Test: At the beginning of last year we put the Myroon Master from KTM to the test – now the carbon race bike has to pass the test again, this time in the updated 2015 version.
Fact check
[tab:Overview]
RRP: 2699€
Weight: 10,0kg (weighed, size M, without pedals)
frame material: carbon
wheel size: 27,5"
Suspension travel: 100 mm
[tab:Geometry]
[easy table]
Size, XS, S, M, L
Horizontal top tube, 557mm, 579mm, 600mm, 619mm
Seat tube length, 380mm, 430mm, 480mm, 530mm
Seat Angle,75,75,75,75
Steering angle,70,70,70,70
Head tube length, 120mm, 120mm, 130mm, 145mm
Chain stay length, 425mm, 425mm, 425mm, 425mm
Wheelbase, 1060mm, 1082mm, 1104mm, 1124mm
Stack,592mm,592mm,601mm,615mm
Reach, 398mm, 420mm, 439mm, 454mm
[/easy table]
[tab:Equipment]
[easy table]
component, model
Fork, Fox 32 Float CTD Remote 15mm
Hubs, DT Swiss 350 straight pull
Rims, DT Swiss XR 331 28L
Tires, Schwalbe Rocket Ron 2.25″ Evo
Brake, Shimano XT M785
Brake discs, Shimano RT81 180/160 CL
Rear derailleur, Shimano XT M786 Shadow Plus
Front derailleur, Shimano XT M781-D 3-speed
Shifter, Shimano XT M780
Crank, Shimano XT M782 40-30-22
Cassette, Shimano M771-10 11-36
Stem, KTM Team 7°
Handlebar, KTM Team 2x flat 700mm
Seat post, KTM Team 3D 400/27.2
Saddle, Fizik Tundra M5
[/easy table]
[tab:END]
frame and geometry
The Myroon's frame is a real beauty. The lines of the carbon fiber frame, manufactured using the monocoque process, give the bike a 'flowing', very attractive look. The slightly angular down tube, which becomes flatter towards the bottom bracket, is almost in contrast to the oval top tube, which merges perfectly into the seat stays and the KTM Myroon looks like it was made of one piece. The many small, loving details are beautiful: you will find subtle recesses on the top tube and on the seat stays, which give the frame an unmistakable look. The orange decals also fit perfectly into the design and additionally emphasize the significant frame shape. Even the specifications for the maximum torques are fitted into the design.
But we also found many clever functional solutions: The laminated sheet metal at the end of the seat stay on the drive side protects the carbon from damage in the event of a chain suck. The top of the strut is also reinforced to withstand the chain that might be thrown. On the down tube, on the other hand, we didn't find any such protection - that's manageable, but protection here would have been the icing on the cake - so thrown stones crash against the frame. Internally routed lines and cables are almost obligatory for carbon frames. This looks chic, but at the same time means a little more work during (dis)assembly, which is minimized by the integrated liner.
In terms of geometry, the Myroon is fully geared towards racing: the fairly steep steering angle of 70° ensures a lot of pressure on the front wheel and the seat angle of 75° is perfect for really pedalling. The frame offers a comparatively short top tube and thus a short reach - ideal for those who prefer to sit a little more upright and for whom a cross-country race bike doesn't have to feel like a stretching bench. The 142mm wide thru-axle on the rear wheel is not yet to be found very often in bikes in this category, but this makes sense in many respects: The frame becomes a good deal stiffer and the rear wheel is always in the exact same position - dragging brakes after wheel and installation are a thing of the past.
Equipment
When it comes to equipment, too, the Austrians do almost everything right on the Myroon Master. Of course, the most striking thing is the Shimano XT complete group. Here KTM is consistent and really relies on the Japanese top group from AZ and does not save on shifters or front derailleurs like so many other manufacturers. A model with Shadow+ damping is used for the rear derailleur, which has been established on the market for two years now and reduces chain slap to an absolute minimum. The performance of the XT drive is beyond all doubt: Shimano-typical, smooth shifting feel, thanks to the 3-way crank and 11-36 cassette, a huge range and low operating forces: There really isn't much to complain about here. Only weight fetishists might prefer an XTR groupset on such a high-quality frame. Finally, there is the Myroon Prestige model.
KTM also relies on XT power from Shimano for the brakes. The brakes have been available for several years now and are strong and low-maintenance - although the chrome look of the brake levers is certainly not to everyone's taste. Speaking of brake levers: KTM does not use Shimano's I-Spec system, which allows the shift and brake levers to be combined on a common clamp. We think that's a pity, because the combination clamp looks good and saves a lot of space on the handlebars. After all: The I-Spec system can be retrofitted without any major additional technical or financial effort.
For the suspension, KTM uses the 2015 version of the FOX 32 Float with CTD damping for the Myroon Master. Even if the once excellent reputation of the fork has suffered somewhat in recent years, Fox seems to have found its way back to success with its 2015 model. The fork responds well, can be fine-tuned and the damping is always up to par. A remote on the handlebars allows you to choose between three damping modes: Climb (C) - Trail (T) - Descent (D). While the climb position is nothing more than a lockout and the corresponding descent setting simply opens up the damping completely, we particularly liked the trail mode. The damping works much tighter here than in the open position, but still absorbs coarser hits reliably without absorbing too much power - even when pedaling out of the saddle, the fork hardly sinks.
The add-on parts - handlebars, stem and seat post - come from our own company and make a really excellent impression. Very nicely finished and colour-coordinated with the bike, they are an absolute hit in terms of optics. The 700mm wide flat bar at the front could do with a little more backsweep for our taste, but it always depends on the individual requirements and needs of the rider.
The biggest question mark was initially behind the wheels. Even if the KTM logo is emblazoned on the hubs and rims, you will also find the addition “Made by DT Swiss” in a more or less large size – we also find a little smaller references to the exact parts. The rims are the quite current XR331 rims from the Swiss manufacturer. With an inner width of 20mm, they offer at least one millimeter more than cheap 0815 rims, but we would have preferred something wider here, precisely because wider tires and less pressure are now also used in cross-country areas. The processing of the rims, on the other hand, is absolutely top and the feel is very successful. In addition, the XR331 are "tubeless ready", so with two tubeless valves and a little milk you can easily ride tubeless.
The hubs are the straight-pull variant of the DT Swiss 350 hub - equipped with a patented toothed disc freewheel for a small release angle and long running times - very nice. The wheelset cuts a very good figure on the scales: the display stops at 1500g – an excellent value. All in all, we are very impressed with the wheelset of the Myroon, because they often save money on complete wheels.
On the trail
In practice, of course, the big wheel question arises right at the beginning: Actually, as an uncompromising racer, the Myroon is a perfect candidate for 29″ – so why does KTM also offer a version with smaller wheels? Well, on the one hand, the Myroon also makes it interesting for smaller riders who have problems getting a decent saddle elevation with the big 29″ wheels (note the XS size of the Myroon 27!). In addition, there are still route profiles on which smaller wheels do a little better - especially when things get tight and winding, the plus in agility is a real benefit.
But enough with the annoying wheel question, on to the crucial point: How does the KTM Myroon 27 Master ride? With one word? Great. When you first sit down, one or the other racer may bump into the slightly shorter geometry of the frame - but after only a short period of getting used to it, we got along really well with it. The frame is stiff, doesn't crack and the attachments do their job excellently - whether gears, brakes or suspension fork, we can't really find a hair in the soup, no matter how hard we look. The light wheelset with the very good Rocket Ron Evo tires from Schwalbe ensures rapid acceleration and good traction, at least in dry conditions. If it gets wet and muddy, the tire quickly reaches its limits. Otherwise, the Myroon is a genuine race hardtail: when it gets rough and steep, the rider has to use good technique to compensate for the lack of reserves.
Conclusion
The KTM Myroon Master is an all-round impressive carbon hardtail that could also appeal to ambitious touring riders thanks to its slightly shorter geometry. With a weight of exactly 10kg (without pedals, size M), an all-round successful equipment, the very good wheelset and a great look, we can only recommend the bike. The Myroon is not a bargain at €2.699, but the price is quite reasonable in view of what is on offer, especially because of the very beautiful frame.