Soul 20 Microshift

It's better suited to relaxed riding than pushing fast splits. This MTB speed measure favors setups that roll efficiently without sacrificing too much traction. A few practical factors stand out: typical trail-width tires and a capable drivetrain that supports steady speed. On hardpack, the tire setup is biased toward rolling speed on firm ground.

If your rides include hills, it rates 9.4/10 for climbing. Within Mountain bikes, it ranks near the top. It’s set up for smooth spinning on steeper climbs. Your easiest gear lands around 15.9 gear inches. In its peer group, it lands around the easier ~94% 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. 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.

On suspension support it’s 6/10, marked “Confident trail control”. This usually points to stronger bump control and steadier tracking when the surface gets choppy. You get suspension movement at the front, while the rear stays firm and direct. Expect steadier tracking on rougher sections without feeling like a long-travel downhill setup.

Sporty fit - a performance-leaning position that encourages speed. This is mainly because the front end is moderate, with ~70 mm of saddle-to-bar drop, with a very long stretch forward at ~627 mm. Plan for roughly 32 degrees of lean.

In Mountain, Standard cockpit parts make it simpler to fine-tune your position over time, Routing is relatively straightforward, which helps when you change cockpit parts. Also, The dropper adds a real-world adjustability benefit while riding. That is why we tag it Moderately Adjustable. This mainly reflects how easy it is to adjust or swap key fit parts over time.

Comfort comes out to 6.3/10, which usually translates to a comfortable ride. So it’s tagged Race-Stiff overall. 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.

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 54% 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 94% of listings. To anchor it: price €1.019 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. Even though it’s tagged Trail, the setup fits Flow Trails better.