Propain has updated its short travel trail bike, Hugene for the first time since 2023. It now comes with less travel, room for longer droppers, and a whole new frame design.

The hugely popular bike has become more focused in this generation, and instead of blurring the lines between different disciplines, Propain says the Hugene is a “short-travel trail ripper: lightweight, efficient and durable.”

But how does the Hugene stack up against the best trail bikes? Let’s dive in.

Propain Hugene need to know:

• 140mm front, 130mm rear travel
• 29in wheel setup only
• 14.2kg claimed weight
• New geometry with slacker head angle and steeper seat tube
• Priced from £3,399
• UDH compatibility

Propain Hugene 2025

The new Hugene sits below the Propain Tyee enduro model, not in terms of quality, but because it’s been redefined as a short-travel trail bike. No longer blurring the edges of what a trail bike should be – in fact some would classify the Hugene as a downcountry or all-mountain bike, given it offers 130mm rear travel and a 140mm fork.

But Propain insists the playful, agile design of the new Hugene is deliberate to focus on what more riders need – and the brand thinks that isn’t more travel. In fact, they

That being said, the bike isn’t designed as an ultra-lightweight option that will crumble at the first sign of a technical section. It uses a carbon fibre frame (Propain’s Blend Carbon) but still weighs in at a claimed 14.2kg in its lightest form.

“Short stroke. Max Stoke.”

So Propain has redesigned the Hugene to be a more specialized trail bike, but what does that mean in practice? To Propain, it means adjusting the frame geometry to better match modern design and modern trails. This starts with a slackened 64.8 degree head angle (compared to 65.5 previously) and a steeper seat angle of 74.8 degrees compared to 76.5.

The brand has also lowered the bottom bracket, and because the seat tube is steeper, longer dropper posts up to 200mm can be used – even on a size S.

It’s also been designed with compatibility in mind so it utilises SRAM’s UDH standard and can accept 180mm rotors without the need for an adapter.

Propain Hugene specs and prices

There are four build kits on offer for the new Hugene. The Base, which uses a RockShox Psylo Gold RC fork, RockShox Deluxe Select shock and a SRAM Eagle 70 Transmission groupset. This is the cheapest of the lot, at £3,399.

The Bomber funnily enough uses a Marzocchi Bomber fork and shock, and a Shimano XT 12-speed groupset. It’s priced at £4,849.

The Ultimate build uses RockShox’s Lyrik Ultimate fork, Super Deluxe Ultimate shock and SRAM’s X0 Eagle Transmission groupset, and costs £6,424.

The top-of-the-range Factory spec costs £8,149 and uses Fox’s 36 Factory Grip X2 fork, Float X Factory shock and Shimano’s XTR Di2 groupset.

All models are available to order from 31 July, with deliveries expected from the end of August in Europe.

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