mountain bikes: Test: Centurion No Pogo 2000.27 – Swabian climbing max

Centurion No Pogo 2000.27: Frame and Geometry

The No Pogo from the southern German manufacturer Centurion is probably one of the oldest mountain bike models that you can currently buy. It celebrates its 20th birthday this year. But of course, a lot has happened since then and from the "Ur-No Pogo" only the name and the orientation of the potent All Mountain are left - otherwise the Swabian bike has arrived in 2017. With the No Pogo 2000.27, we tested the top aluminum version; there is also an inexpensive entry-level model and three variants with a light carbon frame. At around 2.900g, the aluminum frame is also one of the lightest in its class.

The frame design and workmanship are of a high standard, even if the bold color scheme is sure to divide opinions. We personally welcome the courage to use color and it doesn't always have to be black or grey, does it? Otherwise, you get internally routed cables and lines (at least on the main frame), a tried-and-tested rear triangle with a floating shock absorber and modern geometry. The wheels remain true to the 27,5″ standard. The Boost mix on the axles seems a bit strange: While the hub at the front rotates around a 110mm wide Boost axle, there is still a traditional 142×12 hub at the rear. Functionally not a problem, but if you want to retrofit a new wheelset afterwards, you have to buy them individually for better or worse.

The geometry of the No Pogo is proven and quite modern. The moderately slack head angle is a popular combination with the 75° seat angle, puts the driver in a central position and brings a lot of calm on steep sections. With a reach of 433mm in size L, the main frame is rather short, as are the chainstays. This gives you a bike with a nice and compact wheelbase, which should also do well in winding passages.

Centurion No Pogo 2000.27: Features

At €2.799, the Centurion Trailbike is one of the more affordable representatives on the market. It should probably be clear to everyone that you can't expect any noble equipment. However, the components are consistently solid to good and the No Pogo 2000.27 is ready for the first trail adventure. The chassis is of particular importance for every mountain bike; Here, the traditional Swabian manufacturer opted for components from Fox. The Float Performance damper in the rear triangle can be set to open, medium and hard with a thumb lever. The Rythm fork at the front offers the same setting, but it has to make do with somewhat simpler damping.

The drive comes entirely from Shimano. Centurion relies on a 2-fold variant and an SLX/XT mix. This setup has the great advantage that, thanks to the wide range of the two chainrings, you are prepared for both long flat sections and steep ramps. But you have to put up with a chain hitting the derailleur on the descent, a little more weight and a fuller cockpit. The SLX brakes are in no way inferior to their XT counterparts - apart from a few grams more weight - and offer more than enough power for a bike in the No Pogo class. The 180mm discs are also sufficient for most riders - if you still have fading problems at the front, you can quickly and inexpensively switch to a larger 203mm disc.

The LEV DX from Kind Shock gives the No Pogo a good and reliable dropper post - we were a little surprised that the variant with external cable routing was used. Visually, this costs a few points, even if frequent screwdrivers should be happy about the lower maintenance effort. The wheels consisting of SLX hubs and Alex Volar 2.3 rims are not lightweight, but with an inner width of 23mm and a robust construction they offer solid fare for most riders. Mounted on it is the Maxxis Ardent, a classic that has long earned its reputation as a good all-rounder.

The cockpit comes from Procraft - at 70mm, the stem is rather long, the handlebars are right on average with a width of 760mm.

Centurion No Pogo 2000.27: On the trail

The biggest surprise for all of our testers was how the No Pogo behaved when going uphill. Here, the Centurion is surprisingly efficient despite its rather high weight and ample suspension travel and climbs willingly without any major drive influences, even with a completely open shock absorber. The front wheel hardly climbs, even on steep slopes. Thanks to the wide range of gear ratios of the 2-way gearshift, even less trained drivers should be able to find the right gear here, even if the shifting feel of the SLX Trigger is a little spongy for our taste.

Unfortunately, the very good impression on the way up was only partially confirmed on the trail. First of all, the fork can't keep up with the very good rear end on rough terrain. While you get a lot of feedback from behind, but always remain in control of the situation, the damping of the fork in particular is quickly overwhelmed at the front. The rebound often does not keep up with fast hits such as carpets of roots or stone fields and in the middle spring travel the fork tends to sag a little. This may read worse than the performance of the fork really feels, but the differences become clear, especially in comparison with the very good rear end. When it gets really steep, the rather short frame and long stem caused our test riders some problems. Here you have to shift the weight significantly to the rear in order not to get any unpleasant feelings of overturning.

The Maxxis tires roll very well, but the Ardent quickly reaches its limits on the front wheel in slightly wet or deep soil. We would like to see a tire with a little more reserve, especially in the front.