On paper, the RADON SWOOP 9.0 leaves nothing to be desired: brilliant suspension, high-end spec and an unbeatably low price. In the end, it only barely missed the top spot on the trail and it’s a very exciting option for a lot of riders.
Here you’ll find an overview of the best budget enduro bike 2019 in test
The RADON SWOOP 9.0 proves that you just can’t go wrong with a stealth black finish. Compared to the lower end SWOOP 8.0, which we’ve reviewed previously, the stealth black version looks quite a bit better. The spec also features high-quality SRAM CODE R brakes, a GX Eagle drivetrain and lighter DT Swiss E1700 wheels. The FOX 36 Performance Elite fork provides 170mm travel. Unfortunately, the frame itself seems rather makeshift. The area around the bottom bracket looks a bit untidy and is prone to collect dirt, while the 3 mm bolt used to mount the shock is quite small and we’d prefer hex bolts in place of the Phillips screws that hold the flip-chip in place. The flip-chip provides three different geometry positions to choose from. We liked the middle position best during testing.
With the RADON you get a lot of great components at a fair price – and it performs well too.
The RADON SWOOP 9.0 in detail
Fork FOX 36 FLOAT Performance Elite Grip2 170 mm
Shock FOX FLOAT DPX2 Performance Elite 170 mm
Brakes SRAM Code R 200/180
Drivetrain SRAM GX Eagle
Seatpost FOX Transfer 150 mm
Stem Race Face Turbine R 40 mm
Handlebar Race Face Turbine R 800 mm
Wheels DT Swiss E1700 Spline
Tires Schwalbe Magic Mary / Hans Dampf 2.35″
The FOX 36 Performance Elite has the same internals as the FOX Factory version, except for the golden Kashima coating. You’ll hardly notice the difference on the trail.
The long frame combined with the very wide handlebar requires a lot of power and input from the rider. We would cut the handlebar down from 800 to at least 780 mm. Fortunately, that won’t cost you anything.
With flip-chips, you often tend to leave them in the same setting, as we did on the RADON SWOOP 9.0. We only briefly used the slack position shown here at the beginning and left it in the middle setting for the remainder of the test.
The area around the bottom bracket of the RADON is as cluttered as a teenager’s room. Besides looking bad, it makes cleaning the bike that much more of a chore.
As you can see in the background, the chainstay protector is clearly too short. This makes for a loud chain.
| Size | M | L | XL |
|---|---|---|---|
| Seat tube | 435 mm | 455 mm | 475 mm |
| Top tube | 601 mm | 619 mm | 637 mm |
| Head tube | 110 mm | 120 mm | 130 mm |
| Head angle | 64.8-65.8° | 64.8-65.8° | 64.8-65.8° |
| Seat angle | 75.8-76.8° | 75.8-76.8° | 75.8-76.8° |
| Chainstays | 445 mm | 445 mm | 445 mm |
| BB Drop | 26 mm-39 mm | 26 mm-39 mm | 26 mm-39 mm |
| Wheelbase | 1,237 mm | 1,255 mm | 1,274 mm |
| Reach | 462 mm | 476 mm | 491 mm |
| Stack | 638 mm | 647 mm | 656 mm |
The RADON SWOOP 9.0 in review
Thanks to the steep seat tube angle and the long front triangle, the pedalling position is well centred without being too upright. The RADON is one of the few bikes on which we didn’t feel the need to push the saddle forward. Thanks to the lightweight Schwalbe tires and the total weight of 14.50 kg, the bike accelerates and climbs with ease considering the amount travel on offer – brilliant! However, we still recommend activating the climb switch on the shock to completely suppress any pedal bob. On technical climbs, you also have to pay close attention to your pedals so as not to snag them on roots and rocks. Going downhill, the RADON SWOOP 9.0 really comes to life on challenging trails! The rear suspension uses its travel a little more readily with the DPX2 shock than it did with the Monarch Plus on the SWOOP 8.0. As a result, the bike generally sits deeper in its travel and takes a little more input from the rider to get into the air.
The SWOOP is quick in implementing rapid direction changes, staying balanced and agile at all times. However, it needs an active riding style in tighter terrain. Thanks to the low bottom bracket, your weight is plenty low on the bike with the flip-chip in the middle setting. We can only recommend the slack setting for very steep and challenging trails. The rear suspension willingly makes use of its travel in the event of hard impacts, but on quick successive hits, the RADON can’t perform quite as well as the best bikes in the test. The thin-walled Schwalbe tires also lack puncture protection.
Let it roll! The RADON awakens to its full potential at higher speeds.
Conclusion
The RADON SWOOP 9.0 delivers a convincing overall package with fantastic spec, good climbing characteristics and agile handling. If you like to go on longer rides and aren’t bothered by the makeshift look of the frame, you’ll get a lot of performance at a sensational price!
Tops
- excellent value for money
- very balanced handling
- climbs willingly
- fantastic spec
Flops
- frame looks makeshift
- cumbersome in tight, flat sections
- loud chain
- only available from frame size M and up
For more info head to: radon-bikes.de
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 | Propain Spindrift Performance | 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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