Commencal Unveils the 2021 Supreme Race Bike

Jun 8, 2021
by James Smurthwaite  
photo
Photos: Nico Brizin

Commencal has unveiled its new race bike for the 2021 season.

We've spotted this bike at a few events this year and it seems our suspicions were correct about a new suspension design. Most of the frame tubing is apparently lifted from the current Supreme but it now uses a "Virtual High Pivot" system, a substantial departure from the high single pivot that the brand has used to so much success in the past few years.

photo

PB tech editor Dan Roberts has sketched the above diagram to explain the new 6 bar system and will be doing a more in-depth analysis of it tomorrow. The purple link is essential otherwise the rear wheel would move around without the upper link (light green) moving and compressing the shock.

We also noticed that there’s plenty of adjustability in the system with the purple link being adjustable in length, which could enable Commencal to change the geometry and kinematic, and different mounting points on the upper link (light green) to further adjust how the kinematic behaves through its travel. The idler has now also moved from the swing arm to the mainframe thanks to large metal plate.

It’s worth saying these are just our best guesses from what we can decipher from the photos. Commencal didn’t provide us with non-drive side shots, which makes a proper analysis difficult, but we’ll be on the hunt for some clearer shots at Leogang this weekend.

Also interesting is that this may be a racer-only bike for the foreseeable future as Commencal says there is "no commercialisation on the cards yet".

Press Release: Commencal

We are proud to present our new Commencal Supreme!

It's a prototype, a lab bike that means we can try many new concepts under the most testing and extreme conditions.

In order to work with a minimum of unknowns, we use a lot of tubes from our current bikes and this allows us to ensure perfect management of stiffness as well as limiting the risks in terms of resistance. This Supreme features a brand new kinematic with a Virtual High Pivot. Through this system, we're always looking for more performance and liveliness, without compromising the capacity of our now renowned High Pivot Point.

There is no commercialisation on the cards yet, however it’s sure that this is the dawn of a new era for the future of Commencal DH.

You will be able to enjoy Amaury, Myriam, Thibault and Angel behind the handlebars for the whole season!

That's all the info we have for now but enjoy these photos of the team's race bikes ahead of the season opener this weekend.

Amaury Pierron's Supreme DH

photo

photo
photo
Adjustable chainstays point to this being a prototype bike that will be dialled in over the season.

photo
It looks like further adjustments can be made on the rocker link. Note that the idler is now attached to the front triangle not the swingarm.

photo
photo
The routing has been changed so that the cables now come out the top of the toptube/ seat tube area, drop through the new linkage and re-enter into the chainstays.

photo
The lower link comes through the tunnel in the seat tube.

photo
The upper and lower link are connected by this solid piece.

Angel Suarez's Supreme DH

photo

photo

View a full gallery of both bikes, here.

More Follows

Posted In:
Racing and Events Reviews and Tech DH Racing First Looks DH Bikes Commencal Commencal Supreme Amaury Pierron Angel Suarez Myriam Nicole


Author Info:
jamessmurthwaite avatar

Member since Nov 14, 2018
1,770 articles
Report
Must Read This Week
Pole Bicycles Has Filed for Bankruptcy
58185 views
First Ride: The Sub-$600 RockShox Domain and Psylo Forks
43513 views
[UPDATED] Final Elite XC Results & Overall Standings from the Mairiporã XC World Cup 2024
42389 views
Tree Root Pierces Harriet Harnden's Foot at Round 1 of the British National Downhill Series
40918 views
Pinkbike's DH Fantasy League: Get Your Team On The Line - Fort William is in TWO WEEKS!
35894 views
Review: Race Face's Era Chainring Uses Steel, Carbon, & Aluminum
28795 views
Randoms Round 1 - Sea Otter 2024
28155 views
First Ride: Fox's New Transfer Dropper Post - Adjustable Travel, Up to 240mm of Drop
27427 views
Sign Up for the Pinkbike Newsletter - All the Biggest, Most Interesting Stories in your Inbox
PB Newsletter Signup

233 Comments
  • 162 5
 After looking through the pictures at least 5 times, I still cant get my head around how the hell this works... One thing I do know though, is that bike looks fast AF
  • 109 1
 I wanna see the huck to flat
  • 40 2
 Google Felt Equilink. It seems to be similar, but with the lower link also driving the shock.
  • 6 1
 Looks like it may be something similar to the old equilink suspension that Felt and maybe others used years ago. Connecting the lower and upper link with a rigid bar. Interesting indeed, would like to see NDS photos as well!
  • 2 0
 @southoftheborder: Yeah, I was thinking that it looked a little similar to the old Felt Compulsion, a mate had one a few years ago...
  • 17 1
 Needz Moar Boltz
  • 2 0
 Agreed. High pivot is suppose to make the bike longer while shock is compressed if I´we understood right. I'm ignorant regarding this, but cant see why that would happen here...?
  • 3 0
 @southoftheborder: I was remebering this one but I forgot the name, so thank you, At the first, this kind of stuff reminds me the Tantrum.
  • 8 0
 @Endurip: I think the lower link is basically vertical at rest. When suspension compresses it's pulled upward by the link-link connector such that it swings from vertical toward horizontal, i.e. rear axle gets pushed farther from BB.

Would love to see a video of the suspension cycling though, this is definitely a confusing one!
  • 8 0
 I know folk like looking at the drive side but if your launching a new bike they should show us the non drive side also so we can see where all the pivots and linkages are
  • 16 2
 It’s easy, Take what canfield brothers did on the Jedi 15 years ago and you’re there
  • 5 2
 @Kanicula: I'm betting on the dogbone connecting both links has adjustable length. That's what those three bolts are for.
  • 2 0
 @Drew-O: i'd like to see video too. also worth noting is that all the pictures posted are from the drive side. no non-drive side pics I can locate here or elsewhere.
  • 9 0
 Wonder if Kyle called Zink to ask how he FELT about this?
  • 2 0
 @southoftheborder: Exactly what I thought. Hopefully it is not a squeaky as the Felt system though
  • 8 0
 Pretty sure there is a pivot on the chain-stay just behind the BB. Making it kind of a hybrid short-link/horst-link. The dog-bone _pulls_ on the extra pivot to grow the effective chain-stay length as it goes through the travel*. I'm assuming from the name this gives a potential axle path similar to a high-pivot, but with a non-fixed instant center meaning the axle path can be even more fancy than even a high-pivot-horst-link. Maybe it's perfectly vertical!

*(wheel via seat-stay pushes rocker, rocker pulls dog bone, dog bone extends chain-stay)
  • 1 3
 @mysticmountainadventures: Have you seen Zink's injury? He's heard from everybody at this point. Totally unrelated. Just wanted to say I can't even look at it.
  • 4 0
 I came here for the new Evil first look... but this is cool too. PB - Evil contempt continues.
  • 2 0
 @Drew-O: Ok, I think I got it. Well explained sir.
  • 2 0
 @blowmyfuse: Bring the old Nicolais back ! Now that was adjustability and moar bolts !
  • 1 0
 That looks likehe Felt bikes Equilink suspension
  • 1 0
 @blowmyfuse: I was standing 20' from his crash this weekend. It was a very bad cut.
  • 1 0
 @DizzyNinja: upper link drive the lower link so they work in parallel like a dw link, however the chainstay and seatstay are not connected. This will allow them to essentially create a virtual lower pivot while simultaneously isolating brake endured forces depending on pivot architecture. It's quite clever actually.
  • 1 1
 @iggzilla: Not good. Did you post a video? #feelterribleforaskingbutwannaseecauseimdemented
  • 2 0
 @Endurip: Yep Drew-O as a good description of it. I would add this: you have to see this as two 4-bar linkage mechanism put one after the other. 1st 4-bar is seat tube/lower link / "equilink" / upper link and a control element which is the shock. If you remove the chain stay and seat stay, the 1st 4-bar mechanism is stable on its own. 2nd 4-bar is chainstay / seat stay / upper link / lower link and the control element is the "equilink". The "equilink is needed in the 2nd 4-bar otherwise there would be an unwanted degree of freedom and that 2nd 4-bar would be a 5-bar so it would be unstable. The lower link points down like at 6 o'clock and it will move up and back (towards 9 o'clock) as the suspension compresses. The chainstay length will grow significantly as it moves into the travel. The idler is there to negate chain growth by making the chain be very close to the virtual pivot point path. Because of the 2 short link, the main pivot as a virtual location. I believe the lower shock mounting point is fixed on the front triangle, not driven by the lower link.
  • 5 0
 Whats really going on is a Canefield Jedi and a Felt were on a long bus ride after a high school football game.
  • 1 0
 @blowmyfuse: www.instagram.com/p/CPypDzQD2Yd/?utm_medium=copy_link
  • 1 0
 @iggzilla: was very wearing knee pads?
  • 2 1
 @thenotoriousmic: nope. Saw that. That's the aftermath. Gonna puke now
  • 1 0
 Clearly my bikes don't have enough bars...

I'm gonna hold out for the 7 bar extra high pivot system before I upgrade... Smile
  • 1 0
 @Balgaroth: Nicolai eufo-st. An ebike that'd make sense.
  • 1 0
 @sethius: eNucleon DH would be something else Big Grin
  • 1 0
 @shredddr: sold out never mind.
Interesting mx insurgent.
Quite surprised they didnt skip that and do an E.
  • 1 0
 @usedbikestuff: Exactly...
  • 55 3
 "no commercialisation on the cards yet" - Simply because they can't guarantee production and don't want the headache.
  • 32 1
 Big props to Commencal for not releasing the bike without being able to get stock!
  • 6 0
 They’ll do it fast enough. A lot of people won’t buy the current one if they think a new model is on the horizon.
  • 10 0
 @kylar: The old model is likely already sold out, and people waiting 6 months for it.
  • 4 5
 Hopefully they will do a better job at commercializing this V5 than they did with the V4 which had bolts destroying the rocker, geo that was pure rubbish once the rearward path was considered and so on. Basically an under developed bike that was sold, fixed and then sold as V4.1 with S size corresponding to L on the V4 ...
  • 2 0
 @kylar: Jokes on them, they can't buy the current model, even if they wanted to. Agreed, this is how you do it when you can't produce and actually ship bikes yet.
  • 1 0
 @Balgaroth: ha! I bought one of the mediums of the v4. Was a bike for ants!! Broke a bunch of ribs then sold it.
  • 1 0
 @Balgaroth: what was so bad about geo given rearward axle path? Reach, Eff TT don't change, so only wheelbase right?
  • 8 0
 @Balgaroth: stop whining, look at the podiums on the world cup, tons of supreme. Just get better
  • 2 0
 Don't UCI rules require WC race bikes to be available to the public within the same season (or 12 months?), or am I imagining all of that?
  • 3 1
 @boozed: yeah i think you can race a prototype for 12 months then it must be offered for sale to the public otherwise you can't use it anymore
  • 1 0
 @melonhead1145: Ahh, so it can simply be withdrawn before the 12 months is up?
  • 1 0
 @melonhead1145: hmm, the honda was never available?
  • 1 0
 @jrocksdh: I don't think that was a rule at that point in time.
  • 59 14
 Makes fastest bike in the world.... promptly changes it into a session
  • 4 3
 In fairness though, check out what’s sat at the #1 spot.....

m.pinkbike.com/news/nerding-out-downhill-bikes-with-the-most-elite-world-cup-wins-from-2000-to-2020.html
  • 2 1
 The trek, V10 and Specialized were the fastest bikes last year Smile

Will be interesting this weekend with a few riders changing teams and commencal effectively changing bike.
  • 30 0
 @betsie: Last year Amaury wasn't on a bike. Commencal would be in that list if he were. Bikes are definitely important, but the fastest riders will be at the top of the pack on any modern DH bike.
  • 3 0
 @Corinthian: Can easily be attributed to the riders over the bike. All those wins but one came from only 3 riders. Rach alone is half of them!
  • 2 0
 @justinfoil: Yeah for sure, I agree with you about the riders, particularly at WC level; its about the individual sat on top of the bike (and perhaps a smattering of luck on occasion, good or otherwise), not about the bike itself.
  • 1 0
 @PTyliszczak: it is true. If you don't race, you can't win or be up there.
It's what's going to make this weekend interesting. With Bruni having a wee injury, new Commencal, Hart Inna new bike, Homan coming Breeden finally injury free coming into a season and Inna new bike, the new Mondraker, Reece not showing his hand apart from on the golf course .. , etc
  • 6 1
 Commencal have been consistently updating their DH bike to keep it ahead of the pack with innovation. Remember when they released the totally unexpected high pivot supreme, when it had been years since anyone tried that? Now everyone's going down that route. After that they were one of the first teams to go full 29. Then they played around with the idler location, released a new version with a stiffer swingarm, and went mullet, all within a couple of years. I don't think anyone invests more in DH R&D than commencal
  • 44 0
 Knoly: "We claim we build the bikes with the most complicated suspension system out there".

Commencal: "Hold my baguette".
  • 9 17
flag conoat (Jun 8, 2021 at 11:10) (Below Threshold)
 baguette? they are Andorran, not French.
  • 7 0
 @conoat: Then more like "Hold my Escudella."
  • 7 0
 @conoat: Max is French IIRC...
  • 5 33
flag conoat (Jun 8, 2021 at 11:19) (Below Threshold)
 @southoftheborder: you didn't say Max. you said Commencal, wherein the common inference is you're speaking of the brand, since you also referred to Knolly in the same manner.
  • 6 1
 @conoat: Yup, I stand corrected.
  • 42 0
 so...no baguette's available in Andorra? *changes vacation plans
  • 6 0
 Yeti's linkage with a linkage in its linkage would also like a word...https://www.pinkbike.com/news/yetis-new-suspension-design.html
  • 25 0
 @conoat: They are BASED in Andorra, for taxes purposes among other reasons. Max Commençal is french (former Sunn), the staff is french, and the developping pilots are mostly french. What else?
  • 11 5
 @danstonQ: if they are so French, then why don't they do their patriotic duty and base themselves in France and pay all the extra baguette taxes??
  • 2 0
 @Drew-O: so I followed that link and stared at the schematics and equations...and now my brain hurts. Thanks,
  • 5 0
 @danstonQ: do they like baguettes? Actually, scratch that. Who doesn't like baguettes?
  • 6 0
 @conoat: because they're French!
  • 4 1
 @conoat: is it your business? You have enough to do with your brexit as much as I know.
  • 6 0
 @Mac1987: A dutch MOUNTAIN biker... well, why not. There are swiss sailors after all...
  • 3 0
 @danstonQ: before the lockdown we were able to travel and go to real mountains and eat real baguettes
  • 2 1
 @danstonQ: nothing can be done with Brexit. At this point we are just waiting for the food to run out and UNICEF to step in with an emergency response team.
  • 1 0
 @conoat: that woul require a new revolution.
  • 2 0
 @L0rdTom: UNICEF can nothing for you as much as we know.
Help yourself for God sake. Brits always find a good solution... for them indeed.
PS: since when does UK care about food (proper food)? (private harmless joke, sorry) Wink
  • 2 2
 @Mac1987: Before or after the lockdown or whenever it is... do whatever you want but please kaaskop, just stay where you are and don't travel, please!!!
  • 1 0
 @danstonQ: compromise: will skip your town, alright?
  • 4 0
 @danstonQ: Britain has always made the best food!

We have great curry houses, Chinese restaurants, sushi bars, Italian pizzerias, German smokehouses, French boulangeries...
  • 2 0
 @L0rdTom: Ha ha... and you have the best sense of humor as well Wink
  • 11 1
 So this is the blanket bike? What are the three bolts on the link just behind the idler? Just a fender mount? And what's that link for anyways? It's hard to tell what's going on there. I wish there was a non drive side photo.
  • 1 0
 There's some adjustability in the junction of that plate with the rocker link. I imagine that has something to do with the shape of the rear triangle under compression, maybe targeting the rear axle path?
  • 1 0
 @TylerJamesHall: Yeah I saw that, so it's short link, like a vpp or dw, and the pivot near the rear axle is only for changing the geo of the rear fixed triangle? A lot going on there. The idler is mounted to the front triangle now, but I wonder if those three bolts are for an idler mount, so it's position changes slightly thru travel, would give more tuning options.
  • 1 0
 I bet the link allows idler to move, and such have a suspension with more controlled chain growth. I bet this is to further disconnect transmission from linkage, because you see, those links dont affect conventional anti-rise, progression or anything else.
  • 1 0
 @speedy-fox2: Yeah it's really hard to tell if the chain stays pivot on the main frame (i.e. horst with some extraneous links) or if there is a short link between them, like vpp or dw link bikes. I'd guess horst with that linkage for idler positioning. But in the photos, the idler is mounted to the main frame, I mean front triangle. Might alter it for different courses?
  • 1 0
 @kcy4130: There's definitely a lower link, wouldn't be a "virtual high pivot" otherwise. What's confusing to me is that they links are connected together rather than seat/chanstay connected to make it a rigid rear triangle, so it's kind of like a VPP/DW but not quite. The rear triangle will change shape during compression, but I have no idea why that'd be desirable, i.e. why not just make it a rigid RT with short links?
  • 2 0
 @Drew-O: It's the same principle the Felt Equilink system applied. The dogbone pulls the lower link and pushes the upper link up, which rotates also around the BB, and pulls the shock a little, just like Mondraker does with their Zero system. The dogbone also looks to have adjustable length, which allow tthe interaction of both links to be tuned.
  • 1 0
 @Drew-O: If that's the case then the Atherton/robot bike has a similar layout, minus the idler. DW6 is what they call it, and you'd think it'd be under patent, but perhaps the idler and rearward axle path gets around that. That pivot by the rear axle might not be a pivot at all, just a bolted connection to allow the shape of the rear triangle to be modified by adjusting the size or pivot points of the link just behind the seat tube. I don't know. Head scratcher for sure.
  • 4 0
 @kcy4130: DW6 doesn't have any connection between links or between chainstays/seatstays. It's basically an FSR with a short link at the BB/chainstay connection rather than a single pivot point. This is definitely a very different beast!
  • 2 0
 @Drew-O: Yes, DW6 is proper 6-bar linkage, pretty easily understandable. This is like Felt Equilink 5-bar linkage. I think Commencal will drop it before the next season.
  • 1 0
 @fluider: I can count 6 bars. I think you're missing the new middle chainstay pivot.
  • 4 0
 @southoftheborder: The upper link does not "rotates also around the BB". And the dogbone is not there to help push or pull the shock, it's there to control the wheel path.

This is quite like a horst-link version of the Equilink, which was somewhat like a linkage-driven "single-virtual-pivot", in that the wheel path is only defined by the short-links. As opposed to this new bike also having the horst-style chainstay pivot at the dropouts defining the path as well.
  • 2 0
 @justinfoil: You are right. Someone later in discussion inspired me to look at it. It can be seen in the 3rd picture from top. There is one pivot at seat tube next to lower shock eye. And another pivot cca aj BB height right behind the BB. It's interesting they were able to be ok with such a tiny link between the lower and upper link ( the black one). It may be specifically positioned to spread the loads throughout the entire linkage.
Interesting!
  • 1 0
 I think it would be easily seen from nondrive side, that's why this article has only DS pictures.
  • 5 0
 The bolts are for a water bottle cage, for all the complainers
  • 1 0
 It looks like they are able to tweak the system quite a lot via changing the rocker link, and adjusting the strut length connecting to the lower link. I would guess (given their current fancy of simple design) the final product gets a 4-bar system that works really close to the way the final configuration on this test mule ends up being.

I cannot see a production Commencal with so many pivots in the frame.
  • 2 0
 @justinfoil: pics on the latest PB piece finally confirmed your assertions: a crossover between an Equilink and a Horst Link. Well thought!
  • 10 0
 For those asking for a video, this should be pretty similar...


www.youtube.com/watch?v=SsQk2KM3rtI
  • 1 0
 i dont get what that small link does ..just to make it more stiff??
  • 3 1
 @reqq: it holds it all together. Picture how the suspension would work without that short link, the rear wheel would be able to freely move up and down without compressing the shock. It would just be swinging loose as there would be nothing to hold the lower rocker link from rotating backwards.
  • 8 1
 That solid piece connecting the links has 2 bolts which absolutely must be for a sideways water bottle cage. Say what you will about Commencal, but they know their constituents.
  • 6 0
 Interesting why they've gone away from the current linkage. I just bought a supreme and the performance is incredible. It's definitely made me faster, rough tech and brake bumps pretty much disappear and big drops and jumps feel tiny. Big upgrade over my Scott gambler.
  • 5 0
 Yes, strange to have a bike that is so successful and well liked (and still pretty new) and just change everything about it.
  • 1 0
 Numerous people have told me the current Supreme stays active during braking despite the single-pivot suspension. I’m not a fan of single-pivot but its high-pivot lures me and wanna try it. Now, if this new prototype one is really the holy grail in suspension - high-pivot, good pedaller, totally brake-jack free, i’d be all over it once they sell it (also cause i’m a sucker for vertical shocks Big Grin ).
  • 1 0
 @hitarpotar: If other pivots type would benefit dynamic 2 wheel sports, it would certainly have made in to motocross and supermoto. They make a new engine with a never used before crankshaft (yamaha) so it can deliver better traction under acceleration AND engine braking. They use telemetry since the begining of telemetry. F1 hasnt moved away from steel springs.

Off course no other sport moves so much the dampers as downhill or enduro, and has way too shitty sprung to unsprung weight ratio of the equipment and lack of other things to add so it can be done.

But in my perception, adding linkage and pivots to move the wheel certain way is bullcrap. The only linkage that have beneficial impact is the shock linkage to tune how the bike will react to impacts. It's the beauty of the 2020 supreme, the beaty of the Evil, Kona, and some others.
  • 1 0
 @hitarpotar: I've heard that too but so far I haven't noticed anything on my supreme under hard braking. Maybe some racing at a pro level would notice but not an average rider like myself.
  • 8 2
 Don't UCI rules stipulate that a bike has to go into production within a certain specific time frame in order to be raced at World Cups? In other words, no FRO bikes?
  • 25 0
 If that was the case Intense would be F'd
  • 2 0
 www.pinkbike.com/news/round-up-9-prototype-dh-bikes-that-never-made-it-to-production-dh-bike-week.html
  • 33 0
 @slyfink The UCI is too busy handing out awards to dictators that kill journalist and civilians, suing the WADA, and policing roadies' socks and empty water bottles.
  • 1 0
 @NorCalNomad: And let's not forget how they handle their bars
  • 7 0
 Got two wheels: Check

Looks like a bike: Check
  • 1 0
 Has drivetrain parts: Check
  • 11 0
 Therefore, looks like a session.
  • 1 0
 Chains: Check
Rocks: Check
  • 3 2
 No goats in involved in the marketing efforts: Check
  • 2 0
 Lookin good. Although, does the statement below mean they'll ditch the adjustable chainstays on the production model?
I hope not because I think most would appreciate that.

"Adjustable chainstays point to this being a prototype bike that will be dialled in over the season"
  • 2 0
 Looks like the axle path should mimic the axle path of the old supreme, just that this bike under no load should be about the same as the old supreme under 25ish% sag. That’s why the idler is lower, it’s not necessarily for it to have less rearward motion (like trek) but more of that this bike is essentially mimicking the characteristics of the 2020 supreme. This bikes axle path would be close to the 2020 supremes axle path if it were to move from 25% travel to a fictional 125% travel.
  • 2 0
 Why would they do that? What’s the point?
  • 1 0
 @hitarpotar: new breed of multi-link suspension designs. See Polygon for reference.
  • 6 3
 I love Commencal for sticking with the metal and refusing to go down the plastic route. Just please stay away from bloody Mullets!!
  • 2 0
 They already offer a mullet version
  • 4 0
 Insert complaint comment [here]
  • 7 1
 Insert “looks like a _____” comment here
  • 1 0
 @DizzyNinja: sessh speess..
  • 3 0
 So... looks to me like the idler is now more like a bolt on chain guide rather than part of the frames pivot...?
  • 3 1
 It certainly looks like something not sturdy enough for the job.
  • 3 0
 Can’t have any privateers showing up on a commencal and beating the team guys can we!
  • 1 0
 Ooh this looks tasty. I’ve been waiting for commencal to go Horst. They showed a hint of it with the split pivot clash last year. The reasonable seat angle is promising too for those of us who have to pedal to the top.
  • 3 0
 They never said the Clash had “split-pivot” (if they did, Devinci would have probably activated a special magic card called “lawyer”), and then they changed the Clash to a linkage-driven single-pivot with the pivot on the chainstays. As for this rig, not sure if it’s horst or virtual, or may be even a mix of both.
  • 1 0
 Without valid test data it's just a new bike. This weekend will show where it's at speed wise compared to the other new bikes. It's going to be interesting this weekend for sure.
  • 3 0
 I also like the Banshee- esque carrier for the pivots/ shock/ bottom bracket.
  • 4 0
 Plenty of room for a water bottle
  • 1 0
 For the love of god...how hard is it to show a pic of the non-drive side so we can actually see the components of how the suspension works...everyone knows what a chainring looks like !
  • 3 1
 So maybe trek was onto something with their high pivot dh bike having only a few mm of rearward axle path?
  • 3 0
 The thing that bothers me is, we’re usually at some amount of sag unless we’re mid jump. If we’re charging towards rocks or roots, aren’t we already “sagged” past that reward axle path point? It seems like a gimmick, but then my brain also says “high pivot makes suspension work more better without chain interfering it” (my inner voice is a child) so maybe that’s the reason reviewers like how they ride?
  • 1 0
 @DizzyNinja: Interesting point about being sagged in while riding... That's a great question and I have no idea...... Wink
  • 1 0
 @DizzyNinja: You see, when you are sagged, you are at an equilibrium, right?, So if you hit a rock, suspension compresses, but if you hit a hole, suspension extends. It will maintain more traction, if the wheel will be going more forward in this case. Another thing, compare axle path after rearmost position of an axle (when rearward movement stops), on a lot of bikes that segment is much more vertical than on comparable conventional linkage layouts.
  • 3 0
 @DizzyNinja: If you're doing it right, you're not just sitting at sag when you're about to hit something. You're floating, you're pumping, you're pedalling, you're driving.

A big place the rearward path helps is a huck into a rock garden. Get that rearward action to extend the wheelbase right from the top of the travel as you touchdown in a bunch of jank, nice and stable. This opens up line choice since you worry less about getting hung up on anything in the landing zones.
  • 3 0
 Man that rear end is going to be like a magic carpet
  • 10 0
 That's what she said!
  • 4 0
 @mybaben: I have serious doubts she ever said that!
  • 1 0
 @BiNARYBiKE: BELIEVE!
  • 2 0
 The placement of the idler here made me think that for VPP you could just retrofit an idler mounted on an ISCG?
  • 1 1
 I want one...high pivot, again idler no brake jack clean rearward vertical line no interference.....plus it looks cool...but from a function standpoint it checks most of the boxes for a fast rig
  • 1 0
 Does the present design, with the single-pivot whole rear triangle, have brake jack despite the rearward axle path? I was told that’s a thing of the past and the Supreme is active during braking…
  • 1 0
 @hitarpotar: I have one and don't notice anything odd under braking. Feels completely planted at almost all times. At 47 y/o I need all the help I can get lol.
  • 2 0
 Hey, wait! "Virtual High Pivot" is what Waki had in his grim doughnut sketch!
  • 3 0
 Amaury and Jordi on Dialed?!!!!
  • 4 0
 Yeah, Jean Girard and Jordi.... poor Jordi.
  • 2 0
 Thats a tasty looking bike. Props to Commencal for trying something different instead of sticking to the same design
  • 1 0
 But... I haven't seen the most important detail here in the comments... So didn't looks like a session??
  • 3 0
 Holy want, Batman
  • 3 2
 Looks like a Horst-link with idler giving it an adjustable anti-squat as it goes thru it's travel ?
  • 2 0
 I think you're missing a pivot. There seems to be one at the bottom of the new link, on the chain-stay just behind the main pivot. The rear wheel travel is defined by all of three of the chainstay pivots, one more than horst. And the idler seems to be rigidly fixed to the front triangle.
  • 1 0
 Too much complication, but isn’t there something like a link around the BB? Thus making it a virtual pivot bike?
  • 1 0
 @justinfoil: Yeah, I saw that. Looks like the strut joining the upper link with the chainstay pivot will limit rearward movement somewhat, but it is more like a horst-link. What I meant about the Idler, it looks fixed (with height adjustment ) so as the suspension compresses it will have less anti-squat affect
  • 1 0
 @Joecx: the instant center moves, and likely moves upward, so its hard to say what it's going to do to anti squat. In fact if it moves up enough, it may increase anti squat at the end of travel...
  • 1 0
 That dog bone link must really push on the rocker to make that chain stay length grow that much!
  • 2 0
 More like the dog bone pulls on the middle chainstay pivot to make the chainstay longer.
  • 2 0
 can't take a non driveside photo so we can see what's going on there ffs
  • 1 0
 Prototype? More like brototype.

Looks fussy to clean, blah blah blah lots of bearings blah blah blah FAST AF!!!!!!!!!
  • 1 0
 One time, when you need a non-drice side shot to figure out what the fuck is going on, there are none.
  • 1 0
 Reminds me of the custom Norco Aurums with upper idler pully mod from 2017ish
  • 1 0
 Cam we please have prof seb on to tell us what's going on. I dont understand
  • 1 0
 Can someone tell commencal it is not a nuclear weapon? Ridiculous com, it is just a bike.
  • 1 0
 Horst linkage with an idler.. convergence. But what does that extra bit do?
  • 1 0
 There are two pivots in the chainstay, Horst only has one.
  • 1 1
 Not sure.certainly not as nice as the older frame but iam sure max would not change a bike unless its faster so we shall the time sheets
  • 2 0
 High pivot fever
  • 1 0
 We all know what it looks like
  • 1 0
 Commencal bikes always look so sick
  • 1 0
 OK, where is the instant center now ?? Big Grin
  • 1 0
 And why did they put E thirteen on this bike??????
  • 2 1
 Good grief!!! These guys make beautiful bikes.
  • 2 0
 Looks like
  • 1 0
 New Trend: Doesn't look like a session.
  • 1 0
 Can’t wait to stack my fantasy dh team with French riders on this bike
  • 1 0
 Looks like a supreme demo session
  • 1 0
 Preorder open in one week!!! ............... disponibility in mai 2026
  • 1 0
 This is how spy shots should look.
  • 2 2
 it is definitely a beautiful bike, I would say one of the hottest at the moment.
  • 1 0
 Easily!!
  • 1 0
 Holy shit that is amazing!
  • 1 0
 I've never wanted a non-drive side photo more than today...
  • 1 0
 "Hello? Felt? Yes, I'm trying to reach your patent division."
  • 1 0
 Not a single photo of the bike's left? Useless.
  • 1 0
 too much leverages and bolts and wheels
  • 1 0
 J'adore! Tres bien Arthur!
  • 1 0
 Trending #mountshockhorizontally
  • 1 0
 Def needs more pivot points and bearings 18 is just not enough
  • 1 0
 Someone get this in Linkage, stat
  • 1 0
 and there's room for a bottle cage, lol ahahhahaaa
  • 1 0
 crunching the numbers we will see how it looks
  • 1 0
 Looks like the love child of a wild three-way with a Demo/Session/Fury.
  • 1 0
 My question is ,will it make you
Commencalized?
  • 1 0
 Looks like an Iron Horse Sunday
  • 1 1
 I hope Commencal has went to 148mm rear end on this bike.
150/157 is foolish for a DH race bike.
  • 1 0
 High pivot looks like an after thought at best.
  • 1 0
 I like the older one
  • 1 0
 Clean.
  • 2 1
 Yo Sick Fury
  • 1 1
 the high pivot became a high guide
  • 2 0
 The high idler (guide) is just hiding the virtual high pivot. It's still there, but it also now moves. I'll bet the axle path is going to be something special, like straight vertical, or a swoopy L, or upside-down question mark!
  • 1 1
 first 4 bar for commencal, innit?
  • 5 0
 They skipped 4 and went straight to 6.
  • 1 0
 The shit
  • 2 3
 Looks a bit like the GT Fury’s rear suspension linkage
  • 1 2
 Not 1 single picture of the non-drive side? Outstanding photo-journalism.
  • 4 0
 PB didn't take those pics, they were sent. And the lack is very intentional.
  • 1 2
 Looks like a .............................. Session.......
  • 2 5
 For being a race bike I'm rather surprised this isn't a full carbon frame, what's up with that?
  • 2 0
 Alloy makes more sense during the prototyping phase even for frames that will be carbon. And Commencal doesn't do carbon.
  • 10 0
 You did see the name of the brand, right?
  • 1 0
 @justinfoil: I guess I'm not as familiar with Commencal as I thought. Carbon frames are not the norm for Commencal? They just do a lot of frames with very hydroformed aluminum tubes? Commencals are not common in my neck of the woods, but I have perceived Commencal to be somewhat of a high-end bike brand so I assumed carbon variants were common.
  • 1 0
 @SuperHighBeam: I would couldn't them as high-end. But high end does not only mean carbon. They're not super common here (New England, USA), though I did own a Meta SX for a year (stolen!) (most modern 26" big-trail/AM bike ever made); but I thought it was fairly well known Commencal is actually a little anti-carbon-fiber because environment.
  • 1 0
 *count not couldn't
  • 1 1
 @justinfoil: Fair enough, high-end means different things to different people. An aluminum frame with top-tier components and good geometry is a nice compromise, but in my opinion, but does not make it a high-end bike. I would consider that a mid-grade bike. I'm not sure that Commencal is fully justified in their argument that carbon fiber isn't an environmentally friendly material. Aluminum is a crazy energy intensive material to produce and form. I will admit that aluminum is more recyclable than carbon fiber, but that is not to equate carbon fiber to polystyrene which is a horrendously bad material. Carbon fiber can be recovered and reused. Not all plastics are bad. Plastics can actually be quite good if utilized in a cradle-to-cradle manner. Now it is a fair question to ask who is reclaiming carbon fiber materials for recycling...I do not know the answer to that.
  • 1 0
 @Jakesmith32: I agree with your first statement. I do not understand the reasoning from Commencal on the second. Could be a complex matter driving from national pride. Most carbon frames are manufactured in SE Asia where labor is cheap and the techniques and equipment are well established for that kind of manufacturing. CF bike frames built in CAN or US would be much too expensive because our labor rates our sky high. Quite the catch 22, we like cheap labor, but we don't like hazardous working conditions or non livable wages...you can't really have it both ways. Of course with SE Asia moving up in the world their labor rates are going up. Eventually, just watch, bicycle manufacturing will end up in India, the "stans", Micronesia, or Subsaharan Africa OR domestic policies/values will change significantly and all that manufacturing will come back to the company's country of origin.
  • 1 0
 @SuperHighBeam: LOL, do you know where Commencal makes their bikes? HINT: not Andorra, or even France.
  • 1 0
 @VindscreenViper: Kind of all over the place I gather. BC CAN, California USA, and Colorado USA, and at minimum they used to make bikes in Andorra as well but perhaps not so much anymore. They also have outposts in Australia, New Zealand, South America, and Africa but it is unclear if they make frames there. I see no mention of SE Asia, Indonesia, Micronesia, or the Phillipines in any Commencal information pertaining to manufacturing.
  • 1 0
 @SuperHighBeam: nah, I’ll give you the answer: they make all their bikes in Taiwan. They are proud of their Taiwanese team and factory, not sure why you didn’t manage to come across that in your research. Try harder
  • 1 0
 @VindscreenViper: Perhaps the misunderstanding is manufacture vs. final assembly. They may "make" the bikes in Taiwan, but they don't become a bike until final assembly, ergo they are also "made" at final assembly.
Below threshold threads are hidden







Copyright © 2000 - 2024. Pinkbike.com. All rights reserved.
dv56 0.067060
Mobile Version of Website