![]() The 420 Shimano 4-pot brakes don't have quite the same refined lever shape or overall shininess of their higher priced siblings, but they don’t lack for power either. You also get Shimano hubs as opposed to some non-branded cost saving option, and the Stans rims held up well to the abuse we put them through. In fact, the 12 speed Deore groupset is sublime. ![]() The spec on the A1 model we tested was the no frills option, and that helps keep the price under $3k, but it doesn’t mean there is a lot we’d change. So, when the trail turns a bit techy, gets a bit of flow, or you see a few jumps, whoops, opportunities to manual etc, you don’t for a moment think “darn I wish I was on my full suss bike so I could enjoy this bit of trail” - you just rad on through it! All those things that make modern full suspension bikes great, but in a hardtail package. That’s what the Torrent has tapped into here. If you’ve moved from an XC oriented hardtail to a more trail oriented full suss (a pretty normal progression in bike ownership) you might not be aware how much geometry and tyre choice factored into the feeling of confidence that your new long travel bike has given you. The thing with the Torrent, is that it wants to keep going faster when the trail turns down. Caution, you may start referring to your full-suss bikes with phrases like ‘Mr Blobby’ or other such names, because this thing just wants to go. Every little climb, every little straight, you know that any effort you put in is rewarded with instant acceleration. Out on the trail and the thing that hardtails beg you to do is get up out of the saddle and sprint. ![]() The mountain bike industry is always on the hunt to be able to provide exactly what you are looking for and, as such, a new category has emerged in the last few years that caters to those who might like the aggressive riding characteristics of a slack full suss, but without some of the drawbacks such as extra cost, maintenance and lack of pumping ability. But, if you thought for a moment you didn’t fit any of those categories - you like gears and on-trend fashion, and have no interest in racing - the good news is there is still a place in hardtail nirvana for you. Some even manage to hit the trifecta and achieve a higher level of consciousness by occupying the Venn centre of those three circles in one sweet rigid moment. Despite this, the diehards have remained - outliers trolling us on their nimble single speeds others cajoling us on their 26” wheeled fluro-accented 90s machine, with clothing to match and the odd hardcore XC racer, rolling up on the starting line. ![]() However, with the wave of decent full suspension bikes coming to market from the 2000s onwards, most regular mountain bikers have moved to a full suspension bike being their usual trail machine. ![]()
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