MTB Tech Rumors and Innovation

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Jakub_G
Posts
223
Joined
8/7/2019
Location
SK
9/13/2023 9:10am
Primoz wrote:

Spicy or Froggy (park bike)? A 240 mm OneUp seatpost is a no go in this frame.

I would say any dropper post is no go in this frame lol,very similar to commencal furious in front triangle shape.

noodlenosteeze
Posts
152
Joined
1/12/2023
Location
Magna, UT US
Fantasy
1675th
9/13/2023 9:14am

Is there any new info on when the new conti tires will be available with softer rubber in lighter casings?  Think I heard/saw that was coming?

maybe just trying to keep the current range in stock first haha. 

I also want this though, i dont want DH casing to get super soft....

11 days late buuuuut

 

WTB needs to bring back the Judge/Verdict in the thick sidewall/longer lasting tread compound. Had a set on my park bike, best things ever.

Jvhowube
Posts
1
Joined
5/31/2023
Location
Steamboat Springs, CO US
9/13/2023 9:17am
metadave wrote:
It's not really like that older slayer and it's not really vpp is all I'll say. Seatpost shouldn't be any worse than any other current bike...

It's not really like that older slayer and it's not really vpp is all I'll say. Seatpost shouldn't be any worse than any other current bike with low mounted shocks like a Specialized or Santa Cruz.

As an owner of current Altitude, will be curious to see if they can retain some of its characteristics with the complete suspension redesign.  This is the best bike I've ever owned, and probably won't be selling it anytime soon.  Not sure there was much more for them to do with this platform though - a stepwise upgrade would've seen potentially beefier tubes for increased stiffness and a swat box and... that's about it.  Not a good way to get people to buy your bike I guess.

2
9/13/2023 1:12pm
New optic. Heard from my LBS that it and the incoming sight are HP. 

New optic. Heard from my LBS that it and the incoming sight are HP. IMG 4468

Am I closed minded because I'm skeptical on the benefit of HP on shorter travel bikes?

11
FullSend
Posts
329
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7/14/2021
Location
DE
Fantasy
1197th
9/13/2023 1:25pm Edited Date/Time 9/13/2023 1:26pm
New optic. Heard from my LBS that it and the incoming sight are HP. 

New optic. Heard from my LBS that it and the incoming sight are HP. IMG 4468

Oh man, that's a shame. I've heard the same thing from a Norco dealership, so it's probably true.

I love my 2021 Optic, but I definitley 100% will not buy the new model if they go high-pivot.

Uncle Cliffy
Posts
281
Joined
3/11/2010
Location
Medford, OR US
9/13/2023 1:34pm Edited Date/Time 9/13/2023 1:35pm
New optic. Heard from my LBS that it and the incoming sight are HP. 

New optic. Heard from my LBS that it and the incoming sight are HP. IMG 4468

FullSend wrote:
Oh man, that's a shame. I've heard the same thing from a Norco dealership, so it's probably true. I love my 2021 Optic, but I definitley...

Oh man, that's a shame. I've heard the same thing from a Norco dealership, so it's probably true.

I love my 2021 Optic, but I definitley 100% will not buy the new model if they go high-pivot.

Then you will 100% be able to save your money.

Saw renderings of both the new Sight and Optic. Not what I expected design-wise. Different iteration than the Range. It would be cool to try them back to back to feel the performance differences.

1
9/13/2023 1:50pm
New optic. Heard from my LBS that it and the incoming sight are HP. 

New optic. Heard from my LBS that it and the incoming sight are HP. IMG 4468

FullSend wrote:
Oh man, that's a shame. I've heard the same thing from a Norco dealership, so it's probably true. I love my 2021 Optic, but I definitley...

Oh man, that's a shame. I've heard the same thing from a Norco dealership, so it's probably true.

I love my 2021 Optic, but I definitley 100% will not buy the new model if they go high-pivot.

That was from my lbs mechanic who said the guys from the Aus distributor (who’s integrated into the bike shop chain he works at, and are based 2 suburbs away) had seen in them in the flesh.

But yeah I feel the same way. I still want a current optic to complement my range precisely because it isn’t HP. Not that my opinion matters though. 
I think the sight HP is an interesting but unnecessary change, first they need to fix that stack and give it a little more anti rise. Mine felt like an otb pogo machine compared to the range. 

9/13/2023 2:17pm

why are people, in general, afraid of high-pivots? don't like it, don't buy a norco? there's literally hundreds of options nowadays with pretty much the same geometry

4
earleb
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North Vancouver, BC CA
Fantasy
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9/13/2023 2:32pm

The carbon Fluid slots into replace the Optic. 

But don't worry if you love the current Optic and just want another one of them I'd guess they have stock of them to keep on selling. Everyone has overstock to sell. 

7
Onawalk
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296
Joined
7/5/2021
Location
CA
9/13/2023 2:37pm
New optic. Heard from my LBS that it and the incoming sight are HP. 

New optic. Heard from my LBS that it and the incoming sight are HP. IMG 4468

Am I closed minded because I'm skeptical on the benefit of HP on shorter travel bikes?

Heres my take on it, if youre building a short travel bike, thats not intended primarily for XC riding/racing, a HP makes a tonne of sense.

You still get the added benefit of a "platform" earlier in the travel, which can feel more sprightly and responsive, but with additional bump eating capabilities.  Case in point would be the Forbiedden Druid past and present. 

There is a portion of riders who arent interested in the steepest and deepest, but still ride hard enough on chundery trails that this makes sense.

It also allows you to more accurately separate braking and body forces from the suspension kinematics.

I've been eagerly awaiting the HP Optic

7
brash
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711
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4/24/2019
Location
AU
9/13/2023 2:40pm
This, i think, is actually a moto-component. Obviously, there’s no problem to figure out how to mount it on a mtb. Mic Williams and his buddies...

This, i think, is actually a moto-component. Obviously, there’s no problem to figure out how to mount it on a mtb. Mic Williams and his buddies at Trinity think pretty open-mindedly and do come out with some pretty neat solutions for their bikes (and not only theirs, actually!). Smile

Yep, straight off a Honda CRF250/450R, had one on my 2011 and they definitely work well, adjustable too. Very clever integration by Mic. It would exude some force so that mount may need some beefing up IMO, but very clever.

2
Onawalk
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Location
CA
9/13/2023 2:40pm
Primoz wrote:

No.

Have you ridden an HP short travel bike?

do you ride the sort of terrain that they might excel on regularly?

I remember a couple months ago you were partially predicting a step back from HP bikes, and since then there has been a couple of notable releases.  Not sure I understand your reluctance to them. 

Onawalk
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296
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Location
CA
9/13/2023 3:00pm
earleb wrote:
The carbon Fluid slots into replace the Optic.  But don't worry if you love the current Optic and just want another one of them I'd guess...

The carbon Fluid slots into replace the Optic. 

But don't worry if you love the current Optic and just want another one of them I'd guess they have stock of them to keep on selling. Everyone has overstock to sell. 

Spent some time on the Optic, love it, really wanted one, looking forward to the HP version.

Spent a weekend on a Fluid, wasnt the same, tried my hardest to like it, wasnt for me.  The Sight felt like a much better bike.

2
9/13/2023 3:34pm
Onawalk wrote:
Have you ridden an HP short travel bike? do you ride the sort of terrain that they might excel on regularly? I remember a couple months...

Have you ridden an HP short travel bike?

do you ride the sort of terrain that they might excel on regularly?

I remember a couple months ago you were partially predicting a step back from HP bikes, and since then there has been a couple of notable releases.  Not sure I understand your reluctance to them. 

People say the high pivot makes a short travel bike feel longer. Why not just use a longer travel bike? a 130mm rear 150mm front high pivot won't pedal as well as a 160/160 traditional bike, and capability (I didn't say performance, thats even more subjective) will be hypothetically comparable if the hype is true. 

noodlenosteeze
Posts
152
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Location
Magna, UT US
Fantasy
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9/13/2023 3:52pm
Onawalk wrote:
Have you ridden an HP short travel bike? do you ride the sort of terrain that they might excel on regularly? I remember a couple months...

Have you ridden an HP short travel bike?

do you ride the sort of terrain that they might excel on regularly?

I remember a couple months ago you were partially predicting a step back from HP bikes, and since then there has been a couple of notable releases.  Not sure I understand your reluctance to them. 

People say the high pivot makes a short travel bike feel longer. Why not just use a longer travel bike? a 130mm rear 150mm front high...

People say the high pivot makes a short travel bike feel longer. Why not just use a longer travel bike? a 130mm rear 150mm front high pivot won't pedal as well as a 160/160 traditional bike, and capability (I didn't say performance, thats even more subjective) will be hypothetically comparable if the hype is true. 

What makes you think a short travel HP won't pedal as well as a longer travel traditional? I don't know pedaling kinematics well enough to know, but I do know the idlers don't cause that much drag unless you were putting a REALLY big day in. 

Onawalk
Posts
296
Joined
7/5/2021
Location
CA
9/13/2023 5:17pm
Onawalk wrote:
Have you ridden an HP short travel bike? do you ride the sort of terrain that they might excel on regularly? I remember a couple months...

Have you ridden an HP short travel bike?

do you ride the sort of terrain that they might excel on regularly?

I remember a couple months ago you were partially predicting a step back from HP bikes, and since then there has been a couple of notable releases.  Not sure I understand your reluctance to them. 

People say the high pivot makes a short travel bike feel longer. Why not just use a longer travel bike? a 130mm rear 150mm front high...

People say the high pivot makes a short travel bike feel longer. Why not just use a longer travel bike? a 130mm rear 150mm front high pivot won't pedal as well as a 160/160 traditional bike, and capability (I didn't say performance, thats even more subjective) will be hypothetically comparable if the hype is true. 

Theres more to it than simply pivot location in terms of the bike pedalling well, thats a generalization that doesnt really hold up.  You can make a HP bike pedal as well or better than a non-HP bike (lets be honest, theres no "traditional" bike here for arguments sake) and when we are talking about HP bikes, we are talking about the seemingly more prevelant HP idler equipped bikes.  A horst link, or VPP bike can be built to have a high virtual pivot, and not rely on an idler, but theres a whole other differnet set of challenges

The HP and idler allow the designer to separate the different forces more easily, to isolate different aspects of the suspension design (like a 6 bar, with less complexity, or maybe just different). 

The Druid climbs well, loads of traction, and is very predictable, eats rough stuff like no other short travel bike I've ridden (cause if you took the rearward growth, of about 18mm, it might actually be closer to a 150mm bike)  in doing so, the pedalling "platform" arrives quicker than if it was a Sight with 150mm travel lets say.  So theres a sense of spritelyness, or urgency to it when you do pedal it around.  Think of it like a bike that "feels" fast (short travel, maybe tighter geo) but when it gets hairy feels like a 150ish bike (longer WB, eats chunder)

I also think that the short travel versions of these bikes help to alleviate the drawbacks on the longer travel versions (excessive chain growth, excessive chainstay length, that sensation of growth when jumping or cornering)

Im hoping Norco has found a way to drop 4lbs compared to the Druid, and make it a bit more cost effective, but knowing Norco, itll prolly be 3lbs heavier...

8
1
Uncle Cliffy
Posts
281
Joined
3/11/2010
Location
Medford, OR US
9/13/2023 6:09pm
Onawalk wrote:
Theres more to it than simply pivot location in terms of the bike pedalling well, thats a generalization that doesnt really hold up.  You can make...

Theres more to it than simply pivot location in terms of the bike pedalling well, thats a generalization that doesnt really hold up.  You can make a HP bike pedal as well or better than a non-HP bike (lets be honest, theres no "traditional" bike here for arguments sake) and when we are talking about HP bikes, we are talking about the seemingly more prevelant HP idler equipped bikes.  A horst link, or VPP bike can be built to have a high virtual pivot, and not rely on an idler, but theres a whole other differnet set of challenges

The HP and idler allow the designer to separate the different forces more easily, to isolate different aspects of the suspension design (like a 6 bar, with less complexity, or maybe just different). 

The Druid climbs well, loads of traction, and is very predictable, eats rough stuff like no other short travel bike I've ridden (cause if you took the rearward growth, of about 18mm, it might actually be closer to a 150mm bike)  in doing so, the pedalling "platform" arrives quicker than if it was a Sight with 150mm travel lets say.  So theres a sense of spritelyness, or urgency to it when you do pedal it around.  Think of it like a bike that "feels" fast (short travel, maybe tighter geo) but when it gets hairy feels like a 150ish bike (longer WB, eats chunder)

I also think that the short travel versions of these bikes help to alleviate the drawbacks on the longer travel versions (excessive chain growth, excessive chainstay length, that sensation of growth when jumping or cornering)

Im hoping Norco has found a way to drop 4lbs compared to the Druid, and make it a bit more cost effective, but knowing Norco, itll prolly be 3lbs heavier...

It’s interesting what you’re saying here concerning the Optic and Sight redesign. Technically, the redesign won’t be much different than they are now. Definitely not like a Forbidden… And yes, with the idler they will definitely be a little heavier than they were. Wink

1
mtbman99
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101
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8/30/2016
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CA
Fantasy
1129th
9/13/2023 6:32pm

I have not ridden a high pivot bike personally but several of my buddies who spent a few seasons on them have switched back to a more “conventional” suspension layout. The bit of extra maintenance with the idler and the less efficient climbing were the main factors.
 

Also jumping up in travel with little downsides on current gen bikes didn’t hurt either. 

9/13/2023 9:12pm
metadave wrote:
It's not really like that older slayer and it's not really vpp is all I'll say. Seatpost shouldn't be any worse than any other current bike...

It's not really like that older slayer and it's not really vpp is all I'll say. Seatpost shouldn't be any worse than any other current bike with low mounted shocks like a Specialized or Santa Cruz.

Jvhowube wrote:
As an owner of current Altitude, will be curious to see if they can retain some of its characteristics with the complete suspension redesign.  This is...

As an owner of current Altitude, will be curious to see if they can retain some of its characteristics with the complete suspension redesign.  This is the best bike I've ever owned, and probably won't be selling it anytime soon.  Not sure there was much more for them to do with this platform though - a stepwise upgrade would've seen potentially beefier tubes for increased stiffness and a swat box and... that's about it.  Not a good way to get people to buy your bike I guess.

I'd like to see a slacker head angle.  I have '21 Altitude and a '22 Instinct/Altitude Powerplay and prefer the slacker head angle of the Powerplay with the same reach.  I wouldn't complain if they brought over the mid-high pivot design of the Powerplay bikes either. 

9/13/2023 9:36pm
I'd like to see a slacker head angle.  I have '21 Altitude and a '22 Instinct/Altitude Powerplay and prefer the slacker head angle of the Powerplay...

I'd like to see a slacker head angle.  I have '21 Altitude and a '22 Instinct/Altitude Powerplay and prefer the slacker head angle of the Powerplay with the same reach.  I wouldn't complain if they brought over the mid-high pivot design of the Powerplay bikes either. 

We used to put the Altitude in high and use an angle set, about 480 reach on a large with 63.8 ish i believe.

Still to this day, ive not ridden anther bike as good as the altitude.

1
Onawalk
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296
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7/5/2021
Location
CA
9/13/2023 10:07pm
Onawalk wrote:
Theres more to it than simply pivot location in terms of the bike pedalling well, thats a generalization that doesnt really hold up.  You can make...

Theres more to it than simply pivot location in terms of the bike pedalling well, thats a generalization that doesnt really hold up.  You can make a HP bike pedal as well or better than a non-HP bike (lets be honest, theres no "traditional" bike here for arguments sake) and when we are talking about HP bikes, we are talking about the seemingly more prevelant HP idler equipped bikes.  A horst link, or VPP bike can be built to have a high virtual pivot, and not rely on an idler, but theres a whole other differnet set of challenges

The HP and idler allow the designer to separate the different forces more easily, to isolate different aspects of the suspension design (like a 6 bar, with less complexity, or maybe just different). 

The Druid climbs well, loads of traction, and is very predictable, eats rough stuff like no other short travel bike I've ridden (cause if you took the rearward growth, of about 18mm, it might actually be closer to a 150mm bike)  in doing so, the pedalling "platform" arrives quicker than if it was a Sight with 150mm travel lets say.  So theres a sense of spritelyness, or urgency to it when you do pedal it around.  Think of it like a bike that "feels" fast (short travel, maybe tighter geo) but when it gets hairy feels like a 150ish bike (longer WB, eats chunder)

I also think that the short travel versions of these bikes help to alleviate the drawbacks on the longer travel versions (excessive chain growth, excessive chainstay length, that sensation of growth when jumping or cornering)

Im hoping Norco has found a way to drop 4lbs compared to the Druid, and make it a bit more cost effective, but knowing Norco, itll prolly be 3lbs heavier...

It’s interesting what you’re saying here concerning the Optic and Sight redesign. Technically, the redesign won’t be much different than they are now. Definitely not like...

It’s interesting what you’re saying here concerning the Optic and Sight redesign. Technically, the redesign won’t be much different than they are now. Definitely not like a Forbidden… And yes, with the idler they will definitely be a little heavier than they were. Wink

The Druid V2, and Range are essentially just flipped Horst link bikes.  Same same, just upside down...

2
Onawalk
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296
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Location
CA
9/13/2023 10:10pm
mtbman99 wrote:
I have not ridden a high pivot bike personally but several of my buddies who spent a few seasons on them have switched back to a...

I have not ridden a high pivot bike personally but several of my buddies who spent a few seasons on them have switched back to a more “conventional” suspension layout. The bit of extra maintenance with the idler and the less efficient climbing were the main factors.
 

Also jumping up in travel with little downsides on current gen bikes didn’t hurt either. 

Im not entirely sure what is meant by "traditional" design.  Are you trying they have moved away from a HP/idler bike to a different suspension platform?

The HP/idler comes in different flavours

Onawalk
Posts
296
Joined
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Location
CA
9/13/2023 10:17pm
New optic. Heard from my LBS that it and the incoming sight are HP. 

New optic. Heard from my LBS that it and the incoming sight are HP. IMG 4468

FullSend wrote:
Oh man, that's a shame. I've heard the same thing from a Norco dealership, so it's probably true. I love my 2021 Optic, but I definitley...

Oh man, that's a shame. I've heard the same thing from a Norco dealership, so it's probably true.

I love my 2021 Optic, but I definitley 100% will not buy the new model if they go high-pivot.

That was from my lbs mechanic who said the guys from the Aus distributor (who’s integrated into the bike shop chain he works at, and are...

That was from my lbs mechanic who said the guys from the Aus distributor (who’s integrated into the bike shop chain he works at, and are based 2 suburbs away) had seen in them in the flesh.

But yeah I feel the same way. I still want a current optic to complement my range precisely because it isn’t HP. Not that my opinion matters though. 
I think the sight HP is an interesting but unnecessary change, first they need to fix that stack and give it a little more anti rise. Mine felt like an otb pogo machine compared to the range. 

Whats the issue with the Stack on the Sight, A medium is around 612mm, which is leaves room to go up if you want, but puts it in a racy spot for those that want a slightly lower front end. otherwise, 5mm stem spacer, and 38mm bar, and youre right there

Primoz
Posts
3565
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8/1/2009
Location
SI
Fantasy
783rd
9/13/2023 10:34pm
Primoz wrote:

No.

Onawalk wrote:
Have you ridden an HP short travel bike? do you ride the sort of terrain that they might excel on regularly? I remember a couple months...

Have you ridden an HP short travel bike?

do you ride the sort of terrain that they might excel on regularly?

I remember a couple months ago you were partially predicting a step back from HP bikes, and since then there has been a couple of notable releases.  Not sure I understand your reluctance to them. 

Have not ridden one at all (sadly - test bikes in Slovenia are hard to come by, even harder in XL).

Pretty sure we have the terrain where a HP bike would work quite nicely.

Development/release cycles lag behind the actual state on the market. As for a few notable release, which categories? I'll gladly eat my hat if everything goes high pivot in a few years (wouldn't be the first hat, it would quite likely be a tasty one), but considering how many DH bikes were tested with a high pivot and have reverted to a classic layout... I just don't see it. As with HP and shorter travel bikes, the main reservation I have with is the added efficiency losses and overall complexity which I suspect could drive people away.

One way I could see more proliferation in HP bikes would be the DW system, but sadly that one is patented and I doubt will see much use in the world until the patent runs out.

1
9/14/2023 12:26am
Primoz wrote:

No.

Onawalk wrote:
Have you ridden an HP short travel bike? do you ride the sort of terrain that they might excel on regularly? I remember a couple months...

Have you ridden an HP short travel bike?

do you ride the sort of terrain that they might excel on regularly?

I remember a couple months ago you were partially predicting a step back from HP bikes, and since then there has been a couple of notable releases.  Not sure I understand your reluctance to them. 

Primoz wrote:
Have not ridden one at all (sadly - test bikes in Slovenia are hard to come by, even harder in XL). Pretty sure we have the...

Have not ridden one at all (sadly - test bikes in Slovenia are hard to come by, even harder in XL).

Pretty sure we have the terrain where a HP bike would work quite nicely.

Development/release cycles lag behind the actual state on the market. As for a few notable release, which categories? I'll gladly eat my hat if everything goes high pivot in a few years (wouldn't be the first hat, it would quite likely be a tasty one), but considering how many DH bikes were tested with a high pivot and have reverted to a classic layout... I just don't see it. As with HP and shorter travel bikes, the main reservation I have with is the added efficiency losses and overall complexity which I suspect could drive people away.

One way I could see more proliferation in HP bikes would be the DW system, but sadly that one is patented and I doubt will see much use in the world until the patent runs out.

You should test ride a Druid V2. Efficiency losses are well compensated with the technical climbing ability. The bike is just less slowed down compared to a horst link while pedaling flat rooty/rocky paths. And I don't even feel the efficiency losses tbh since there is no need for a lower guide. Complexity is not that high either with a bombproof idler system. 

2
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