Hello Vital MTB Visitor,
We’re conducting a survey and would appreciate your input. Your answers will help Vital and the MTB industry better understand what riders like you want. Survey results will be used to recognize top brands. Make your voice heard!
Five lucky people will be selected at random to win a Vital MTB t-shirt.
Thanks in advance,
The Vital MTB Crew
the tensioner is on the wrong side if you want an ochain alternative!
So glad all those 6'8" UCI XC riders can finally fit on properly sized bikes!
About two meters.
SRAM AXS beta firmware... looks like they've got a faster Bluetooth protocol coming...
I appreciate how the drawing looks like what happens in linkage if you only model the rear end and don't set the rest of the geo properly, like fork length etc and you get this weird 100mm travel 85 degree head angle DH bike😅
Ratio have just released a modular, servicable mech with a direct hanger option. Similar concept to the Madrone Jab in that it has replacable fins for different shifter and cassette combos. I'd love to see a comparison review of these because currently the derailleur is one of the fastest wearing components on my bike and so a fully servicable one would be cool.
It kinda looks like it could be a generic bike out of Asia also. I have seen quite a few open mold companies selling direct and coming out side some actually nice looking designs. It could also explain the parts mix that is on it. If it was a photo for a larger company, it wouldn't have lower/mid-tier products on it. That said, what's going on with the chain stay? It looks beat to hell and I'm hoping that black piece is just a shadow, it looks like it's a leaf spring or just flat out broken.
Know of any US distribution for them? The duties/fees etc would probably make it pretty prohibitive currently.
Heel rub
Peeked the prototype sixfinity Yeti SB160 while on my ride today. Didn’t get the greatest look as they were being sneaky-sneaky with it. I chatted to the product manager (who was on SB140) a bit, all he’d divulge was that it was the SB160 and that it’s a “sweet bike”, while the guy on the 160 was hiding in the bushes. But what I saw was a vertical shock orientation, and frame storage door, looked sleek AF and could be close to production ready...
I know the visuals and tubing profiles aren't the same, but the suspension design is (minus the horst link)
Any hints about the DH bike project?
Crazy thing: a friend of mine was told their race team won’t get them until May or June. Basically halfway through the season. They have to come up with something else to start the year on...
Is a Penny-farthing the actual true crab?
VisionVelo
downtube storage sounds nice, but hope that doesn‘t make the downtube as thick looking as a light e-bike (looking at you santa cruz).
Nope, the tubing didnt look any thicker than the current line up of bikes.
nice, guess launch will be around summer 2026.
The mental image of the guy hiding in the bushes is hilarious
Haven't they been racing on it since Les Gets or are we talking not World Cup level race teams?
Not a World Cup team. I’m talking about production level frames that go to the public.
On that note, my friend‘s daughter qualified AND raced a junior World Cup at Lake Placid this year. Pretty rad.
With you being on the front range, I'm sure you are familiar with the gathering spot at the gate to the Enchanted at the top of Apex, the guy on the proto went one switchback higher up the trail then chucked himself and the bike off trail haha
Ahhh... That makes sense. And congrats to her! That's awesome!
I will never not downvote AI slop
That pic is from a graphic artist on IG who does MTB related stuff. Pic is a few years old now but definitely not Ai slop
Then you're gonna love this:
Back to crab related rumours. Kavenz has started prototyping their VHP V8 which will be carbon tube and cnc’d lugs. They will be posting a series following along with all the details, similar to what they did when they created the first version of their frame.
This is rad... of course I'm a bit biased as a Kavenz owner myself, but I've been pretty stoked with what they're doing as a small frame manufacturer.
I love the idea of serviceable rear mechs but for the price of this you could have 4 XT 12sp derailleurs or 8 Deore 11sp derailleurs! (I just carry an extra in my pack on all day rides) The Jab's price is getting in the ballpark of where these things should be, but realistically I'd only pay $200 max for any derailleur. I wish there was an actual study of what mechs can take how much force because that would convince me to pay over $200 if it's considerably more durable.
I actually think the Jab pricing is pretty good when you think about long term ownership. If I ever swap frames/bikes and want to change between a Sram and Shimano set-up, your incremental cost is not a whole new derailleur but just the cam. I feel like there is a longer term relationship with these product that I am all about.