“When will you review the Propain Spindrift?” You’ve been asking for some time and finally, the time has come! Rest assured: this bike did not disappoint on the trail.
Here you’ll find an overview of the best budget enduro bike 2019 in test
Wouldn’t it be great if you could select all of the components on your new bike yourself? Propain make it possible with their online configurator. You have a choice of three preconfigured builds that you can customise entirely to your own preferences. Propain even offer a choice of different shock tunes to suit the rider’s weight or your particular requirements – awesome! We went for the Performance model but downgraded the X01 Eagle to a GX Eagle drivetrain to lower the price a bit. Our € 3,185 test bike left nothing to be desired with regards to the spec: RockShox Lyrik RC2 fork, SRAM CODE RSC brakes, a BikeYoke REVIVE dropper and Stan’s Flow MK3 wheels – only the finest components would do here. As you’d expect, the Spindrift features Propain’s Pro10 linkage which positions the shock behind the seat tube and offers a full 180 mm travel. Our only points of criticism are the thin-walled SnakeSkin casing Schwalbe Magic Mary tires – they bring the bike’s total weight down to 15.4 kg, despite having a coil shock, but they’re far too flimsy.
The Propain Spindrift is a true bike park play bike that you can also do a little trail riding on.
The Propain Spindrift Performance in detail
Fork RockShox Lyrik RC2 180 mm
Shock RockShox Super Deluxe Coil RCT 180 mm
Brakes SRAM Code RSC 200/200 mm
Drivetrain SRAM GX Eagle
Seatpost BikeYoke Revive 160 mm
Stem Sixpack Leader 50 mm
Handlebar Sixpack Millenium 785 mm
Wheels Propain ZTR Flow MK3
Tires Schwalbe Magic Mary Evo SS 2.35″
The bearings on the Propain Spindrift are covered by an extra seal to protect them from dirt and water, giving you more time riding and less time in the workshop.
Currently, Propain only offer the Spindrift with thin-walled Schwalbe SnakeSkin tires. We recommend converting to MAXXIS Doubledown or Schwalbe Super Gravity models.
We downgraded the X01 Eagle o a GX Eagle drivetrain to save money.
The rear suspension of the Spindrift is a real powerhouse! Not only does it offer a massive 180 mm travel, but it also makes extremely effective use of it. We preferred the coil shock in the bike park. On the other hand, with the air shock the Spindrift is slightly easier to get up the climbs.
With the saddle mounted in the middle, the pedalling position is somewhat tail-heavy. We recommend pushing the saddle as far forward as possible.
| Size | S | M | L | XL |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Seat tube | 420 mm | 440 mm | 460 mm | 480 mm |
| Top tube | 579 mm | 603 mm | 623 mm | 640 mm |
| Head tube | 110 mm | 120 mm | 120 mm | 130 mm |
| Head angle | 64.5° | 64.5° | 64.5° | 64.5° |
| Seat angle | 75.5° | 75.5° | 75.5° | 75.5° |
| Chainstays | 445 mm | 445 mm | 445 mm | 445 mm |
| BB Drop | 3 mm | 3 mm | 3 mm | 3 mm |
| Wheelbase | 1,202 mm | 1,227 mm | 1,277 mm | 1,270 mm |
| Reach | 425 mm | 445 mm | 465 mm | 485 mm |
| Stack | 602 mm | 611 mm | 611 mm | 627 mm |
The Propain Spindrift Performance in review
Before taking the Propain Spindrift out on the trails, you’ll have to set up the suspension and push the saddle as far forward as it’ll go on the dropper post. Do that, and you’ll sit with your weight centrally on the bike, allowing you to pedal up steep climbs without the front wheel lifting. We recommended reaching for the climb switch as otherwise the rear suspension bobs heavily under rider input. The Propain will get you to the top of any trailhead, but you shouldn’t be in a hurry. Going downhill, the rear linkage is the Spindrift’s highlight. We tried the three different shock options available and found the coil shock to be the best. The rear end responds very sensitively, providing good support through compressions and the travel feels bottomless.
Even on the hardest hits and massive huck-to-flat hooliganism, you always feel like the suspension could have dealt with even more. As the rider, you’re positioned centrally on the bike, but the long chainstays put a lot of weight on the front. Active riders will need some time to get used to this position. This is particularly problematic in steep, rough terrain as the weight distribution of the Spindrift is quite front heavy, meaning it loses stability and feels less composed. On the other hand, less experienced riders will find this bike very easy to have fun on, with the weight distribution making cornering a lot easier too.
The two biggest highlights of the Spindrift are its rear suspension and the online configurator!
Conclusion
With its phenomenal suspension, the Propain Spindrift is a bike that provides seemingly endless reserves and tames even the roughest of trails. It climbs well enough and it handles very predictably on the descents. However, active riders will want a little more freedom of movement and more agile handling.
Tops
- terrific rear suspension with endless reserves
- predictable handling
- very good value for money
- a lot of options with the online configurator
Flops
- thin-walled and fragile tires
- not very composed
- compact front triangle compared to the rear
For more info head to: propain-bikes.com
The test field
Here you’ll find an overview of the best budget enduro bike 2019 in test
All the bikes in test: Canyon Strive CF 5.0 | FOCUS SAM 8.9 | RADON Swoop 9.0 | SCOTT Ransom 920 | Specialized Stumpjumper EVO Comp Alloy 29 | Trek Slash 8 | YT Capra 29 AL Comp
This article is from ENDURO issue #039
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