V
VitusSentier
mtb– EUR
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Origin
The Sentier is Vitus's aggressive trail hardtail and one of the brand's most decorated value models, sold consumer-direct through Chain Reaction Cycles / Wiggle. By cutting out retail middlemen, Vitus delivers a tech-capable 130 mm-fork hardtail with RockShox suspension and Schwalbe rubber for under £1,000 — kit that normally lives on bikes costing far more. It has been a perennial fixture in 'best budget hardtail' roundups and a long-running staff favourite at BikeRadar, MBR and Bike Perfect.
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Specifications
- Frame
- Aluminium 6061-T6, double-butted
- Weight
- kg
- Drivetrain
- Shimano Deore 1×10 (M5100 shifter, M5120 rear derailleur), 30T chainring, 11–46T SunRace cassette (VRX trim steps up to Shimano SLX/XT 1×12)
- Brakes
- Clarks M2 hydraulic disc, 180 mm rotors front and rear
- Wheels
- 29", WTB ST i30 TCS 2.0 tubeless-ready rims on Vitus KT hubs, Boost
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The verdict
+Strengths
- Outstanding value — RockShox fork, Shimano Deore and grippy Schwalbe tyres for under £1,000
- Aggressive, downhill-grade Magic Mary front tyre gives huge cornering confidence
- Capable trail geometry (66.5° head angle) that descends well above its price
- Upgrade-ready frame: internal dropper routing, tapered head tube, Boost bolt-through axles
- Reliable, smooth-shifting Shimano Deore drivetrain
−Weaknesses
- Clarks M2 brakes lack outright power and lever feel versus Shimano/SRAM
- Sticky soft-compound tyres feel draggy and slow on hardpack or climbs
- Exposed/partial gear-cable routing collects dirt and water, degrading shifting over time
- Tall stack (643 mm) and shorter reach make it harder to weight the front wheel and lag behind the longest, slackest modern rivals
- Base trim ships without a dropper post and lacks mudguard/rack mounts
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Who it’s for
Trail rider on a budget who wants tech-capable handling without full-suspension cost/maintenance. Also serves as a great 'second bike' / winter trainer for owners of carbon FS bikes.
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Tags
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Related models
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