Conclusion
If we’ve learned anything from this test, it’s that there’s more than one way to skin a cat. In some situations the lighter and stiffer Vitus had the upper hand, in others the heavier and more compliant Privateer prevailed. But regardless of the design approach, both these bikes deliver a ride quality that defies their price tags. Yes, there’s some room for improvement on both, but you’re going to have to spend a lot more money to see any real increase in performance; and even then, it’s no guarantee that the more expensive bikes will be any better. And that’s because Privateer and Vitus really have sweated all the details.
Both bikes have modern geometry and sizing, the Vitus is slightly slacker, the Privateer a touch longer. So if you’re making the jump from an older design, the Vitus won’t feel like such a handful in tighter terrain. It also won’t be such a sea change in terms of riding position – the ultra-steep seat angle and shorter top tube can feel alien on the 161.
That said, it is in part thanks to the steeper seat angle that the Privateer 161 pedals so darn well and eliminates the need for a lockout on the rear shock.
And while some riders will love not having to reach down and flick on the lockout on every climb, we think the rear suspension on the 161 could be even more effective at ironing out bumps if it had slightly less anti-squat. Maybe that’s something we’ll see with the next generation of 161.
As for the weight, some riders will no doubt be put off by it, but if e-bikes have taught us anything, it’s that the frame is actually the best place to add weight as it increases the sprung-to-unsprungmass ratio, which in turn results in a more reactive suspension response.
There’s no denying that Privateer pushed boundaries with the 161, but Vitus has taken a more conservative approach and it’s really paid off in spades, as the Sommet 29 CRS is a better all-rounder. And much as we all like to think of ourselves as riders that grind up climbs to explore the toughest off-piste trails, in reality that’s probably a smaller percentage of our riding than any of us would like to admit. And it’s the wider gamut that the Vitus covers that brings more colour to every ride, not just the black runs.
If, like us, you’re a serial suspension tweaker, you’re likely to find the limited adjustability on the CRS a little frustrating. The flip-side, however, is that it’s really easy to get a good ballpark set-up. Also, if it’s ultimate control over your suspension setting that you crave, the top-end Vitus 29 CRX gets a Fox Factory 38 fork and X2 shock, both with four-way adjustable damping. And at £3,599.99, you’ll be hard pushed to find another enduro bike at that price with such a premium build kit.
So in a world where everything seems to be getting more and more expensive, it is reassuring that brands like Privateer and Vitus are still keeping a keen eye on the bottom line.
Vitus has taken a more conservative approach and it’s paid off in spades