Heretic Deore 12

On smoother singletrack, faster-rolling tires and lighter builds show up clearly, and that's what this score reflects. It trends this way because of typical trail-width tires, wheel momentum that helps it carry speed between pedal strokes, mid-size wheels that balance agility and momentum, and a more budget-friendly drivetrain that focuses on value.

Overall on climbs: 8.2/10. Within Mountain bikes, this comes out above average. On climbs, the lowest gear feels very easy. The easiest gear works out to about 17.3 gear inches. On the ‘easier low gear’ scale, it sits around ~64% 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. Good for keeping cadence steady on climbs without overcooking it. 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: 8/10, classed as “High-impact ready”. It’s designed to stay composed through rough sections and repeated hits. Both ends absorb impacts, improving how consistently the tires can follow rough terrain. It prioritizes stability at speed on rough ground. On choppy terrain, it can help the wheels track more consistently. This is meant for rougher terrain where repeated impacts demand stable wheel tracking.

Sporty fit - more tuck for efficiency, but still manageable for many riders. It feels this way because the cockpit sits 68 mm below the saddle (a moderate drop), and the cockpit stretches you forward by ~607 mm (very long). Plan for roughly 32 degrees of lean.

So it lands in Moderately Adjustable. Why this fit flexibility rating: A modular front-end gives more freedom to change stem length or bar width - Cable routing is on the simpler side, which helps adjustability.

Ride comfort is 8.3/10 — on a real ride it feels highly forgiving. For Enduro, it’s labeled Balanced. In absolute terms it’s highly forgiving; it’s just not as sofa-soft as the most plush setups. The posture is forward, attacking (posture 7/10, torso ~32°), which loads the front wheel, which feels great for control but a bit more direct through the bars.

Compared to similar bikes, this is priced very competitively. 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 comes in about 24% under the typical level for similar builds. Against similar bikes of the same type and age, it’s usually on the cheaper side, beating about 90% of listings. Quick reference: €2.999 listed versus about €3.938 for a comparable build. Put simply: this is strong value for what’s included.

This bike is built for rougher, more technical trails where control matters. It has about 160 mm of suspension travel (how much it absorbs bumps), which helps on rough, technical trails. The Full setup supports this riding style.