Kinesis UK Has Built A Pinion Gearbox Bike

Kinesis UK has unveiled a little pet project that the company has been working on over the winter. A project that takes one of the companies Phase hardtails, a Pinion gearbox and a little imagination.

The resulting frame is the MAXFUNPINION, a one off hardtail experiment to build a bike that would be perfect for everyday use in UK winter conditions with the possibility to built in more features and possibly even make them available to buy.

Currently the prototype has a very “DIY” feel to it and it’s evident that this really is a matter of chopping the bottom bracket area off a Phase frame and welding in a Pinion transmission yoke. That yoke is also mounted a little lower down to drop the BB by 30mm and make this bike 27.5 specific.

Although just a bit of fun at the moment, Kinesis UK have suggested pricing would be around £1500 for the frame and gearbox (if it ever made production) and has asked for consumer input about certain aspects of the frame including the use of 29inch wheels, and perhaps the move to a Gates belt drive for longer service intervals.

Kinesis UK MAXFUNPINION Specifications

• Maxlight Phase frame (medium) adapted by Pinion to receive their C1.12 Magnesium cased 12spd gearbox.
• Pinion Crank arms
• DMR Zone wheelset (Boost Rear)
• X-Fusion Sweep RL2 140mm
• WTB Trail Boss 2.4 tyres
• X-Fusion SLS dropper post 125mm
• Surly 21T rear sprocket
• Praxis 32T Chainring
• DMR Defy Stem and Wingbar with 35mm clamping
• TRP Slate T4 brakes with 2 TRP piece rotors
• DMR Stage Saddle
• DMR V8 Pedals

For those of you who might be interested in a MAXFUNPINION gearbox bike, or if you have some suggestions about tweaks and changes visit the Kinesis UK website where you can find contact details for the project.

If Pinion equipped hardtails designed for UK riding are your thing, go and have a read of Fresh Goods 329 where we have details of the carbon Olsen bike along with a hands on video.