This isn't our first go with the Prevelo Zulu Four. I did a review on an earlier version of this bike a few years back for Two Wheeling Tots. The bike hasn't changed dramatically since then, but I will say that it looks like a more "finished" mountain bike. It has a much cleaner look to it. The tubing, welds and paint job give it the appearance of a much more expensive bike while still being a great value for what your are buying. There is a brand new, redesigned Zulu that is available for pre-order now and we are hoping to pick one up shortly so we can compare it to the model we have been riding over the past couple of months.
One thing Prevelo does a really good job of is speccing their bikes with smart, well thought out components for little riders. Things like easy to pull, smaller brake levers, shorter cranks with a narrower Q-factor, gearing that makes it easy for little ones to get uphill without having to work too hard and right sized and comfortable touch points have all been thought out. The fork that comes on the Zulu works well but still not perfect. I am waiting for the day for someone to make an air fork that will work with a low enough air pressure to get full use of travel for lighter riders but still be able to rebound back to a 25-30% sag point efficiently. Perhaps the answer is a lightweight coil sprung fork?
Prevelo does a good job of keeping weight down on their bikes. The Heir version of the Zulu four is just over 23 lbs and the newest model is supposed to be even lighter with a completely redesigned frame. Other bikes that are in the same price range are up to 5-8 lbs heavier! That's a lot of extra weight for a little kid to be pushing around. Especially uphill.
Geometry on the Zulu Four is perfect for general trail riding. There are other bikes out there that are going to be suited better for your super advanced kids ripping black diamond rated downhill trails, but the geo is spot on for what most kids will be riding from green to advanced blue singletrack with mom and dad. With a seat tube angle of 74 degrees and a headtube angle of 66 degrees it puts the rider in a comfy seated climbing position on the uphill and gives plenty of confidence on the downhill while keeping the bike agile and quick.
CLIMBING -
The Zulu is a great climber. With a comfortable seat tube angle and plenty of gearing your kid can climb with you on most green and blue trails and still be smiling when they get to the top. That lighter weight compared to other bikes helps out a lot too. I still keep a tow-whee on hand with my younger kids though, because their little legs will still give up at some point. One other bike that we tested a bit ago that just beats out the Zulu on the climbs was the Woom Off Air 5. It comes in just under a pound lighter than the Zulu, but the Zulu makes up for that small loss on the downhill in spades. The Zulu is set up perfectly for pedaling up miles of singletrack whether smooth or technical. The front end doesn't wander or want to lift off the ground when things get steep and techy. The bike tracks wonderfully and the lowest gear lets kids punch up and over rocks and roots and comfortably pedal under their own power on longer steeper bits of trail.
DOWNHILL -
The Zulu is one of the most confidence inspiring hardtail trail bikes for kids out there. If you have ever sent your kid down a trail on a department store bike and then seen the difference sending them downhill on something like the Zulu, you will know exactly why you will pay more money for a good bike for your child. You can't really put a price on confidence. It could make the difference of your kid having a good enough time to want to go back and ride with you again and again or never wanting to ride again at all. Pro-tip, be sure to run lower tire pressures on your kids bikes, especially when riding off road. Low tire pressure will smooth out bumps and chatter more than you think and it will give the bike better traction and grip both climbing and descending. When I was a ride leader last summer for my 12 year olds mountain bike team, way too many kids would show up for a ride running 40 lbs pressure in their tires. I'm surprised they didn't need a trip to the dentist after each ride to put their teeth back in. The Zulu is just intuitive and easy to ride downhill. The front end is easy to get up off the ground when needing to pick it up and over obstacles or maneuver off a jump or drop. This bike is also stable at higher speeds and lets your kid feel the joys of ripping down singletrack at speed and feel comfortable doing it.
WHO IS IT FOR?
If your kid is either just getting into mountain biking or has been riding trails since they were on a balance bike, the Zulu is going to be a great bike. If your kid is riding black rated trails and bike park stuff, there are more aggressive bikes with more aggressive geometry like a Commencal Meta HT or more aggressive full suspension bikes out there as well, but for getting your kids out on singletrack where they will be climbing and descending green and blue singletrack the Zulu Four is the way to go.
To purchase a Zulu head over to Prevelo through this link to support our website.