Carrera Fury

When unboxing the Carrera Fury our first thought was that Halfords must have made a blunder. How could the Fury possibly have an air-sprung fork, wide-range Shimano Deore 1×10 drivetrain, Shimano hydraulic brakes and a dropper post and still hit our £600-700 target price range?

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Sounds impossible right? Obviously not, as the Carrera Fury is indeed £680 with no hidden catches or loyalty cards required. It clearly has the best specification in this category then, so what’s the catch? Well, it is the only bike in this test with 27.5in wheels, so they don’t roll over bumps as effectively as 29in wheels, or 27.5in wheels fitted with Plus size (2.8-3.0in) tyres. This translates to a harsher ride, especially when combined with the Carrera’s skinny 2.25in tyres. 

The Fury’s tall seat tube is a compromise when the going get rough or steep

But there are also advantages of smaller wheels, like increased strength and reduced weight. They also make it easier for smaller riders to get off the back of the bike on steep descents without buzzing their bums on the rear tyre. Carrera hasn’t really lent in to this advantage though, as the size L frame is really tall, both in top tube height and seat tube length. The 510mm seat tube is so tall in fact, that at 5ft 11in, even with the 125mm dropper post slammed in the frame, the saddle height was still borderline too high.

The external cable and hose routing may look dated but it means a quiet ride it’s easier to work on

And while the older 1⅛in head tube instantly dates the frame, it’s not a big deal, as most of the bikes at this price point use 1⅛in forks anyway. And the Fury has the best fork in class. No, the real limiting factor here is that the bike is only available in three frame sizes, S, M and L and fewer options mean lower costs for the brand, hence the ability to splurge on the parts. 

The Carrera Fury sports an air-sprung fork with a bolt-thru axle and rebound adjustment

Suspension

Being air-sprung, the spring rate on the 120mm travel Suntour Raidon LO-R fork can be matched precisely to the rider weight with nothing more than a shock pump. It also has externally adjustable hydraulic rebound damping, so the return rate of the fork can be matched to the spring rate. Confused? Don’t be. This simply means the fork on the Fury offers the most controlled action in its class. It’s the most sensitive, so it offers the best grip and comfort too.

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Alloy upper tubes save weight and the icing on the cake is the stiffer Q-Loc 15mm bolt-thru axle. There’s definitely a knack to removing it, but once you get the hang of it it’s one of the fastest systems we’ve used for removing the front wheel.  

A dropper post is a game-changing component and rarely seen on a bike at this price point

Components

It’s hard to know where to start here, so let’s go with the dropper post. Being able to adjust your saddle height on the fly by up to 125mm, is genuinely game-changing. Slam the saddle for descending, or lower it by 10mm for technical climbing. It’s fast, easy and efficient. Okay, so the post on the Fury is a little sluggish in action, but it’s still 10x faster than using a quick release seat collar. And while dropper posts typically add 500g to the weight of a bike, the lighter alloy fork and smaller wheels on the Fury mean it’s still competitive in this category. 

Wide range Shimano Deore 11-46t cassette is ready for all terrain

Now for the drivetrain. Shimano’s 10-speed Deore with the wide range 11-46t cassette means the Fury has the legs for steep climbs and steep descents. So it’s the only bike here with a 1x drivetrain that’s ready for all terrain, and more importantly, all fitness levels. 

Shimano MT200 brakes have a smooth, light action, with power to match

Performance

For a bike with small, strong wheels, it’s actually pretty hard to ride the Carrera Fury in anger. And that’s primarily because the frame has dated geometry and proportions. So even with the dropper post slammed, you’re always conscious of the frame getting in the way. 

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There’s also no escaping the harsher ride quality, which could be due to the frame, tyres or wheels, probably all three combined. And in a cruel twist of fate, the smoother action of the superior fork only serves to highlight the shortcomings elsewhere on the Fury.