Back Issue | Group test: Six fast Cross Country Trail Bikes reviewed
Your pulse is racing, your pupils dilated, your thighs burning…but giving up is not an option. Just for once don’t think about anything, forget the daily grind, and give yourself over to now — that is the only thing that counts.
This Article is the Main Article of a Group test. Bikes in this Group test: Canyon Lux 9.9 SL | Ghost AMT Lector 2990 | GT Helion CRB Team | Rose Thrill Hill 3 | Scott Spark 900 RC | Specialized Epic FSR Elite
That trail fun isn’t dependent on the amount of suspension travel was proven by these six current XC bikes once and for all. Climb aboard and you’ll give yourself up to the speed rush within a few meters. These bikes generate pure momentum from every single watt you invest. Yet you don’t need to be scared of demanding trail descents, as they have a huge range of potential. If you need proof, just check out the spectacular videos of the Cross Country World Cup, where stars like Nino Schurter & company master rock gardens that could easily be part of a downhill course.
No other category of bike will let you make better use of the short after-work ride as a XC race bike. Get aboard and put your foot down! The reward — instant happy hormones and a satisfied smile when you hit the hay. This is the showpiece discipline of these bikes.
„“How awesome is that?” is the first comment of test rider Benny as we accelerate up the first climb of our test course. Every pedal revolution of the light bikes is transformed into acceleration; riding is like sitting on top of a cannonball. We sprint up the climb, elbow against elbow. Our test region is the Pfalz and the mountains around Landau, the perfect place to sound out the bikes. The terrain changes constantly, and climbs and descents are equally demanding. Together with XC rider and AMG Rotwild Team racer Nadine Rieder, we evaluate each test impression to reach a considered test result.
The maxim is simple: highest performance and lowest weight. An efficient suspension system should generate forward momentum for climbs and offer confidence for descents. Thus it’s no surprise that the the test group uses the latest and best tech. Ghost relies on the electronic E:i Shock System, Specialized on their in-house-developed BRAIN valve, and Scott on the proven Twinloc technology. Canyon and GT have equipped their bikes with CTD remote levers, allowing the suspension to be adjusted on the fly. Only Rose chooses to do without additional handlebar levers and in-house engineering solutions. A mistake? Not at all! The Rose Thrill Hill has no need to hide from the competition.
With an average of 100 mm travel and both 27.5” and 29” wheels, the bikes show that they are able to withstand serious abuse. We thrash up and down the Pfälzer forest trails at impressive speeds. The ride-flow isn’t dependent on the trail gradient, and fun is pretty much permanently guaranteed.
As subtle changes often have a big effect on performance (and we were looking not for the fastest bike but the most balanced one), we explicitly allowed the manufacturers to optimise the contact points of their bikes to improve their downhill performance. That doesn’t mean that the standard specs don’t already function exceptionally well, just that for us the overriding aim is simple: trail fun. And it can easily be noticeably increased with simple upgrades!
Scott showed their good instincts and created a very coherent overall package: a shorter, wider cockpit, a dropper post, and a more aggressive front tyre fitted to their Spark 900 RC race bike gave it a proper portion of downhill performance whilst maintaining the already superb climbing. But the Specialized Epic FSR Elite and Rose Thrill Hill 3 also won us over with perfectly balanced handling on both climbs and descents.
The coveted ENDURO test winner was, however, awarded to the € 5,499 GT Helion CRB Team. It was able to combine exceptional power delivery with agile handling and balanced suspension like no other bike in the group test. Even without reaching for the
CTD lever, the AOS Suspension System remained extremely neutral to drivetrain influence, and the bike could be willingly accelerated out of corners. The rider can stay focused on the trail and thus win valuable seconds over the competition.
The ENDURO best buy is given to the Canyon Lux CF 9.9 SL. At € 4,499, the Koblenz direct brand doesn’t just offer great handling and a chic design, but above all clever engineering solutions for a guarantee of long-term fun.
This Article is the Main Article of a Group test. Bikes in this Group test: Canyon Lux 9.9 SL | Ghost AMT Lector 2990 | GT Helion CRB Team | Rose Thrill Hill 3 | Scott Spark 900 RC | Specialized Epic FSR Elite