Ben's Vitus Escarpe 29 CRS

MONTH 13: Ben’s found his goldilocks machine in longtermer number three

£2,699.99 9 9 / 29in / vitusbikes.com

THE RIDER

BEN DAY

Position Account director Mostly rides Trails around Dorset

Height 6ft

Weight 80kg

THE BIKE

• Brand-new carbon-framed 140mm-travel trail bike available in both 27.5in and 29in wheel sizes
• Revised suspension layout with increased progression
• Rejigged geometry and a new XL frame size that’s genuinely large
• The Escarpe 29 CRS is the midpriced bike in a three-strong range

What attracted you to the Vitus?

Having previously ridden a down-country bike and an enduro bike as long-termers, I wanted to split the difference with a no-nonsense trail bike. I figured the 150mm-travel Escarpe would be ideal for the type of riding that I mostly enjoy. It also helped that you get a hell of a lot of bike for your money.

Did you change anything straightaway?

Nope, nothing in terms of components. I was happy with stem length, bar width etc. I messed around with the suspension a fair bit and because we had such a wet year, I changed the tyres from dry to wet a number of times. I also switched from clips and flat pedals to stop my legs rubbing the rear stays.

Was the bike easy to set up? Yes, very straightforward. And while I did play around with some Bottomless tokens in the fork, I reverted to the original suspension setup as it seemed to work better for my riding style. Also, with all the contact points sorted, the riding position felt pretty much perfect from the off.

How did it ride?