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Transition Bottlerocket has officially launched - https://www.vitalmtb.com/news/press-release/transition-releases-2026-bottlerocket-dedicated-freeride-bike
- 180mm or 200mm of rear wheel travel // 180-200mm fork
- 27.5-inch wheels
- Aluminum frame
- Three chainstay length options: 436mm, 441mm, 446mm
- 64° or 63.6° head tube angle
- 4-position shock mount: high/low // linear/progressive
- Internal cable routing & option for right or left rear brake
- Bolt on downtube and shuttle guards
- UDH equipped
- Sizes: S-XL
- Single crown build: $4,699 USD
- Dual crown build: $5,199 USD
- Frame + shock: $2,499 USD
sethimus is that you?
Interesting to see Trek and Transition adopt such similar solutions to adjustability (the swappable lower shock mounts). I wonder how much weight that adds to a frame compared to a fixed lower mount or a flip-chip system, or whether it provides some advantage on the manufacturing end.
he's not wrong
Yeah there is claim it reduces manufacturing complexity.
technically correct is the best kind of correct
I would guess this allows for even more sloppy frame tolerances. I know with the aluminum bikes they had a problem that the piece where the lower shocked amount is was not straight, causing all sorts of fit issues. I actually had to warrantee my frame because I’m such poor issues. I couldn’t physically get a new shot in once the old one was removed. I bet this allows the frame to be a little bit less straight as it’s bolting instead of welding this piece on
I could see a few benefits -
#1 less rigid shock mount will be able to clamp the hardware better, this has been an issue for a number of brands where the frame mount is too stiff so they get chronic bushing wear/looseness problems. Making a thinner welded part could be difficult, especially maintaining alignment so these bolted parts are probably more forgiving.
#2 eliminates the "bathtub" under the shock that collects water and mud.
Coming soon.. Aftermarket lower shock mounts for even more or less progression than stock..
There’s no bath tub on the alloy frames they make only carbon. I think this is a better solution but I’d love to see it in some carbon frames
The bathtub on my patrol is its most annoying feature.
well...... that could be cool of what's to come
Vital folks will literally screenshot pinkbike comments and still call it “the other site”
Is "I heard it on the chairlift" the MTB equivalent of "I overheard some guys talking about it in a bar"?
Where does the podium use roller bearings?!
In our wildest fantasies.
Screen name checks out
More like Cannondale engineer.
we getting square stanchions next!
Return of the Cannondale Moto fork...
Yup! Or a Cascade Components "mullet" shock mount. Will all be cheaper than machining those huge rocker links.
And a +50mm chain-stay dropout piece!
On April 1st, we'll see the reverse mullet lower shock mount...
No - just one 😇
Haha right!
More so just fun seeing chairlift rumor of anything in the works. That’s why I had to screenshot
Honestly, roller bearings in a proper, non lefty modern fork with a separate damper and air Spring would be interesting to try. That was always the downfall of the long travel lefty, too many things crammed into such a small space for how much it had to move.
Sorry, notifications got turned off for this thread for some reason, so I didn't see it.
Rolled diameter doesn't affect the chain pitch. The pitch is the roller axis to roller axis distance. If you can mount it to the old stuff (after some wear), it's the same pitch.
Roller diameter technically doesn't affect the chain pitch, but it changes the way the chain interacts with the chainring and cassette. That's why I said effective not actual pitch.
At least in theory a T-type chain on a standard chainring has a higher chance of skipping because of the mismatch of roller diameter and tooth profile, just like an improper chain pitch.
I don't think it has turned out to be a problem in the real world, so it's mostly a technical issue.
That's because the lefty was designed back in the olden times when 100mm was long travel.
what a heater of a finale! i think luke meier-smith leaked the new Troy Lee D5 helmet...
at the startgate you could see the difference of the chinbar compared to the D4 and SE5 a bit better, too bad i'm not able to screenshot the stream.