Review: Radon Slide Trail 10.0

Since testing this bike, the company has announced the 2020 range but the main changes are colors and prices.


Contents

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Construction and Features

In a world where bikes are increasingly looking the same, the Radon Slide Trail manages to stand out. The carbon fiber front triangle has a chunky and angular design with a distinctive bulged head tube, presumably to ramp up frame stiffness. It divided opinion in everyone that clapped eyes on it, but you don’t notice it when riding.

The largely straight down tube has plenty of space for a full-size bottle cage, and out back is an aluminum swingarm and rocker linkage with a flip-chip for adjusting the head angle and bottom bracket height.



The press-fit bottom bracket will lose a few fans, but there’s neat full internal cable routing, an ISCG05 chain guard, external seat clamp and a tapered head tube. There’s also a downtube protector to ward off rocks and stones flung up by the front wheel. Naturally, there's a Boost rear end and there’s plenty of clearance for wide tires.

Geometry & Sizing

This is where a bike brand can really make the difference, and Radon’s Slide Trail has a healthy set of numbers that, while not at the extreme end of the progressive scale, are at least in the right ballpark. There are four sizes to choose from, 16" to 22”. Radon’s website has a handy size calculator, but it’s a bit basic, simply going on your crotch height. It's better to go by reach, which for me meant the size 20” - you can think of it as a large - that measured in with a 464mm reach.


I likely could have ridden the XL with its 481mm reach, but after some deliberation erred on the side of caution. Here’s the downside to buying bikes online: you can’t easily swing a leg over one in a bike shop to check to size, but many direct-sales brands are running demo days, which does help.

Other numbers of note include 435mm chainstays and a 65.6-degree head angle in its slackest setting, which steepens to 66.6-degrees if you flip the chip. The seat angle is 75.5 to 76.5-degrees, and the bottom bracket drop ranges from -25 to -11mm and the wheelbase is 1,226mm. All but the smallest size frames ship with 150mm dropper posts.

Suspension Design


Radon has played it very simple with the suspension design, employing a Horst link layout with a long rocker linkage driving the Fox shock, and the main pivot low and just above the cranks. It delivers 140mm of travel with a trunnion mounted shock, which is orientated vertically and low in the frame, providing plenty of space for the all-important water bottle. Space has been created in the down tube to clear the piggyback on the shock too, but it does then create somewhere for crud to gather.

The Fox Float DPX2 EVOL shock has a 55mm stroke and three compression settings. Up front is a 150mm Fox 36 Float Grip2 fork. After several rides of experimentation, I opted for the slacker flip chip setting. The head angle combined with the short stem and wide bar gives a good attacking stance on technical trails.

Radon says it wanted to achieve a suspension characteristic that is “Pretty responsive and playful, that likes to get in the air and is reactive so that's one reason why we fitted it the shock with a big volume-spacer. If you want to have it more plush then just get rid of the spacer and it feels more forgiving.”

Climbing

While the Slide Trail doesn’t exactly glide effortlessly up the climbs, is very competent and will fulfill the needs of a trail rider who wants a bike that won’t be a slug on the ups. It's an efficient pedaler, with enough antisquat that even with the shock in full open mode the amount of pedal bob is kept in check. Rare were the times when I reached down to switch the shock into the middle compression setting, which is just as well because it’s a long stretch down to the shock, tucked away as it is right at the bottom of the down tube.

On very tricky ascents, the sort with jangly roots or spiky rocks where a deft application of power is required to maintain traction and balance, the suspension sits high in its travel and there’s ample bottom bracket clearance to clear rocks and stumps. The suspension moves relatively easy in the first stage of travel, but it’s not hugely supple and doesn’t provide the same traction improving aid that some bikes do, like a Specialized Stumpjumper for example. Instead, it reminds me of the YT Jeffsy, which has a similarly firm suspension feel.

This suspension trait doesn’t exactly prevent you from combatting tricky climbs where maximum traction is needed, but you do have to pick your line more carefully and work with the bike to get to the top. You can’t just point your bike at the climb, pedal and expect the suspension to take care of everything else - a bit more hustling is required. It's an efficient climbing bike first and foremost, and not that lenient on technical trails where you want fistfuls of traction.

Get onto smoother climbs, especially long fireroad grinds, and it’s a different story. The firm pedalling platform and reasonable weight combine to good effect, and the stiff frame transfers power well. The seat angle is reasonably steep, putting you into a good position for powering up steep and technical climbs, but it could be a degree or two steeper if I’m being really picky.

Descending

On the descents, the Slide it’s a well-balanced bike that provides predictable handling with good agility in tighter trails, although it isn’t quite as composed in the super steep stuff as longer and slacker bikes in this class. That firm and progressive suspension mean it’s not a bike that you can point at a jangle of roots and expect it to steamroller over. It’s not super active and plush like some bikes; which means it won’t soak up every trail obstacle - there’s a lot more feedback.

There were times when I wanted a bit more compliance when dealing with rough sections as the Radon can feel a bit edgy, and isn't always the most forgiving when you just want the bike to flatten the trail. It’s not a bike for cruising trails, it needs full attack mode all the time. On the flip-side, it’s a fun, playful and responsive ride. There’s plenty of pop and you can generate air from even the smallest lip. It moves around the trail with ease thanks to the geometry and stiff frame.


If you prefer a bike to squash everything and keep the wheels glued to the ground at all times, there might be better options. The Slide Trail, though, proved to be a playful bike with predictability but going fast does requirement 100% involvement and commitment. Where the suspension does work well is in handling bigger impacts, it’s well controlled on hard landings and takes drops with ease. It’s just not a magic carpet ride, it’s much more communicative of trail features. What it lacks in small bump absorption it makes up for with big hit capability, good mid-stroke support, and a playful manner on the descents.

Geometry is a compromise, and although the Radon isn’t pushing the limits, the numbers do make for a very good all-round trail bike rather than an enduro race bike. Where super slack bikes can be a handful on anything but the steepest tracks, the Radon is agile and nimble on mellower trails and easy to hustle through the turns. The geometry doesn’t give you Sam Hill levels of confidence to really attack steep and technical trails, but on the upside, it’s agile and easy to turn on flatter and less steep tracks.

Through rapidly twisting singletrack the Radon pinballs from apex to apex with great accuracy. The excellent Schwalbe tires provide tenacious grip in all the trail conditions I experienced, from magical loam to fruity gloop, and the Fox 36 fork is a real highlight of the package with stunning ability to manage repeated impacts at high speed, though getting full travel out of it with my light build took some tuning.

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How does it compare?

Comparisons naturally conjure up another popular German direct-sales brand, Canyon. The Strive is probably the closest comparison, with 29” wheels and 150mm of rear wheel travel plus on-the-fly geometry adjustment.

If you prefer the bricks and mortar bike buying experience, then the Specialized Stumpjumper gets the same 140mm travel and 29” wheels in a smartly packaged carbon fiber frame also using a four-bar suspension design, but the geometry is a bit conservative. You’re also not going to get as highly specced bike for the same money, either.

Both bikes are big-wheeled longish travel trail bikes with modern-ish geometry to provide great handling for riders looking for a versatile all-rounder.

Technical Report

Fox 36 Float Grip2 fork: One of the benchmark trail and enduro forks right now, this is an impressive fork delivering silky smooth small bump sensitivity, superb repeated high-speed impact capability and solid chassis stiffness. I find getting full travel out of them takes some tuning with the dials and spacers. If you love twiddling dials the 36 has loads of them.

Schwalbe Magic Mary/Hans Dampf Addix-Soft tires: A solid tire combination with excellent traction in all conditions I encountered and rock solid durability. The German tire company’s new Addix-Soft rubber compound delivers consistent and predictable grip and rolling resistance is decent on flatter trails. Harder hitting riders would probably want the tougher Super Gravity versions.

Newmen Evolution SL A30 wheels: These are high-quality German wheels with a 30mm internal width aluminum rim laced to their own hubs with Sapim spokes and are a reasonable weight on the scales. They are plenty strong enough for hard riders, deliver quick engagement, and the lateral stiffness is good for a snappy ride.

SDG Fly saddle: I found this saddle good for short rides, and the long wide nose is great for climbs, but it was too firm on longer rides so I eventually swapped it for one I get on better with. Of course, saddles are an item of personal preference and it's often better to go with what you know.

Is this the bike for you?

This is a trail bike that favours descending. If you value a great component list and like a playful and engaging bike, you’ll get on with the Radon. If you’re expecting a magic carpet ride, this ain’t the bike for you. It's most at home on tight and twisty trails, but if pure descending is your focus it might leave you wanting a bit on the downhills.

Pinkbike's Take

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