Bold LINKIN – Integrated tech for the ambitious trail rider

Are you ready for the hype? Hold onto your trucker caps! “The BOLD LINKIN is the pinnacle of innovation, focused on technical and aesthetic details to …

By stwhannah

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Bold LINKIN – Integrated tech for the ambitious trail rider

Looks very nice, interesting how they’ve engineered how the suspension activates, would be interesting to see a little bit more of how it compresses and extends from the rear view and the progressive curve you get through the stroke, the lower part almost reminds me of the i-drive, of course with the shock now being the torsion bar.

I’ll not comment about durability and servicing the shock or bearings, as i doubt that these are aimed at those who mess about with their shocks that much, or do their own spannering for bearing changes.

Seems a missed opportunity to not give that name to a park bike

I’d say the longer travel one was one step closer than before.

True, but in the end, it doesn’t even matter.

What is it with all these supposedly serious bike brands putting these stupid ‘Action Man’ hatches on their bikes…

Just build the bloody bike, and leave me to pack and carry the tools etc

@tom_howard My brain was torn between Linkin Park and LinkedIn.

Some clever design features and an aesthetically pleasing bike, however… I’m sure it must have been tested to death (ha!) but it feels like having a big effectively open void in the downtube there is likely to compromise the strength considerably. Certainly wouldn’t instill me with confidence when I’m flinging big sharp bits of slate up at it in the Lake District (or casing jumps badly!).

I guess it’s not much different to the battery on an ebike, but it still doesn’t seem quite right to me.

Bit copy/paste pinkbike here.. and I’m not talking about the press release 😉

Anyway, good to see it’s a 2-way street with the Scott merger and presumably not just from a build kit perspective with syncros and the Nude. (Bars, tools, axle w/tools, pump, nude, wheels, saddle, grips) it’s also listed as HMX carbon so a production shift to Scotts factory?

What I don’t see is what the “traction” mode travel is on either bike.

Some huge bearings in there.
I love it!

I’d be worried taking a bike like that down steps, especially if they’re closer to the edge, I’d worry that it’d be about to break.

Is it 29 or 27.5 or mullet? The pic with the white sidewall Maxxis looks Mullet.
How well sealed is that swat box? The one on my Stumpjumper does leak a little and I have to dry out the tool bags now and again. I would be concerned about the tools and the shock being in a moist environment that’s partially sealed.
Stashing tools around a bike is good design (in some cases) but nothing new and even though I use my SWAT box I agree with @thegeneralist, build a better bike and let me worry about where the tools are stashed.
Having said all that it does look a lovely bike, but I would worry about where that SWAT box is positioned, rock strikes, water and a big gap in the frame where it needs to be extra strong. Does the frame have a lifetime warranty?

What’s the reach like? I need a little room to breathe…

If it’s not right for you, you might find yourself numb.

If it’s not right for you, you might find yourself numb

i agree, but it is good to have one more light bike on the market.

If it’s not right for you, you might find yourself numb.

It’s One Step Closer to a New Divide – bikes that hide linkages, those that don’t.
I would have to Break the Habit of having to look at a shock regularly to see What I’ve Done to it.