FIRST RIDE AND RELEASE

FORESTAL SIRYON ENDURO MTB

Words by Robert Johnston  |  Action Photos by Alexander Kravtsov

Today is a big day for Andorran mountain bike brand Forestal Bikes, with the launch of three new mountain and e-mountain bikes. Welcome to the mountain bike world the new Forestal Siryon enduro bike; Cygnus downcountry mountain bike and E-Cygnus downcountry eBike.

Would the new Siryon deliver the same fun and capability that we previously enjoyed in the E-Siryon? We were excited to find out during the production of this first ride review.

ABOUT THE FORESTAL SIRYON ENDURO MTB

The Siryon marks Forestal’s first venture into the non-assisted mountain bike space, joining the new Cygnus downcountry machine. For this first ride review we’re going to focus on this new Siryon, but if you want to learn more about the downcountry Cygnus and E-Cygnus platforms then head to the Forestal website.

FRAME AND FEATURES | For the new Siryon, Forestal wanted to retain the same DNA as the existing E-Siryon, but deliver it in an optimized platform for an enduro bike. For this, they’ve kept the same 170mm suspension and 29” wheels on both ends, but made some small tweaks and refinements here and there.

The same Twin Levity linkage driven single pivot suspension design is featured. They worked on the frame shape to deliver some updated design language, and the result is a seriously good looking machine, at least in my eyes.

Inside the front triangle is a bottle cage mount optimized for the Fidlock system, and a Fidlock equipped internal frame storage hatch to carry the essentials on your rides. Sadly for many, cables are still routed through the headset. There’s an integrated fender in the rear end to keep the linkage clear from debris, and a generous downtube guard to fend off damage and reduce noise.

SUSPENSION | The Twin Levity suspension has a single pivot arc at the rear wheel, with the leverage ratio being tuned by the linkages. The system is highly progressive up to sag, then levels off after sag to deliver around 30% overall progression and plenty of support deeper into the 170mm travel.

GEOMETRY | Geometry figures are largely shared with the E-Siryon, but Forestal worked to lower seat tube heights to better cater to longer dropper posts and shorter-legged riders. They also tweaked the angles, steepening the head tube and seat tube angles by half a degree to increase agility and improve the climbing position.

There’s a 64.5°head tube angle; 77.5° degree effective seat tube angle, and 25mm bb drop across the size range. Forestal consolidated sizing to give Small/Medium, Large and Extra Large sizes only. Reach figures span from 458mm to 508mm, with accompanying stack heights from 623mm to 650mm. The size Large tested sits at 488mm and 638mm.

Overall the new Siryon sports purposeful enduro bike geometry, though it’s not the absolute most stable out there, retaining some useful agility for tighter sections of trail.

BUILD SPECS | Forestal has simplified the build kit offerings across the range, hoping to improve clarity for the customer and to let them improve their pricing competitiveness.

The new Siryon is offered in the Halo build at €6,999 or the Diode we tested at €8,999. Forestal will also offer a frame kit for €3,999, with a Fox Float X2 Factory shock and the accessories.

Both of the full builds will come with the same carbon fiber frame, 4-pot Formula Cura brakes, Forestal Cockpit with carbon bar, OneUp dropper post and Schwalbe Albert Radial Gravity tires.

The Diode build tested features a very solid build, with the Fox Factory 38 and Float X2; SRAM XO T-type drivetrain, and Crankbrothers Synthesis alloy rim with Industry Nine hubs.

THE DIRT

We enjoyed two rides on the new Forestal Siryon prior to its release, in the excellent Santa Coloma De Farners riding zone in Spain. With trails that combine high speeds; countless drops to flat and some chunky rock sections, it made for a fantastic location to get familiar with Forestal’s new enduro mountain bike.

SETUP | Addressing a rightful concern for anyone looking at the frame layout, it was indeed a little tricky to get the shock pump into the shock and to measure sag. However, it was not impossible, and getting the Forestal Siryon set up and into a comfortable place took only a fraction longer than more conventional, accessible designs.

With a hair over 30% sag in the rear, I was left in a comfortable place. The touchdown sensitivity was pretty incredible for an air sprung rear end thanks to that high initial leverage ratio, helping to overcome stiction. In theory you could then get away with a slightly firmer spring rate, but I’m a fan of a more sunk-in dynamic rear end.

CLIMBING | Seated climbing struck a good balance between efficiency and traction, with a small amount of bob on a fire road but limited feelings of robbed energy. When standing up to lay down the power, it firmed up fairly well, feeling like a racey bike that would support you well as you sprint towards the finish line of a race stage.

The climbing position was solid, though the seat tube angle was not the steepest out there. For me and my long legs it was tolerable, but I could see riders looking to climb the absolute steepest terrain finding value in slamming their seat forward in the rails. For the majority of fire road winching, it’ll serve just fine. Seatpost insertion lengths are reasonable, but the dropper spec could be slightly, so riders on the Large and XL would likely benefit from swapping out for a longer unit to maximize clearance on the descents.

DESCENDING | The Forestal Siryon enduro bike begged to be pushed hard and ridden fast. The initial touchdown sensitivity came into play after a drop or jump, but the remainder of the stroke was on the more supportive side, rewarding pumping efforts and an active and aggressive riding style.

The overall geometry balance was solid, with plenty of agility retained to wind through tighter sections of trail. The competitive overall bike weight combined with the supportive suspension offered a light and relatively playful feeling. It was not the most planted and stable machine, but I wasn’t exactly left feeling nervous or unsettled during my initial riding, either.

The new Siryon was certainly a bike that supported some very aggressive riding, with a nice stiffness balance that avoided being unsettling and vague on harsh compressions. Even so, it didn’t feel overly jarring or tough to manage as a 100kg (220lbs) rider. The trails were high on traction and rather flattering, so I need to test further to see exactly where that stiffness lies and the result on slippery, technical descents, and how it might perform for lighter riders.

FINISH AND VALUE | The overall finish was dialed, and aside from a slightly creaky headset (which Forestal is claiming to be a pre-production issue), the Siryon was dead silent and rattle free. The finish of this headset is not fantastic, with sizable holes around the cables that’ll undoubtedly let moisture and dirt in over time. You could likely fashion your own DIY plug with moldable rubber though, which is an easy fix, although certainly disappointing on a high end bike.

The new Siryon looks absolutely stunning in the flesh, and everything feels suitably high quality. So, if you’re in the market for an enduro bike and want something a bit special that’ll support some hard charging, then the new Forestal Siryon is feeling like a very solid offering to consider.

In terms of value, the Siryon is certainly an expensive bike, but their pricing is in-line with the likes of other high-end carbon fiber bikes. The quality feels to be there, and the attention to detail is reasonable. So, while I’m not going to say it’s a steal, I don’t think it’s a ridiculous price point either. For the slightly more budget-conscious, the Halo build saves €2,000, and is likely to provide all of the same performance, just losing out a touch on flashy coatings and electric gears.

The Wolf’s Last Word

Initial testing on the new Forestal Siryon delivered high on confidence and fun-factor, with a platform that begged to be pushed hard and enough agility remaining to ensure fun on mellower trail sections. It pedaled solidly and the finish quality was great, and I’m hoping to welcome one in for further testing in the home enduro trails once they’re available.

Price:€8,999 (as tested)
Website: Forestal.com

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