Bulls Copperhead 3 review: For the 2025 model year, the Cologne-based brand is introducing its successful hardtail with new components. With a 1×12 gear system, the aluminum hardtail finally catches up with its more upscale siblings and now offers high-quality, contemporary components for off-road sports and everyday use at an attractive price.
Okay, no one wants to return to the absolute original form of the mountain bike – a completely unsprung 26-inch wheel with drum brakes. But as early as the early 1990s, there were already production bikes that were very similar to today's equipment: hardtails with suspension forks and wide-range derailleur gears.
Bulls Copperhead 3: A modern hardtail in every respect
Since then, technical development has continued apace, and a bike like the Bulls Copperhead 3 has undergone significant advances in virtually every technical detail. At the same time, it stands in a long tradition and demonstrates how appealing hardtails remain even today. Even though "bio-MTBs" have clearly fallen behind their motorized cousins, they are still very popular with sporty riders and for everyday use. After all, they are exceptionally versatile and extremely robust.
What sets the Bulls Copperhead 3 apart, and how does it differ from its predecessors? A key feature of the 2025 hardtail is its frame geometry: While 30 years ago, with its low handlebars, short top tube, and long stem, the ride was more like a racing bike, the Bulls in its current form is a true off-road bike. A slack head angle ensures optimal straight-line stability, and the short stem improves handling. The riding position is more upright, so you have everything under control even on steep descents; Furthermore, the suspension travel has more than doubled – on the Bulls, it's 110 mm. And, of course, a modern air suspension fork works far better than the elastomer forks of the early years, whose spring elements, among other things, had the property of hardening in cold temperatures...
Widely positioned twelve-speed gear system
What's mounted on the beautifully crafted aluminum frame with its internal cables doesn't have much in common with the technology of yesteryear. Where 3x7 or 3x8 gears once required you to constantly operate the rear derailleur and front derailleur together to achieve the smallest possible gear change, the 12-speed sprocket set on the Bulls now offers a significantly wider gear range with finer gear ratios. In addition to shifting comfort and precision, durability has also been improved; the modern gear system on the Bulls Copperhead 3 is also significantly lighter.
Of course, mountain bikers no longer have to worry about rim brakes these days – the MTB was the first bicycle category to use disc brakes, which function better in every respect, and today it's hard to imagine any bike with anything else. And something else has almost completely disappeared from the market: 26-inch wheels are now only found on ATBs for children and teenagers, and the "in-between size" 27,5-inch has also faded into the background after a brief hype. Modern MTBs are based on "twenty-niners", i.e. 28-inch wheels with large-volume tires – on the Copperhead it's the combination of Schwalbe Racing Ray and Racing Ralph in 2,25-inch/57 mm width. This allows the Bulls Copperhead 3 to roll dynamically over bumps and swallow up obstacles on the trail – a clear advantage in terms of comfort and riding safety.
Practical extras for everyday use
In terms of sport, this elegant MTB has a lot to offer; for those who want to use it for everyday use, Bulls has added a little extra: On the seat clamp and stem, there are slots for the special MonkeyLink lights, which, thanks to a magnetic lock, sit securely and prevent twisting, while remaining optimally aligned. With the wide handlebars, the balanced seating position, and the ample reserves of tires and suspension fork, the Copperhead is also a good choice for city riding – the hardtail still lives up to its claim as an all-rounder for active riders. In this specific case, this is of course also due to the relatively low price that the Cologne-based brand is asking for. What you get is state-of-the-art technology; what you don't get is the low weight of carbon hardtails like the Bulls Black Adder, which appeals to the more ambitious among hardtail fans. However, you'll have to dig a little deeper into your pockets for these. Of course, that wasn't any different 30 years ago, given the top-of-the-line materials...
