Hot News: Breezer introduces Supercell 29er trail bike
We first learned of Breezer‘s interesting full suspension design called MLink at Eurobike last year when they showed the all mountain, 27.5 full suspension bike called the Repack. Today Breezer shows us their latest MLink equipped bike, this time in 29er form with a model called Supercell and 120mm of rear travel (the Repack has 160mm of rear travel).
The eye catching MLink design places the pivots in the middle of the chainstays in an effort to smooth out the suspension action while maintaining efficient pedaling. The design is the result of a collaboration between Joe Breeze and the Sotto Group, a team of full suspension kinematic engineers well known in the industry as the developer’s of Yeti’s Switch technology.
Joe Breeze talks about the design, “With MLink, Sotto has precision-engineered a full-suspension system that doesn’t require a pedal platform or lockout to make it climb well. Bikes climb best when the suspension is active and engaged. When locked out, you’re essentially riding a hardtail – your suspension no longer responding to the trail. Being able to leave your rear shock open is a big advantage.” One of the terms the Breezer likes to focus on is that the design is a balanced mix of “anti-squat and anti-rise”.
Check out this slick introductory video with JT Burke, Breezer Product and Brand Manager explaining some of the features of this new bike:
Click here to view the embedded video.
Designing for a 29er means more than just taking existing geometry and designs and making them bigger. In regards to this, Joe Breeze says, “The characteristics of a good 26er were refined over three decades, and in the move to big wheels, it’s important to take advantage of all the great benefits they offer. Beyond increased rollover and stability, bigger wheels mean your axles are higher up and further out relative to the bottom bracket. This makes it harder to go over the bars on gnarly downhills or pitch backwards on steep climbs. I call this ‘riding in a valley of confidence’.”
Of course, this is why chainstay length is of great importance and keeping the stays short is key. Breeze continues, “Optimizing trail for the higher axle height allows the rider to lean their bike less for a given radius turn. Slack head tube angles on big wheel bikes mean the rider must lean the bike more for the same turn, increasing the likelihood of lost traction or sliding out. Optimal trail and shorter wheelbase is faster and more efficient.”
The Supercell comes in three models: The top of the line Supercell Team ($4099), the Supercell Pro ($3299) and the Supercell Expert ($2599). Each model will come in four sizes: S (17″), M (18.5″), L (19.5″), XL (21″). Supercell will be available in early April in the US and May globally.
For more info: supercell.breezerbikes.com
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