KATHMANDU, EXC

On smoother singletrack, faster-rolling tires and lighter builds show up clearly, and that's what this score reflects. The main reasons are a heavier build, typical trail-width tires, and a more budget-friendly drivetrain that focuses on value. It's the combination that matters: weight, rolling resistance, and (for road) aerodynamics. On hardpack, the tire setup is biased toward rolling speed on firm ground.

How it climbs: 9.0/10. Within Mountain bikes, this comes out near the top. The easiest gear is very spin-friendly on hills. Your easiest gear lands around 16.9 gear inches. In its peer group, it lands around the easier ~77% for low-gear climbing. We use “gear inches” as a shortcut for climbing gearing. Lower numbers mean you can spin more easily when it gets steep. With about 16.0 kg to haul uphill, pacing matters more on longer grades. It’s set up so climbs feel controlled rather than a grind. Different builds can shift the feel a bit, and some manufacturer specs aren’t always publicly listed, so consider this a helpful direction.

Suspension: 4/10, classed as “Basic bump control”. That level is aimed at smoothing smaller bumps and keeping steering steadier. It’s a hardtail setup: the fork manages impacts up front, while the rear stays rigid and direct. Some brands don’t publish full suspension measurements, so this summary follows the suspension layout and typical builds for this style. This helps on chatter and smaller impacts, while bigger hits can still push it beyond its range.

Comfort fit - comfort-leaning without feeling sluggish. This is mainly because you get a large drop: roughly 81 mm from saddle to bar, plus about 557 mm of stretch forward (long). Estimated lean is about 36 degrees.

What drives the fit flexibility here: Because the bar and stem are separate, changing reach or bar shape is usually straightforward, and Less routing complexity makes swaps and adjustments more practical. That is why it is in the Adjustable bucket.

This scores 6.3/10 for comfort, so it feels nicely smooth out on the road. That’s the reason it lands as Firm. The posture is neutral (posture 5/10, torso ~36°), which keeps it balanced — not overly aggressive, not overly relaxed.

Overall, this feels reasonably priced. Value is scored 1–10: higher is better value, lower means you’re paying more than similar bikes. Uses MSRP as a baseline; real-world prices can be lower (discounts can change the value). Based on the spec estimate, it’s about 10% above the typical level for similar builds. Among comparable bikes, it sits around the middle on price (cheaper than about 48% of listings). To anchor it: price €1.574 versus an estimated €1.435 for a similar build. Put simply: you’re paying roughly what similar bikes tend to cost.

This bike is best for smoother trails where speed and efficiency matter. It has about 63 mm of suspension travel (how much it absorbs bumps), which suits smoother trails. Overall, the setup matches this surface range well.