From mud and slop-fests in Scotland to never-ending Alpine descents via some beastly jumps on home trails, our long-term test bikes haven’t had it easy! They’ve stockpiled a ton of kilometres and even more vertical metres on some gnarly trails and lung-burningly tough races. Now that the new season has crept up on us, it’s time for the testers to slam down the lawful fist of justice on these bikes and reveal how their test bike fared, and whether it’s convinced them of its value.

Philipp’s Radon Slide Carbon 27.5 9.0

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It’s been virtually a year since the Radon Slide Carbon 27.5 9.0 joined me for a handful of adventures. Like all relationships, there have been ups and downs, but that’s what keeps you coming back for more. I picked up the bike personally from Radon Bikes in Bonn, and I remember how blown away I was by its lively nature even as I just rode around the car park.
We’ve been through a lot this year: visits to Åre bike park in Sweden, Hafjell bike park in Norway, the Enduro World Series in Finale Ligure, and time on my home trails in Deister. The bike has suffered a fair amount during the last eleven months, and the snapped derailleur and scratches are testament to this.

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As the Radon has a carbon frame (it’s light) and a comfortable riding position, the Slide is happy to grind its way up climbs. When the gradient has made me stand up and pedal hard, then I reach for the adjuster on the RockShox Monarch rear shock to switch on the platform damping and stop any bobbing.

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The short head tube initially put the front too low for me, so I grabbed some bars with more rise to balance it out. Overall, I was really impressed with the robust and reliable spec. The Mavic Crossmax SL wheels got through every exploit unscathed, and only had to be re-trued on one occasion. Unfortunately, the SRAM Guide RS brakes lacked a bit of necessary braking power on long descents. With more modest geometry, the Slide is a great all-rounder, predestined for flow trails and a little out of its depth on really gnarly descents. A slacker head angle would be useful here.
After a year, all of the pivots and bush bearings are intact and show no signs of play. The scratches on the paintjob are the only indication as to what the Slide Carbon has been through this year.

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Price: € 3,599
Weight: 12.2 kg
Travel: 160/160 mm
More info: Radon Website
Kms ridden: 1.500 km
Downhill metres: 40.000 m
Issues: none

Would I buy the Radon Slide Carbon 27.5 9.0?

Right now, the Radon Slide Carbon and I are on different pages. The all-round talent has been on my wishlist for years, and after this season I’m fully aware that it deserved to be there. However, I’ve developed a lot as a rider and have realized I’d like a bike with more aggressive geometry and more reserve for technical terrain, so I think this is the end of the road for us.

Read more about the bike in Phil’s Radon Slide Carbon 27.5 9.0 review. To see the original condition of the bike, check out the First Look.

If you want to follow our long-term test crew, check the long-term test timeline


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Words & Photos: Philipp Gerken