Until recently, the Spindrift was Propain’s best-selling bike. This could be the case again soon with the new edition. For 2021, the Spindrift offers 180 mm travel, is available with either a carbon or an and aluminium frame and you can choose between 27.5″, 29″ or mixed wheel size configurations. It didn’t take long for this bike to win us over. Read on to find out why.

2021 Propain Spindrift CF | 180–190/180 mm travel (f/r) | 29″, 27.5″ or mixed wheels | Price from € 3,199 | Manufacturer’s website

The new 2021 Propain Spindrift in detail

“Freeride ain’t dead” is the slogan with which Propain advertise the brand new Sprindrift. But the bike is capable of so much more than the bikes from the past. The new Spindrift is a real jack of all trades. Visually, it looks very similar to the TYEE presented last year, which we’ve reviewed previously and awarded the Best Buy. The shock is now located in the front triangle, but Propain continue to rely on their so-called PRO10 virtual pivot point suspension system. This has been revised for the Spindrift, giving it significantly more anti-squat than its predecessor to allow it to climb more efficiently. The leverage ratio has been designed in such a way that the bike works with both coil and air shocks. The bike offers 180 mm travel at the rear, which you can combine with either a 180 mm or even 190 mm travel fork. The latter is exclusively available with the RockShox ZEB Ultimate – which we’ve reviewed here. Depending on the frame size, you can also order the bike with either 27.5″, 29″ or mixed wheel sizes. However, it’s not easy to switch between wheel sizes once you’ve made your choice. You can now also choose between carbon and aluminium for the frame of the new Spindrift. As usual, the extensive online configurator allows you pick the components to suit your preferences and budget – brilliant!

Is that a TYEE? The new Spindrift looks very similar to Propain’s popular enduro model.
But it offers a full 180 mm travel at the rear
and up to 190 mm at the front (with the RockShox ZEB Ultimate).
You can now choose between carbon and aluminium for the frame of the new Spindrift

The key features of the new Propain Spindrift at a glance

  • Carbon and aluminium frames
  • three wheel size configurations: 27.5″, 29″ and mixed
  • shock fitted in the front triangle – like the Tyee
  • longer reach and steeper seat tube angle
  • dual-sealed bearings (PROPAIN Dirt-Shields)
  • room for a bottle cage
  • internally routed cables
  • revised cable routing at the rear end
  • SRAM UDH derailleur hanger
  • three colour options for every frame material
  • build configuration is completely customisable
  • Complete bike weight: carbon approximately 15.1 kg (high-end, coil)/aluminium 16.0 kg (high-end/coil)
  • Frame weight: 3.0 kg carbon, 3.9 kg aluminium frame
  • Price from € 3,199 (carbon) or € 2,599 (alloy)
Sexy beast! The new Spindrift is very pleasing to the eye

Propain describe themselves as a brand run by riders for riders. They build bikes that they want to ride themselves and they take their customers’ feedback seriously when they develop a new bike. Common points of criticism on the current TYEE enduro bike are the cable routing under the bottom bracket and the overly hard chainstay protector. Both aspects have been improved on the Spindrift. Instead of being routed under the bottom bracket, the cables are now neatly routed along the side of the frame. The chainstay protector should also be softer and dampen the chain better.

The chainstay protector should be much softer compared to the TYEE and dampen the chain more effectively. On our test bike, there was still the need to add some extra slapper tape to quieten it down.
Compared to the TYEE, Propain have significantly improved the cable routing of the new Spindrift.
The cables are now neatly and securely routed along the side of the frame instead of going under the bottom bracket.
The threaded bottom bracket can also be changed easily and simply by home mechanics.
For long-lasting riding pleasure, Propain rely on their so-called Dirt Shield on the bearings, which are supposed to keep out dirt and moisture.

One bike, three wheel size configurations – how do Propain do it?

As one of the very first brands, Propain offer the new Spindrift with three wheel size configurations. The small 27.5″ wheels are available on sizes S–L, while the mixed and 29er configurations are available on frame sizes M–XL. Instead of relying on a flip-chip, Propain use a different rear end for each wheel size. For the mullet setup, they combine the 29er front triangle with the 27.5″ rear end. The angles and the bottom bracket are adjusted by lowering the axle of the rear wheel. This means that you can’t just switch between 29″ and 27.5″ on the rear triangle: you have to choose one or the other when placing your order and stick with it.

As one of the first brands on the market, Propain offer the Spindrift with 27.5″, 29″ or mixed wheel sizes. But you have to decide on an option when placing your order.

For smaller riders, the size S the Spindrift is exclusively available with 27.5″ wheels, which, as we can confirm after testing the SCOTT Ransom Contessa, is a good thing. At the same time, there’s no option for a pure 27.5″ wheel setup of the size XL Spindrift, which we find just as sensible. You can choose either 29″ wheels or a mixed setup with a smaller wheel on the rear. In sizes M and L, you can choose from all three variants.

The geometries of the various Spindrift frames

As already mentioned, Propain offer the new Spindrift in four sizes from S to XL. If you look at the various geometry data, you can see that apart from the chainstay length and the bottom bracket drop, there are hardly any differences between the mixed and 29er options. The geometry of the Spindrift is up to date and balanced. The reach in size L is a moderate 475 mm and the 445 mm chainstay length is rather long (29″). The head angle is a slack 64.5° (180 mm travel fork) but not extreme and the seat tube angle is pleasantly steep at 78°. At first glance, the 23 mm bottom bracket drop doesn’t seem like much, but you have to take into account the considerable amount of sag you get on such a long travel bike. If there is anything to criticize, it is the still relatively long seat tubes which unnecessarily limit the length of the dropper post and may make it difficult for riders to choose the larger frame size if they prefer having a longer reach. Otherwise, the figures of the Spindrift seem to be well balanced and coherent.

The geometry of the Spindrift with 27.5″ wheels

Size S M L
Seat tube 420 mm 440 mm 460 mm
Top tube 554 mm 581 mm 608 mm
Head tube 100 mm 110 mm 120 mm
Head angle 64.5° 64.5° 64.5°
Seat angle 78° 78° 78°
Chainstay 435 mm 435 mm 435 mm
BB Drop 10 mm 10 mm 10 mm
Wheelbase 1187 mm 1216 mm 1246 mm
Reach 425 mm 450 mm 475 mm
Stack 608 mm 617 mm 626 mm

The geometry of the 29er model with reference to the differences on the mullet setup

Size M L XL
Seat tube 440 mm 460 mm 480 mm
Top tube 584 mm 612 mm 640 mm
Head tube 95 mm 110 mm 125 mm
Head angle 64.5° 64.5° 64.5°
Seat angle 78° 78° 78°
Chainstay 445 mm (435 mm Mixed) 445 mm (435 mm Mixed) 445 mm (435 mm Mixed)
BB Drop 23 mm (R: 10 mm, F: 23 mm) 23 mm (R: 10 mm, F: 23 mm) 23 mm (R: 10 mm, F: 23 mm)
Wheelbase 1234 mm 1265 mm 1297 mm
Reach 450 mm 475 mm 500 mm
Stack 633 mm 646 mm 660 mm
At a height of 180 cm, we rode the Spindrift in size L, which fitted perfectly! On a side note: the L sticker is under the clear coat and isn’t removable. Too bad!

Lots of choice at a fair price – the components of the Propain Spindrift

Pretty much every Propain you’ll find in this world is unique. The reason for this is the online configurator which not only allows you to choose the components of the bike but also to customise the paintwork and decals. This is also the case with the new Spindrift. Propain offer the bike in both aluminium and carbon versions, each of which comes in three pre-configured options which you can then adapt to suit your preferences. If you want, you can also configure the build from the ground up. However, there’s bad news if you’re a fan of Japanese components. Propain currently don’t offer Shimano brakes or drivetrains. Among other things, the reason for this is the excessive logistical complexity it would add to their already considerable warehouse management. Propain only use forks with 38 mm stanchions for the Spindrift while they offer a maximum stanchion thickness of 36 mm for the TYEE. When it comes to shifting, Propain rely on SRAM’s 52 t products from the GX range and up. NX and SX don’t offer the performance they’re looking for. For the brakes, you can choose between SRAM and Magura models. You also have a large selection of wheels to upgrade the bike if your budget allows or save a few euros if you have to.

and up to 190 mm at the front (with the RockShox ZEB Ultimate).
According to Propain, the rear end of the Spindrift works equally well with air and coil shocks. We rode it with the FOX DHX2, but more on that in a moment.
For the cockpit, you have a choice of different stem lengths. We recommend a length of 45 mm. Going any shorter comes at the cost of grip and control on the front wheel.
The head badge can also be customised in the configurator; chrome, glossy black and matt black options are available.
The frame has mounts for a chain guide and we recommend ticking that box in the configurator.
The plan was to only offer the bike with Schwalbe’s Super-Trail and Vee-Tire rubber. According to our feedback, the Schwalbe Super Gravity casing may also be included in the configurator. It’s the best choice for very aggressive riders.

The three pre-configured builds at a glance:

Start Build

Fork RockShox ZEB R 180 mm
Rear shock RockShox Select R Coil 180 mm
Brakes SRAM G2 R 200 mm
Drivetrain SRAM GX Eagle
Seatpost PROPAIN
Stem SIXPACK Vertic 35
Bars SIXPACK Millenium 805
Wheels PROPAIN ZTR Flow S1
Tires Schwalbe Magic Mary

Performance Build

Fork RockShox ZEB Ultimate 190 mm
Rear shock RockShox Super Deluxe Ultimate RCT Coil 180 mm
Brakes SRAM Code RSC 200 mm
Drivetrain SRAM X01 Eagle
Seatpost Bikeyoke Revive
Stem SIXPACK Vertic 35
Bars SIXPACK Millenium 805
Wheels Stans FLOW EX3
Tires Vee Flow SNAP Trail

Highend Build

Fork FOX 38 Factory 180 mm
Rear shock FOX DHX2 Factory 180 mm
Brakes Magura MT7 203 mm
Drivetrain SRAM X01 Eagle AXS
Seatpost FOX Transfer Factory
Stem SIXPACK Millenium 35
Bars SIXPACK Millenium Carbon 805
Wheels Crankbrothers Synthesis Enduro Carbon i9
Tires Schwalbe Magic Mary

Amazingly relaxed and efficient – the new Propain Spindrift on the climbs

On a 180 mm travel bike, climbing capabilities are more of an option than an obligation. Nobody expects a bike like this to climb well, but if you’re able to reach the top of the trailhead without being completely exhausted, that’s a welcome bonus. The Spindrift is an excellent climber. Sure, it can’t keep up with a lightweight trail bike, but thanks to its central riding position and efficient suspension, it doesn’t have to shy away from long climbs. Even with the coil shock installed, we never had to close the compression lever on the shock. Despite its long travel, the front wheel stays planted and you don’t get the impression of pedalling the bike from behind. Perfect.

The Spindrift is a joy on the climbs, thanks to the balanced riding position and the efficient suspension, it feels surprisingly light-footed.

Fast, fun, balanced – the Propain Spindrift on the descents

To see what the Propain Spindrift is capable of, we spent two days in the Serfaus Fiss Ladis bike park and put the bike through the wringer on shaped jump lines, downhill tracks and a selection of natural trails. Thanks to the speedy gondola, we were able to complete countless runs and get a good first impression of the bike.

We tested the Spindrift for two days in the Serfaus Fiss Ladis bike park. With a wide variety of trails covering 420 meters of altitude, we were able to get a good overall impression of the bike.
Before we set off, we adjusted the bike to suit our preferences.
We also shortened the 805 mm wide handlebar to 770 mm. A tuning tip we can recommend for everyone!

“Get on and go!” is the motto of the new Spindrift. At a height of 180 cm, the size L bike fitted like a glove. Thanks to the rather long chainstays on the 29er model and the moderate reach, you’re positioned in the centre of the bike, always generating an equal amount of grip on both wheels. The balance and therefore the grip felt spot-on as soon as we hit the first berms – excellent! Even on open and flat sections, you don’t have to shift your weight much and the Spindrift makes it easy to carry your speed out of the corners.

Grip whenever you need it! The Spindrift is balanced and easy to corner.

Perfectly balanced and super predictable – the Spindrift is a pleasure through corners!

On open root sections, the bike offers a lot of traction thanks to the sensitive suspension…
… and it carries a lot of speed out of corners!
Setting up is quick and easy, during the test we only adjusted the rebound a little and changed the coil once.

With its 180 mm travel, the Spindrift offers enormous reserves and plenty of progression if you ride hard. According to Robert Krauss, the fast riding CEO of Propain, you can easily ride the bike with a little over 30% SAG, which we tried, switching from a 500 to a 450-pound coil spring between runs. Despite the increased sag, the bike doesn’t wallow and still offers a lot of support, allowing you to play with the terrain. It is just as easy to aim for the Highline as it is to get the bike airborne. We didn’t ride the bike with different shocks and found the DHX2 to be a great choice. If you don’t mind the extra weight, it’s guaranteed to offer the better downhill performance, as is the case with the TYEE – and that’s what a 180 mm travel bike is all about, right?

Roost, we need more roost!
Lean back and stay off the brakes! The Spindrift has tons of reserves if you really want to let it rip.
The bike park is littered with roots of all sizes, big and small.
The rear suspension is very progressive and we never had a problem with bottoming out harshly!

The Spindrift strikes an excellent balance between agility and composure. Despite the long travel suspension, it only releases as much as you really need. As such, you’ll still be able to generate speed by pumping the bike through dips and berms. The rear end does a great job of absorbing fast, hard impacts, but with several large obstacles in succession, you will notice that it doesn’t move out of the way as effectively as other bikes in its class. This could possibly be due to the high anti-squat value. On steep sections, you feel securely integrated with the bike and always in control.

At high speed, the Spindrift stays on course
Pump, pump, pump, the Spindrift allows you to carry your momentum well.
However, the rear end occasionally gets hung up on obstacles, which slows you down.

TYEE or Spindrift? Which is right for you?

Two bikes, two amazing locations. The Spindrift …
… and the TYEE differ noticeably in their character. Which one should you choose?

The new Spindrift and the proven TYEE not only look very similar, they’re also likely to appeal to a similar clientele. We didn’t compare the bikes head to head, but we have a lot of experience with the TYEE and also got a good general impression of the Spindrift. Riders who can only afford owning one bike, like riding long loops and whose home trails tend to be flatter are better advised to go with the TYEE. It has more pop and is livelier. However, if you’re out and about in the bikepark every weekend, like using a shuttle and going all out on the descents, you’re better off resorting to the Spindrift. However, for flat home trails, we recommend buying yourself a lively trail bike as you’ll find in this group test.

The Spindrift is a lot of fun on alpine trails too. However, it demands a gradient. If you spend most of your time riding on flat terrain and enjoy riding long loops, you’ll be better off with the TYEE.

27.5″, 29″ or mixed wheels? So many choices!

We would have liked to give you our impression of all three options. Unfortunately, the Spindrift wasn’t available in the mullet configuration at the time of our test. Generally speaking, we’re certain that shorter riders are better off with 27.5″ wheels on such a long travel bike. We found the Spindrift to be super balanced and pleasantly agile with 29″ wheels. The mullet bike is likely an exciting option for riders who want an even more agile bike and especially want to let rip through corners. However, due to the shorter rear end, this setup may require a more active riding style. The 29er is a good choice for those who are looking for the best all-rounder for long rides.

29er or mullet bike? We can’t give a definitive answer at the moment, but a test bike is already on its way.

What else did we notice when testing the Spindrift?

Besides the handling, there are other factors that have an influence on the amount of fun you’ll have on the bike in the short- and long-term. There were two things we noticed on the Spindrift during our test. The cables rattled audibly on our test bike. Despite special sleeves in the frame, we couldn’t get the bike quiet. Some of the bikes at the test camp were quiet, but there is no guarantee. Propain are aware of the problem and are working on making clamps to secure the cables at the inlet.

Unfortunately, the cables on our test bike rattled loudly in the frame. We tried using tape to quieten the cables, but to no avail. Propain are aware of the problem and hope to solve it with clamps at the inlets.
The spokes on the Newmen rear wheel came loose during our test. They seem to have forgotten the Loctite on the nipples. But we have to say: we’ve only had good experiences with Newmen wheels so far on other bikes.

Another problem we encountered during our test was with the Newmen wheels. They obviously forgot the Locktite on the nipples, which meant that the spokes on the rear wheel kept coming loose. This must have been a faulty batch because generally, the Newmen wheels have always proven to be robust and durable.

Helmet: Giro Tyrant | Smith Wildcat glasses | Jersey Fasthouse /Specialized Atlas Pro | Shorts and pants ION SCRUB| Shoes Ride Concept Transition

When will the new Spindrift be available?

The new Spindrift Carbon is available to order immediately. The aluminium Spindrift will be available in the webshop from November. However, it will take a few more weeks before the bike finds its way to your door as Propain are currently unable to give a fixed delivery time.

Our conclusion on the new 2021 Propain Spindrift CF

The brand new Propain Spindrift CF is a top-class bike for everyone who wants to have maximum fun in the bike park or shuttling in Finale while still being able to pedal uphill if the occasion calls for it. The suspension is excellent and the handling is balanced. With three wheel configurations to choose from and the extensive online configurator, you’ll be sure to find a setup that suits you and your riding style.

Tops

  • very balanced and fun handling
  • capable rear suspension
  • three wheel size configurations to suit your preference
  • online configurator

Flops

  • rattling cables and loose spokes on our test bike
  • seat tube could be shorter
Check this bike out! The Spindrift is a brilliant bike for everyone who likes to let rip.

For more information, visit propain-bikes.com


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