The Tyax Elite uses a reinforcing curve at the head tube instead of a chunky gusset. More width would also be useful for added bump absorption.įrame & equipment: Well damped fork tops a great spec for the price We’d have preferred all-round tyres like Kenda Nevegals (which cost much the same as Small Block Eights) for a budget trail bike like this: they’ll actually grip in mud, even when banked over a bit. One of our testers snowploughed the bike into a wooden post on a slippery descent when the mud-freighted tyres surfed like slicks, and Ian narrowly missed doing exactly the same.
These are great on a race bike, not so good on a trail centre bike. The Tyax Elite is listed as coming with toothy Kenda Komodo tyres, but our test model arrived with 2.1in Kenda Small Block Eights. Reassembled with grease and carefully torqued, it worked fine, but we were concerned that the problem might redevelop in time. A worry that there was play in the stanchions turned out to be a knocky and loose headset. The Suntour XCR fork starts smooth and becomes more buttery with time.īy the end of the test, we were getting almost all of its 100mm (4in) of travel with no noticeable bottoming out.
The solid-looking back looks like it’ll give a rough ride and lives up to expectations, so the bike is better for short loops than all-day outings. The wide bar does keep turns and drops in check, though, and helps give the bike a more can-do attitude.
Steering is sharper than you initially expect because the Tyax Elite’s beefy tubes and big handlebar mask the fact it has fairly old-school cross-country orientated geometry.
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