Check out Decathlon’s Rockrider DROWP 9 – the superstore bike you could race a Downhill World Cup on

Remember the prototype Decathlon downhill bike we showed you that we reckoned might be the hard-riding bargain of the year? Well, it now has a name – the Rockrider DROWP 9 – and a pricetag. The RRP of €2,499 isn’t as ground-breakingly cheap as we’d hoped but still represents pretty amazing value.

For that money – £2,008/US$3,194 at today’s exchange rate – you get a 210mm-travel frame that uses a similar floating shock setup to the Mondraker Summum. It’s kitted out with RockShox suspension, a SRAM drivetrain and loads of own-brand b’Twin finishing kit. Claimed weight is 18.4kg/40.6lb.

Here’s a quick look at the spec:

• Frame: Rockrider DROWP 9, 6061 alloy, 210mm travel
• Rear shock: RockShox Kage R
• Fork: RockShox Boxxer RC, 200mm travel
• Handlebar: Truvativ Boobar, 780mm, 20mm rise
• Stem: b’Twin CNC
• Grips: b’Twin lock-on
• Shifter: SRAM X7
• Rear derailleur: SRAM X9 short cage
• Cassette: SRAM, 9-speed, 11-26t
• Crankset: Truvativ Hussefelt 1.0 BG
• Chain device: b’Twin
• Brakes: Avid Elixir 5, 200mm rotors
• Wheels: SunRingle MTX 31 rims on b’Twin hubs
• Tyres: Maxxis Minion 60a, 2.5in

Though the DROWP 9 has seen action at World Cup level, Decathlon say the production bike has been designed to be beginner-friendly and low-maintenance. It’ll be available via their website from June and looks like it’ll be a popular rental choice in the Alps next summer.

We reckon there might be a new winner in the DH value stakes, though – the Canyon Torque FRX Whipzone. The frame’s less familiar-looking than the Rockrider’s but the angles look good on paper, the spec is similar and it comes in at the ridiculously low price of €1,999/£1,619. More on this bike on ChopMTB soon.