The Summum was the most eagerly anticipated downhill race bike of 2010. In fact, demand was so high – with bikes being snapped up as soon as they left the factory – that we didn't manage to get hold of one to test until the end of the year.
The 2011 model is now available, for £500 more, and we'll bring you a test of that as soon as we can put some time in on it. For now, here are our thoughts on the 2010 bike (fitted with a 2011 Fox 40 fork). The only major change to the frame is that the top tube has now been lengthened slightly.
Ride & handling: The lightest and possibly the fastest production downhill bike
Designed by former downhill racer Cesar Rojo and developed with two-time world champion Fabien Barel, there could only be one outcome for this machine, which is the lightest complete downhill bike on the market.
If you haven’t experienced such speed specific angles before, it can take a couple of runs to get used to the slack head angle. When you do though, this relaxed setup, coupled with the Zero Suspension System, really seems to help you attack the track more confidently, and hitting those hard to reach lines becomes easier than ever.
This may be partly attributed to the super-stable ride that the Summum delivers and its amazing speed-carrying abilities. Its minimal weight of 16.5kg (36.4lb) and the fact that it pedals so well means the Mondraker is like a rocket ship off the start line and out of corners, picking up and maintaining speed brilliantly.
The high-end build delivers just as it should, with reliable performances from everything from the Shimano XTR shifting to the Formula The One brakes. We did cripple the Mavic Deemax Ultimate front wheel in a massive crash but it’s since been replaced and has suffered further, worse, abuse without flinching.
Frame: Good looking, adjustable and great suspension
Aesthetically, the Summum ticks all the right boxes – clean, smooth lines and subtle, understated graphics. The Stealth alloy tubing adds an edge to the Summum’s amazing looks and helps keep it reasonably light.
The Summum offers more adjustability than most. The four chainstay length options can easily be altered with the swappable chips and brake mounts at the rear axle. There are three CNC-machined head tube angle cups too, from zero to two degrees.
At the Summum’s heart is the all-important Zero Suspension System which, with the help of the Fox DHX RC4 rear shock, controls the 210mm (8.3in) of rear travel, using the two links to compress the shock from both sides at the same time.
Cable routing is neat and tidy, with some slick internal routing keeping the cables out of harm’s way. We did notice some wear and tear on the cables where they entered the head tube, but this can be taken care of easily enough with some homemade protection.
