There are no such sizing worries with the Swoop 170. In terms of geometry, Radon have hit the nail on the head here. The reach feels just right, while the aggressive angles mean you can charge confidently into whatever may lie ahead. Triangular chips at the bottom of the shock let you switch between three settings, altering the head and seat angles by 0.5 degrees at a time, and the BB height by up to 13mm. In its lowest setting, the BB sits just over 430mm off the ground, with a huge 21mm drop. If you’re confident you won’t clang your cranks on lumpy trails, the corner-railing potential of this set-up is astounding, and the security and confidence it contributes to on loose terrain makes a massive difference.
Another contributing factor here is the synchronisation of the front and rear suspension. The Swoop 170 feels supple when it counts but with more than enough support when needed, and all the while delivers its travel in a measured, well-damped manner. Although the RockShox Vivid R2C shock lacks a climb lever for really steep pitches, the Swoop pedals well enough that it’s not a huge issue. It offers more precise low-speed compression adjustment than any other damper here and handles big chunder with ease.
At this price, it’s hard to pick fault with the Swoop 170’s spec. It’s quite a bit lighter than some bikes here, even with a chain guide bolted in place. Some may want a wider bar, and the tyre choice caused some concern initially. The Schwalbe Fat Alberts held their own for the most part, thanks to the reasonable compound (on the front at least) and them coming set up tubeless. We did slice the rear tyre beyond repair after overshooting a jump, though. It would be good to see tougher casings specced in future, as this is a bike that can be ridden seriously hard. Speed, stability and fun just seem to come easily to the Swoop 170. As an overall package, it’s really quite superb, with just a few little niggles that are easy to overlook, considering the relatively low price.
With superb geometry, wellbalanced suspension and a killer spec list, the Swoop’s ride behaviour is seriously impressive, giving you confidence on just about any trail
SPEC
Frame Aluminium, 170mm travel
Fork RockShox Lyrik RCT3 Solo Air Boost, 170mm travel
Shock RockShox Vivid Air R2C
Drivetrain SRAM GX (1x11)
Wheelset DT Swiss E 1900 SPLINE Boost wheels, Schwalbe Fat Albert TrailStar (f) and PaceStar (r) 27.5x2.35in tyres
Brakes Magura MT5, 203/180mm
Bar/stem Race Face Turbine, 760mm/Race Face Turbine, 50mm
Seatpost/saddle RockShox Reverb Stealth 125mm dropper/Selle Italia Nepal
Weight 14.3kg (18in)
Price $3650
