Sage Titanium Powerline MTB Heads Downcountry With Slacker Geo & Bigger Tires

With the speed and agility of an XC race bike and playful, downhill capability of a Trail bike, the new Sage Titanium Powerline is the downcountry bike of choice for those who have as much fun on the climbs as the descents.

The model was originally inspired by the Powerline Trail at Mt. Hood Ski Bowl that's part of an XC race course, with a steep, straight, boulder minefield of a descent. Hardtails would crush the climbs, but short travel forks couldn't handle that section. The Powerline paired fast-yet-capable geometry with a 130mm fork, to give riders an advantage on every part of the trail. Now, the third-generation Powerline takes things further with a completely new frame, updated geo, and advanced features.

POWERLINE v3 HIGHLIGHTS

• 3D printed chainstay yoke
•  Full internal routing
• US-sourced Titanium & US-made frame
• 29 x 2.6" tire clearance*
• Slacker 66º head angle
• Longer trail for more downhill stability

*2.6" measured width, check mounted tire width to ensure at least 4mm clearance between tire and frame.

REVISED GEOMETRY

The Powerline v3 head angle is 66º, a full 1.5º slacker than before, giving riders more aggressive descending capability. But that's only part of the story.

The bike is still designed around a 130mm travel fork, but modern forks have gotten taller, so the Powerline's head tube and geo accommodate for increased axle-to-crown heights in several ways.=

Prior Powerline v2 models were designed around earlier Fox 34 forks, which had a 537.1mm A-to-C and 51mm offset. However, the latest MY23 Rockshox Pike Ultimate is among the tallest with a 551mm A-to-C and shorter 44mm offset, so the new Powerline is designed around that, which keeps geometry in check when using other popular forks, too.

"The Pike is a bit taller than the 2023 Fox 34, which has a 544mm axle to crown height," says Sage Titanium founder and designer Dave Rosen. "So the bike was intentionally designed around the taller fork to prevent it from getting too slack if it had been designed around a Fox 34 but then someone put a Pike on it."

"For example, using a MY23 Fox 34 will change the head angle to 66.3º, but had we designed around this fork, then adding a Pike would have pushed into ~65º territory, which gets too slack for this bike's intended use."

The head tube is now 5mm shorter to offset the taller forks, helping riders keep a more aggressive position. The overall result is a slightly higher stack height, but trail that's almost 20mm longer for improved stability on the descents and when carving through technical terrain.

3D-PRINTED PARTS & INTERNAL ROUTING

It's not just the geometry that's new, the frame is completely redesigned for full internal routing and more tire clearance.

A new 3D-printed chainstay yoke replaces the driveside’s flat, CNC’d plate behind the crankset. The new yoke is curvier, clears a 34-tooth chainring, and increases tire clearance from 2.5" to up to 2.6" tires without requiring any changes to the chainstay length. It also provides sleek internal routing for shift cables or wires.

Gone are the brake and shift cable guides on the top tube and seatstays. All control lines now run inside the frame through the downtube and chainstays, including rear derailleur shift cable or wire, rear brake hose, and dropper post remote cable

THE PLAYFUL CHARACTER REMAINS

The new frame, new features, and new geometry are all done to reinforce the Powerline's position in Sage's mountain bike lineup. Sitting between the XC-focused Optimator and Trail-taming Flowmotion, the Powerline rides the line between all-out pedaling performance and pure playtime.

The slacker head angle moves the stem slightly backward, so the top tubes get a few millimeters longer to keep reach the same as before.

A short, frame sizes-specific 50-52mm bottom bracket drop helps avoid pedal strikes and gives you a feeling of flying over the trails. Short seat tubes provide ample standover, and that combination keeps the frame feeling compact and easy to whip around.

"The bike felt great, really well balanced, I didn't want to change that neutral body position," Rosen says. "You get on the trail and you just kinda sit in the middle of it, giving it a surefooted feel on both the climbs and descents without having to overcompensate on either."

GEOMETRY CHART

*Measurements in Millimeters, with 2023 Rockshox Pike Ultimate (130mm travel, 44mm offset, 551mm axle-to-crown).

PRICES & SPECS

The Sage Powerline v3 specs include:

• 34.9mm clamp/31.6mm seatpost
• Boost Spacing
• T47 bottom bracket
• Internal Rear Brake, Shifter Cable & Dropper Post
• 1x Drivetrains Only
• Mechanical and Electronic Drivetrain compatible
• 44mm straight headtube fits any fork
•  Made in USA 3/2.5 titanium tubing (US sourced, frame is US made, too)
• 3 bottle mounts on all frame sizes (two inside, one underneath)=

Frame price is $5,200. Complete bikes are built to order with your choice of drivetrains, forks, wheels, tires, and cockpit. Average bike prices range from $10,000 to $12,000 including choice of finish.

Available now at sagetitanium.com.

NOTE: Bike shown with optional custom finish, available for additional cost.