Test: The Propain Hugene is the first 29″ bike in the portfolio of the direct seller based near Ravensburg. The trail bike with a carbon frame offers 130mm of rear suspension and trail-ready equipment that each customer can put together individually. We tested the bike as part of the Bike Festival in Riva.
Among the German direct sellers, the small MTB manufacturer Propain from the southwest of Germany is overshadowed by the big names, but it has nevertheless been able to build up an enthusiastic fan base in recent years. You don't want to play in the concert of the two-wheeler giants, but rather concentrate on other qualities: Fast and uncomplicated customer contact and individual equipment variants are right at the top of the agenda here.
With the Hugene, the first 29″ bike in the history of Propain was presented these days. The bike comes with a lively 130mm spring travel in the rear and 140 or 150mm in the front and is therefore fully in line with the spirit of the times. A modern trail bike that many bikers want: somewhere between touring bike and enduro, between relaxed flow trail and rock field banging. The Propain Hugene will only be available with a carbon frame, starting at €3.099.
Propain Hugene - The Framework
Propain fans will notice right from the start that the carbon frame of the Hugene is true to the proven Pro10 rear end, but the entire linkage including the damper is pulled into the frame triangle. On other bikes like the Enduro Tyee, the shock is still behind the seat tube. The problem: If the proven damper position behind the frame triangle had been retained, the chainstays would have grown extremely long due to the large wheels. The “relocation of the damper” also has the advantage that the real seat tube angle of the Hugene is a good deal steeper than that of the Tyee, for example, which should make long-legged riders particularly happy.
Aside from the rear end, there is a lot of brain power and a lot of attention to detail in the Hugene frame. Frame protectors are attached ex works at all important points such as the down tube or the chainstay, the internally routed cables run in thick foam sleeves and do not rattle even with heavy shaking. Speaking of cable routing: We also spot a cable outlet on the down tube for an optional damper lockout. Bottle holder fans can also look forward to plenty of space in the frame triangle for the drinking bottle.
All frame bearings on the Hugene are also protected from dirt and grime by an additional bearing cover and sealing lip, so that you can enjoy your bike for a long time and don't have to change the rotten bearings every few months. Propain's decision to use classic bolted BSA bearings for the bottom bracket, despite the carbon frame material, is also to be welcomed - at least here there are guaranteed no creaking problems.
Apparently they also thought about the right geometry for a bike like the Hugene. The result is an interesting mixture of sometimes very modern dimensions such as the long reach and more conservative approaches such as the rather steep 67° steering angle or the 445mm long chainstays. However, the thoughts behind it are quite understandable: If the current trend towards very slack steering angles had been followed, the new 29er Propain would have lost a lot of its liveliness. The long struts and the steering angle ensure smooth handling on climbs.
Geometry Propain Hugene
S | N | L | XL | |
seat tube (in mm) | 410 | 440 | 470 | 500 |
Top tube horizontal (in mm) | 573 | 601 | 628 | 656 |
head tube (in mm) | 95 | 105 | 115 | 125 |
chainstay (in mm) | 445 | 445 | 445 | 445 |
Wheelbase (in mm) | 1150 | 1179 | 1208 | 1236 |
Steering angle (in °) | 67 | 67 | 67 | 67 |
Seat angle (in °) | 74.5 | 74.5 | 74.5 | 74.5 |
Reach (mm) | 407 | 432 | 457 | 482 |
Stacks (in mm) | 605 | 615 | 624 | 633 |
Propain Hugene - The equipment
When it comes to the equipment, Propain goes its own, quite individual way. Up to now, as with other manufacturers, there have also been some fixed equipment variants and a "free" model that you could partially configure yourself. A few things will change here with the launch of the Hugene in the summer: customers are still offered three model variants for sale, but these are no more than a suggestion for equipment. To put it plainly: in the future everyone will be able to configure their own Propain bike.
As a result, there will also be a much larger selection of components in the future: In addition to the RockShox and Fox at the front, there is also the option of a Formula Selva for the chassis. While you only had the choice between an aluminum post and the BikeYoke Revive for the dropper posts, the Kind Shock LEV and the Fox Transfer will be added in the future. There's also a lot to choose from when it comes to wheels: From Stan's you can choose between the Flow S1, the Flow MK3 and the light Arch MK3. In addition, carbon fiber fans can also configure a light Reynolds BL Enduro Carbon LRS.
Our test bike of the Propain Hugene mostly corresponded to the finest equipment variant that will be available for €6.399. The Fox Factory chassis consisting of a 36er RC2 with 150mm in the front and DPX2 in the rear is joined by an MT7 brake from Magura and a complete Sram XX1 Eagle drive. Instead of the Reynolds BL Enduro, we used a set of Stan's Flow MK3 rims for the wheels. All in all, it is definitely trimmed for descents and far from a tame touring bike. The Magic Marry tires at the front and rear (!) also fit in with this.
Propain Hugene equipment suggestions
Home | Bestsellers | Highend | |
---|---|---|---|
Gabel | Formula Selva | RockShox Pike RCT3 | Fox 36 Factory RC2 |
Suspension shocks | RockShox Deluxe RT | RockShox Super Deluxe RC3 | Fox DPX2 Factory |
Power Type | Sram GX Eagle | Sram X01 Eagle | Sram XX1 Eagle |
Brakes | Care formula | Ram Guide RSC | Magura MT7 |
Wheels | Stan's Flow S1 | Stan's Flow MK3 | Reynolds BL Enduro |
Price | 3.099€ | 4.099€ | 6.399€ |
Propain Hugene - On the Trail
In the trail mecca on Lake Garda there are countless opportunities to put a bike like the Hugene to the test. We chose the Val del Diaol - a real enduro trail with a fun mix of challenging natural sections full of rocks and roots and built sections with fast berms and the odd jump.
However, before it hit the trail, the Hugene had to show how it would fare on the tough climbs on asphalt. What was striking was the extremely efficient rear end, which only rocked minimally even when the damper was fully open. Incidentally, the lockout lever on the DPX2 is easy to reach thanks to the new damper position - but as I said: We didn't really need it. Thanks to the long stays, we didn't have to slide too far forward to keep the front wheel on the ground, even on steep ramps.
The bike knew how to shine right from the start in a discipline where we would have actually suspected its weaknesses. And on the trail? full throttle! Right from the start, the Hugene calmly bangs over a steep rocky outcrop and fares better than some enduro bikes we've tested in the past. The chassis absorbs a lot - thanks to the very efficient rear end, it doesn't feel unbalanced at all despite a suspension travel difference of 20mm. The Magura brakes are easy to dose, but if desired, they can grab with brute force. Thanks to the Magic Marry tires with a stable apex carcass, you are spared from punctures and have enough grip even in slightly damp conditions.
The seating position is perfect - the long main frame offers plenty of freedom of movement to shift your body weight and thanks to the long chainstays you get a very smooth ride. Since the wheelbase remains nice and compact, also because of the 67 head angle, the Hugene does very well even in narrow passages. Speaking of head angles, we expected the Propain to hit its limits a bit when things got steep and technical. But - far from it. Here, too, the carbon trail rocket was a lot of fun and felt very safe.
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