DMR Bolt – what does the shock linkage actually do?

Fixed pivot, fixed connection of swingarm to shock. What does the rest do? Am I being really dense?

Reduces side load on the shock.

Keeps everything stiff and in line and prevents side loads on the shock.

Yep, it’s just for stiffness

Does it stiffen thongs up and prevent side loads on the shock?

It hasn’t stiffened my thong 😆

shaggy – Member 
Reduces side load on the shock.

I disagree. I’d say it reduces lateral load on the shock.

Actually, I have a related question – why is it in 2 pieces? Surely a single piece would do that al-la 575 etc

There must be something going-on we can’t see in that pic.

Or I am dense.

If it was a single piece the end of the shock would be trying to rotate in two opposing arcs at once….

The seatstays would be pushing it in an arc flowing the BB pivot point, and a single piece linkage would be trying to get it to follow an arc around the top-tube mounted link pivot-point.

The result – death, most likely.

why is it in 2 pieces?

If it was one piece, you’d have a rigid triangle and it wouldn’t move.
The gap between the top-tube pivot and the rear shock pivot needs to grow during compression

Edit: Beaten to it.

The result – death, most likely.

And a very heavy hardtail.

Makes sense, but how is this different to the 575 and why does that work?

Sorry, no brekkie yet 😉

why does the rear triangle pivot around the bb? Is it so you can run it single speed?

Makes sense, but how is this different to the 575 and why does that work?

That has a pivot near the rear dropout (or a flexi bit of frame on some models).

why does the rear triangle pivot around the bb? Is it so you can run it single speed?

Yes – it’s a bike-park/jump bike.

It’s also a very fun short trail bike.

There is one in the for sale forum right now which I’d love but don’t have the cash

Ah, I kennit.

🙂

There us also the ‘long’ version – extended seat-tube and longer top-tube. Makes for a decent trail bike in that guise….

How does the bolt pedal?? Been looking at them for a while

With the right tune in the shock they pedal ok. One I rode had a x fusion piggy back type shock in it and the owner had it nicely set up. Worked really nicely.

I’ve not had a bolt but I have owned another bb pivot frame. If you don’t mash the pedals then they work just fine, those wobble chainrings also help reduce bob too

Dear god you don’t mean Biopace do you?!

Dear god you don’t mean Biopace do you?!

Naa, the new wobbly rings are 90deg further round compared to biopace, in theory new wobly rings are closer to a constant chain tension all the way round rather than all the power coming in 2 big lumps at 90 and 270deg past TDC, or thinking about it the otherway, the crank slows down at 90 and 270 so you’re pushing on it longer and it can skip past TDC and 180deg.

The advantage on an FS bike is that the peaks in power output are what caused bob, flatten them out and bob is reduced.

Yeah roughly speaking:
biopace enhances your max output
wobble rings enhance your min output

On the subject of Bolt’s, does anyone know the reach/stack measurments for the long one? The website just quotes 595mm actual top tube, which seems more like a horisontal top tube measurement.

Can I just say, we all answered the question wrong:

Q:

What does the shock linkage actually do?

A: It moves about a bit.

I’ve just ordered a long version which I will be building into a mini-downhill bike. I much prefer short travel bikes so it seemed the perfect frame for the job.

I’ve not seen any r/s dims but I’d bet they’d tell you if you asked dmr direct, they seem like nice guys

i`d love one but they are HEAVY!

Heavyish 😉
I’ve now got gears on mine and it’s 32 lbs on my fishing scales. That’s with coil Pikes, a dropper post and heavy pair of wheels. So not too bad considering…..and it feels indestructible!