RS-291 V2 Chromoly Deore/RSL-SEL

On smoother singletrack, faster-rolling tires and lighter builds show up clearly, and that's what this score reflects. What pushes it in this direction is relatively narrow MTB tires that roll quickly and a more budget-friendly drivetrain that focuses on value. These factors stack up and show up most at higher speeds or higher effort.

Climb score: 8.6/10. Within Mountain bikes, it ranks near the top. On climbs, the lowest gear feels very easy. Your easiest gear lands around 16.9 gear inches. In its peer group, it lands around the easier ~77% for low-gear climbing. Think of “gear inches” like a difficulty score for your easiest gear: lower = more spin-friendly on climbs. Good for keeping cadence steady on climbs without overcooking it. Different builds can shift the feel a bit, and some manufacturer specs aren’t always publicly listed, so consider this a helpful direction.

For bump control, it’s 7/10 — “High-impact ready”. That usually means it’s built for harder hits and rougher trails with steadier wheel tracking. Both ends absorb impacts, improving how consistently the tires can follow rough terrain. On rough trails, this level aims to keep the bike settled under braking and cornering through repeated hits.

Balanced fit - a middle ground between comfort and speed. It feels this way because the front end is very small, with ~28 mm of saddle-to-bar drop, with a very long stretch forward at ~635 mm. You'll likely be near 25 degrees of lean.

What affects adjustability on this bike: This front-end is not locked into a one-piece system, which helps adjustability, The front-end is easier to work on, supporting fit tweaks over time. Another point: A dropper makes it easier to shift between climbing and descending positions. Net result: Adjustable.

Ride comfort is 7.9/10 — on a real ride it feels very smooth. That’s why it’s labeled Race-Stiff. The posture is neutral (posture 6/10), which gives a steady, predictable feel without pushing you too far forward.

This looks like strong value, even if it’s not the absolute cheapest listing. 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). On the spec estimate, the price is close to what we’d expect for a comparable build. In its peer group, it tends to be better-priced than many, beating about 71% of listings. Quick reference: €3.449 listed versus about €3.621 for a comparable build. Put simply: it’s competitively priced for what you get.

This bike is built for rougher, more technical trails where control matters. It has about 150 mm of suspension travel (how much it absorbs bumps), which helps on rough, technical trails. Overall, the setup matches this surface range well.