PINNACLE STRATUS 3.0E

Product reviews, out of necessity, are full of relative descriptions and judgements based on comparison with a similar product familiar to the reviewer. Therefore, a reviewer’s experience very much affects the review outcome. Reviewers with little or no experience to call upon are likely to compare the product with their own expectations (be they reasonable or not).

My review is no exception but I’ll say up front that my experience of adult bicycles is limited to a GT Tequesta mountain bike (steel frame, 3x7 derailuer gears & no suspension) and two lightweight tourers (both with Reynolds 531 steel frame, one with 700C alloy rims and 2x7 speed derailleur gears and the older tourer with 26” steel rims and Sturmey Archer 4 speed internal hub gears). Each tourer was fitted with new parts as they wore over the years. I’ve tried out other cycles but only for short periods.

I purchased the Pinnacle (Evans) Stratus 3.0E bike mainly for the SRAM i-motion 9 gears. Not many readily available bikes at around £500 are fitted with internal hub gears so my choice was severely limited. The Shimano Alfine 8 speed gears appear on a couple of bikes at this price point but they didn’t suit me for other reasons. I wasn’t prepared to take a chance on two other current options (a Sturmey Archer 8 speed and the interesting, continuously variable NuVinchi) because I couldn’t find convincing recommendations from users. The daddy of all internal gear hubs, the14 speed Rohloff, is so out of my price range.

Evans/Pinnacle cycle size chart suggested a Large size frame for my height (5’ 11.5”) but from Pinnacles website, I determined that the XLarge frame had the dimensions I preferred. I like a bit of a reach to the handlebars so I can take a fair bit of weight on my arms – each to their own. I also like the saddle to be about the same height from the ground as the handlebars and I couldn’t be sure that was achievable just from measurements so I took a trip to my nearest Evans store to confirm the XL suited me. The RRP of £650 seems a bit steep which is why Evans is selling it for a reasonable £500. I mentioned the 5% cashback available when purchased on-line through TopCashBack.co.uk and they matched this price, i.e. £475, in-store.

The bike arrived within a few days, fully encased in a giant cardboard box. Handlebars and pedals had been detached and protected with bubble wrap for shipping and were easily reinstated using the neat multi-tool and spanner provided and in accordance with the guide/manual, also supplied. Whilst I was at it, I checked all nuts and bolts for tightness as I found some to be a little loose and others very tight. The gears had already been set-up correctly but I couldn’t resist dabbling anyway – it improved my understanding of them. The whole assembly process only took about an hour.

First impression is of a smart looking cycle, nicely finished in understated grey pearlite type paint with maroon detailing – I suspect the looks will appeal more to adults than teenagers. The frame seems well made with alloy tubes of interesting profiles, though how this benefits performance is anybodies guess. Welds are even and complete.

Purchasing a mid-range cycle for it’s relatively expensive gears means that compromises have to be made elsewhere. Some of the components may be a little cheaper than you’d expect on a £500 cycle but they’re well chosen and quality barely suffers. My only real gripe is that the right hand brake lever is a little too short. It fixes to the handle bars on the left side of the chunky gripshift gear change mechanism which puts it’s fixing point too far away from the handlebar grips (which incidentally, are excellent). I can only get a couple of fingers on the lever but as the brakes are very good (much sharper than I’m used to), this isn’t a problem.

Whilst there are a couple of minor design issues, I’m happy overall after about 200 road miles. The bike feels light yet strong; it rides well, is responsive, surprisingly nippy and inspires confidence. The general-purpose Kenda tyres must take a lot of credit for the handling. They are a wide 32mm with an intricate tread pattern and put quite a bit of rubber on the road so they probably have higher rolling resistance than a dedicated road tyre of the same size. Steering isn’t as precise as my tourer, which is fitted with the excellent Vittoria Randonneur tyres, but it’s better than my fat tyred mountain bike. Conversely though, the Pinnacle feels more confident through fast corners than my tourer (?). I’ve set tyre pressures to 70psi rear and 60psi front; much higher andI find the ride becomes unpleasantly harsh - aluminium appears to be an unforgiving frame material. There is sufficient frame clearance for fatter tyres although the mudguards have a tight radius across their width so may need replacing if you go down this route.

The rear sloping top tube is not something I wanted. It has two disadvantages for me. Firstly, it tends to afford a more relaxed cycling position, which may appeal to potential purchasers but not me. Having said that, I can still adjust the bike to get the riding position I prefer. Secondly, the rear rack fixing point to the frame is necessarily low down meaning that long ‘metal strips’ are required to join rack to frame so there is minor side-to-side movement but it’s not serious. I regularly strap a heavy bag containing a lead acid battery (for my lights) onto the rack, which has survived so far.

I have an issue with the width (spacing) between the pedals – I think it’s known as the Q factor – it’s a wide 170mm (approx.) between outer faces of the cranks at the pedal thread. The main reason for this is that the crank arms bend outward thus increasing the spacing to more than my tourer and mountain bikes. To have such a high Q when there’s only one chainring is pretty inexcusable to my mind, especially as the Stratus’s frame geometry would allow the Q factor to be reduced to a more reasonable 150mm. It has taken a good few miles and some aching muscles to get used to it. This issue of a large Q factor may not bother many folk, especially if you’ve only been riding mountain bikes.

The gears have an amazing range of 340% and spacing between most of the 9 gears is 17%, evidently (it’s 14% between gears 1 & 2 and 8 & 9). I hadn’t expected to be able to notice the difference but surprisingly the 17% spacing feels a bit high. Those familiar with the close ratio gears of road bikes could feel that gears are missing (I can’t imagine how irritating some of the massive gear spacing in the Shimano Alfine must feel). For my use, I’d gladly sacrifice some of the range for a 14% gear spacing throughout. That said, you almost get used to it and, unlike a conventional derailleur system, there’s nothing you can do about it anyway. On a positive note, Pinnacle has pitched the gear range well. With a 42T chainring and a 20T rear cog, it’s fine for my general-purpose use but might be too low overall for a speedy commute – easily altered though. Gear change is generally good but can make unpleasant noises when changing under load. I’m used to friction and ‘quickfire’ type gear changers so gripshift was new to me. After 200 miles, I conclude that gripshift changers are not to my taste but until SRAM offer a ‘quickfire’ trigger type, I’ll have to tolerate it. Gripshift might be suitable for kid’s bikes but I can’t imagine serious cyclists choosing them.

There is a moderate, rapid ticking/whirring noise in some gears, notably 6, 8 and 9 and it’s enough to draw the odd glance. It doesn’t sound as if anything is wrong; I think it’s just the nature of these gears. The alleged benefit of internal hub gears is low maintenance and consistent performance over time so I can’t comment on these aspects just yet. Also, I’d expect long life from the drive chain components. In use, I don’t notice extra drag with these gears compared with my other bike’s derailleurs nor do I notice the slight extra weight of the rear hub when cycling. Perhaps more sensitive cyclists would detect these things.

Minor components can have a big impact on ride enjoyment. The saddle is a decent example of the comfy variety, although the top surface is cloth so I wouldn’t like it to get wet, and the suspension seat-post does its job unobtrusively well. The pedals are nicely constructed but poorly designed in m opinion – the smooth spindle/bearing housing is at the same level as the rubber grips at the pedal edges. The soles of most trainers have a slight upward curve therefore the spindle/bearing housing, rather than the rubber grips, takes most of your weight. It doesn’t feel right and is prone to slip in the wet. Someone should have spotted this problem before they left the factory. It’s the only component I intend to replace at present.

I like the fact that I can quickly adjust the handlebars upwards for a more casual riding position, say for a weekend run-out with mates, or leave them lowered for less wind resistance and rapid commuting progress.

Overall, this bike is a good, solid choice that I’m happy to recommend provided you want internal hub gears and the frame geometry and size options suit you.