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Eurobike show
Germany, August 31-September 3, 2006
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Part 3 - BMC, BH & Giant
James Huang uncovers a some exciting developments in carbon road and mountain bikes at the Eurobike show.
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BMC nanotech family grows to three
Swiss firm BMC embraced carbon nanotechnology last year with its SLC01 Pro Machine road frame and for 2007, the company has carried over the technology to two new mountain bike frames.
The '07 Fourstroke 01 incorporates BMC's successful 100mm travel twin-link VPS suspension system into a brand-new carbon chassis. Molded carbon nanotube-reinforced carbon fiber composites are used for both the front and rear triangles to drop the complete frame weight to an impressive 1.9kg without shock, although the included DT Swiss SSD Carbon shock will only add approximately 150g. Tube profiles, finish, and bridged seat cluster will be similar to those used in the road-going Pro Machine. The new Fourstroke 01 will be available sometime around summer of 2007 in four sizes from 15in to 21in.
The '07 Team Elite 01 hardtail frame is essentially a Pro Machine built around mountain bike wheels and disc brakes. As with the new Fourstroke 01, the new Team Elite 01 will be molded entirely from CNT-reinforced carbon fiber and will use similar tube shaping as well as BMC's unique bridged seat cluster configuration. The Team Elite is designed around 100mm of front wheel travel and target weight is a paltry 950g. Four sizes (17in through 23in) will be offered this coming January/February.
Last year's Fourstroke Trail chassis has now morphed into the Trailfox. The new platform is a dedicated 120mm chassis with unique geometry and suspension (the Fourstroke Trail differed from the shorter travel Fourstroke only in the upper and lower links). The top tube is more aggressively sloped and slightly shorter, and the head tube angle has been adjusted such that the Trailfox and standard Fourstroke will share the same measurement when equipped with their respective length forks. Two versions will be offered: the Trailfox 01 will utilize a carbon fiber and aluminum rear end, while the Trailfox 02 will use an all-aluminum version. Both models will feature welded aluminum front triangles.
Nanotechnology extends to BH Bicycles
The 900g barrier is shattered once again as BH Bicycles brings its new Global Concept G-3 frame to market. The new frame weighs approximately 850g (in medium size) even with the extended seat tube frame design that has become a hallmark of BH frames. Carbon nanotubes are used to reinforce the resins that bond the carbon fibers together, resulting in a structure that can be both lighter and stronger than the previous Global Concept G-2. BH reports that the Astana team has already tested the new G-3 in competition at this year's Vuelta a España.
BH has also abandoned its molded carbon fiber technology in favor of tube-to-tube construction for a new prototype carbon road frame. BH officials say that the joints are made almost exclusively using high-strength adhesives with little additional wrapping of carbon fiber strips as is done with a number of other tube-to-tube style frames. The new frame will also utilize a conventional non-extended seat tube layout. BH's as-yet-unnamed frame will not be its lightest at approximately 900g, but is said to be notably rigid which should suit racers particularly well.
Giant Bicycles juices up its Anthem and Trance
Factory rider Adam Craig's Anthem race bike was already among the most elite short travel full-suspension frames available but Giant has upped the ante with a full carbon fiber version for 2007. The new Anthem Advanced uses T800 carbon fiber front and rear triangles along with a composite upper rocker link and titanium shock hardware to drop between a quarter and half a pound from the aluminum version. Giant PR man Andrew Juskaitis says the Anthem Advanced actually isn't much more rigid than before ("it was already really stiff") but offers much improved vibration damping.
The 4.2in travel Trance trailbike has received similar treatment to yield the Trance Advanced. A more impact-resistant T700 carbon fiber is used front and rear along with another composite upper rocker link and titanium shock hardware. The material changes produce a more dramatic weight loss of over one pound as compared to last year's aluminum Trance.
Giant has also filled in the travel gap between its Reign and Glory platforms with the introduction of the Reign X. The new chassis adds three-quarters of an inch of travel (for a new total of 6.75in) and is intended as even more of an 'all-mountain' bike than the first Reign. The Reign X is designed around a longer 160mm fork and the rear shock area has been reconfigured to make room for the more capable piggyback reservoir-equipped Fox DHX.
Speaking of Glory, last year's long-travel machine has split into two models: the 8in travel freeride-specific Glory and a new downhill race-specific 8.8in-travel Glory DH. The Glory DH will feature a lower bottom bracket and longer wheelbase for more predictable high-speed handling and is specifically designed around a dual-crown fork with a 1.25in lower head tube diameter and 1.125in upper. The standard Glory has been updated with a OnePointFive-specific headtube for use with today's beefier single-crown freeride forks.
On the pavement side of things, the extended seat tube version of Giant's TCR Advanced Team has finally been approved for sale in the US. Mechanics, get ready to measure twice (maybe three times) and cut once…
Photography
For a thumbnail gallery of these images, click here
Images by BMC
- BMC's new Fourstroke 01 carries over the CNT-reinforced carbon fiber technology from its pioneering SLC01 Pro Machine.
- BMC's new Team Elite 01 carries over the carbon fiber technology and styling theme of its premium SLC01 Pro Machine road frame.
Images by James Huang/Cyclingnews
- Tire clearance on the carbon fiber rear end of this prototype was virtually nil, so hopefully that will be fixed come production time.
- The rocker link on the new Fourstroke 01 was plastic on this prototype, but expect it to be CNC-machined aluminum on the production version. DT Swiss' new SSD Carbon rear shock will add only about 150g to the Fourstroke 01's 1.9kg weight (without shock).
- Clean-looking two bolt seat collar on the new Fourstroke 01 was also plastic on this mock-up. BMC has plenty of time to iron out the kinks, though, as the scheduled release date isn't until summer of 2007.
- BMC's lightest Pro Machine ever is also its most useless one as this one only measures about 10cm long.
- Without looking closer, you'd swear this was the front end off of BMC's Pro Machine road frame, not the new carbon fiber Team Elite 01 hardtail mountain bike frame.
- BMC's now-trademark bridged seat cluster is used on the new CNT-reinforced carbon fiber mountain bike frames as well.
- BH's particular tidy-looking Global Concept Chrono-Aero time trial frame.
- Internal cable routing is not my favorite but BH's Global Concept G-3 only runs the rear derailleur cable through the chainstay, plus it looks fairly easy to run.
- BH's Global Concept Chrono-Aero down tube incorporates a pair of unique 'growths' to smooth out the airflow coming off the front wheel. Just don't call it a fairing.
- Extended seat tubes are becoming more popular these days as they are reported to make for a lighter and stiffer bike, but BH was among the first to champion their use.
- The new Global Concept G-3 from BH Bicycles uses nanotechnology to strengthen its composite resins.
- Giant has jumped in leaps and bounds lately in terms of its graphics. The looks of the new Anthem Advanced are particularly clean.
- The rear end of the new Giant Anthem Advanced is finished in a cool-looking blue-tinted carbon fiber clearcoat.
- Last year's short-travel Anthem race rig has been eclipsed by a new carbon fiber Anthem Advanced which shaves nearly 1/2 a pound from the original.
- The 2007 Glory comes dressed for the party in a 1.5" diameter head tube for use with modern long-travel single-crown freeride forks.
- The new Glory DH head tube uses a 1 1/4" lower cup and a standard 1 1/8" upper cup for use with dual-crown forks.
- The new Glory DH is now race-specific, with a lower bottom bracket and longer wheelbase.
- The slightly longer-travel Reign X boasts a 0.75" travel advantage over the standard Reign as well as the ability to run a piggyback reservoir-equipped shock such as the Fox DHX.
- Finally, the wait is over! Giant's extended seat tube TCR Advanced Team frame will be available in the US for the 2007 model year.
- Who needs decals? Giant simply clearcoats one part of the new Trance Advanced and masks off the rest for one of the cleanest-looking finishes in carbon fiber bikedom.
- Giant's new Trance Advanced uses a carbon fiber front triangle and rear triangle, as well as a carbon fiber upper rocker link. A stainless steel chainsuck plate is also co-molded into the rear end.
- Giant's pierced down tube design adds frame rigidity and provides protection for the rear shock at the same time.
- The new carbon fiber Trance Advanced shaves more than a pound off of last year's rather heavy aluminum version.
