First Look: Nordest Bardino Ti Prototype A “Fast And Silent” Enduro Hardtail From Tenerife

Nordest is based in Tenerife (lucky so and so’s) so it makes bikes that suit the rocky, volcanic trails they have on the sun-kissed island. The current range includes a host of hardtail frames ranging from the all steel Sardinha frame, the more aggressive steel Bardino frame and even a Ti bike with Pivot gearbox called the Lacrau.

What we have on test is a Titanium prototype of the Bardino frame which Nordest says is 30% lighter than the steel frame, is more resilient to corrosion and offers more ‘elasticity’ i.e it handles trail shock a little better than steel or alloy does.

According to the Nordest website, the Bardino Ti 650b is designed to be a ‘silent, fun and fast enduro model’ and as such has been designed with geometry that is said to work with forks from 140-170mm travel, though 160mm seems to be the sweet spot.

Our prototype frame is manufactured from TiAL2.5V double butted tubing, with a rear triangle designed to accommodate 27.5in Plus tyres. According to Nordest our prototype frame has a chainstay of just 415mm, but final production versions of the frame will be adapted so that riders can opt for either Plus or 29er wheelsets.

Bardino frames come in 3 size options, M. M/L and L. We really wanted an L for test with a reach of 475mm, but we’ve ended up with an M/L which has a 455mm reach which is about what we would expect from a modern hardtail.

As Nordest is aiming the Bardino at the Enduro crowd the front end is a suitably slack 65° while the seat tube is 74.5°.

Nordest will offer the Bardino Ti as either a frame or a complete bike. Frame prices range from €1,299 – €1,499 the more expensive option being custom, giving customers the option to choose the geometry that suits them and rear wheel spacing.

Complete bikes cost from €3,350 – € 4,299 depending on the build kit, but the build we have on our bike is a little different to what Nordest has online.

Up front, we have a Cane Creek Helm coil fork with preload, rebound, and low/ high-speed compression adjustments. The fork is plugged into a Cane Creek headset and controlled by a Thomson 40mm stem and 750mm wide carbon handlebar.

Brakes and drivetrain are both from SRAM, while hubs are flashy Chris King options laced on to wide, plus-specific rims shod in WTB tyres.

A Bontrager dropper post and WTB saddle handle seating while Orbea gives you a place to rest your hands.

We’ll be testing the Nordest Bardino over the next few weeks to see how this Spanish Enduro Hardtail handles a UK Autumn. The full review will be published in Singletrack Issue 122.

If you have any questions about the Nordest Bardino Ti then feel free to ask us in the comments below, or head on over to the official Nordest website here.