All good things come in threes: this is the motto of the Radon Vaillant test. The race all-rounder, which has been on the market since March, finally made it into the wind tunnel test at the third attempt. We were extremely excited about the aero performance and therefore also about the overall package of the bike presented in the spring. After all, in the competition bike segment, which is often very expensive, Radon puts an unrivalled, affordable racer on the tyres.
Although equipped to a high standard, the top version of the German manufacturer and mail order company remains under 5000 euros - and thus shows the German and international competition the rear wheel. Comparable models from Canyon, Rose or Storck cost between 500 and 2000 euros more. Even the specialist brand Cube, which has been competing with direct mail order companies for some time now with an aggressive pricing policy, cannot keep up. And how does the performance compare? We put the Vaillant 10.0 to the test.
Radon Vaillant 10.0: Angular pipe shapes
Radon has been bringing bikes onto the market for 30 years, with mountain bikes dominating the range then as now. However, the internet retailer Bike-Discount's own brand also has a small fleet of bikes with racing handlebars, which are characterised by an attractive price-performance ratio. The portfolio is led by the Vaillant, one of two carbon platforms.
The first impression? Refreshing! The angular tube profiles set the price cracker apart from the competition, the frameset is stylishly finished and the fully integrated handlebars give the racer a contemporary look. Overall, the Vaillant is based on aerodynamically optimised all-rounders and is said to be the fastest bike that the brand from Bonn has ever put on its tyres.
On the road, the torsionally rigid chassis allows for a fast pace. Especially on flat terrain, the track-following top model shows its strengths and rolls smoothly over the tarmac. Compared to its competitors, however, you need significantly more pedalling power to keep the bike up to speed. With 226 watts at 45 km/h, the Radon reaches the level of competition bikes trimmed for lightweight construction, as the wind tunnel test reveals. The comparison with faster wheels (Zipp 404, built in 1998) shows that the frameset still has potential. Four watts can be extracted, bringing the Vaillant 10.0 a little closer to comparable all-rounders and almost on a par with the exclusive Colnago from world champion Tadej Pogacar provides.
In terms of overall weight, the attractively painted racer achieves an average result. The Vaillant 10.0 is lighter over the mountains than the Base modelwhich weighed 700 grams more on our scales. Nevertheless, the self-proclaimed all-rounder feels more at home on flat, slightly undulating terrain and its riding characteristics tend towards an aerodynamic racing bike. An impression that is reinforced by the hard-tuned chassis. The high-quality Continental tyres do their best to cushion the bike, but the handlebar-stem combination and seat post, both made of carbon, transmit vibrations relatively unfiltered. The Radon would roll a little more comfortably with wider tyres, but there is room for a maximum of 30 millimetres of rubber.
An interesting competition bike for amateur athletes
All in all, Radon's Vaillant 10.0 is a modern competition bike in the online shop, which may not quite be at the top of the class in terms of aerodynamics and comfort, but is a well-rounded overall package - and at an absolute top price. Mavic and Sram alone have a combined list price of around 3,500 euros for their carbon wheels and 2x12 electronic groupset.
In combination with the relatively upright riding position, the Vaillant should appeal to a large target group. After all, not every amateur athlete can and wants to sit as stretched out as Pogacar & Co. on a competition bike. The other equipment variants with electronic gears from Shimano are also unrivalled in price at 2999 and 3499 euros, but are heavier due to their simple aluminium wheels.
Radon Vaillant 10.0: Info & test grade
- Price: 4499 Euro
- Frame sizes: XS, S, M, L, XL
- TOUR grade: 2,6
Geometry
- Seat/top/head tube: 527/555/148 millimetres
- Stack/Reach/STR: 575/381 millimetres/1.51
- Stack+/Reach+/STR+: 627/569 millimetres/1.10
- Wheelbase/caster: 1000/61 millimetres
Equipment
- Drive/gear shift: SRAM Force AXS (2x12; 50/37, 10-36 t.) | Grade: 1.0
- Brakes: SRAM Force (160/160 mm) | Grade: 1.5
- Tyres: Continental Grand Prix 5000 28 mm (eff.: 28 mm) | Grade: 1.0
- Impellers: Mavic Cosmic SL 45
- Impeller weights: 1284/1724 grams (front/rear)
Measured values
- Weight of complete wheel: 7880 grammes | Grade: 3.0
- Aerodynamics: 226 Watt | Grade: 3.7
- Driving stability: 8.24 N/mm | Grade: 1.7
- Rear comfort: 209 N/mm | Grade: 3.3
- Comfort front: 92 N/mm | Grade: 3.0
- Ride/ bottom bracket stiffness: 60 N/mm | Grade: 1.0
Advantages and disadvantages of the Radon Vaillant
- Plus: Stiff frame set, high-quality equipment, attractive price
- Minus: poor aero performance, low spring comfort
How TOUR tests
Julian Schultz
Editor
