First Look: Bilt Eight Downhill Frame
Bilt Bikes Australia recently contacted us with photos of their new Bilt Eight DH frame. It's been in development and testing for two years, and they'll be putting it into production very soon.


- 6000 series aluminum construction with sealed bearing pivots
- Linkage tuned single pivot with 203mm travel
- Cane Creek Double Barrel rear shock 240mm
- Emphasis is on race geometry - think low and slack
- 64 degree head angle with 1.5 degrees adjustability either way via Cane Creek Angleset
- Will be available in black with red linkage or blue with black linkage. Frame finish will be satin anodized.
- 73mm bottom bracket
- 150mm rear wheel spacing
- Builds shown weigh in at approximately 37.5 pounds



Bilt has received considerable input about the frame from some very fast Australian riders. Aussie DH racers may have seen the first generation prototype bikes on the race circuit in the past. The production version has a completely re-designed linkage, mainly to tidy it up and make the travel more linear. The swing arm also has a two box sections added to stiffen the rear end up laterally and make the bike corner, track and handle off camber sections better.
Frames are designed in Australia and manufactured in Taiwan. Expected pricing will be in the USD $2700 range with Cane Creek Double Barrel and Angleset included.
Bilt Bikes is currently looking for distributors. If you're interested in supporting the project, please contact Bill Dengate at bill@biltbike.com.
What do you think? +1 -0
10 comments
kev1n
1/18/2012 10:48 PM
internal fork bumpers and routing.some nice big-high quality bearings to stiffen up the package and some nice clean hydroformed tubes and you got a winner
Primoz
1/18/2012 7:05 AM
Kohl it's actually nothing like a Knolly design. Knollys are Horst Link with an aditional link to tune the shock curve, while this, as far as the design goes, is actually a lot more simmilar to the older Commencal's Contact System. Though in truth, the CS is just another od the single pivot linkage driven designs, just as this one is.
Kohl Aumer
1/18/2012 6:22 AM
definitly the same design as knolly, way to go bilt
ben.
1/17/2012 12:05 AM
These frames are Australian designed not made.
manhartt
1/16/2012 9:03 PM
neat & tidy . . . fall in love in first sight !! Aussie now not only makes athletes but makes some stuff too
Primoz
1/16/2012 5:45 PM
Yeah, when i saw it i immediately thought Knolly. THen when i saw the linkage, i though Commenal. But on the other hand true revolutionary ideas are rare nowadays and even the revolutionary ideas for the cycling industry are often just adaptations of existing tech from other industries. Nothing bad in taking inspiration from other great designs IMO; as long as the inspired products work properly
norbar
1/16/2012 4:52 PM
Never understood why some mfg's point out the weight of a very lightweight build instead of frame weight. My banshee legend is 1lb lighter with some heavier parts so the frame actually may not be that light. Not really fair tbh.
easyrider
1/16/2012 12:29 PM
Looks ok , and also looks pretty wimpy in the ass, I would look hard at swingarm deflection.Hard to say just by pictures.
iceman2058
1/16/2012 12:29 PM
A Commencal and a Knolly had a baby.
On the more serious note, we know what a well-thought-out linkage-tuned single pivot can do (Makulu hrm hrm) - if these guys have got it right, it should perform.Nice clean lines and modern geo - no reason it wouldn't.
devin-m
1/16/2012 11:59 AM
knolly.