Chromag Announces Its First High Pivot Bike

Apr 1, 2022
by Chromag Bikes  
Chromag, the Whistler based bike brand most known for their steel hardtails, has made a foray into the high pivot market with a world's first.
We sat down with them to see what went into the thought process behind this project.

bigquotesThis is definitely going to work.

photo
photo

photo
photo


You've held off from doing the high pivot thing for a while, why now?
Well, we saw how much success and exposure these things are getting on the world cup circuit, and we thought why not us? We could be on the podium in France, but we're not. We're at work.

So it was purely a bottom-line thing?
Exactly. We have investors, share holders and board members that all demand results, and a HP (high pivot) was the only way to get there. Not to say there weren't other advantages of HPHT. Adding 33% more chain has made us feel integral to the current global supply issues, as well as making our bikes even heavier.

photo

How much time and energy went into this project?
We were expecting to have to go through years of R&D for HPHT, but actually it only took about 10 minutes. Turns out HP's are really easy, you take a regular low pivot, raise it up slightly and add 27% to the retail price. We had the added foresight to combine it with a seat clamp too, I must admit that did add a few minutes to the design process, but after we plugged it into the cost/benefit matrix it was a no-brainer, the spreadsheets don't lie. Plus that makes it the highest pivot available on the market if I'm not mistaken.[Edit: this was true at time of writing]

photo

I did notice the idler is what you might call extra high...
If you want to generate some buzz around an "extra" high pivot then go ahead. Do what you need to for the clicks, that's what we always say here in Canada, ask anyone.

photo
photo

photo
photo

bigquotesThe beauty of this design is that the height of the idler is directly related to the length of the seat tube, which surely has to mean something.

Did you consider that things might get trapped in the chain with it running dangerously close to the nether region?
Like I said, this took about 10 minutes to develop, we really didn't consider much, but given the advantages of HPHT we think it's a small price to pay.

photo
photo

photo

bigquotesRemoving the seat-stays and replacing them with additional chain-stays was one of the smartest things we've ever done.

Well thanks for your time, we're really excited to get our hands on The HPHT!
There is no "the".

What do you mean?
It's not The HPHT. It's HPHT.

Oh! It's like the bit in that Facebook movie when Justin Timberlake's character is all like "drop the THE" and everyone is blown away by how clever (and handsome) he is so they decide to go with just Facebook instead of The Facebook!
No it isn't.

Yes it is.
No it isn't.

It is.
Nope.

A little bit.
No.

Agree to disagree?
Namaste.

photo

The HPHT seat clamp retails for CA$69.420 (CA$73.20).
It's obviously sold out, but should be available by the time the sun envelopes the earth circa 7.6 billion years from now.


Chromag bikes, parts, apparel and accessories are available online and at quality bike shops.


#highwizardpitchcraft

Author Info:
Chromagbikes avatar

Member since Nov 21, 2011
95 articles

152 Comments
  • 500 0
 The pic of the dudes leg is killing me.
  • 45 1
 Complete with short shorts too.
  • 32 0
 Dangerham(strings).
  • 14 0
 That'll generate some buzz for sure.
  • 14 0
 Should be “2BBHP”. 2 ball baring high pivot (as soon as you drop the seat). You’ll need to see Doctahawk after that.
  • 19 0
 LOL'd at log10 links and couldn't stop laughing after that.
  • 7 0
 he went full in, he has an actual rash hahahahahahahahaahahah
  • 5 0
 I like how one leg is shaved on the drive side.
  • 2 0
 @deepcovedave: Seems to me that he shaved both legs, and got two levels of rash on the drive side one Wink
  • 4 0
 I saw the pic the second time reading this through. Did anyone take a look a the price? It seems pretty good. Wink
  • 5 0
 Its for the rider who is sick of only his pants getting stuck in the chain
  • 6 0
 @Archimonde: Chromag needs to market this with a hydrocortisone chain lube.
  • 2 6
flag likeittacky (Apr 1, 2022 at 17:54) (Below Threshold)
 That very well could be a girl in today's crazy world!
  • 139 3
 It’s scary how much the line has blurred between April fools and reality
  • 86 5
 Yeah, I was reading earlier that many mountain bikers are now riding electric motorbikes...
  • 11 0
 Remember the E dirt jumper? I checked my calendar when it came out, but it wasn't today.
  • 15 3
 @korev: But for some reason they get touchy when you describe them that way.
  • 1 0
 Life imitates art my friend.
  • 5 0
 @korev: I read that too! And that the riders make out they are getting just as much of a workout as on a manual bike!
  • 115 0
 This is definitely one of best ones I've seen so far. The graphs had me laughing way too much
  • 21 0
 Yep it's all the little jokes that make it. My fave was the price conversion to Canadian Dollars
  • 3 0
 "Chain Links Added (log10)"...great work Chromag
  • 4 0
 My vote definitely goes to this one. Hilarious and they actually made the product. 10/10. This is how you do a April Fools article.
  • 62 2
 Damn it. It’s 1208 PST April 1st, I’m half drunk and I fell for it. Bravo Pinkbike!
  • 30 0
 "Removing the seat-stays and replacing them with additional chain-stays was one of the smartest things we've ever done" - Specialized (2003)
  • 3 5
 DAMN IT ME TO. ARRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!11
  • 52 8
 Whats next, chromag ebike? Shame to see such a cool brand lose touch with its customers
/s
  • 6 55
flag ad15 (Apr 1, 2022 at 0:15) (Below Threshold)
 woosh.....
  • 38 3
 @ad15: woo/sh on you
  • 11 5
 Are jokes also upside down, down under?
  • 2 0
 @Mtn-Goat-13: hamburgers eat people in Rand McNally
  • 4 2
 You’re embarrassing mate, seriously
Did you read it? Did you look at the Date?
I thought this was an absolute cracker of a AFJ one of the best ones I’ve seen in a while
  • 3 0
 @Philthy1: yeah mate its called sarcasm
  • 3 0
 @StromloSlayer476: the giveaway was the “/s”
  • 27 0
 Best part is the leg irritation looks legit!
  • 18 0
 Do What You Need For The Clicks is a nice touch
  • 5 0
 Could be a good tagline for Hope Pro hubs.
  • 13 0
 The "Chain Links Added" vs "Chain Links Added (Log10)" was a nice touch. This nerd definitely appreciated it.
  • 1 0
 hahaha yes, this is the type of effort I want to see in april fools jokes.
  • 13 0
 Not the Hardtail we need but the one we deserve. Well played Chromag.
  • 6 0
 Loving it. We've been calling for an idler equipped hardtail for so long and it has finally been released. Bummer they didn't go with a triple front ring and clamped the front mech to the downtube.
  • 7 0
 Should have moved the cassette and derailleur to where the idler is to reduce unsprung rear wheel weight.
  • 8 1
 Bahaha! Definitely one of the top April 1 releases I’ve seen!
  • 7 0
 Adding a chainstay protector to the seatstay was a nice touch
  • 5 0
 Honestly, this is f*cking hilarious. Well played chromag and pinkbike. I almost fell off the toilet. Wonder if I can make my toilet HP?
  • 4 0
 Pffft. Nice effort, but just wait until I release the U-HAD-MI (Ultimare High Altitude Drone Mounted Idler). 'The skies the limit ™️' .
  • 4 0
 Love this “The beauty of this design is that the height of the idler is directly related to the length of the seat tube, which surely has to mean something”
  • 2 0
 @chromagbikes .... think we could get the "Chromag: Do What You Need For The Clicks" logo done up as a decal? That's a sticker I'd pay at least $4.20 (4.20 CAD) for.

It would look great on all the Tacomas in my neighbourhood.
  • 5 1
 I like this April joke , but next time put jockey wheel on front wheel and make it all wheel drive Big Grin
  • 4 0
 Let's see a 5 sec video of someone putting in one crank and the whole thing exploding. For the clicks.
  • 1 0
 Really appreciate the beauty of a golden chain absolutely in parallel to the chainseatstay. Noticing that even the fence in the background is in parallel to the chain-chainseatstay made me cry for joy.
  • 3 0
 Is it wrong that I actually like the look of the chain following the rear triangle??
  • 1 0
 This was my fav today. Great job Chromag! Joke aside, I could see this thing being turned forward without the pulley and being used to mount other stuff in 7.6 billion years… or maybe sooner Wink
  • 1 0
 I think they made a mistake. We are halfway through the Suns lifespan so should only be around 5 billion years when the sun expands. It might not expand enough to envelop the earth either.
  • 2 0
 I was on board with this right to the very end, then realized nothing this good would only cost $70!

ps. nice touch that the price in CA$ is converted into CA$!
  • 3 0
 Need to have it attach to the dropper shaft, so it's adjustable based on terrain.
  • 1 0
 ...great to see the highest of the high pivot ruling over the low and mid pivots.. can we go higher? Dropper post mounted helmet extension pivot to be activated for extra gnar points as required??
  • 1 0
 Looks like a very expensive German MTB frame.

Needs 3 more charts to highlight why it’s a good idea though, and maybe some test results from a lab with some acronyms sprinkled in.
  • 2 0
 If squint a bit with your brain, a hardtail is like a single pivot where the pivot is the front axle and you ride the rear triangle...
  • 1 0
 Anyone else remember the quick release stem video and the april fools full suss hardtail conversion that was just a lump of wood?
  • 3 0
 @aplombcycles did it first!
  • 2 0
 The joke may only last 1 day, but that rash is gonna be around for a while!
  • 1 0
 7.6 billion years. Supply chain issues might have caught up by then... and 20" wheels will be the new norm
  • 1 0
 In years to come we are gonna look at this as a pivotal development in history of mtb.
  • 3 0
 High wizards at work!
  • 1 0
 What's the leverage ratio on this thing? I like how this uses even more chain than other high pivot desigs. Bravo
  • 2 0
 Brilliant! Absolutely first class.
  • 2 0
 Is it still a joke if you actually build it?
  • 3 0
 This is wonderful.
  • 2 4
 The very unfunny thing here is that the line between what is and what isn't an april fools' joke get's increasingly blurred. The state of the sport has progressed to a point where people blindly buy into fads and this very well could be an actual thing someone made.
  • 3 1
 Absolutely best 1st of April article ever! Big Grin Made my day Big Grin
  • 2 0
 I'm hoping for a hip-pack mounted pivot. The HPHPHT. Catchy
  • 2 0
 Looks like some BS that Ceramic Speed would try sell!
  • 1 0
 For a brief second I thought it was the long gestating Chromag full-suspension reveal.
  • 2 0
 As an engineer with no BMX background, I need more graphs please.
  • 1 0
 When everyone was saying high pivots were too high it turned out they weren’t high enough!
  • 1 1
 April fools day is just a day of eye rolling for me, but this is really funny. And that Doctahawk looks mean, even with the extra chainstay.
  • 2 0
 CA$69.420 (CA$73.20) Was the best part.
  • 2 0
 I laughed way harder than I should have at the $69.420 price
  • 1 0
 I just snorted my morning coffee through my nose after reading this and laughing so hard. Thanks Chromag!
  • 1 0
 Kuddos to the dude that took a few propper chain hits to the leg for the shot lol
  • 1 0
 The graphs are the best. A lot of science went into those!
  • 1 0
 I would be kinda curious how that would feel on a full suspension tho?!
  • 1 0
 HPHT = High Performance Hockey Tape
  • 2 0
 *Hot Pink Hockey Tape
  • 1 0
 Use promo code "NE14ABJ" to get 69% off their purchase!
  • 1 0
 Introducing the "High Pivotless" bike!
  • 1 0
 April fools day innit?
Those super short shorts look good :-)
  • 2 0
 They are short shorts, but they're not Dangerholm short jorts.
8.5/10
  • 1 0
 Seems like not for a April's pool
  • 1 0
 Will this work with ny #Ebike?
  • 1 0
 Time to upgrade my stylus.
  • 2 0
 Egg scrambler.
  • 2 1
 One of the best april fools jokes I've seen!
  • 1 0
 The best one so far and its not even 9am gmt lol
  • 1 1
 Santa Cruz Virtual High Pivot (VHP) coming soon. Except technically that's actually a thing ...
  • 1 0
 Very possible with a dual link bike, you can give a rearward axle path keeping the pivots in a similar place, however you would still need an idler to control the chain growth. Similar to what Commencal have done with their latest DH bike but with a unified rear triangle
  • 1 0
 Huck to flat video or this didn't happen!
  • 1 0
 Brilliant! Those 7.6 billion years are going to fly by... Smile
  • 1 0
 Beautifully done! The graphs are super funny!
  • 1 0
 Highpivot downcountry - Sold!
  • 1 0
 Man they got me good hahah
  • 1 0
 Still waiting for my High Pivot HT DJ.
  • 1 0
 Sign me up for the single speed version of this
  • 1 0
 Finally I can make my Hardtail bike rideable again!!!!!!!!!!!
  • 1 0
 Man, those are just the best graphs.
  • 1 0
 No arcturians? Oh well gonna get a krampus then!
  • 1 0
 this one must be the AF winner! ha ha!
  • 1 0
 Nice work by the gang at Chromag. Totally laughed out loud reading this.
  • 1 0
 We’ll done chromatic. You win.
  • 1 0
 Does it cut campfire wood ok or should we still pack the chain saw?
  • 1 0
 Nicely done. That's a good one.
  • 1 0
 Well makes you keep your chain clean!!
  • 1 0
 Those graphs are amazing. Bravo!
  • 1 0
 ALL OF THE COMPROMISES!!!
  • 1 0
 LMAO, I love the correlation=causation joke.
  • 1 0
 Best looking April fools joke yet…
  • 1 0
 Can this work on a single speed configuration?
  • 1 0
 Hilarious!

Is it wrong that I want one, though?
  • 1 0
 due to the shortage of chanins this must have been an expensive jokeSmile
  • 2 0
 #highpivotbitchcraft
  • 1 0
 Drop your seat for an instant vasectomy.
  • 1 0
 Reduced chain wear due to limited engagement with the metal cassette.
  • 1 0
 Those pedals looks interesting
  • 1 0
 That’s a missed opportunity to make a badass single speed!
  • 1 0
 In heavy load in uphill i think the chain slips from the cassette.
  • 1 0
 Amazing
  • 1 1
 Happy April fools Day!!!!
  • 1 0
 For the win!!!!
  • 1 0
 Hahaha
  • 1 0
 Funny that they did not reposition rear mech, to work on new chain stay?
  • 1 0
 Good one!
  • 1 0
 Outstanding
  • 1 0
 Love it
  • 1 0
 Video or it didn't....
  • 1 0
 So good.
  • 1 1
 I sure as hell hope this is an April fools joke!
  • 1 0
 Well played!!
  • 1 0
 THE GREATEST EVER!!
  • 1 0
 Tears...on my cheeks.
  • 1 0
 Brilliant haha!
  • 1 1
 FREAKING APRIL FIRST
  • 1 4
 C+ here at best.
  • 8 0
 Your mom is C+ at best.
  • 2 0
 @nickfranko: I give her an A+ for effort though.
Below threshold threads are hidden







Copyright © 2000 - 2024. Pinkbike.com. All rights reserved.
dv42 0.054926
Mobile Version of Website