Test: steel frame in 2016? Of course it still exists! The traditional frame material is celebrating a small revival these days and with the Bombtrack Hook 2 we have looked at a versatile cross bike where the material fits like a glove. The bike had to prove itself to us in a wide range of applications and gave the testers a lot of joy.
The small Cologne-based manufacturer Bombtrack is still one of the "young" manufacturers on the market - although Bombtrack only saw the light of day in 2010, it has since made a name for itself, especially in the track bike and fixie scene. Thanks to events such as the Singlespeed Cyclocross European Championships, in which the bike manufacturer from the Rhineland is heavily involved, the company is now also well known among cross bikers. They use steel as the material for most of their bikes and this certainly strikes a chord with many cyclists who are looking for something special but don't want to spend a fortune on it.
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The Bombtrack Hook was first launched in 2014 as a thoroughbred crosser, but has outgrown this tight corset since this model year at the latest. At Bombtrack, they deliberately speak of a bike that is essentially a crosser, but also cuts a fine figure as a touring bike or commuter. Will this balancing act across the bike categories succeed? Find out in our test.
Bombtrack Hook 2: Frame
Opinions differ on steel frames - while one faction sees the traditional material as outdated, their opponents smash a defiant "Only steel is real" at them. But no matter which side you belong to, one thing is certain: the frame of the Bombtrack Hook 2 is a feast for the eyes. The welding seams at the seams of the Columbus tube set are elegant, even and almost invisible under the metallic red paint. Speaking of paint: the burgundy red color really pops with its metallic sheen and attracted everyone's attention during our test, whether on the street or in the forest. The decals are pleasantly reserved. The large, but still subtle logo on the down tube comes in calm black, like the other splashes of color, and doesn't distract from the great looks of the bike.
As is usual with steel frames, all cables and lines run on the outside of the frame. This gives the hook a big plus when it comes to maintenance, but it does spoil the clean look a bit. The open cable on the top tube is quite well protected from external influences at this point, but we would still have welcomed completely continuous outer casings like on the down tube. The brake caliper is mounted on the chainstay in the rear triangle using the Flatmount standard.
The eyelets for low-profile luggage racks and mudguards on the fork and frame also show that the Hook is not only seen on crosstrack at Bombtrack. Basically just a couple of threads, but they significantly expand the possible areas of application of the steel bike and also make it interesting for those who are not looking for a thoroughbred crosser.
Fortunately, the black carbon fork is quite slim - there are hardly any worse visual crimes than combining a slim steel frame with oversized carbon forks. The in-house fork, on the other hand, blends in very nicely with the frame and the here and there translucent carbon mesh under the glossy black color gives it a classy finish. A conventional quick release is used at the dropout – we would have been happy about a thru-axle here, especially because it is much easier to handle in combination with disc brakes. But we never had any problems with the quick release during our test.
Bombtrack Hook 2: Geometry
The geometry of a real all-rounder like the Hook is always particularly exciting. It's not easy for engineers and developers to switch between the boundaries of the individual bicycle categories. The difference between a "successful all-rounder" and "neither fish nor meat" is often in the millimeter range. A fine line, then, especially in a highly competitive area like the Hook, somewhere between Crosser, Commuter, Gravel, Endurance and Urban.
A look at the geometry data clearly shows that the Hook hasn't strayed too far from its roots - the cross genes of the steel bike are unmistakable, but a few small adjustments have been made to make the frame a little more suitable for all-round use. For example, the reach is a little longer compared to the cross race files on the market - this ensures significantly smoother running and a less stocky, aggressive sitting position. Although this comes at the expense of agility, it makes longer journeys much more pleasant.
The angles are also clearly based on the Cross models: 72° steering angle and 74° seat angle allow enough pressure on the pedal and still good-natured handling even on more demanding terrain. The bottom bracket on the Bombtrack Hook 2 is also rather high, as is typical for Cross bikes: We welcome this decision, because we can live much better with a bottom bracket that feels a bit high on the road than with constant ground contact off the beaten track.
Bombtrack Hook 2 features
After so many words about the frame, we now come to the equipment. The drive comes from SRAM: The guys from Cologne use the current Rival 2 group on the Hook 11, the performance of which is beyond doubt, but should still cause some discussions. On the one hand, of course, because you have to/can/may do without a front derailleur and only eleven gears are available. Depending on the area of use, terrain, calf and thigh circumference, the significantly lower range of gear ratios compared to a double drivetrain could cause problems for one or the other. If you compare the Hook's Rival 11 drivetrain with 11-32 cassette and 42 chainring to a conventional dual drivetrain (46/36 and 11/32), one gear is missing at the lower and upper end of the spectrum.
On the plus side of the 1×11 drive, however, is the wonderfully simple handling, significantly lower weight and a nicer, cleaner look. Discussions about the sense and nonsense of a 1-speed drive are pointless and ultimately everyone has to decide for themselves what is the more suitable variant for them. A second special feature of the SRAM shifter is its double-tap shifter. For those who have never heard of it, the functional principle is briefly explained: Shifting is basically only done with one lever and in one direction. You can then feel two rest points: If you let go of the shift lever after the first, you reduce the tension and change to a higher gear. If you continue to press to the second detent, you increase the tension and the chain climbs onto the next larger sprocket. Sounds complicated, but after a short period of getting used to it, it's pretty intuitive.
Thanks to Type 2.1 rear derailleur damping, chain slap is reduced to an absolute minimum with the Rival 1 drive, no matter how rough the surface may be. In combination with the X-Sync chain ring, which thanks to the special tooth shape sticks to the chain like a magnet, we didn't have a single chain drop over the entire test period. The brake levers are combined with mechanical brake calipers from TRP and 160mm discs. We're always a little skeptical about mechanical disc brakes, since there are a few models that are undoubtedly very good as well as many counterparts with insufficient performance. But first of all: The TRP Spyre on the Hook 2 are among the best we have ridden so far and don't have to hide behind hydraulic disc brakes. A big advantage of the mechanical linkage is the much easier maintenance and the lower susceptibility to defects. Especially if you want to use the Hook in everyday life or on tours lasting several days, this is a plus point that should not be underestimated.
The wheels come from the neighbors of DT Swiss. The DT Swiss R23 Spline db weighs 1655g and can't keep up with the much lighter, but also much more expensive carbon rims, but is still quite light for an aluminum wheelset. With an inner width of 18mm, all common tire sizes from 25 to 38mm can be mounted without any problems - if desired and with the right rim tape also tubeless. The pawl freewheel has a crisp sound and enough locking points for a quick start - especially off-road.
The Continental Cyclocross Race tires were particularly popular because of their very low rolling resistance, even on asphalt. They showed weaknesses on deeper ground in the forest and on wet and greasy roads, where the rubber quickly lost grip and caution was called for. For handlebars, stem, saddle and seat post you will find 2 products from our own company on the Hook. Except for the saddle, all add-on parts come in glossy black aluminum and make a good impression. Above all, the handlebar ergonomics knew how to convince.
Bombtrack Hook 2: Cross x Commute
How do you test a bike like the Bombtrack Hook 2? According to the manufacturer, it should feel comfortable in the entire field of tension from daily commuter to fun cross machine - so we thought we would put the Cologne steel bike to the test in both extreme areas. As a result, the Hook had to prove itself as a commuter over a period of several weeks and over a few hundred kilometers and also had to be used off the Tarmac on cross routes and forest paths in the Republic.
The Hook had to cover almost 30km every day, five days a week, in wind and weather. To save us from having to change shoes, we installed Moto Reflex platform pedals, which, with their griptape surface and large contact area, offer enough comfort and traction even with street shoes. The Bombtrack Hook 2 cut a particularly good figure on the daily playground across downtown Munich. The bandwidth of the circuit is more than sufficient for the mostly flat inner city of the Bavarian metropolis and finely graded enough that you always find the right translation.
The steel frame is a delight on this terrain: extra weight and less rigidity compared to aluminum or carbon are not important here, but the frame material absorbs many blows on the sometimes pathetically bad bike paths of the self-proclaimed cycling capital and noticeably increases comfort. We had a few concerns about the cross tires at the beginning, but the Conti tires have proven to be a very good choice for this application. On the road, they impress with their low rolling resistance, but still offer enough grip reserves for one or the other shortcut over gravel or forest paths.
Sure: The Bombtrack Hook 2 is a sporty bike. Even if you opt for fixed mudguards and/or luggage racks, the Hook will not turn into a leisurely stroll commuter. Again and again we caught ourselves stepping through it again, even though we had resolved to take it easy. Luckily, the brakes also play their part in this case: the TRP Spyre can be dosed very well, did not cause any problems during the test phase and the air gap between the pads is large enough that unpleasant grinding noises are a thing of the past.
Okay, so as a sporty commuter or city runabout, the Hook was extremely popular. But how does it fare as a crosser? Does it get along just as well in the real forest as in the urban jungle? Swap street gear for lycra, platform for clicks, and head into the woods!
Here, too, the first impression is good – but of course the hook has to prove itself again and again in this profession. When you start, the more than 10 kg (10,5 kg for our model in M without pedals) are clearly noticeable - modern carbon cross bikes easily weigh two kilograms less. But once it's rolling, the Hook is also a lot of fun on the crosstrack and is particularly appealing due to its excellent running smoothness. On the one hand, the balanced geometry comes into play here, but the good-natured, comfortable feeling of the steel frame also increases the feel-good factor.
As on the road, the brakes are completely convincing and are in control at all times. We're a little more conflicted about the gears - because the lack of a gear in the lower gear range could certainly force one or the other driver to dismount in difficult places. The tires are also nice – at least in most circumstances. They play to their strengths to the full on dense, dry forest soil, while wet, slippery roots and mud push the Conti tires and thus us on the bike to their limits.
The only real weakness is revealed by the hook during carrying passages. On the one hand, this is due to the weight, which is all the more noticeable here, as well as the classic tube shapes. While most modern bikes made of aluminum or carbon with flattened top tubes offer at least a minimum of comfort while wearing, the steel frame of the Hook shows its painful side here.
Bombtrack Hook 2: Conclusion
To get straight to the point: we fell in love with the Bombtrack Hook 2. Sure, admittedly, the steel bike isn't perfect, but rarely has a bike given us so much joy on such varied terrain. Take it to work in the morning, slip into a cross-outfit after work and off to the forest – the Hook is perfect for exactly that.
The price is definitely a downer: the Hook 2.499 we tested costs €2. That's reasonable, especially given the really nice steel frame, but price-performance hunters and bargain hunters are probably at the wrong place here. However, if you are looking for a special bike for different purposes and for whom the eye is always a part - you should definitely take a closer look at the bike from the small Cologne manufacturer. In any case, we hardly wanted to let it out of our hands at the end of our test.