The WTFs are coming thick and fast this week, today a concept render of a 39-inch wheeled XC bike with geared steering. Behold:
It’s by a designer named Patrick N from Singapore, and there are more images on his Behance portfolio. He says it’s designed to give a similar seated position to current 29ers, has gearing in the steering so you can change the steering speed, and is patent pending. As you might expect, the wheelbase is about 20cm longer than most downhill bikes.
Still, it does look a bit more practical than the Roost Carbon.
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David started mountain biking in the 90’s, by which he means “Ineptly jumping a Saracen Kili Racer off anything available in a nearby industrial estate”. After growing up and living in some extremely flat places, David moved to Yorkshire specifically for the mountain biking. This felt like a horrible mistake at first, because the hills are so steep, but you get used to them pretty quickly.
Previously, David trifled with road and BMX, but mountain bikes always won. He’s most at peace battering down a rough trail, quietly fixing everything that does to a bike, or trying to figure out if that one click of compression damping has made things marginally better or worse. The inept jumping continues to this day.
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Love that there’s an artist’s impression stick holding the bike up 🙂
That front rotor must be huuuuuuuuuuuuge!
Ah, so that’s what it looks like when you put a frame between two penny farthing wheels..
The BB drop looks to be about 2 feet. At least Peter Crouch now has a bike that might fit.
Needs a mech on the steering for on the fly adjustment
If rear cassettes keep increasing in size as quickly as they are then we will be needing 39’ers soon!
It’s not Plus, so I’m out.
getting your weight over the back of the bike on descents will be fraught with danger…
At least there’ll be room for the 1×15 rear mech…
We’ll be back to riding Penny Farthings next.
@faustus I’ve heard that BB drop really “makes you feel like you’re *in* the bike” 🙂
Wonder how well it copes on some of the s-bends on the Rainbow Valley section of the Monkey Trail?
If he put the bars that far ahead of the head tube it might steer better and he’d have a reasonable wheel Base
I was all ready to volunteer for a test ride until I saw the steering arrangement.
I like the idea that someone is trying something new, but not sure that this quite hits the mark. I’d happily volunteer to try it though.