2021 Knolly Fugitive 138 EC Build Kit Bike

(discontinued)

Back in 2018 Knolly Bikes took their first dive into the 29-inch wheeled world with the introduction of their Fugitive trail bike. At the time, the 120mm platform succeeded at providing riders what was demanded from short-travel 29-inch bikes: maximized pedaling efficiency for all-day adventures. Fast forward only a few years and 120-140mm travel bikes have seen the most progressive geometry changes geared towards increasing descending abilities while maintaining climbing performance. Knolly sought to make the leap to do-everything trail bike with their 135mm travel Fugitive LT but knew further updates were needed. Fast forward to April of this year and Knolly introduced their updated Fugitive 138. Building on the previous frame iteration, strategic tweaks aimed at improving descending characteristics were made, including more travel, slacker geometry and longer reaches across all sizes. With pedaling efficiency and versatility still at the core of the improved design, we have spent time seeing if Knolly struck the perfect balance between stable descender and uphill crusher with their Fugitive 138.

Knolly Fugitive 138 Highlights

• Full aluminum frame with titanium hardware
• 29-inch wheels
• 138mm (5.4-inches) of rear wheel travel // 150mm (5.9-inches) fork travel
• Fourby4 suspension design
• 65-65.75-degree head tube angle
• 430.5-432mm chain stay length
• 326-335mm bottom bracket height
• FOX Float 36 Grip2 Factory fork
• FOX Float X2 Factory air shock
• SRAM Code RSC brakes
• SRAM XO1 Eagle drivetrain
• Industry Nine Enduro-S with Hydra hubs wheels
• 29x2.30 Maxxis DHF 3C Maxx Terra EXO front tire
• 29x2.30 Maxxis DHR II 3C Maxx Terra EXO rear tire
• 12x157mm rear hub spacing
• Threaded bottom bracket
• Removable ISCG-05 chain guide mount
• Color ways: Raw, LA Purple (tested), Anodized Black
• Measured weight (size large, no pedals): 33-pounds 5-ounces (15.1kg)
• Sizes: small, medium, large, X-large (for riders from: 5' 1" to 6' 5")
• MSRP $6,699 USD

At the core of Knolly’s Fugitive 138 remains a 6066 hydro-formed aluminum frame with titanium hardware. Knolly states that their tube construction and welding techniques allow for highly durable and torsionally stiff frames that still provide a predictable feel on the trail. Built around 29-inch wheels, updates to frame geometry have been made including a slacker head tube angle, steeper effective seat tube angle and longer reaches across all sizes. Combined, the new Fugitive 138 has a longer wheelbase than before creating a more stable and capable descending machine. As the name would entail, Knolly has bumped up rear wheel travel to 138mm. For riders who want to enjoy the updated geometry but maintain similar travel to their past Fugitive LT, the new frame can also be set up with 131mm of rear wheel travel. Up front, Knolly specs a 150mm fork but says the geometry improvements allow the Fugitive 138 to better pair with a 160mm fork for those who desire extra travel.

Maximizing the added rear wheel travel is Knolly's Fourby4 suspension design. Used across all their bikes, the design features a four bar, Horst-link linkage arrangement but with two additional links that drive the shock. The benefits of this design is it allows Knolly to fine tune the leverage curve independent of other suspension forces. When applied to the Fugitive 138, the leverage curve remains progressive throughout the shock stroke providing exceptional pedaling support and bottom-out control. At the same time, the design remains fully active to maximize traction both when pedaling and under braking forces. Unique to Knolly frames and present on the Fugitive 138 is their patented offset straight seat tube design. By using an offset seat tube, riders are able to efficiently transition between a pedaling and attack position due to the forward movement of the saddle when lowered. This doubles in providing exceptional rear wheel and standover clearance. The seat tube is also uninterrupted allowing for size small frames to support up to 175mm dropper posts, size medium frames up to 200mm dropper posts and size large and X-large frames 200mm+ dropper posts. Other frame details include internal cable routing with robust and secure entry and exit ports to eliminate cable rattling. At the rear of the Fugitive 138, Knolly uses 12x157mm hub spacing for improved tire clearance and stiffness. Finally, there is also an internal Di2 battery compartment for riders using Shimano electronic shifting.

Geometry

Knolly has given the Fugitive 138 the longer-slacker geometry treatment we’ve come to expect from newly released trail bikes these days. While the previous Fugitive LT had only 3mm less travel than the new iteration, key geometry changes were made to improve stability, comfort and enhance the overall abilities of the Fugitive.Located at the lower shock mount remains a flip chip that provides two geometry settings: neutral or slack. Depending on the shock orientation, the head tube angle now sits a degree slacker than before arriving at 65 or 65.75-degrees. The seat tube angle in contrast steepens by a full degree, arriving at an effective seat angle of 76.6 or 76-degrees. Chain stay lengths are also affected by the flip chip orientation, providing either 430.5mm or 432mm chain stay lengths. While not all Fugitive sizes have unique chain stay lengths, Knolly does ship size small and medium frames in the shorter, neutral configuration while size large and X-large frames ship in the longer, slack configuration.

Reach numbers have grown across all sizes to match the modern trend of roomier, rider-centric frame sizing. Our size large Fugitive 138 has a 491mm reach which is a healthy 14mm increase over the previous size large Fugitive. Wheel base also grows substantially across all sizes. Our size large Fugitive 138 has a 1,238mm wheel base which is a 20mm increase over the previous size large Fugitive. Overall, the sum of these changes are primarily focused on improving descending characteristics without tarnishing the Fugitive's reputation as a pedal hungry bike.

The Lineup

Knolly offers the Fugitive 138 at two build kit levels with two color ways and four sizes to choose from. Both build kits are built around the same aluminum frame. We tested the Extra Credit (EC) build kit in the very flashy LA Purple Matte color way with burnt yellow logos. For riders looking to fly a bit more under the radar, Knolly offers a Raw color way that is simply all black with grey logos. The EC build kit is the higher end of the two options and retails for $6,699 USD. Due to inevitable Covid-19 induced supply chain challenges, the EC build kit we tested was temporary and has been updated. Parts spec on our Fugitive 138 EC build kit is highlighted by a FOX Factory Float 36 fork, FOX Factory Float X2 rear shock, RaceFace Next R carbon handlebars, SRAM Code RSC brakes, SRAM XO1 Eagle drivetrain, RockShox Reverb Stealth dropper post and Industry Nine Enduro-S Hydra wheels. For customers who pre-order the updated EC build kit, they will instead receive Shimano XT 4-piston brakes, Shimano XT drivetrain and FOX Performance Series Elite dropper post. All other components remain the same. Knolly’s entry-level Fugitive 138 Dawn Patrol (DC) build kit retails for $5,599 USD. The DC build kit is highlighted by a RockShox Lyrik Ultimate RC2 fork, RockShox Super Deluxe Ultimate RCT rear shock, Spank cockpit, SRAM Code R brakes, SRAM GX Eagle drivetrain and Spank Oozy Trail wheels. Both builds are specced with a 29x2.3” Maxxis DHF, 3C Maxx Terra EXO front tire and a 29x2.3” Maxxis DHR, 3C Maxx Terra EXO rear tire. Lastly, despite the frame being equipped with post mount 160mm rear brake tabs, both builds use an adaptor and 180mm rear rotor matched with a 200mm front rotor.

Dialing In Our Fugitive 138

Cockpit

Since the Fugitive 138 is purpose-built for comfort when climbing and stability when descending, we focused on striking a setup that blended both these attributes. For our test rider height of 6-foot, our large frame fit quite spacious with a 491mm reach. This is definitely on the longer end of the reach spectrum for modern, size large trail bikes. Luckily, Knolly’s decision to steepen the effective seat tube angle to 76-degrees (slack) helped us keep our weight forward when climbing. We did tilt the Chromag Lynx DT saddle slightly down but did not have to slide the saddle forward in the rails to comfortably reach the handlebars. Another geometry adjustment that kept the Fugitive 138 from negatively showing it’s full size was the low, 326mm bottom bracket height (slack). Once gravity took over, having our weight low and centered allowed us to stay balanced over the Fugitive 138 and nicely sat into the bike.

Knolly specs their EC build with a 40mm length RaceFace Aeffect R stem which was adequate for our testing. Riders who feel they might be between sizes, take note, as this size would allow some adjustment with stem length to fine tune reach fitment. We cut the stock RaceFace Next R Carbon handlebars down to 780mm wide to better maneuver the Fugitive 138 when climbing or tackling tight, technical descents. We also found that a wider handlebar in combination with the longer reach left our arms and torso too stretched out over the bike. For ride height, we ran 15mm of stem spacers under the stem. Again, with the lower bottom bracket keeping our weight pressed firmly into the bike we did not feel the necessity to raise the front end. Initial sizing concerns aside, the longer reach ended up requiring no special setup adjustments and ultimately led to increased confidence once speed picked up and gravity took over.

Suspension Setup and Performance

Knolly recommends around 25-30% sag for the Fugitive 138. We began with 30% sag but ultimately settled on almost 40% sag which is considerably more than we typically run with bikes of similar travel amounts. During our initial suspension setup, the bike quickly stood out as a dominant climber. There was almost zero pedal bob and our efforts at the cranks were immediately rewarded with snappy, forward momentum. However, once descending with 30% sag, the progressive leverage curve of Knolly’s Fourby4 suspension design kept us from reaching full travel. This translated to a seriously harsh ride. Slowly but surely, we reduced shock pressure to arrive at 140psi which resulted in 40% sag (rider weight of 168-pounds). At this pressure, the Fugitive 138 was able to reach full travel and the rear suspension remained more active around mid-stroke. The added sag did not affect pedaling ability either with minimal pedal bob experienced in the saddle.

For external adjustments on the Float X2 air shock, we ran minimal low-speed rebound and compression damping. While great when pedaling, the initial portion of travel was quite firm and made it difficult to keep the rear wheel glued to the ground once descending. By opening up low-speed compression, the Fugitive 138 was more easily influenced by our rider weight inputs. This was beneficial when pumping over rollers as well as staying planted through long corners. Similarly, by running less low-speed rebound damping the shock remained responsive off the top which allowed for ease of quick line adjustments. We also ran high-speed compression almost completely open which kept the rear end active through deep and harsh compressions. The awesome ending stroke support from the progressive leverage rate provided plenty of bottom out resistance and didn't require additional shock compression to compensate. We then ran high-speed rebound one click closed from neutral. This allowed the Fugitive 138 to reach full bottom out without fighting rebound forces and placed the bike deeper in its travel through repetitive compressions. This was particularly beneficial when riding fast sections with deep braking bumps where traction and staying composed in a straight line was a priority. Having spent plenty of miles on FOX’s Grip2 damper, setup on the Float 36 Factory fork was straightforward. The only adjustment made specific to compliment the Fugitive 138 was running 4 psi more pressure in the fork. Initially we ran 80 psi but found the fork was diving slightly quicker than the rear end. The added pressure kept the bike compressing at an equal rate from front to rear and kept our weight neutral above the bike. All external fork adjustments were set per our preferences for the dry, loose over hard pack conditions found during Boise, Idaho summers. When we did test on wetter trails near Seattle, Washington we slowed down high and low-speed rebound to keep the Fugitive 138 calm over slick roots.

On The Trail

Testing of our Fugitive 138 was conducted primarily in Boise, Idaho along with one long weekend spent sampling trails in the greater Seattle, Washington area. Boise turns up the heat during the summer months and the majority of our trail conditions have been dry, sandy and loose over hard pack. Our lower foothill trails are high speed with long, sweeping turns and the occasional rock garden to keep you on your toes. Up above the tree line we have a mixture of tight, snaking single track that dips between trees as well as undulating bench cut where the occasional pedal stroke is required to maintain speed. Over a four-day weekend in Seattle we spent time riding steep, fresh cut trails as well as old downhill tracks with countless holes, roots and compressions. We also sampled a handful of flow trails where speeds were generally higher with lots of berms, rollers and small trail chatter. Between both testing locations we spent plenty of time in the saddle dripping sweat on the Fugitive 138 top tube. Boise offers mostly mindless, meandering climbs while Seattle requires only a granny gear to get you up very steep fire roads or technical climbing trails.

Downhill Performance

Knolly’s choice to slacken the head tube angle, lengthen the wheelbase and increase rear wheel travel have done wonders for boosting the Fugitive 138 into a descent-hungry trail-bike. The most immediate and noticeable positive characteristic once pointed downhill was the stability provided by the long reach and wheelbase. Again, with a 491mm reach our size large Fugitive 138 was spacious. The extra room forced us to shift our weight forward with our elbows pushed out. This slightly lower body position doubled in centering our weight over the 1278mm wheelbase and gave us a confidence-inspiring location to tackle oncoming impacts and compressions. This confidence was most apparent when hauling ass down long straightaways. We experienced the sensation of feeling like we could just hold on for the ride, trusting the size of the Fugitive 138 would let us ride out of most situations. The downside of the longer reach and wheelbase was a lack of maneuverability. Fast-moving flow trails with rollers, jumps and small trail gaps highlighted this downside the most. We are used to smaller travel bikes allowing for a more poppy and playful demeanor due to their size. However, when riding the Fugitive 138 we found ourselves underwhelmed with how much fun we could squeeze out of flow trails. For riders wanting to maximize stability and composure at speed this shouldn’t be worrisome. But for those who would rather their enduro or downhill bike be designated for all-out composure when blazing downhill and want a more flickable trail bike, the Fugitive 138 is lethargic to rider inputs. The other limitation of the long reach and wheelbase was the inability to carry speed through steep and tight corners. Too often we found ourselves stretched out trying to wrangle in the Fugitive 138 through corners without letting the front wheel get away from us. Looking at the geometry chart again, we believe a size medium Fugitive 138 would have better suited our playful riding style. With a 466mm reach, there is still plenty of length to maintain stability at speed but maneuverability in tight sections of trail would likely be improved.

Another standout descending characteristic was the control provided by the low, 326mm (slack) bottom bracket height. On high speed, loose corners the Fugitive 138 held great composure and allowed us to plant our weight centered over the bike. On rough and jarring sections of trail we could easily drop our heels and sink our weight into the bike to keep on line. We never had the sensation of riding ‘on top’ of the bike or experienced the inability to keep the Fugitive 138 tracking the ground as we pleased. We tried both geometry options on the Fugitive 138 and unsurprisingly preferred the slacker orientation for proper descending. The biggest change between the two geometry settings is a 9mm bottom bracket height difference. When descending in the neutral orientation it was noticeable how much more stood up we felt. When combined with the .75-degree steeper head tube angle there was a lack of confidence on steep and rough trails. For trails that offer less technical features with some punchy climbs mid-descent we could see opting for the neutral geometry. Changing between the two geometry settings only takes about two minutes to accomplish. This is convenient as riders can simple choose the best geometry to match the terrain being ridden for a given day. Overall, the Fugitive 138 allowed us to hold on and plow through sections of trail at a higher speed than we anticipated. No doubt thanks to the longer reach and wheel base, the tradeoff riders will have to weigh out is how snappy and playful do they desire their trail bike to be.

Climbing Performance

Moments into our first ascent we were relieved to find that Knolly made sure the Fugitive’s dominance as a climber had not been lost with the descent focused geometry updates. Simply put, when pointed uphill the Fugitive 138 punches above its weight. And this rings true in either the neutral or slack geometry configuration. Of course the neutral geometry provides a slightly more efficient pedaling position due to the higher bottom bracket, steeper effective seat angle and steeper head tube angle. However, as we mentioned above the slacker geometry best complimented the descending characteristics of the Fugitive 138 and we were willing to take a minuscule loss on the climbs to reap those benefits. Knolly's choice to steepen the effective seat angle was a good call as it kept our seated pedaling position comfortably forward. Even on the steepest climbs we never experienced any front wheel lift. This also helped counter the long reach and never left us feeling like we were stretched out over the bike. When standing and pedaling the longer reach was actually welcomed as it gave us plenty of room to move the bike side to side without worry of our knees interacting with the handlebars.

The main reason the Fugitive 138 pedals so damn well is Knolly’s Fourby4 suspension design with a continuously progressive leverage curve. When seated pedaling, the initial shock stroke remains active but very rapidly becomes firmer. This creates a smooth yet incredibly stable platform that results in minimal suspension movement from rider input. We felt the Fugitive 138 did such a great job at transferring our power into forward momentum that we almost never used the climb assist switch on the FOX Float X2 shock. On technical climbs where powering over rocks and roots required additional traction, the Fugitive 138 impressed us with how responsive the suspension still remained. Despite the firm, progressive suspension feel we continuously crawled up loose and rocky ascents with ease. The only short-coming of the Fugitive 138 when climbing was the low bottom bracket and the plethora of pedal strikes we experienced. Something to keep in mind for riders who have rocky, tough climbs where the ground has a tendency to grab ahold of pedals. For us, we simply took extra time to analyze tricky climbs to avoid any potential strikes. Compared to other mid-travel trail bikes we’ve tested we have to place the Fugitive 138 towards the top of the list as its pedaling dominance feels more similar to that of a short travel cross country bike.

Build Kit

FOX Float 36 Grip2 Factory

We have raved about the performance of FOX's Grip2 damper before and it was again a standout performer on the Fugitive 138. The damper offers a great balance of initial suppleness and mid to ending stroke support. When riding very loose over hard-pack conditions we are always surprised at how smooth and controlled the fork remains. When large compressions occur the fork does a great job of taking the edge off bottom-out forces while maintaining a level ride height. Combined with both low and high speed rebound and compression adjustments, the personalized tuning available is endless. Knolly’s choice to spec a 150mm FOX Float 36 complements the abilities of the Fugitive 138 wonderfully. The option is there to go up in travel but we don’t believe this will provide a huge advantage on rough trails. At the other end of the spectrum, the incredible climbing abilities of the Fugitive 138 would blend well with a 140mm travel fork. For those who really want to maximize efficiency or transform their Fugitive 138 into a shorter travel adventure machine, this would be best when matched with the 131mm rear travel option.

Maxxis 29x2.3-inch Tires

The biggest limiting factor of the Fugitive 138 was the 29x2.3-inch Maxxis tires. The chosen DHF front tire and DHR rear tire with Maxx Terra EXO casing were completely appropriate for the intended use of the bike. However, we found the 2.3-inch width limited how hard we could hit corners and left traction to be desired in steep or loose sections. We would happily opt for a 2.5-inch front tire combined with a 2.4-inch rear tire for added grip and support when pushing into turns. Additionally, riders wanting to find the limits of the Fugitive 138 on demanding descents would be better equipped with Double Down casing tires as the added level of support would be worth the minimal weight penalty.

Industry Nine Enduro-S Hydra Wheel Set

It should be no secret these days that Industry Nine produces some of the highest quality wheels available. Their Enduro-S wheel set with Hydra hubs were no exception on the Fugitive 138. Despite our best efforts smashing rocks and holes without care, both wheels have held up with no dents or wobbles to show. The scream of the Hydra hubs' 690 points of engagement might drive some people crazy but we absolutely loved the zing. The quick engagement was also appreciated when precise pedal strokes were required for climbing as well as limiting any freehub knocking on descents. If you’ve ridden low engagement hubs, you probably know what we are talking about.

Chromag Lynx DT Saddle

It’s not often we highlight a saddle as too often it’s an overlooked component with many riders quickly swapping out stock saddles for their personal preference. But we have to give credit where credit is due as the Chromag Lynx DT saddle provided all-day rear end comfort. Everybody has unique sit bones but the135mm width paired nicely with our anatomy. The sides have a quick drop off that extends lower than some saddles, offering padding for your inner thigh to rest against during descents. We also think the overall aesthetic with contrasting graphics looks awesome and fits perfectly with the Canadian roots of Knolly Bikes.

Noise

Knolly did a great job of limiting potential noise culprits on the Fugitive 138. The use of a molded rubber chain stay protector limits the majority of chain slap noise on even the chunkiest of trails. Internal cable routing can cause some impressively frustrating and unsolvable noises but that is not the case with the Fugitive 138. The cable ports use large external molded entries that hold the cables securely in place. Where the cables exit the seat tube is also a snug fitting grommet that keeps any cable on frame rattling from occurring. While these boxes were all checked keeping the Fugitive 138 acceptably silent, the most frustrating noise that did become apparent towards the end of our testing was creaking from the lower pivot. Being low and exposed to dirt and water has caused some wear to the exposed bearings. Not uncommon on lower links across many frame designs, we were surprised the creaking occurred as we only rode in the rain on one occasion that required washing the bike with a hose and brush afterwards.

Long Term Durability

After logging plenty of miles aboard the Fugitive 138 the only point of concern is the evolving creak from the lower pivot. Other than a simple bearing replacement needed sometime down the road, the overall durability of the Fugitive 138 aluminum frame and paint job has been outstanding. With a slightly higher price tag for an aluminum framed trail bike we commend Knolly for providing a quality paint job. Our test bike has held up to traveling, shuttling and riding with no paint chips or scuffs to show. In our experience, aluminum is more resilient to abuse and requires less gentle care compared to carbon frames. All other aspects of the Fugitive 138 frame don’t have us concerned as Knolly did not overlook any details. As far as components go, riders who choose the EC build kit, even with the updated component spec that differs from our test bike, won’t need to make any immediate component upgrades. Right out of the box the Fugitive 138 is ready to take on months of abuse and provide countless smiles along the way.

What's The Bottom Line?

Building on an already accomplished short-travel platform, Knolly has succeeded at improving the descending capabilities of the Fugitive 138 without tarnishing its dominance as a leader on the climbs. When pointed downhill, the increased wheelbase provides exceptional stability while the additional travel improves composure through demanding terrain. However, the overall size of the Fugitive 138 does come a cost, lacking the snappy and quick maneuverability riders might expect from a typical trail bike. Knolly has continued to optimize their Fourby4 suspension design and have developed one of the most efficient and firm pedaling bikes available. Power at the pedals is immediately rewarded with forward momentum and ample amounts of traction lay on standby when needed. For riders who put a heavy priority on getting to the top of their favorite, gnarly descent as quick as possible and don’t want to compromise with a lack of descending performance, the Fugitive 138 offers a truly versatile and capable ride-everything experience.

For more information on Knolly's Fugitive 138 and their entire lineup of bikes, head over to www.knollybikes.com 

Vital MTB Rating

• Climbing: 5 stars
• Descending: 4 stars
• Fun Factor: 3.5 stars
• Value: 4 stars
• Overall Impression: 4 stars - Excellent