Soul 10 Microshift

For mountain riding, it captures how the bike carries speed when you're pushing the pedals on less technical surfaces. The score is largely shaped by a fairly average weight, typical trail-width tires, and a capable drivetrain that supports steady speed. When you're pedaling, the tire setup is biased toward rolling speed on firm ground.

Uphill performance score: 9.8/10. Within Mountain bikes, it lands near the top. It’s set up for smooth spinning on steeper climbs. That lowest gear comes out around 15.9 gear inches. On the ‘easier low gear’ scale, it sits around ~94% versus similar bikes. Think of “gear inches” like a difficulty score for your easiest gear: lower = more spin-friendly on climbs. At roughly 13.2 kg, the bike’s heft shows up most on sustained climbs. 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.

For bump control, it’s 6/10 — “Confident trail control”. That typically means noticeably better bump absorption and more consistent tracking on rougher sections. It’s a hardtail setup: the fork manages impacts up front, while the rear stays rigid and direct. It should feel noticeably calmer through repeated bumps and rough patches. Expect steadier tracking on rougher sections without feeling like a long-travel downhill setup.

Sporty fit - more tuck for efficiency, but still manageable for many riders. You get this posture because the bar sits about 67 mm below the saddle (a moderate drop), and you'll be stretched forward about 627 mm in total (very long). You'll likely be near 32 degrees of lean. Spacer height is roughly 14 mm.

This rating is mainly driven by the parts that affect adjustability: Because the bar and stem are separate, changing reach or bar shape is usually straightforward, Less routing complexity makes swaps and adjustments more practical; Having a dropper increases how adaptable the bike feels in different situations. So it lands in Moderately Adjustable.

This scores 6.3/10 for comfort, so it feels easygoing over rough patches out on the road. So it’s tagged Race-Stiff overall. The posture is forward, attacking (posture 7/10, torso ~32°), which puts you in an attack stance, which can feel more intense on long, rough descents.

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 parts list, it’s roughly 59% 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 96% of listings. To anchor it: price €909 versus an estimated €2.231 for a similar build. Overall, it looks like a great-value pick in its category.

This setup is aimed at fast trail riding on less extreme terrain. It has about 120 mm of suspension travel (how much it absorbs bumps), which suits smoother trails. The Hardtail setup supports this riding style.