BULLS WILD CUP 3
Delivered to Your Front Door
Bulls is a German-based bicycle company that was created in 1997 and earned world recognition when Karl Platt and Stefan Sahm teamed up to race and win the famous Cape Epic stage race in 2007. In the U.S., Bulls is much less well known, but that is likely to change as Bulls is making a strong push to establish its reputation in the States. The Bulls invasion won’t be coming to your local bike shop, but instead your front door. Bulls is a consumer-direct company that prides itself on being able to pass savings on to its customers by bypassing distributors and bike shops. Setting aside our opinion of consumer-direct sales, we dove head first into the 2017 Bulls Wild Cup 3 to see what this bike was all about.
WHO IS IT MADE FOR?
The Wild Cup 3 was designed to satisfy riders looking to explore trails without exploring too deeply into their wallets. Bulls built the Wild Cup with a wide gear range that gives riders of all fitness levels the ability to tackle climbs and 150 millimeters of travel so riders can confidently head back down. The Wild Cup features mid-level parts that will be ideal for newer riders looking to get into mountain biking or intermediate riders looking for a good value.
WHAT IS IT MADE FROM?
Cable management: The Wild Cup has a sleek look thanks to its well-organized cables. Bulls ran the cables internally through the bike’s frame, and tops off the look by neatly wrapping the exposed cables near the head tube.
The Bulls Wild Cup 3 is constructed from a double-butted aluminum frame with internal cable routing, a tapered head tube, and Boost hub spacing front and rear. The frame gets 150 millimeters of travel via a modified four-bar Horst suspension system that’s designed to minimize brake jack and keep the travel active. The geometry is built to straddle the line between all-mountain versatility and enduro bike confidence.
WHICH COMPONENTS STAND OUT?
Double rings: It’s no secret that front derailleurs are a dying breed, but Shimano has been working hard to keep them alive. The Wild Cup is built with a Shimano SLX front derailleur that performed really well and provided the Wild Cup with a wide gear ratio.
The Wild Cup 3 features a nice mid-level build kit that many riders will be happy with. Bulls paired an 11-speed, XT rear derailleur with SLX shifters to achieve a balance between value and performance. The drivetrain has double front rings and an 11-42 tooth cassette so riders can easily find the right gear range for their trails. Bulls then used RockShox’s budget-friendly RL-level suspension that knocks a few bucks off its topnotch equipment while maintaining a plush ride. Overall, the Wild Cup’s build kit packs a solid punch for $2500.
Plenty of gears: The Shimano 11-speed cassette on the Wild Cup offered a wide gear range that could be used for tackling climbs or pedaling hard through flat sections of trail. The XT rear derailleur shifted through those 11 gears smoothly, and its clutch prevented the chain from slapping.
Drop it: Bulls built the Wild Cup with an internally routed KS dropper post that helped our riders attain a lower center of gravity. The KS is one of our favorite posts due its reliability and easy-to-use remote.
HOW DOES IT PERFORM?
Soften things up: The RockShox Revelation is a lightweight trail fork with 32-millimeter upper tubes. It doesn’t quite have the stiffness of its bigger brother, the Pike, but it provides the Wild Cup with a plush ride down the mountain and a great pedaling platform for the climb back up.
RockShox suspension: The Wild Cup has a RockShox Monarch shock that controls its 150 millimeters of travel. Our test riders used the pedal switch on the shock to stiffen the suspension travel for better climbing efficiency. On the descents, the switch was flipped the other way for a plush ride to the bottom.
Setting Sag:
We first set up our RockShox suspension with 30-percent sag front and rear but quickly readjusted it to 20 per- cent after a few rides to increase climbing efficiency and decrease harsh bottom outs. Our test riders adjusted the rebound knobs in a centered position and later sped up the rebound a few clicks to help soak up the trails. Our testers switched the two-position compression lever on the rear shock to the climb position every time the trails pointed uphill.
Moving Out:
Bulls offers a sizing chart on its web- site so customers can confidently order their correct frame size. All of our test riders found the Bulls Wild Cup 3 had a comfortable fit that closely mimicked the sizing chart’s suggestions. Some of our test riders, however, were displeased with how cluttered the handlebars were. The Shimano SLX shifters have a gear display that took up a good amount of real estate and made it hard to place our Magura brakes where our test riders wanted them. After adjusting the reach of our brake levers, most of our testers were happy with the fit.
Charge anything: The Wild Cup’s wide gear range and efficient suspension allowed our test riders to charge up climbs. The Bulls could be pedaled in or out of the saddle with very little suspension movement, and our riders could spin the cranks in an easy gear when they were faced with a steep grade.
Climbing:
The Wild Cup proved to be a lively climber. Bulls paired an 11-42 cassette with double front chainrings, allowing our test riders to spin the cranks on any steep climb they encountered. The bike held traction well with its Nobby Nic tires, and the front end stayed firmly planted to the ground. The RockShox Monarch had a two-position switch that allowed our testers to nearly lock out the suspension travel, which made pedaling in or out of the saddle possible.
Cornering: A trail-ready geometry gave the Wild Cup the ability to quickly flow through turns and switchbacks. Its 68-degree head tube and fairly short 17.3- inch chainstays provided our test riders with an agile feel. The Wild Cup has grippy tires and a dropper post that also contributed to our testers’ ability to toss this bike around. Riders of all skill levels will find the Wild Cup is a sporty bike that wears its components well.
Ready to rip: The Bulls Wild Cup 3 is a trail-ready bike that balances value and performance well. Many will find the Wild Cup is a decent option for an entry-level rider or a novice rider hunting for a bike on a budget.
Descending:
The Wild Cup caters to a rider who likes to stick to mellower trails. Its suspension is plush and the bike is capable, but it doesn’t quite inspire the confidence we’ve experienced on other bikes in this suspension category. The Wild Cup uses its 150 millimeters of travel in a hurry, especially on more aggressive trails. On smooth singletrack and over small bumps, the Wild Cup feels fast and soaks up the trail with ease.
Cruising down: Plush suspension, a dropper seatpost and aggressive Nobby Nic tires allowed our test riders to cruise down the mountains and seek out the most fun lines.
Braking:
Magura MT5 brakes are intended for gravity rigs and feature strong four-piston calipers for maximum braking power. The MT5 brakes. aboard our Wild Cup 3 have levers designed to be used with two fingers; however, all of our test riders found these brakes had more than enough power to bring our bike to a stop with just one finger. Some of our riders had to adjust the levers inward a few clicks so they could comfortably pull the levers, but that was easily done using the MT5’s reach adjustment.
TRICKS, UPGRADES OR TIPS?
The Bulls Wild Cup 3 shows up to your front door 99-percent built. You will then need to install the front wheel, handlebars and pedals. Once the bike is assembled, be prepared to spend some time setting your saddle height, adjusting your stem height and rearranging the controls so they can be easily accessed. Air up the tires, set up the suspension and go take your new bike for a rip. Some of our testers weren’t too fond of the Bulls saddle, so they swapped it for a WTB Volt, but we recommend you try the original one for yourself since everyone has his or her own preference.
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BUYING ADVICE
BUYING ADVICERiders that are new to mountain biking or are looking to get a nice bike on a budget may be drawn to the Wild Cup 3. For $2500, a rider can have a bike with an 11-speed drivetrain, mod- ern hub spacing, solid suspension components and an internally routed KS dropper seat post. Riders will also receive a one-year warranty and a 15-day money-back guarantee, which should ease the minds of any rider who is wary of buying from a rider-direct brand. The Wild Cup 3 wouldn’t be our first choice for a rider looking to dabble in enduro-style riding or cruise a bike park, but we would recommend it to a newer rider who is looking to explore trails and increase his or her fitness in a new and exciting way.
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