ENDURO 2015 long term test | First Look: Rotwild E1 FS 27.5
12.02.2015
by
The newest member of our long term test fleet is no unwritten book, after all it was a winner in the Design & Innovation Award 2015 at the beginning of the year. The Rotwild E1 FS 27.5 stands out not just with its elegant looks but also with top quality frame and a parts kit that leaves little scope for upgrading. You can read how the bike fared on its first climbs and descents as well as our initial impressions in this First-Look article.
The Rotwild E1 FS 27.5 – ADP-Engineering, the engineering and design company behind Rotwild utilizes a four-bar pivot suspension system for the E1 with 165mm rear travel combined with a 170mm fork.The Rotwild won’t be spared in the 2015 long term test and needs to show how it really performs
“My R.E1 Enduro is exactly the bike that I can do everything with. Pedal up and burn down again on the roughest trails of British Columbia or the more moderate terrain of Laguna Beach” you can find this quote from Richie Schley on Rotwild’s website
And that’s just how we’ve perceived the Rotwild until now. The Rotwild shines with its balanced and predictable handling.
The elaborately engineered frame of the Rotwild E1 is conspicuous in it’s attention to detail and elegant looks. The colour design is coherent and simple.The Fox 36 Float Kashima RC2 FIT fork doesn’t offer adjustable travel but we never missed having it. Even on steep climbs the front wheel stays well planted on the ground. Not a given on a fork with 170mm travel – enough for bold moves.The Fox Float X Factory Kashima shock provides the Rotwild with 165mm rear travel – and plenty of reserves for the rough downhill trails.Shimanos XT fin pad brakes are powerful yet have great modulation with 180mm rear and 203mm front rotors.The elegant cockpit is made up of a Crankbrothers Iodine 1 stem and Cobalt 2 780mm bars the perfect width for the overall appearance. The low rise of the bars gives a flat front end.For adjusting saddle height the bike is fitted with a Kind Shock LEV Integra with bar remote and 150mm adjustment. Until now a reliable choice even if we need to give the saddle a little tug up after dropping it for downhills.In standard spec the Rotwild is fitted with a single 32 tooth chainring. Thanks to a lightweight ISCG-05 chain guide we haven’t managed to drop the chain yet. You can also see the internal cable routing for the dropper post.With an 11 speed SRAM X0-1 drivetrain shifting pleasure is guaranteed!
The Rotwild E1 descends as if on rails with the 27.5” DT Swiss E1700 Spline wheels.Nicely done: not just the frame protector but the whole cable routing is elegantly executed.One point of criticism remains: to remove the front wheel you need to release 5 bolts in total. The front axle spacer is also a pain as when the wheel is removed it slips and needs carefully repositioning before the thru axle can be re-inserted.
“I’m planning to really get going in 2015 with the Rotwild E1 FS 27.5. I want to spend as much time in the saddle as possible: on my Stuttgart home trails, on epic Alpine rides and also at the bike parks. I like big rides without lift assistance so I have the warm feeling from having earned all my descents the hard way” says long term tester Klaus.
The Rotwild won’t be spared in the 2015 long term test and needs to show whether it can perform.The E1 climbs really well. So far the Continental Trail King tyres have completely won me over – up and downhill.
Planned Changes
Whilst the low front end allows plenty of weight over the front on descents it feels a bit too stretched for me. So I think I’ll chance fitting a bar with a bit more rise than the standard issue 780mm wide Crankbrothers Cobalt 2.
I can’t wait for the next months aboard the bike and will keep you up-to date with reviews along the way. Take a look at the long term test timeline where we’ll post and update you about the whole fleet. A comprehensive test report on the Rotwild will follow.
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