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
Longer rear center
The suffering is 75% of why i ride, emtb can't give me that.
For practical reasons eebs are good.
Beyond emtbs the industry has run out of reasons to tell us we need a new bike so they're consolidating. Makes total business sense, especially after many companies got killed after misreading the market after the pandemic. If 32" wheels or the next big idea we complain about around these parts catches on they'll build out their lineup again. It took this long to appear to the buying public because companies plan 2-3+ years out.
I assumed it was beefed up to avoid public snapping again
This is a safe space. Thanks for sharing.
(you weirdo)
$89 to go to the bike shop and pick up your own bike?
Maybe it's a subsidized assembly fee or something. I don't know how Spesh works, but when someone buys a Norco online they pass on the normal margin to the shop that gets the bike and assembles it for the customer which makes it not a problem for the dealers that they sell online through their own website.
Yo dawg! We put your shock inside your frame so it’s covered and we put a hole in your shock cover so your shock isn’t covered when it’s covered 🤘
The headset cable routing edition of suspension layout.
Commencal Supreme DH 5.2 deets below. Sift through the marketing speak at your leisure.
DEVELOPMENT NEVER STOPS
The World Cup circuit is our laboratory. It’s where we work every day to make the SUPREME DH faster. Kinematics, braking performance, refined cable routing, super quiet chain protection, compatibility improvements. The SUPREME DH V5.2 is the culmination of everything racing has taught us.
HVCS 2.0
The suspension system evolves with a pivot point relocated from the chain stays to the seat stays, delivering greater responsiveness on flat sections and improved comfort on big hits.
Braking
The brake caliper is now positioned between the chain stays and seat stays, working in synergy with the HVCS kinematics to keep the suspension active under braking and reduce weight transfer to the front wheel. Compatible with 200 to 223mm rotors.
"Silent Mode" Protection
New dual-density rubber chain stay and seat stay protectors reduce drivetrain noise and chain slap without compromising suspension performance.
Cable Routing
Cables now run through the head tube for a cleaner look, improved sealing against water and dirt, and easier maintenance throughout race weekends.
Compatibility
UDH standard adoption ensures compatibility with the latest SRAM drivetrains
(XX DH T-Type), while a redesigned lower shock mount area accommodates a wide range of modern DH shocks, including the new FOX Float X2.
Settings & Adjustments
SUPREME DH V5 geometry carries over, complemented by a 4-position flip chip, a removable seat stay brace for stiffness tuning, and a ZS56/ZS56 head tube standard compatible with reach-adjust and angle set headsets.
"At the heart of the SUPREME DH V5.2’s evolution lies a fundamental though seemingly subtle change: the repositioning of the virtual pivot point. We relocated the rear triangle’s anchor point, moving it from the chain stay to the seat stay. This small design change, where the rear wheel was previously attached to the seat stay and is now attached to the chain stay, dramatically alters the bike’s dynamic balance. By changing the location of the virtual pivot point, we fundamentally changed how the frame manages rider input and terrain forces. This new kinematic layout directly influences how rider weight and rider generated forces are supported, delivering increased support and enhanced responsiveness.
The result? A more dynamic bike that provides clearer feedback to the rider, with greater speed and precision. Interestingly, this gain in dynamism also translates into improved comfort at high speeds, an increasingly important characteristic as average speeds continue to rise on both World Cup tracks and bike park trails. Riders of all ages are getting faster, and the SUPREME DH V5.2 is engineered to keep pace with that progression.
We also completely reworked the braking architecture to deliver stronger bite and more effective deceleration. Riders benefit from increased control and confidence during these critical moments. A major advantage of this redesign is the reduction of rear brake overheating, as well as the elimination of brake induced vibrations throughout the system. The SUPREME DH V5.2 delivers consistent, reliable braking performance, even in the most demanding conditions.
These improvements help riders unlock a new level of performance, push their limits further, and connect more intuitively with a chassis that is even more agile, faster, and communicative."
Arthur Quet, Technical Manager, Competition Department
Available in three complete FOX and RockShox builds, including an XS version, all developed with suspension partners to deliver shock tunes perfectly matched to the frame's kinematics.
It's a mini xc Devinci Wilson. Replace the flex for split pivot and it's the same suspension design/layout.
The German market isn't reflective of North America; and possibly other core MTB markets like Australia and New Zealand, however small they might be. The amount and quality of riding in North America, for example, fosters a completely different riding culture. Of course eMTB has a place here in North America, but we still have a large percentage or riders that want the analog experience. Squamish is a good example of a super core area for riders and, while eMTBs are seemingly everywhere there, my anecdotal perspective is that the split is still in favour of analog. My prediction is that this split will eventually settle into a 60-40 arrangement in favour of eMTB, possibly 70-30. Not quite the doom and gloom of 97-3 in the German market. The good news is that if and when larger brands exit the analog market, this will leave room for smaller brands, many that offer super interesting analog designs, to operate.
Do we think we’re gonna see more brands go the way of Specialized—seemingly leaning into the ‘Downhill as the F1 of MTB’ narrative, or are we gonna see more E-bike chassis pull double duty a la Crestline and Forbidden?
Do these numbers reflect ALL bike sales or just the sale of MTBs in Germany? Their cycling infrastructure is much, much better than most NA cities and cycling is actually a safe method of transportation. Are these numbers just being skewed as people switch to urban centric E-bikes as a preferred method of transportation? Also, it would seem that trail access in America is a concern that in some areas may steer people to analog MTBs still. Locally, it does seem like a DH bike and an emtb in the trail category is becoming more popular.
In the last two years my local New England observations of bikes on the trail went from, oh wow that’s the first time I’ve seen a big group ride off all e-bikes, to, oh wow that’s the first group ride of all mountain bikes I’ve seen in months. Even the number of old school solo xc ripper guys is down…
Riding bikes in the woods has pretty much changed again, the last big change here was almost everyone “serious about riding” being on a full suspension bike.
"emtb can't give me suffering"
Spoken like a man that has never run out of battery halfway into a group ride 😁
I'm sure this is the case in many other pockets of N-A as well but there are some trends that point to a balancing of the market. A return to a more analog world with Gen Z, combined with economic pressures that don't mesh with selling a version of MTB that is significantly more expensive would be two topical ones. Meanwhile, on the topic of MTB Tech rumours, I predict that we will soon see 1 frame design used for both eMTB and MTB, as packaging for eMTB has recently gotten considerably smaller. This is a logical way for any brand to support what is becoming two diverging sports with a single product.
If anyone doesnt understand this bike I dont blame him, neither did I. But after spending few days in a Sud Tyrol town, through which runs a long distance cycle path that connects Northern Italy and Germany my perception changed big time: I only used said cycle path to link different trails for few km at the time but I'd encounter hundreds of elder people riding such bikes. It was eye opening and I realized there exist bike markets I had no idea about...
These are lots of times rentals tho
you're just late to the party, that's all
I'm just back from 2 weeks in finale ligure, i'd say on each shuttle at least half of the bikes on the trailer had a motor
Agreed, alot of ebikes in Finale compared to a few years back
Yes, it's suffering, but the wrong kind, it must feel bad from the start, not accidental.
Now back to rumors!
Pretty far from 97-3 ratio I'd say.
The G-A-S region has always been an regional specialty when it came to performance mtb. They resisted 2x, 1x, progressive geo, real tires, to name a few things, well into the adoption phase in other markets. Being a leader in eMTB market penetration doesn't mean that they're early, more that the MTB culture is different there.
because the numbers are wrong, it was 52.5% ebikes and 47.3% bicycles that were sold in 2025 in germany. in the mtb segment, it was 793500 emtb to 52500 mtb.
source: https://www.ziv-zweirad.de/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/Marktdaten-Fahrra…
Had a conversation this morning about those exact figures Sethimus.
North America often times will lead the European market in adoption of bike technology and 'standards' as Ken mentioned above. With E bikes, it has been quicker on the European side than NA, so the market is shifting here, but it is taking time. We are seeing the shift, to Ken's point, will it be as drastic of a shift as Europe?
Seems like a lot of e-bike talk in here lately, can you move this to the e-bike thread?
I can feel the downvotes coming, but I'm reminded of a comment I made back in February comparing e-bikes to GLP-1 drugs... Maybe I'm a purist, but isn't part of mountain biking the physical effort and reward? I understand capitalism, but when I see brands cutting analog models while e-bikes continue to dominate sales, it feels like another example of a broader trend: we're pouring investment into technologies that make difficult things easier.
Is it possible that because analog bikes have essentially plateaued, so people who already have a sick bike are rounding out their quiver with an e-bike?
Also, can bike companies include a "Trail Use Etiquette" pamphlet with e-bike sales? Even though I love being tailgated by the sound of a motor and aggressive shifting, or having my wife forced off the trail, a simple, "on your left when possible" would be nice. Also, pull up your shorts; I don't want to see your ass crack when you pass me.
That was originally part of it, yes. But now everyone who isn't physically fit or is simply lazy can have a similar experience without having to put in effort. Same reason why pickleball is growing so quickly and tennis courts are being replaced. Most people want the easier option
I haven't observed the same in NH, ME, and upstate NY. I see probably 80% analog bikes except for Wendsduro at Highland where there are more. I really wonder how regional this is, or if it's more dependent on the trail systems or days of the week people ride.
That feels Boston suburbs and CT coded to me...
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