Bold Cycles caused quite a stir with their first bike "Linkin Trail". After all, how many full-suspension bikes with an invisible suspension strut are there already? So the Linkin Trail no longer has to prove itself visually. Rather, the question is what the trail bike can do at all. After all, it is also one of the first bikes on the market that can be ridden as a twentyniner as well as a 27.5-plus bike. Of the four versions, we have therefore chosen the "Early Bird" version with 29 and 27.5-plus wheels.
This model has a very wide range of high-quality equipment. Shifting is provided by Shimano's mechanical XTR groupset at the front and rear. However, the drive is provided by a Next SL carbon crank from Race Face with chainrings in sizes 26 and 38 teeth. Both wheelsets, the 29er and the Plus wheelset, are from DT Swiss.

The biker's throne consists of a Rock Shox Reverb seatpost and a stylish WTB saddle with the Bold logo. The seatpost does not come in a stealth version, as internal cable routing was not possible due to the frame design. Visually, this hurts a little, as there are other products on the market where the external cables only extend to the end of the post.
The cockpit, consisting of a 60 millimeter stem, 740 millimeter handlebars and screw-in grips from Race Face, again fits well into the concept of this trail bike.
For the rear shock, Bold relies on an X313 from DT Swiss. This is specially adapted to the bike and can be found on all versions of the Linkin Trail. It allows the rear wheel 130 millimeters of travel. At the front, a Rock Shox Pike RTC3 with 140 millimetres of travel handles the bumps.

Guaranteed fun on 29 inches
As with other bikes, you need some time to set up the suspension before your first ride. With the Bold, you need slightly more time. The protective plate covering the shock must first be removed from the down tube to access the bumper. However, two minutes for unscrewing and screwing are within reasonable limits. The setup as such hardly differs from other systems. The only difference is that the negative suspension travel is determined via a small window in the seat tube and is done by two people. You clamp the SAG indicator to this window, sit on the bike while the second person reads the negative suspension travel. The total additional effort for suspension tuning is less than five minutes.

Once the suspension and position settings have been made, you're ready to go. The Bold appears to be very pleasant from the very first meter and immediately reveals its sporty character. It rides with a lot of propulsion, but still with a good dose of comfort. For a trail bike, the Linkin Trail masters long climbs with ease and also climbs strongly on single trails uphill and through technical passages. However, steep ramps require a little more forward weight transfer to prevent the front wheel from starting to climb. However, your legs usually give out before it really starts to climb.

On the descents, the Linkin Trail likes to be flowy and playful - the ideal bike for active riders. On the one hand, the geometry makes it fun to ride, but the frame stiffness and the characteristics of the suspension system also contribute to the lively handling. The progressive behavior of the rear suspension helps you to carry a lot of momentum out of corners, especially when changing direction quickly. The suspension offers the same support when overcoming obstacles.
The 130 millimetres of suspension travel are fully utilized when the suspension strut is optimally adjusted. However, due to the progressive spring characteristic, slightly harder bumps are required to bring about bottoming out. The manufacturer recommends 30 to 35 percent negative suspension travel. This is also in line with our experience, although you are blessed with significantly more comfort at 35 percent negative suspension travel.

The Bold also feels at home on steep and rough terrain, where it impresses with its excellent maneuverability. When things get fast, the Linkin Trail is sufficiently stable. This gives it sufficient safety. However, it is a little too agile for a high-speed vehicle. However, this agility should not be a deterrent. Even though the Bold is predestined for active riding, less lively riders should also be happy with it. It only reveals its playful character when called upon.

The 27.5-plus variant
While the Linkin Trail with the 29-inch wheels is sporty, crisp and a lot of fun, the bike now has to make do with the 27.5-plus wheels. Although still playful, the pithy feeling is somewhat lost with the thicker tires. Descents can also be ridden very quickly, but due to the low pressure of the 2.8-inch wide tires, there is a slight bobbing sensation, similar to that of a fat bike. At normal speeds, on the other hand, the more voluminous tires provide stability and riding safety. Uphill, on the other hand, the plus-size tires impress with plenty of grip.

If you like to ride actively and sometimes hard, you shouldn't compromise and go for the 29-inch tires. From our point of view, the plus-size tires are an additional option, or for all those riders for whom riding safety comes before direct and crisp handling. But even if the 27.5-plus wheels are not for the racing-oriented biker, the rolling resistance is surprisingly low and their acceleration is good. With this in mind, we definitely consider this tire width to be suitable for touring.Conclusion: If you are looking for a visually special bike that also rides very well, the Bold "Linkin Trail" is a great choice. With no significant flaws, this trail bike cuts a fine figure almost everywhere. With 27.5-inch wheels, its range of use is somewhat wider than with 29ers alone. However, from my personal point of view, this bike works best with the latter. Specifications

Frame material:	Carbon
Price:	CHF 6'380.00, (from CHF 4'950.00)
Weight:	12.7 kg (size M, with pedals)
Suspension travel:	140mm front / 130mm rear
Forks:	Rock Shox Pike RTC3 Solo Air
Suspension strut:	DT Swiss X313 Custom Tuned
Circuit:	Shimano XTR 2x11
Brakes:	Shimano XTR Trail 180/180
Crankset:	Race Face Next SL 38x26T
Rims:	29 inch: DT Swiss M 1700 Spline Two, 27.5 inch: DT Swiss XM481 27.5
Hubs:	DT Swiss M 1700 Spline Two
Tires:	Onza Ibex 29x2.25 FRC, WTB Trailblazer 27.5 x 2.8
Saddle:	WTB Volt Custom Design
Saddle post:	Rock Shox Reverb 125mm
Grips:	Race Face Half Nelson
stem:	Race Face Turbine 60 mm
handlebars:	Race Face Next Carbon 740 mm

Manufacturer: www.boldcycles.com

Test report published in issue 01/2016 of Ride Magazine

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