners and experienced riders, who will particularly enjoy its tremendous fun factor. Overall, the 2024 YT JEFFSY CORE 5 CF is an outstanding all-rounder that manages to successfully combine touring capabilities and trail performance.
TopsIntuitive handling suits both beginners and advanced ridersFunctional frame details Top spec at a very fair priceFlopsNo top-spec alloy variantCables aren’t clamped properly
For more info, visit yt-industries.com

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Words: Mike Hunger Photos: Peter Walker Translation: Eric