Skip to main content

SARACEN ARIEL 152


SARACEN HAVE GONE back to the drawing board for the 2014 Ariel, retaining the playful yet aggressive ride feel that won previous incarnations a loyal following, while acknowledging that the modern trail bike landscape has shifted once more. The result is a much more refined-looking frame complete with this year’s must-have 650b wheels.

With a carbon swingarm, a balanced 150mm of travel front and rear (courtesy of a Kashima-coated Fox Float 34 fork up front and Float X shock out back) and a component list that reads like it should be a lot of fun out on the trail, the Ariel 152 looks set to be a popular addition to the trail bike market.

PRICE: 5140$















Popular posts from this blog

KONA SHRED

With a reputation for no-nonsense ruggedness and a background in the always progressive and punishing riding of Canada, Kona have been building hardcore hardtails for longer than almost anyone else. The Shred is the most expensive bike on test but it’s a proper trail tank.

RockShox Pike 26

Waaaay back in 2002, RockShox revolutionized the suspension world with the release of its Psylo range of forks. The forks came with 30mm stanchions, a lockout/compression adjustment, the travel was adjustable from 80-120mm, and......wait for it, they came with a quick release 20mm through axle.

Sam Reynolds' Polygon Collosus N9

WHO IS SAM REYNOLDS? Hailing from South East England, Sam Reynolds is one of the UK's top freeriders, specialising in dirt jumping and slopestyle. But with mates like World Cup downhiller Brendan Fairclough, he also likes to get up to speed in the hills, where he's been introducing the Collosus to some colossal jumps, gaps and drops.

CANYON NERVE AL 8.0

  S ince their entry into the UK market a few years ago, Canyon have made a name for themselves as purveyors of well-made bikes that exhibit often extraordinary value. The secret (or catch, depending on your point of view) is that the brand don’t have dealers – they ship bikes directly to your door.

Cannondale Trail SL 29 SS

The fat aluminium tubes are a constrast to the skinny items seen elsewhere in the test, but this rigid Cannondale uses them to create one of the most old-school - and lightest - rides here.