£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?
Bu hikaye Mountain Bike Rider dergisinin January 2022 sayısından alınmıştır.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Giriş Yap
Bu hikaye Mountain Bike Rider dergisinin January 2022 sayısından alınmıştır.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Giriş Yap
Best places to ride with your kids
Five top venues to keep the nippers entertained this summer
CANNONDALE MOTERRA NEO CARBON 2
It’s got more suspension tunes than a Hitchcock movie, but will this Moterra thrill us or chill us?
100% GLENDALE GLASSES
When it comes to eyewear, having a large lens not only offers a lot more protection from trail splatter, it puts the frames further out from your field of view, allowing you to focus on the terrain in front of you. The Glendale is absolutely vast, and actually has a lens size akin to a full downhill goggle, so you literally can’t see the top or sides of the frame.
DMR STAGE 2 MTB RAIL SADDLE
DMR's new Stage 2 MTB Rail is one of those new/old products. The shape and construction are identical to the existing Oi Oi saddle, but the company has wrapped it in a new skin and added some harder-wearing reinforcement to the edges. It's also toned down the lairy graphics; this saddle only comes in plain black.
STRAIGHT TORQUING - GUY KESTEVEN
Has tech taken the hard work and fun out of mountain biking, or should we embrace evolution and roll with it?
STORM FORCE
Manon Carpenter may have retired from downhill competition, but her new role as a trail advocate is achieving results far beyond the race track
SWEAT AND SLATE
We ride 140 miles through Snowdonia on Cycling UK's newest and gnarliest long-distance trail
HEAD SPACE
New guidance reveals how to spot concussion, and how best to treat it
LATE SUMMER LOVIN'
Classic UK holiday hotspots that really shine when the crowds have gone
HOT STUFF
WHAT WE'RE EXCITED ABOUT THIS MONTH