FIRST Rides MBUK
THE SLACK GEOMETRY EGGED US ON TO THROW THE BIKE INTO EVERY TURN, WHERE IT WOULD HOLD ITS ARC WITHOUT SLIPPING AND SPIT US OUT PERFECTLY
CANYON STOIC 4
£1,805.98 shipped Another hardcore hardtail enters the fray
Us Brits may regard ourselves as the kings of the hardcore hardtail, but this progressively-shaped alloy machine from direct-sale giants Canyon shows the Germans know a thing or two about making fast bikes without rear suspension, too.
The frame
At the heart of any aggressive hardtail is a tough frame and, bucking the ‘steel is real’ trend of smaller bike makers, Canyon have built the Stoic from the same 6061-T6 aluminium used on their full-sus bikes. They tout their creation as ‘the best enduro hardtail’ and a go-to bike for everything from techy downhills to pump-track sessions.
A broad range of six sizes means riders can upsize for stability or downsize for snappy playfulness, but all have the same low-slung, raked-out geometry for confident handling. Wheel size grows as the frames get bigger, with the 2XS-S Stoics using 650b
