Efficient, versatile and fun; they’re the culmination of these terms. Even once you think they’re at their limit in terms of capabilities; they’ve got more in reserve. So why are they still overshadowed by enduro bikes? We’re talking trail bikes, the true workhorses of the mountain bike world. Whether it’s for a quick blast after work or back-to-back hard days crossing the Alps, the spectrum for these bikes is huge and that’s exactly why they’re often the go-to bike for people looking for the perfect all-rounder. We took eight of the most exciting trail bikes for 2015 to France and put them through their paces under the beating hot sun. You can find the results in issue #016 of ENDURO Mountainbike Magazine, but first here’s a sneak preview of our trip, the tests and the first impressions of the Rotwild R.Q1 FS 27.5 PRO.

Im Rahmen unseres Tests jagten wir das Rotwild durch das Unterholz der Provence.
For our grouptest, we dashed the Rotwild down the trails of the French Provence.
Das R.Q1 FS 27.5 PRO ist Rotwilds Rad für alle Fälle.
The R.Q1 FS 27.5 PRO is Rotwild’s Swiss Army Knife.

Beefy tubes and clean welds – the ROTWILD R.Q1 FS 27.5 PRO’s edgy appearance looks great and lets the bike seem fast even when standing. The tidy-looking red aluminium frame comes with a top-notch spec, including the complete Shimano XT shifting system, stable DT Swiss M1700 Spline wheels, and FOX Performance Suspension. Showing their expertise in the market, ROTWILD also went for Ergon grips. Looking closer, the skinny KindShock-seatpost with only 100 mm travel is a bit of a letdown. The steep head angle is a testament to the genetic relation to the XC-Brother, the R.C1 and promises good qualities when pointed uphill. The short 428 mm-chainstains in combination with the upgraded Continental Trail King-tires should provide fun in the downhills.

Could the red rocket assert itself in the stacked field of our testbikes? Find out in ENDURO Mountainbike Magazine #016

Die Shimano XT-Schaltung ist vielfach erprobt und liefert zuverlässig guten Schaltkomfort.
The well-known Shimano XT shifting system offers reliable performance.
Passend zur FOX Float 140 CTD FIT Performance-Gabel ist am Heck ein FOX Float CTD-Dämpfer verbaut.

Fitting to the FOX Float 140 CTD FIT Performance-Fork in the front, there is a FOX Float CTD-shock in the back.
Als Teleskopsattelstütze kommt eine Kindshock LEV zum Einsatz.
The KindShock Lev adjustable seatpost.
Der E*13 TRS+ Kurbel ist nicht nur leicht, sondern hat auch optisch etwas zu bieten.
Not only lightweight, but also good looking: The E*13 TRS+ crank.

Price: 3.999 € | Weight: 12,75 kg | Wheel size: 27,5” | Frame size: L
Travel f/r: 140/135 mm | Top tube effective: 610 mm | Wheelbase: 1.156 mm
Head angle: 68,25° | Seat angle: 74° | Reach: 443 mm | Stack: 613 mm

For more information visit rotwild.de

The Test

These are exactly the sorts of bikes we’ve tested in this group test. And just like the previous group test, we chose not to order specific bikes from the manufacturers. Instead, we gave them the test criteria and left the decision up to them.
“In this group test we want get to grips with the real workhorses of the riding world. The bike should be as versatile as possible, guaranteeing a fun ride on virtually any type of trail, whether it’s the post-work blast or a multi-day Alpine ride,” was the message given in the briefing

Die Bikes sind bereit für den Test.
The Bikes ready for testing.

For the travel, we settled on between 120 and 150 mm, and we opted for a price range of €3,500–4,500. To improve their bike’s performance, companies had the freedom to alter the spec – this was restricted to small(ish) details that any dealer could adjust for the customer before they buy the bike. This included, but wasn’t limited to: the cockpit, the wheels and the option of a dropper seatpost.

The Bikes

Cannondale Trigger Carbon 2 | Canyon Spectral CF 9.0 EX | CUBE Stereo 140 Super HPC Race | GIANT Trance Advanced 1 | Scott Genius 710 | Specialized Stumpjumper FSR Comp Carbon | Rose Root Miller 3 | Rotwild R.Q1 FS

As we mentioned earlier, we’d chosen bikes that were all-rounders, ones that would be regularly confronted with diverse terrain on which it would have to continuously prove its worth. These eight candidates accompanied us to Provence, France. It wasn’t just long rides on the agenda either – we’d also scouted out a secret spot with some pretty demanding jumps. This is where their limits would be pushed. But, it should be mentioned that not every bike is primed for such tasks – if in doubt, check the manufacturer’s authorisation.

Over the coming weeks we’ll introduce you in more detail to the individual bikes on our website. However, the results will only be revealed in issue #016 of ENDURO Mountainbike Magazine, which is available digitally at no cost for tablets, iPhones and on our online viewer..

issue016-cover-in-ipad-de

Text: Christoph Bayer, Andreas Maschke Bilder: Christoph Bayer


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