The Sommet 1 is part of the Vitus enduro/all-mountain range and, at £2,399.99/US$2,950.59, is the more expensive brother of the Sommet 2.
The 1's frame has a slack angled, tapered head tube and includes ISCG mounts and a top tube mounted swing link for the four-bar linkage rear suspension. The 142x12mm dropouts are replaceable.
There's no seatstay bridge, which should help with mud clearance, and the seat tube is kinked and paired with a long Easton seatpost. There's no internal Stealth post routing but the Sommet does come with external cable/hose guides under the top tube.
Vitus have given the Sommet a set of Easton Haven wheels, wearing Maxxis High Roller tyres – it seems as though it should be a solid pairing. The suspension looks comparably reliable, too; there's a 150mm RockShox Lyrik taking hits at the front and a Monarch RT3 shock at the rear.
Vitus plus Easton – the cockpit certainly seems decent
The drivetrain is made up of a Truvativ Descendant crankset, SRAM's X9 Type 2 rear mech and an X0/MRP single ring guide setup. Avid Elixir 7 brakes are on hand to slow things down. Vitus supply the 750mm handlebar, matched to an Easton Haven stem.
There will be a full review of the Vitus Sommet 1 in issue 293 of Mountain Biking UK, on sale 26 July. For more information see www.vitusbikes.com.