![]() On flatter, trail-centre-style descents, the low front end didn’t slow me down a great deal, especially once I’d increased fork pressure. The tyres provided plenty of grip in dry conditions. In fact, Specialized’s finishing kit feels considerably more premium than the bike’s price tag would suggest. I was impressed by the dropper post, too, which is light to actuate and quick to extend. Add the high-volume tyres at lower pressures, and general comfort is good. The RockShox Judy fork is also nice and supple, ironing out trail chatter even after I increased the air-spring pressure to reduce sag and increase the height of the bike’s front end. Specialized’s Bridge saddle is one of the comfiest perches I’ve used and its Trail grips are another favourite, with a widely-liked diameter and soft feel. When in the big cog, the chain is extremely close to the rear tyre – due to the tyre’s width and the cranks’ chainline – so it quickly gets covered in mud and, on particularly boggy days, can clog up. Nonetheless, it’s possible to scale steep ascents without too much ado, with the 30t chainring and 51t largest sprocket giving a more than adequate lowest gear. This is mostly down to the low front end, which makes your knees feel higher and closer to the bar than on a bike with a taller stack height. Stood-up climbing is a little more cramped, despite the reasonable reach. This is helped by the generous volume of the tyres, which, when run at lower pressures, provide enormous amounts of comfort and low-speed climbing traction, even over boggy terrain, where the fairly aggressive tread pattern of the Slaughter rear tyre bites into the ground. The seated climbing position is comfy thanks to the fairly generous effective top tube length (637mm), which never left me feeling stretched out or cramped, and ensures that weight shifts fore or aft aren’t met with twitchy changes in grip. I feel the stack height on the Fuse 27.5 (615mm) could do with being taller, as on the Fuse 29 models (639mm), to help raise the bar.įitting 29in wheels would help, but the fork is 650b-only, so an additional upgrade would be required. While the slightly more aggressive, over-the-front position this encourages is beneficial on steeper inclines, it isn’t ideal when descending (more on this below). ![]() ![]() The bike has a shorter stack height than the others I had on test, so the front end feels lower. Ian Linton / Immediate Mediaĭespite installing all of the Fuse 27.5’s headset spacers underneath the stem to raise the bar height, I couldn’t get it high enough for my preferences. However, the cable is clamped at the actuator end, which means setting cable tension can be tricky, and if you ever replace the post you may need to buy a new cable-clamping remote. They’re wrapped around Stout rims – Spesh’s in-house brand – with a super-wide 38mm internal width.Ī TranzX dropper post with 120mm of travel helps justify the extra cost over similar bikes like the Vitus Sentier 27. SRAM NX Eagle drivetrain gives you single-ring simplicity and gearing to spare.The biggest talking point here is the plus-size tyres – a Specialized Butcher and Slaughter combo, with the brand’s GRID TRAIL casing and GRIPTON compound.Highlights include powerful SRAM Level TRL disc brakes and a TranzX dropper post.130-millimeters of plush suspension courtesy of a RockShox Recon RL fork.The steep seat angle makes quick work of steep climbs. The slack head angle lends confidence on sketchy descents. The long reach gives you even weight distribution. If you fail to nail the geometry, advanced materials and innovative designs still amount to nothing on the trail. And while this Fuse’s 29x2.6 tires give it a precise, nimble feel, the M4 aluminum frame is also compatible with 27.5+ wheels and tires. The low-slung top tube improves maneuverability. The wide-diameter down tube boosts stiffness. The Fuse Comp 29 punches way above its weight class thanks to a light-yet-burly M4 aluminum chassis, frame geometry that lends the bike both playfulness and capability, and parts that withstand a serious flogging.
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