Eighteen rounds
In the shallow end was Matt Downs, showing off a high draw single turn pin. This steel prototype was welded in their Sheffield workshop. The frame material for the final production bikes is yet to be decided, but Matt is considering various options including aluminum and bonded carbon.
Rear wheel travel is 150mm and the frame is designed to work with a 160mm travel fork. This gives a head tube angle of 65° and a seat tube angle of 77°. This linkage provides the majority of rear axle travel, although it leads downwards forward. The rear center length in the unloaded state is 440 mm, before further shortening it will grow to a maximum length of 455 mm with a 120 mm lift. The reach values will match the reach numbers of 18 Bikes hardtails such as the No9 Hardtail – so you can choose from 450mm, 475mm and 500mm reach options.
Currently, 18 Bikes is experimenting with the use of a floating brake arm, which will allow them to understand how changing the backlash can affect the braking behavior of the bike. On the non-drive side, you can see they have three possible mounting locations on the front triangle – Matt tells us these give anti-lift values of 100%, 75% and 50%.
APC production
Paul Burford (aka Burf) made the trip from Frome in Somerset with his latest creation; BTR Gasser. Weight weenies avert your eyes now; The frame that Burf built in 2020 weighed around 6kg. They haven’t weighed this exactly yet. Needless to say, he could hardly care less and placed much more emphasis on strength and durability. After all, this is a downhill bike with 190mm rear wheel travel (damper is 250mm x 75mm) and 200mm EXT Vaia fork travel. This summer, Burf will fulfill his childhood dream of riding in Schladming on a self-made DH bike. Pretty sick, I think.
The inherent flexibility of the steel pipes and the bearing profile required reinforcement. While this may seem excessive to many, Paul leaves nothing to chance as he understands the need for bracing between the top tube and down tube. Mounting the front shock mount to the down tube in this manner can put a lot of stress on the butted steel tube where the walls are thinnest, so adding this extra member and extending it to the seat tube provides extra reinforcement for the Burf’s composure.
Burf says he opted for a linkage-driven single-pivot for stiffness purposes. A 20mm solid rod is welded to the main pivot through the frame. Around it is a gusset above the top that mates with the seat tube and bottom bracket area, again for reinforcement. Burf CNC machined a number of frame parts; clutches, feet, main pivot bushing and seat clamp. Burf also made in-frame lug stops to mount them securely.
On July 5th, Burf will launch a YouTube series documenting the making of this particular Gasser in great detail. Follow his story here.
Craft wheels
Finally, Craft Bikes was showing off their very first titanium hardtail mountain bike. Until now, all of their hardtails have been made from steel. That said, this isn’t their first work with the infamously tricky titan; a number of their road and gravel models are also Ti. Co-owner Jim tells us he loves the challenges it presents. He and Chloe Griggs are responsible for making and delivering all Craft Bikes from a workshop they put together in an old garage behind the house.
The bike is home to a range of 3D printed parts made in New Zealand by RAM3D – the largest metal 3D printing service provider in the Southern Hemisphere. A blackout is a good example of one of these parts. it is designed to the UDH standard and the rear has a Boost spacing that provides a 55mm chainline for the derailleurs.
Craft Bikes builds custom bikes with custom geometry specified by the customer and a kit recommended by Craft Bikes. This one has 29″ wheels with 435mm chainstays, a 75° seat tube angle and a 65° head tube angle. As shown, this build retails for £10,700. Craft are not currently offering frame only as they want a certain amount of ownership the final riding qualities of the bike – i.e. it is specified by the parts that are suitable for how they intend to ride on the frame.
Dawley Bikes
In the adjacent tub was Thom Dawley with a 115mm stroke Dawley T16. Made in Nottingham, this steel frame accommodates the movement of the rear wheel via a flexible pivot. However, the deflection is quite minimal. Thom says the rear only flexes 4mm over the entire stroke, and most of that occurs at the thinnest part of the chainstay near the dropout.
Thom sells the T16 as frame only for £1,800 plus VAT with a three-year warranty.
The bike is designed around a 120-140mm fork – as seen here it is built with a 130mm fork. As such, it has a head angle of 65° and a seat tube angle of 77°. The one you see here is small with a reach of 438mm. From there, the reach values increase in ~12mm increments, so the longest will be about 510mm. Throughout this size range, chainstay length is consistent at 440mm.
CDuro
The most unusual frame construction was demonstrated at the CDuro stand. Humphrey Carter, head of business development at parent company CompoTech, was on hand to tell us a little more about it.
This carbon fiber frame is made using a unique process developed by CompoTech called Integrated Loop Technology (ILT). It allows the connection of a structural composite element, i.e. tubes, with a carbon fiber joint, which is an integral part of the structure. These joints are most clearly visible on the head tube as it wraps around it, and again at the top tube/seat tube interface. Humphrey tells us that this process makes very efficient use of materials and reduces overall production and labor time. However, one of the main advantages is that the ILT method results in a stronger bond, specifically in areas that are subject to stress and high stress.
The frame without shock absorber weighs a declared 2.2 kg.
The bike is called Epona. It has a single swivel hanging platform and is available in sizes S-XL. The lift of the rear wheel is dependent on the length of the lift; as a complete 29er with a 230mm x 60mm shock, rear wheel travel is 150mm. The frame is designed for a 160-170 mm fork. As shown in the picture, the Epona has a head angle of 64° and a seat tube angle of 78°. Reach covers a range of 450mm to 535mm for sizes S-XL, with chainstay length consistent at 450mm.
CDuro is now accepting Epon orders. The frame alone will cost you €3,860.
Atherton wheels
Atherton Bikes made the trip from Machynlleth with the S.170 and A.170. Both run a Dave Weagle suspension design; the aluminum S.170 provides rear wheel lift via a DW4 two-link suspension, while the original A.170 with titanium carbon tubes provides rear wheel lift via the DW6 platform.
The S.170 is only available in twelve sizes compared to the A.170 which is available in 22 sizes. The asking price is $5,119.
Mike Kazimer had the following to say about the S.170:
“Smashy” is a good way to sum up how the S170 feels – it’s the kind of bike that encourages you to let off the brakes and smash through anything in its path. That 180mm Zeb up front is there to absorb the initial shock and then the SuperDeluxe Coil does the rest. The weight that slows it down on the climbs translates into a solid, planted feel for the descents – the term mini-DH really fits here. While crushing everything seems to be its main modus operandi, hitting jumps and natural pairs is no mean feat – the overall wheelbase is long without being outlandish, and the suspension design provides a good platform to bounce off any part of the travel”.
Sour wheels
Jorgen from Sour Bicycles made the trip from Dresden. The Pasta Party you see here is made in Dresden, although many parts are cast or machined in Taiwan. It is a steel frame in a large size and weighs just under 2400 grams.
The Pasta Party is an XC hardtail designed to be efficient, light and stable. Accommodates a 110mm travel fork, although shown with a 100mm travel fork. It can also be set up as a fully rigid affair with Sour’s steel fork or their lighter carbon variant. BB is an eccentric and allows for 8mm adjustment; which also allows the bike to be set up as a single speed.
With 506mm between axle and crown, the Pasta Party has a 68° head tube angle as well as a 75° seat tube angle. It is available in four sizes; S-XL, with a range of 410-489 m, with 435 mm braces across the plate. The powder coated frame retails for €1,099 and the delivery time is currently 75 days. The warranty is three years.