Sonder released their Falco hardtail back in April, with the range focusing on bang for your buck trail hardtail goodness, so how did the Falco Eagle 70 stack up?
Pete puts his thoughts together after a summer of whizzing about the woods on the latest Sonder release, the Falco Eagle 70.
Photos by Pete Scullion.
Key features:
- Rockshox Reba RL 120mm fork
- SRAM Eagle 70 12 speed drive
- SRAM DB4 brakes
- Sonder Nova 29″ wheels
- X-Fusion Manic dropper
- £1,568.00 RRP (as tested)
- Alpkit.com
Sonder launched a four bike Falco range in late Spring, with this trail hardtail offering plenty of bang for your buck. Starting at £999 for the Falco SX Eagle, rising to the SRAM Eagle 90 equipped number at £1,649. Based around a 6061-T6 alloy frame with neutral geometry to cross the gap between fun and more serious trail riding.
The Falco Eagle 70 comes with a Rockshox Reba RL 120mm fork out front, unsurprisingly a SRAM Eagle 70 drive train with matching DB4 brakes, Sonder’s own Nova 29″ wheels and this bike has had the £119.00 upgrade from stock to an X-Fusion Manic dropper. This bumps the price from £1449 to £1568.00.
That heat treated alloy frame comes with Boost spacing, internal dropper routing, is UDH equipped, threaded BB, plenty of space for a water bottle and a decent amount of chainstay protection. The rear caliper is also mounted inside the rear triangle, which is great if the brakes arrive well centred…
Geometry
Setup on the Falco was about as straightforward as a trail hardtail can get. Set the sag and rebound on the fork, wind the levers in to suit. A little more wind to see off the punctures and away we go. Despite the lower than usual price tag, the Falco isn’t a pig when it comes to weight and the speedy Schwalbe rubber does a solid job of putting your watts into forward motion.
On the ups, a finely tuned eye might feel the seat tube slacker than some more modern offerings, but for many, this kind of bike will be the entry point to proper off road riding. So while keeping the weight forward enough on the steeps might be harder than other bikes, it’s not likely a deal-breaker. It’s not slack either at 75 degrees. I opted for a medium to get the reach and there’s plenty of room to move about in the cockpit.
As you point the bike downwards, the same speedy rubber and sensibly light wheels whizz you along and despite the high pressure to see of punctures, the Nobby Nics were doing a fine stint of gripping the damp forest floor. The frame has enough twang in it to take the edge off the drops but doesn’t feel sloppy when it’s fully loaded or when sprinting.
The SRAM DB4s are every bit the measure of a bike like this. Plenty of bite without being jabby and they don’t fade fast when the descents get longer or the speed ramps up. The Sonder branded cockpit is ample with the bar wide and low with a short stem. I can’t imagine running this bike without a dropper post that doesn’t come as stock. Of all the mod cons on a bike, I think a dropper would be the last thing I’d opt to give up.
That neutral geometry helps keep you central on the bike as the ground tips downward and there’s a confidence about the bike that far outweighs the price point. The forks aren’t the most advanced dampers by any means but in the terrain these will likely get used in, they’re more than up to the task. On multiple, repeated hits, they do show their lack of damping prowess, however.
In the Sonder website, you can fine tune your options on the Falco, with a £249.00 upgrade to a Rockshox Pike Select available. Both the air spring and the damper get a bump to Debonair+ and Charger RC respectively, which would give the Falco that ability to stretch its legs that little bit more thanks to the better tuneability. The Pikes would also accept damper upgrades further down the line too.
This was my first outing on the mechanical T-type SRAM drivetrains, and was impressed by the entry-level Eagle 70 offering. It offered the smooth shifting under load that the bigger brothers are known for but on a bike that is thousands of pounds cheaper. The frame’s compatibility with UDH and T-type drive therefore is part of a future-proof design that will accept plenty of upgrades.
What do we think?
The Sonder Falco Eagle 70 is a solid gateway drug to more serious mountain biking. Happy cruising forest trails or ripping singletrack, it does give a confidence inspiring ride regardless of what your trail is. The seat angle could be steeper and the lack of a dropper as standard seems like missed opportunity. The forks are up to most tasks, but we’d opt for the Pike upgrade if it was our money. Overall, a solid package that’s just shy of being very good indeed.
We love:
- Bang for your buck
- SRAM Eagle 70 and DB4s perform well
- Confidence-inspiring neutral geometry
Could do better:
- Forks aren’t the most refined
- No dropper post as standard.
