In addition to the thick Onza Canis tires in 27.5 x 2.85 inches, the excellently crafted aluminium frame with four-link rear triangle immediately catches the eye. The shift cables and brake lines are laid in an exemplary manner and are concealed in the depths of the frame wherever possible. At the front, a Pike RC fork smoothes the waves and at the rear, a Monarch RT3 shock - also from Rock Shox - ensures a royal glide, similar to a sedan chair. Shimano's XT groupset ensures crisp shifting and always controlled braking. The Kind Shock dropper post effectively counteracts the nausea caused by rollover sensations. Equipped in this way, our test bike in size L, including pedals, weighs 13.6 kilograms.

From the set-up to the rapid descent

We set the fork and shock to around 25 percent negative suspension travel. When it comes to tire pressure, however, it is worth taking a very close look at the pressure gauge. Deviations of plus/minus 0.2 bar make the difference between "great ride feel and grip" and "almost unrideable". Otherwise, with the AM Plus: sit on it and feel good.

The riding position on the Transalpes is pleasantly neutral, not too upright and not too stretched out. This means you can spend the whole day on the bike without your back or aching upper arms forcing you off the saddle. The rear suspension is surprisingly neutral. Although it always bobs a little, we were happy to accept this for the sensitive response and the additional grip on very steep sections. Despite the 13.6 kg and the "wide tires", we climbed the AM Plus with comparative ease. The function of the components was completely convincing, the Shimano XT is a safe bet and the KS seatpost delighted us with its smooth operation.

The Transalpes immediately gives you a good and safe riding feeling, which can best be described as "relaxed". If you get off track, the Rock-Shox suspension elements and the plus-size tires smooth almost everything out. The grip on dry ground, rocks and when riding over root carpets is amazing and a lot of fun.
It is obvious that the relatively light and easy-rolling tires do not only offer advantages. In fast bends, the tires start to wallow slightly due to the thin sidewalls and grip is soon lost on muddy surfaces. Thanks to the lowerable seat post and the good suspension, these situations can also be mastered without any problems.

Conclusion

We were completely convinced by the Transalpes AM Plus as a touring bike. The workmanship is top-notch and you can feel the attention to detail of the bike makers from Zwillikon. The bike conveys a lot of confidence, but never feels sluggish. In short: a touring bike that is a lot of fun on all routes, provided you are in good physical condition of course. Whether it really is the perfect touring bike is something everyone can find out for themselves on a test ride.