Test / MTB: We had the fortunate opportunity to extensively test the new team bike from Karl Plattt, Urs Meier and Co. with the Bulls Wild Edge 2020 long before it went on sale. With a completely new frame, the racing file reveals undreamt-of trail suitability without forgetting its race DNA.
Bulls Wild Edge 2020: New frame for the toughness of everyday racing
The Wild Edge has been the "work tool" of the Bulls team riders around Karl Platt, Urs Meier, Simon Stiebjahn and Alban Lakata for several years. For the 2020 model year, however, the XC-Fully gets a completely redesigned frame, which on the one hand retains the characteristics and orientation of the previous bike, but at the same time should be better adapted to everyday racing, for example at the Cape Epic. Of course, the new Wild Edge is also only available with a carbon frame, as befits a bike of this class.
First of all, the designers made cutbacks on the rear triangle: Although this still gets 100mm of spring travel out of the damper, the linkage has been completely redesigned. Thanks to a shorter rocker link, the new frame is significantly and noticeably stiffer when accelerating and the progressive kinematics also know how to deal with larger impacts. Speaking of rigidity: the bottom bracket area has also been given a makeover and hardly twists any more, even under heavy acceleration. This is made possible, among other things, by the fact that the possibility of mounting a front derailleur will be dispensed with in the future and therefore only relies on 1-speed drives. Anyone who looks at the starting field in XC or marathon races should have little doubt about this decision - the second chain ring is disappearing more and more.
Perhaps the most important change compared to its predecessor is in the geometry: This has been adapted to the increasingly demanding XC routes so that the Wild Edge 2020 behaves well even on rough terrain and doesn't waste any unnecessary seconds. Here you follow the proven model of the Black Adder race hardtail, the one similar change to last season. The main frame of the Wild Edge therefore grows in length so that short stems can also be ridden comfortably. Especially in technically demanding terrain, it is much easier to control the handlebars and thus stay on track. At the same time, the chainstays could be shortened by 10mm so that the bike doesn't become unnecessarily long and still handles corners well. With this change in geometry, the Bulls Wild Edge 2020 puts the rider in a more central position on the bike. The extremely slack steering angle of 68° also contributes to smooth running.
Bulls Wild Edge 2020: First driving impressions
Long before the actual start of sales, we had the opportunity to put one of the Bulls Wild Edge 2020 team bikes through its paces over a longer period of time. The first glance at our test bike makes it clear: This is a racing bike! The low front end with a flat bar and negatively mounted stem, as well as a raised saddle with an aggressively adjusted saddle, make the bike look fast even when stationary. Here it should be said right at the beginning; Our tested team bike differs in some details from the commercially available top model in terms of equipment. For example, we installed the new Shimano XTR system wheels, while the DT Swiss XRC1200 series uses carbon wheels. This shouldn't make too big a difference in terms of weight or performance.
However, when you sit down on the bike, the seating position is comfortable and the aggressive impression is only confirmed to a limited extent – in a positive sense. As the saying goes, "It's comfortable to sit in the bike". This conveys a good feeling from the very first meter, a lot of security and increases the harmony between bike and rider. With the new geometry, Bulls has found a good compromise between sportiness and comfort for long distances.
The bike already confirms its sporty orientation as it slowly rolls up. Steps on the pedals are consistently converted into propulsion and make you want more. The Wild Edge encourages you to drive fast and so the first intermediate sprints creep in. If you get out of the saddle with the shock open and throw all the watts into the balance, you can provoke a slight seesaw in the rear triangle. No problem for real racers, who anyway briefly operate the remote lever for the chassis on the left handlebar grip. Once pressed, you get a racing bike feeling and the bike shows its good stiffness values in practice. The smooth-running Schwalbe tires, the new XTR wheels and the low overall weight do the rest. So the first meters of altitude on asphalt are easily destroyed.
We continue on the Uphill Trail. The steep seat tube angle is noticeable here. Even on steep ramps you sit nicely above the bottom bracket and can convert your own strength into propulsion. The long reach and low handlebar height compensate for the short chainstays, so you really have to provoke a rising front wheel. The range of gear ratios on the Wild Edge is completely sufficient on the climbs and you rarely find yourself on the last spare sprocket. If things get a bit more technical, the suspension does a good job and you almost always have traction for the next attack.
Due to the increasingly difficult routes, more attention was paid to the downhill performance of the new Wild Edge. Nevertheless, you shouldn't expect a playful trail bike with a comfortable chassis. The Bulls Wild Edge wants to be moved down the mountain as quickly as possible and works here with the greatest precision. Due to the slacker steering angle and the long reach, the bike is extremely stable on the trail, even at higher speeds. If it gets a little tighter, then the very short chainstays come into play. The bike maneuvers really well around tight corners. A real downhill highlight was the newly developed rear triangle. Heavier hits were absorbed so well that the impression was made of more than 100 mm at the rear.
Dani says
Hello
Hi
Small side note: The team driver of the Bulls Rennhobel is not called Urs Meier (can't explain to me why this name appears twice wrong in the text) but Urs Huber.
Many thanks for the correction.
Greetings from beautiful Switzerland & ride on
Dani