Rizer Rival 2.0 27.5 hardtail review
The Rizer Rival 2.0 is a solid entry level hardtail, if you can live with a few odd component choices.
Lowdown: Rizer Rival 2.0 27.5
The appeal (or lack thereof) of the Rizer Rival 2.0 depends greatly on your budget and bike riding abilities. If you’re cash strapped and/or new to the sport, the $1200 price tag and simple design of this 27.5 alloy hardtail could make a great entrée into the world of mountain biking. But if you’re looking for a high performing machine with up-to-date componentry, this bike will likely leave you wanting more even at this price point. Get all the details in our full review below.
| Frame: 7005 Smart Alloy double butted | Fork: RockShox Recon 100mm with lockout |
| Shock: n/a | Wheels: Mavic Cross One Disc |
| Hubs: Mavic Cross One Disc | Tires: Continental RaceKing 27.5×2.2” |
| Brakes: Avid DB-3 hydraulic | Rotors: Avid 180mm front, 160mm rear |
| Shifters: Shimano SLX | Front derailleur: Shimano SLX Dyna-Sys |
| Rear derailleur: Shimano XT | Cable routing: External |
| Crankset: Shimano Deore 2x 38-26 | Cassette: Shimano 11-36 (10-speed) |
| Chain: KMC X10 10-speed | Bars: RZR Race 680mm |
| Stem: RZR 100mm | Seatpost: RZR Race 31.6mm |
| Saddle: RZR | Headtube angle: 69 degrees |
| Chainstay length: 430mm | Seat tube angle: 73 degrees |
| Weight: 27.6 pounds (size XL) | Price: $1200 |
Rating:  3 out of 5 |
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Review: Rizer Rival 2.0 27.5
Because you are probably asking yourself, who or what the heck is Rizer, it’s best to start with a little background before delving into the details of this bike. The medium length answer is that Rizer is the mountain bike brand managed by Swiss Cycle Group AG, a Luzern, Switzerland-based company founded in 2015. Currently, the small outfit consists of a product manager, designer, sales manager, and marketing manager. Their bikes are not currently available in the U.S., but they’re seeking a North American distributor with an eye on entering the North American market in 2017. That’s why the reached out to Mtbr for a product test.
Not exactly the most contemporary stem choice.
Rizer is also in the process of looking at factories in Cambodia, China, and Portugal. The XL-sized 27.5” bike tested here is essentially just a sample model. In 2017, the company says it will keep the 27.5 wheel size for small and medium size frames, but add a 29er option for large and XL. And that’s a good thing, because, in the U.S. market at least, 27.5” aluminum hardtails have fairly limited appeal unless they come with plus size tires. We’d also advise Rizer to outfit at least some of their bikes with dropper posts, something that’s absent in the current 2017 hardtail-only line-up, that also eschews boost spacing and plus-sized tires.
The welds around the rear brake are decidedly unrefined.
Spec: The Bad
The Rival 2.0’s alloy frame and mid-to-lower tier components net out at 27.6 pounds. And while light weight is not something you should necessarily expect at this price point, contemporary components are another story. The cockpit of this bike is simply behind the times. Bars are a super narrow 680mm, while the stem stretches 100mm. It’s a bygone style that’s also not particularly beginner friendly. We’d much rather see a 60mm-70mm stem and bars in the 720mm range.
Continue to page 2 for more of our review on the Rizer Rival 2.0 »
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