Vitus Sommet Carbon - First Look

The obvious question for many when they see the name Chain Reaction behind the bike is: What is the difference between this and a Nukeproof? The short answer is that while both brands are based in the same building, Nukeproof has a more all-out focus on performance, where Vitus bikes are pitched at being slightly more accessible and, through the direct sales model, having a much greater focus on value for money. Although, if you compare the geometry of Nukeproof's current Mega and the Vitus Sommet, it's undeniable that there are similarities, and Vitus admit that much of what they learn through Nukeproof can be seen on the Vitus bikes, simply because they want to make the best bike possible. With the people behind both brands racing and riding a lot, they felt it was unthinkable to deliberately not make one brand or the other as good as it could be in the name of brand separation. With the pricing on the Sommet, it is clear that they are aiming straight for YT Industries' all-conquering Capra - offering very comparable specs at the same pricepoints.

Vitus are not shy with their stated intentions for the Sommet - it is an enduro bike, designed to excel both on the race course and on the kind of steep, technical trails that can be found up and down Ireland and Northern Ireland. If there were any question of that focus, Killian Callaghan (Greg's Callaghan's cousin), shut them all down at the recent Enduro World Series in Wicklow, Ireland, grabbing the under-21 win on the aluminum version of this bike. For a bike aimed at being slightly milder than its Nukeproof stablemate, it is still towards the progressive end of things if you cast an eye over the wider market for bikes at around this travel.

The Sommet ticks all the boxes on the "long, low, slack" list that forms the core of what is frequently referred to as modern geometry. Starting at the front of the bike, you find a relaxed 65.5 degree head angle, paired with a suitably steep 74.5 degree effective seat angle. Chainstays are a fairly conservative 435mm, with Vitus refusing to jump on the short chainstays bandwagon, as you need that extra stability racing at higher speeds. Bottom bracket drop is a relatively low 10mm. Looking onto the all-important reach numbers - the large sized frame sport a 451mm reach, with the seattube length low enough for a 5'9" rider with a 30" inseam to comfortably get on with the bike (Vitus' website recommends 5'11", with a 32" in-seam for the large frame, but this is overly conservative if you are looking for a roomier ride). In fact, these numbers form a more aggressive package than many US brands are offering right now - it lines up as a bigger, longer bike than a Santa Cruz Nomad.

Geometry



Details

Looking at the specs of the top CRX and the slightly more affordable CR model, it is clear that Vitus have done their homework. It is a SRAM-heavy affair, with both bikes sporting a Pike up front, Monarch Plus shock, a SRAM 1x11 drivetrain with Raceface cranks and Guide brakes. The main difference is that the CRX's components have a few more letters in their names, carbon in the cranks and the lower spec version gets a Brand X 125mm dropper post rather than a Reverb. The finishing kit is a similar story, with short stems and 780mm wide bars from Nukeproof - but with the carbon version on the higher spec model. Getting down to the wheels, the higher spec version comes with Mavic's Crossmax XLs, while the lower spec version gets a very serviceable set of WTB i23s mounted on Novatec hubs. In truth, both bikes are pretty much ready to show up to your local enduro races straight from the box - the only question is whether the 1kg weight saving of the CRX is worth the additional £1,300 or so for you.


Riding the Sommet

We only had time for a short, 20km lap on the Sommet, taking in some of the incredible off-piste trails at Rostrevor, an hour south of Vitus HQ. Yet in that time a few things became apparent - it is a pretty easy bike to live with. Initial setup for the shock is a little bit fussy - the suspension design incorporates 66mm of rearward travel in the axle path, so you need to get your sag setting at 30% or less for the bike to use its travel properly.

After that, it is a very easy bike to just go and ride. On the brutal fire road drag climb out of the carpark it pedalled well enough, even with the shock wide open, although when you get onto trail climbs you do remember you are on a longer travel bike, not a nimble tail whippet. As soon as the trail pointed downwards, the bike was just composed. The finishing kit puts you in a very comfortable place to ride hard and very quickly there was no need to think about the bike any more, you could focus completely on the trail ahead. Off the back of Rostrevor things can get steep and wild fairly quickly, yet no matter how wild it got, the Sommet remained a cool customer. Of course, a 20km loop does not a review make, but on first impressions, the Sommet is a well-thought-out package that would suit riders of all abilities.