THE LINE-UP
CARRERA FURY £600
UK motor/cycling juggernaut Halfords have been making great-value MTBs bearing the Carrera name for years, so you can trust they know exactly what customers are after. The 650b-wheeled Fury appears to tick multiple must-have boxes. It features a dropper post, a 1x10 Shimano drivetrain and hydraulic disc brakes, plus a 120mm-travel SR Suntour suspension fork with a lockout and rebound damping adjustment. Geometry-wise, it’s relatively long and slack for this price bracket, with a 67-degree head angle and 459mm reach (large size). On paper, it looks hard to beat.
SPECIALIZED ROCKHOPPER COMP 29 2X £675
Although the Rockhopper Comp has a 2x drivetrain and no dropper post, it does at least have cable routing for the latter. It has a host of other features, too, including internal routing for the gear cables and rear brake hose, giving neater lines, plus a unique ‘RxTune’ for the Suntour fork, which varies according to frame size. This 29er has a steepish 68.5-degree head angle paired with a 445mm reach (large), which could make it feel short when standing on the pedals, While its geometry isn’t revolutionary, the Rockhopper looks like a solid performer.
VITUS NUCLEUS 29 VRS £749.99
As you’d expect from online giants Chain Reaction Cycles, this bike from their in-house Vitus brand is well-specced, boasting a 1x10 Shimano Deore drivetrain, Tektro hydraulic disc brakes, and WTB 29er rims and tyres. The Suntour XCR32 fork sports a Boost through-axle, adding stiffness and opening up more wheel upgrade options. While the Nucleus VRS doesn’t have a dropper post, there’s a cable port on the top of the down tube in case you want to add one later. The large size we tested has a ride-calming 67-degree head angle and average-length 450mm reach.
CANNONDALE TRAIL SE 4 £900
Cannondale say the Trail SE’s dropped seatstay design improves handling and comfort. Internal cable routing (with dropper compatibility) gives clean lines, and Boost rear axle spacing makes down-the-line upgrades easier. Spec highlights include a 1x10 Deore drivetrain and hydraulic disc brakes, plus chunky WTB rubber wrapped around rims from the same brand. The bike has a 66.5-degree head angle, the slackest on test, but a short 440mm reach (large), and rolls on 29in wheels. A price rise has left it by far the costliest here; is it worth the extra expenditure?
VITUS NUCLEUS 29 VRS
HEADING DOWNHILL, THE XC GEOMETRY AND SHORT-FEELING REACH HAD US STANDING VERY CLOSE TO THE BAR, LEADING TO HANDLING THAT WAS ON THE SNAPPIER SIDE OF PLAYFUL
£749.99 Promising parts spec but imperfect performance
Vitus make grand claims for their entry-level Nucleus, citing ‘aggressive’ geometry and a spec that’ll get you hooked on trail riding. And for the price, it doesn’t seem to put a foot wrong – on paper at least.
The frame
Built from lightweight and strong 6061-T6 aluminium, the Nucleus has a threaded bottom bracket (BB) and externally routed gear and brake cables for easy
