NBD: Raaw Madonna V3, Neko Frameworks, Spesh Kenevo SL 2…

by 9

… Santa Cruz V10 and the new Canyon Lux Trail. Here are all the bestest Press Releases to arrive in our inboxes this week.


Raaw Mountain Bike press release:

RAAW Mountain Bikes – The Madonna V3

  • Pricing starts at 2,790€ incl. VAT for frame kits (2,520 USD, 3,470 CAD, 3,930 AUD, 2,260 CHF or 2,050 GBP)
  • Rolling Chassis with Fox and Öhlins are available
  • The Madonna V3 is available to order and will be delivered in February

The Madonna V3 is the most capable, adjustable, and durable bike we’ve ever built. It’ll take on the roughest tracks, the longest rides, all the while never shying away from a climb.

While we haven’t lost our focus on durability, we’ve added adjustability to make it even more versatile. The fourth iteration of the Madonna will have your back, no matter what.

The Madonna V3 is hugely capable and finely balanced on everything from tight natural single trails to flat-out bike park tracks. It’s ready when you are and will never throw in the towel before you do. 160 mm of rear wheel travel is paired with a 170 mm fork and the 29” front wheel can be combined with either a 29” or 27.5” wheel in the back.

Fine-tuning and setting up your bike exactly how you want is now possible with the Madonna V3. The bike’s geometry can be modified through adjustable BB height, chainstay length and head angle options. The suspension also comes with progression adjustment options as well as two rider-weight-specific rocker links. But don’t worry, if tinkering isn’t your thing, all mid-settings out of the box are what we’d recommend.

We believe bikes should be ridden hard and put away dirty. The Madonna V3 comes with double sealed pivots, hardware that can take a beating, and external cable routing. But when the time comes, you won’t need two degrees and four pairs of hands to give your bike some love back.

Geometry

The Madonna V3 is available in five sizes, from S to XXL, to accommodate riders from 158 cm to 208 cm. Reaches and chainstay lengths, as well as head and seat tubes, grow with the frame sizes.

Suspension Design

While developing the suspension for the Madonna V3 we had the clear goal of consistent progression. The amount of force needed to compress the suspension increases smoothly over the entire travel, resulting in a very predictable rear end. Wherever you are in travel, the suspension will feel defined and it won’t go off doing its own thing and leave you second-guessing what it might do next.

For the Madonna V3, one major improvement is the ability to start compressing from zero travel. Every time you get light on your bike and the suspension has to start moving, it’s now buttery smooth, while still maintaining support and composure.

When you pedal the Madonna V3, seated or stood, we maintained a great level of chassis support that keeps the bike efficient, predictable, and allows you to winch up technical slippery climbs with ease. And when you yank on the brakes, the bike uses an increased level of chassis support while still balancing grip and feel of what’s going on at the rear wheel.

Rocker 60 & Rocker 65

The Madonna V3 uses a four-bar rocker link suspension layout with two different rocker links. The 160 mm of rear wheel travel comes from a 205 x 60 mm shock with the Rocker 60 or a 205 x 65 mm shock with the Rocker 65.

The higher leverage ratios of the suspension with the Rocker 60 are better suited for riders under 90 kg, with the lower leverage ratios that come with the Rocker 65 are best suited for riders over 90 kg.

Adjustability

Countless hours of riding and tinkering over the years have resulted in the geometry numbers and suspension design we offer with the Madonna V3. But we’ve also learned that terrain, conditions, and personal preference can require different setups. With two full Downhill World Cup seasons aboard the Yalla! under our belts, we have proven our toolbox concept, which now finds its way onto the Madonna V3.

From the base, out-of-the-box, geometry, we offer different lower shock mounts, the same mounts as on our Yalla!, to adjust the BB height by 3 mm, up or down – Subtle changes that have a huge impact on the overall character of the bike.

The rear suspension progression can also be adjusted by the same modular lower shock mounts and offers 3% more or less progression from the 26% that comes as standard. It’s also possible to combine the BB and progression adjustments.

All frame sizes come with the rear wheel axle in the mid position. For S and M size frames that’s 445 mm, L is 450 mm, and XL and XXL frames are 455 mm. From there, the chainstay length can be adjusted to 5 mm shorter or longer with separate rear wheel axle kits.

The straight, 56 mm diameter head tube opens the door for easier head angle adjustments with headsets from the likes of Works Components, or any other brand offering 56 mm angle headsets. Accurate marks on the head tube make aligning the headset cups a piece of cake.

Cable Routing

What seems to be such a simple thing tends to be overlooked – Cable routing. From the beginning of the development process, we aimed for the smoothest and simplest external cable routing we could make. On the Madonna V3, it’s not only very easy to assemble, but the lack of tight bends and kinks in the gear cable means that mechanical shifting is guaranteed to be a treat for your thumbs.

With the current trend of cables being routed through headsets, stems, and the frame, we were very eager to show what a regular mechanical Sram GX or Shimano XT drivetrain can do in terms of shifting performance. But, our bolt-on cable guides also allow for a very clean aesthetic in case you go for wireless shifting.

Water Bottle & Storage

All frame sizes offer space for a bottle cage. Size S and M will take up to a 500 ml bottle and from size L on, you can easily fit a 750 ml bottle. The top tube also features mounting points for a gear strap, pump or any other accessories that use this mounting system.

raaw-mtb.com


Frameworks info:

Here are all the details for our first production frames

To preview the frames before pre-sale, visit our website!

rideframeworks.com


Specialized press release:

Specialized Kenevo SL 2

We started development of the Kenevo SL 2 to give riders more power to ride more of the big trails they craved. Our incredibly efficient SL 1.2 system delivers 43% more torque and 33% more power than its predecessor letting our riders maintain trail speed with a quick crank, punch up a climb effortlessly, and charge through anything when pointed downhill.

The SL 1.2 motor delivers industry leading efficiency results, which gives you more range for the needed watt hours. This class-leading efficiency, together with unique energy conserving features like MicroTune, mean that the 320 Wh integrated battery delivers maximum range of up to 5 hours (in eco mode). If you want to go even bigger, just slide in our 160 Wh Range Extender Battery!

With 170mm of plush, responsive, super-capable travel, the Kenevo SL 2 eats up whatever you throw in front of it, from local lines to rowdy bike park laps and everything in between. Suspension that works this flawlessly is only realised when every component is developed together through an integrated approach. Total suspension performance involves chassis stiffness, kinematics, leverage rates, spring curves, damping, performance and tunability, all designed and working together to achieve a singular, elevated ride quality on the trail. We refer to this integrated approach to suspension development as Ride Dynamics , and we have a one-of-a-kind team of trail-riding engineers, technicians, and fabricators working together in our state-of-the-art innovation centre to ensure that ever component is optimised and functioning in harmony with every other.

The Kenevo SL 2 sets the benchmark for all-mountain e-MTB handling, adding six-way adjustability to the acclaimed geometry of our Enduro. Regardless of where-or how – you ride, the Kenevo SL 2 can be tuned to deliver exactly the ride you want that’s to its adjustable geometry.

Between the Turbo 1.2 SL motor, 170mm of plush travel, and the acclaimed six-way adjustability geometry, the Kenevo SL 2 can handle anything you throw at it.

UK pricing:

SWORKS – £12,500
EXPERT – £8,500
COMP – £6,500

specialized.com


Santa Cruz Bikes press release:

Introducing the new Santa Cruz V10

There’s nothing like a downhill bike

Nothing goes down hill like a downhill bike. No matter your motive; whether it be racing your local series, logging countless laps in the bike park, or racing against the world’s best, there’s a lot to be said for having the right tool for the job. Sure, an enduro bike will suffice in the bike park. Hell, you could ride some parks on a Tallboy – but as the lap count ticks on, nothing goes down — or holds up– like a downhill bike. Nothing.

VPP – Virtual Pivot Point – Suspension Design on the new Santa Cruz V10

The new V10 epitomizes years of development, prototyping, and real-world testing with the world’s best riders. Throughout the process, we’ve gone from making small, iterative updates to stepping out and trying things we’ve never, back to utilizing our proven VPP suspension in ways we’ve not done before. Through multiple protoypes, each with numerous setup configurations, we’ve narrowed the goal posts, focusing on several individual attributes that put the V10 up to the job: allowing the fastest riders in the world to win in one of cycling’s most intense disciplines– and with multiple World Cup wins and the Syndicate’s Team Overall title after it’s first year of racing, we think it’s off to a great start.

Multiple adjustment points on the new Santa Cruz V10 allow you to dial in your perfect ride

The new V10 has more adjustments than any Santa Cruz before it: A rear axle flip chip (+5mm / 0 / -5mm) helps tuning fore-aft weight balance, a 3-way lower link flip chip fine-tunes BB height and head tube angle for balancing stability across different terrain, and adjustable Reach (-8mm / 0 / +8mm) to dial in fit for the rider and terrain needs. Whether you set it and forget it, or make adjustments to play to a certain track or condition, the V10 is adaptable to you.

The entire Syndicate team lifts the V10 above the podium in Mont-Saint-Anne

And speaking of you, now you and your readers can buy the same V10 that the Syndicate team has proven. The eighth generation V10 is available to all starting November 7th — so whether you’re channeling your inner Jackson Goldstone on any Sunday or trying to win the Most Laps award among your park rat buddies, remember: there’s nothing like a proper downhill bike. And nothing quite like the latest, greatest Santa Cruz V10.

UK RRP

V10 CC DH S MX & 29 : £6,999
V10 CC DH X01 MX & 29: £8,999
V10 CC Frameset: £3,999

santacruzbicycles.com


Canyon press release:

THE BRAND NEW LUX TRAIL – CANYON’S ULTRA-CAPABLE XC BIKE

A completely redesigned XC bike for when the race goes well beyond the tape

Born from an unrelenting need to push our limits, the completely redesigned Lux Trail redefines what can be done on an XC bike. Speed is at the heart of the Lux Trail and now riders can make that speed last all day long and get the confidence to push their limits on rough and demanding endurance trails. This is maximum speed over maximum distances.

What’s new?

The Lux Trail is a completely new bike that’s been entirely redesigned from the bottom up. It shares DNA with the race proven Lux World Cup, but while that bike is all about chasing wins between the tape, the Lux Trail is made for chasing records beyond the tape.

On paper, the Lux Trail is a 120 mm 29er with 115 mm of rear suspension, but when clipped in, those numbers feel completely different. Teaming up these stats with the bike’s new kinematics and rear suspension design, there’s instant responsiveness on the climbs and levels of control and manoeuvrability on the descents that makes riders choose the faster line.

All-day geo

The Lux Trail’s geometry is central to the bike’s efficiency and capabilities as it pushes for the most comfortable and fatigue-reducing ride possible. A steep seat tube holds the rider in a powerful position to attack climbs, while the slack head angle puts them in full control for tackling technical descents.

Making the seat tube angle steeper by 1.5° to 76° puts the rider in a more upright position that helps make long rides more comfortable. This steep seat tube also puts the rider in a more efficient position above the bottom bracket which helps improve the power transfer from the pedals to the trail. Having the rider’s weight in the right place keeps the front wheel planted on climbs. Slackening the head angle by 0.5° to 67° is all about control at high speeds and on steep downhill descents.

Details make the difference

The further you race beyond the tape, the more reliant you become on your bike. Mechanicals and punctures can ruin months of training for FKTs in seconds. The Lux Trail comes with an integrated two-stage repair plan to get riders going again. For quick fixes and fixing flats, there is a mini-tool stored in the underside of the top tube, a CO2 canister attached to the inside of the downtube storage cover, and tyre plugs in the bar ends. For bigger jobs, the downtube can hold a Canyon LOAD Pouch, which can be bought as an optional extra. Quickly whip the pouch out and grab tubes, CO2 canister, tyre levers, and just about anything else you’d need to get going again.

Size specific shock tunings, dropper post travel, and cockpit dimensions make the Lux Trail ready to race right out of the box. Lux Trail CFR models come with an integrated carbon Trail Cockpit, with XS frames getting a size specific size.

Riders also need to maintain themselves for top performance on epic rides. Unlike others in this category, every Lux Trail holds two water bottles inside the frame, so riders can leave their hydration packs at home on long XC rides.

Adjustable performance suspension

The rider has complete control over the suspension on the fly. A handlebar mounted control quickly flicks between three suspension modes: Open, Pedal, and Locked. Open Mode lets riders take advantage of the full amount of travel in the front and rear suspension for maximum traction. Pedal Mode holds the bike higher in its travel — perfect for powering up climbs with less pedal bob. Locked Mode fully locks out the suspension for incredible efficiency, letting you put all your power down during sprints and paved climbs.

To be in total control, you need incredible traction. The completely redesigned single-pivot suspension is now similar to the Lux World Cup but we’ve added a hanging rocker that improves small bump sensitivity. This is the key to the Lux Trail’s kinematics and makes it feel like a bike with much more rear travel. With a size-specific shock tuning for sizes XS to M and for L and XL, the Lux Trail delivers performance for everyone.

The Lux Trail is available in six models. Two CFR models: Lux Trail CFR LTD and Lux Trail CFR. And four CF models: Lux Trail CF 9, 8, 7, and 6. All come with carbon frames, remote suspension lockout, and dropper posts.

canyon.com


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Orange Switch 6er. Stif Squatcher. Schwalbe Magic Mary Purple Addix front. Maxxis DHR II 3C MaxxTerra rear. Coil fan. Ebikes are not evil. I have been a writer for nigh on 20 years, a photographer for 25 years and a mountain biker for 30 years. I have written countless magazine and website features and route guides for the UK mountain bike press, most notably for the esteemed and highly regarded Singletrackworld. Although I am a Lancastrian, I freely admit that West Yorkshire is my favourite place to ride. Rarely a week goes by without me riding and exploring the South Pennines.

More posts from Ben

Viewing 9 posts - 1 through 9 (of 9 total)
  • NBD: Raaw Madonna V3, Neko Frameworks, Spesh Kenevo SL 2…
  • sharkattack
    Full Member

    F***- Santa Cruz V10
    Marry- Raaw Madonna
    Kill- That Canyon dirt roady thing. Yuck

    Jamz
    Free Member

    Stack figures on the Madonna are ridiculous.

    XL V1o has a lower stack height than a medium Madonna…

    sillyoldman
    Full Member

    The stack figures did jump out as looking weird – typos? Neither the BB drop nor HT length numbers look big enough to get to those stack numbers.

    tetrode
    Free Member

    What a let down the Kenevo SL 2 is. A bigger motor, that’s it? I wouldn’t waste my money getting one of those when the v1 has the same battery size. Seems madness to release a v2 and update barely anything worthwhile.

    willard
    Full Member

    I quite like the look of that Canyon, ok, without the tan sidewall tyres, but it’s a good combination of colours and probably more bike than I need right now anyway.

    Dat V10 though… Yeah, badass. If the Canyon is more bike than I need right now, the V10 is more bike than I could dream of.

    doomanic
    Full Member

    What a let down the Kenevo SL 2 is. A bigger motor, that’s it? I wouldn’t waste my money getting one of those when the v1 has the same battery size. Seems madness to release a v2 and update barely anything worthwhile.

    What do you think needs updating? The only thing I’d change is the seat post insertion but that’s a major redesign.

    bikesandboots
    Full Member

    With that stack, I’d have to run an almost slammed stem and a flat bar, and still the brake levers probably wouldn’t clear the top tube.

    tetrode
    Free Member

    What do you think needs updating? The only thing I’d change is the seat post insertion but that’s a major redesign.

    A bigger battery. It’s stupid putting a more powerful motor in there without a larger battery since it effectively reduces the range.

    rootes1
    Full Member

    Stack figures on the Madonna are ridiculous.

     

    They are not, love the stack on my XL v2.2 – given that lots of riders of all sizes are using spacers and riser bars of some sort does indicate that stack heights are a bit low generally. Apart from RAAW, only SC seems to pushing up stack heights.

     

     

Viewing 9 posts - 1 through 9 (of 9 total)

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