Cosmic Trium 27.5 (2015) - Review

While the Trium's graphics are on the bright side, the steel frame underneath is quite average. But look more closely and you will ´nd a host of neat details that show that Cosmic have put plenty of thought into the Trium. The seatstay and chainstays deliver a good combination of mud room and heel clearance, with very neatly shaped dropouts being a cut above the norm on a MTB bicycle of this price. Plugged into the front is something we rarely see at this price these days a solid ZOOM suspension fork with 6mm travel. It's basic but performed well enough on smaller bumps during our test ride.

Cosmic as a brand has put in great emphasis on sourcing quality gearing components and the result shows in the trium. A 21 speed¾Shimano¾transmission with thumb shifters placed at a comfortable hand position. During our test ride there was a slight delay in the gear transmissions at the rear on higher gear combinations, but nothing which affected the riding. The derailleurs and shifters perform just about average with minor complaints which in our opinion is expected at this price point.

Zoom has been coming up with decent braking systems. The proof lies in the ZOOM 16mm mechanical disc brakes in the Trium, which we did not cut any slack during our test ride. Very soon into the test ride we realized that these brakes were not conceived for extreme riding. You won't be able to control the bicycle very well with this brakes since modulation virtually does not exist, so you will have to do with an on/off type of braking technique. Of course, on longer descents fading occurs, which we expected given the level of the ZOOM 16mm mechanical disc brakes, which were probably designed to be efficient in uncomplicated situations like flat forest trails or easier rugged terrains.The shorter head tube influences the reduced handlebar height not a big issue for an amateur trail rider, but the kind of thing racers look for. The subtly lowered handlebar of the Trium 27.5 transfers just enough of the rider's weight to the front¾wheel¾to create a MTB bicycle that rides a whole lot better.

On off-roads you will bene´t from these 27.5 tire's substantial volume which are tall and rounded, delivering a comfortable ride and predictable characteristics. All these niggles aside, the Cosmic Trium 27.5 215 shows that race influence can translate very well to a trail bike. If you want a MTB bicycle you can ride hard where the trail takes you, the Trium 27.5 is your pick, offering a lot for its impressive price tag.