Splash SE (Gen 4)

In MTB terms, the score is mostly about momentum on flats and climbs, rather than jump or drop capability. Compared with trail-speed specialists, this build is shaped by a fairly average weight, relatively narrow MTB tires that roll quickly, and a more budget-friendly drivetrain that focuses on value. When you're pedaling, the tire setup is biased toward rolling speed on firm ground.

Climb score: 4.9/10. Within Mountain bikes, it sits around the middle. The lowest gear is very tall when the road tilts up. In numbers, the low gear is roughly 27.0 gear inches. On the ‘easier low gear’ scale, it sits around ~10% versus similar bikes. “Gear inches” sounds nerdy, but it’s just a quick way to describe how easy your lowest gear is to turn uphill. Lower usually means easier. At roughly 14.6 kg, the bike’s heft shows up most on sustained climbs. This is happiest on flatter terrain; steep stuff will feel demanding. Real-world feel depends on setup and size, and some details aren’t always listed, so this is best seen as a well-informed estimate.

Suspension capability comes out at 5/10. Bucket: “Confident trail control”. It’s built for clear bump absorption and more reliable wheel control on mixed surfaces. Front suspension handles most impacts, while the rear wheel tracks the ground directly. Suspension measurements aren’t always listed consistently, so this description uses the suspension layout and common setups for this type of bike. It should keep the bike more controlled on mixed surfaces, especially through repeated small-to-medium impacts.

Comfort fit - less tuck and easier on neck and shoulders. Because the front end is very small, with ~0 mm of saddle-to-bar drop, with a long stretch forward at ~552 mm. Plan for roughly 20 degrees of lean. Front-end spacers are estimated around 16 mm.

Overall, it falls into Adjustable. What drives the fit flexibility here: Standard cockpit parts make it simpler to fine-tune your position over time, Cable routing is on the simpler side, which helps adjustability. Also, Having a dropper increases how adaptable the bike feels in different situations. Put simply, it describes how practical it is to reconfigure your position later.

Comfort comes out to 7.3/10, which usually translates to a comfortable ride. That’s the reason it lands as Comfortable. It’s running about 127 mm tires on 27.5" wheels, and the big tires calm small hits and take the edge off trail chatter on roots, rocks, braking bumps, and repeated hits. The posture is more upright (posture 4/10), which keeps things more relaxed, especially on long rides.

This looks like strong value without any tricky caveats. The value score is 1–10. Higher means better value for money; lower means the price is high for what you get. Uses MSRP as a baseline; real-world prices can be lower (discounts can change the value). Based on the parts list, it’s roughly 76% cheaper than what similar builds typically cost. Against similar bikes of the same type and age, it’s usually on the cheaper side, beating about 98% of listings. Quick reference: €338 listed versus about €1.435 for a comparable build. Put simply: this is strong value for what’s included.

This setup is aimed at fast trail riding on less extreme terrain. It has about 100 mm of suspension travel (how much it absorbs bumps), which suits smoother trails. The Hardtail setup supports this riding style.