The most obvious part of the Vitus’s punchy package is the Manitou Minute Expert fork with 140mm stroke paired to slack, extended front end geometry. It’s got a smoothly controlled start and is usefully progressive, though there’s some flex under severe braking and cornering loads. There’s a definite ‘knack’ to using the Hexlock bayonet axle too. The TPC Absolute + damping makes fine adjustment of initial sensitivity or return speed easy and they’re an impressive overall performer for the bike price.
The 60mm stem and 740mm bar on top give a responsive power steering feel to the naturally stable, self centring handling that the slack head angle creates. Unlike the other cost compromised tyres here, the WTB Vigilante front tyre is a full dual compound, tenaciously grippy aftermarket version. It’s also tubeless ready to match the WTB rims. All this impact shrugging, trail hoovering control and traction makes loading up the front end and shoving it down the throat of seriously rocky or choppy descents second nature for the Sentier and the harder you’re prepared to push it, the more you’ll get out of it.
Backing up the front
As you might expect, creating a very capable, clatter through anything front end can cause real problems a fraction of a second later when the rear wheel hits the same section. In a lot of bikes this is compounded by brutal ride feel from an overly stiff and strong rear end, but Vitus have dodged this bullet as best they can. While the tapered headtube and flared downtube keep front to rear tracking obedient, the top tube uses a broad, shallow profile to create a leaf spring effect. The seat stays have also been changed to a more compliant square to round format for 2015 and the 31.6mm seat post diameter makes it dropper post ready. The WTB Trail Boss tyre at the back is tubeless ready to add more impact survival and they’re a good mix of easy speed and decent three-season grip too. The resulting combination isn’t miraculous in terms of dodging damage and you’ll need to learn fast (or go tubeless) not to flat with irritating regularity. It does mean you can ride rough trails or extended epics without pulping your internal organs or bruising your spine though, which isn’t always the case with hardcore hardtails. The utterly dependable, good value Deore, SLX spec gets a clutch equipped XT derailleur to reduce chain slap too.
Summary
Hardcore hardtails aren’t for everyone but if you’ve got the skills to keep up, the Sentier VRS is a huge amount of technical trail fun at an excellent price.
Price 1418$