First Ride: We Are One Arrival - A Canadian-Made Carbon Enduro Bike
When a composite product manufacturer builds their first frame and strives for nothing but perfection, what else would you expect? Look at this thing; stealthy, raw carbon, matte paint, and sharp lines. Dustin Adams, We Are One's founder, doesn't cut any corners when it comes to production and demands performance with his history in World Cup DH racing.
"Arrival" doesn't stem from any alien landing reference, but symbolizes We Are One's entry to the enduro bike market. We Are One has begun production only two years since the idea became a plan.
Of course, they take the proud responsibility of constructing the full carbon frame in house, learning from their polished experience in building carbon rims and handlebars. The molds for those products are cut with a CNC machine, so they took the opportunity to produce everything else on the frame, like fasteners and links. The titanium hardware, protective rubber pieces, and Cerakote paint, are inclusive to their 500 mile supplier source circle with an emphasis on reusing packaging.
With 152mm of rear wheel travel mated to a 160mm fork, this 29” wheeled rig has already been quietly proving itself on the Enduro World Series under Kamloops young gun, Johnathan Helly, who currently sits in 15th overall in U21.
"Arrival" doesn't stem from any alien landing reference, but symbolizes We Are One's entry to the enduro bike market. We Are One has begun production only two years since the idea became a plan.
Of course, they take the proud responsibility of constructing the full carbon frame in house, learning from their polished experience in building carbon rims and handlebars. The molds for those products are cut with a CNC machine, so they took the opportunity to produce everything else on the frame, like fasteners and links. The titanium hardware, protective rubber pieces, and Cerakote paint, are inclusive to their 500 mile supplier source circle with an emphasis on reusing packaging.
With 152mm of rear wheel travel mated to a 160mm fork, this 29” wheeled rig has already been quietly proving itself on the Enduro World Series under Kamloops young gun, Johnathan Helly, who currently sits in 15th overall in U21.
Arrival Details
• Carbon fiber frame manufactured in B.C.
• Wheel Size: 29"
• 152mm rear travel / 160mm fork
• Titanium hardware with alloy links
• 2 Cerakote ceramic paint color choices
• 3 frame sizes
• 2 chainstay lengths
• Coil shock compatible
• 14.53kg/ 32.04lb, as tested
• Frames and bikes assembled in B.C.
• Complete bikes from $8,889, $10,999 USD
• Frame only pricing TBD
• weareonecomposites.com
• Carbon fiber frame manufactured in B.C.
• Wheel Size: 29"
• 152mm rear travel / 160mm fork
• Titanium hardware with alloy links
• 2 Cerakote ceramic paint color choices
• 3 frame sizes
• 2 chainstay lengths
• Coil shock compatible
• 14.53kg/ 32.04lb, as tested
• Frames and bikes assembled in B.C.
• Complete bikes from $8,889, $10,999 USD
• Frame only pricing TBD
• weareonecomposites.com
Frame Details
You may recognize the suspension layout from Vladimir Yordanov and his Sequence downhill bike, that we featured back in 2018. Vlad has tuned this shorter travel, dual link layout to meet the requirements of We Are One. The design team tested numerous suspension platforms, including high pivots, but found a few characteristics that they felt could be improved.
The frame is made from 3 different fibres; 3K, 12K, and UD carbon. The first priority was not to be stiff or light, but our M/L bike in our Summer Field Test, with control tires, did weigh in at a svelte 14.53kg / 32.04lb. According to We Are One, the lateral and vertical compliance of the frame was tuned to give different levels flex. The rear triangle is created in two halves and then bonded together through another process in order to optimize strength and weight.
The dual links rotate in the same direction and ride on double row premium stainless Enduro bearings, which are pressed into the links, not the carbon.
When asked about the internal hose management, Dustin explained that using a guided tube in tube method doesn't yield the best carbon compaction. The inner tube that the housing would run through compromises how the layers are compacted and from testing other frames, they saw failures due to this. So, they opted for the foam tube insulation around the brake hose and shift housing with maximum attention to detail in the construction on the frame.
Both colorways feature a Cerakote ceramic paint finish that fades to raw carbon on the rear triangle.
The Arrival uses of Super Boost 157mm rear hub spacing, which is paired with a narrower Q-factor, usually reserved for Boost 148mm rear hubs. What this does is provide a straighter chainline for the taller gears on the cassette that see more action, higher torques, and quicker wear, than those found at the bottom of the cassette. The bottom bracket is threaded for less mistakes while removing an old BB or installing a new one, and the rear hub sits on aluminum sleeves at the dropout. We Are One expects to see these bikes live a long and happy life for years to come.
The rear shock also stands out with its short 185mm x 55mm trunnion mount. The leverage curve works well with coil shocks also and Push 11/6 options will be available shortly. There are no flip chips or travel adjustments and those bolts and axles that are threaded, have keyed female nuts, so again, nothing will jeopardize the integrity of the carbon.
Geometry
Similarly to the current crop of enduro bikes, the length of the rear triangles differs between three sizes. The SZ1 and SZ2 get 437mm chainstays while the SZ3 grows to 441mm. The reach starts at 450mm and grows in 25mm increments per size. The head angle sits at 64º with a nice steep effective seat tube angle of 77º and the seat tube length is 437.2mm on the size 2.
Arrival XO1 Cable, $8,899 USD
Frame: Carbon triangles, alloy links, titanium hardware
Fork: Fox 36 Factory, Grip 2, 160mm, 44mm OS
Shock: Fox Float X2 Factory, Trunnion 185mm x 55mm
Drivetrain: SRAM XO1 Eagle 12 Spd
Wheels: We Are One Union/ I9 1/1 hubs, SB+ rear
Tires: Vittoria Mazza 29 x 2.6 F, 2.4 R
Seatpost SDG Tellis, 170mm
Fork: Fox 36 Factory, Grip 2, 160mm, 44mm OS
Shock: Fox Float X2 Factory, Trunnion 185mm x 55mm
Drivetrain: SRAM XO1 Eagle 12 Spd
Wheels: We Are One Union/ I9 1/1 hubs, SB+ rear
Tires: Vittoria Mazza 29 x 2.6 F, 2.4 R
Seatpost SDG Tellis, 170mm
Saddle: SGD Belair Gel
Cranks: SRAM X1 Eagle Carbon DUB, 170mm, B148, 32t
Handlebar: We Are One Da Bar 25mm rise, 800mm width
Stem: We Are One Da Stem 45mm
Grips: SDG Thrice
Headset: Chris King Inset II
Brakes: Magura MT5, 200mm F, 180mm R
Cranks: SRAM X1 Eagle Carbon DUB, 170mm, B148, 32t
Handlebar: We Are One Da Bar 25mm rise, 800mm width
Stem: We Are One Da Stem 45mm
Grips: SDG Thrice
Headset: Chris King Inset II
Brakes: Magura MT5, 200mm F, 180mm R
Arrival XO1 AXS, $10,999 USD
Frame: Carbon triangles, alloy links, titanium hardware
Fork: Fox 36 Factory, Grip 2, 160mm, 44mm OS
Shock: Fox Float X2 Factory, Trunnion 185mm x 55mm
Drivetrain: SRAM XO1 Eagle AXS 12 Spd
Wheels: We Are One Union/ I9 Hydra hubs, SB+ rear
Tires: Vittoria Mazza 29 x 2.6 F, 2.4 R
Seatpost RockShox Reverb AXS, 170mm
Fork: Fox 36 Factory, Grip 2, 160mm, 44mm OS
Shock: Fox Float X2 Factory, Trunnion 185mm x 55mm
Drivetrain: SRAM XO1 Eagle AXS 12 Spd
Wheels: We Are One Union/ I9 Hydra hubs, SB+ rear
Tires: Vittoria Mazza 29 x 2.6 F, 2.4 R
Seatpost RockShox Reverb AXS, 170mm
Saddle: SGD Belair Gel
Cranks: SRAM X1 Eagle Carbon DUB, 170mm, B148, 32t
Handlebar: We Are One Da Bar 25mm rise, 800mm width
Stem: We Are One Da Stem 45mm
Grips: SDG Thrice
Headset: Chris King Inset II
Brakes: Magura MT7, 200mm F, 180mm R
Cranks: SRAM X1 Eagle Carbon DUB, 170mm, B148, 32t
Handlebar: We Are One Da Bar 25mm rise, 800mm width
Stem: We Are One Da Stem 45mm
Grips: SDG Thrice
Headset: Chris King Inset II
Brakes: Magura MT7, 200mm F, 180mm R
Ride Impressions
Before even setting off on the Arrival, you can't ignore the low weight of the bike. Then, after you jump on and throw in a few cranks, it's immediately apparent how the bike wants to move forward. And that's the name of the game across the board here. The Arrival is just so efficient; in terms of climbing prowess, how the suspension goes through the motions, weight distribution through the rough stuff, which all boils down to carrying momentum. It just wants to go!
The small bump is superb and propels you forward while the mid-stroke is supportive, but forgiving when charging through consecutive stepped bumps. Even the progression ramped smoothly on big sends to flat landings. The rear wheel traction hooked up when reefing on the stoppers and stayed active through tons of braking bumps. The front to rear weight shift was minimal because there were no sudden changes in the dynamic geometry.
The handlebar height was definitely low in that forward attack position, like a runner in the starting blocks, but the ride was still forgiving out back. The progression in the fork definitely helped counteract large body movements late in the travel, but was tiring as you dropped elevation rapidly. After changing to my preferred 765mm width and 35mm rise handlebar paired with a 35mm length stem, I could relaxed a little more while still keeping the front wheel weighted.
At 178cm / 5'10", the 437mm chainstays may be a touch shorter than some other brands, but I prefer this length to help the 29" rear wheel change direction faster. Trusting the tires through corners was easy with the low center of gravity and predictable through the front and rear centers. The low weight also helps the Arrival flick through corners and dance through technical bits without getting bounced around or off line.
This bike was part of our Summer Field Test, and we'll be going further in-depth in the near future, but initial impressions are that We Are One has built a very impressive bike with fine attention to detail.
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This isn’t like a Trek dressed in Bontragers or a Specialized with Rovals (though I’m sure those are nice wheels too).
An interesting point to pass all your judgement of the bike from...
Wheels are Canadian made as well.
Devinci has been making bikes in QC as well without much fanfare (albeit I believe their carbon has always been overseas), unfortunately they have been slowing that down.
The AL piece can slide but the most disappointing thing that the bonding is not clean. Every cheaper made carbon bar I had was clean. You could see the line inside but not outside. Different story for that more expensive bar.
Because it fits their requirements and doesn’t necessarily have to do with some sense of National (or Continental?) pride?
I’d also it that WAO are an awesome small company to work with when it comes to supporting their products. I’m not sure you’d get the same service from an off-the-peg, direct to consumer, Taiwanese seller. Not that wonderful people don’t work in the factories... it’s just a very different scenario.
Well I see European manufacturers who sanding that also down. Like Schmolke , Hope or Beast.
which btw is likely most of the people commenting here … :-p
I have a 2021 SC Megatower X01 Coil, and it retails for the same price with garbage ARC30 wheels. All of the other components are fine, but the details like a King headset, Magura brakes, and having WR1 wheels on the bike already are massive value adders.
I put WR1 wheels and Da Package on my bike before I even rode it, we are talking nearly 13000$ CAD retail here for a bike that STILL has parts that arent as good.
Yes SC is more expensive, but WR1 probably has the right to be, by a huge margin
absolutely not comparable bikes.
Them: Sure, we can have it made in Asia or we could pay our workers less
GG Trail Pistol (Pistola Build at 130mm) is $2495 no shock, all carbon, manufactured entirely in Colorado. Frame weight around 6lbs.
Ibis Exie, all carbon, can't get frame only currently, lowest build cost is $8000, made in California. 4.4lbs.
Lenz also produces aluminum full suspension frames in Colorado, and I think they retail for $3000ish?
Waltworks full-sus $4000 heavy. Park City
Maybe you can reassesse your priorities, buy less stuff in general, and but a great bike made in Canada.
That’d be on you though, and that sucks, right?
Here are a few relevant comparisons (and yes I did pick expensive boutique brands for comparison as this is equal or IMO better than any of the below brands)
- Arrival X01 mech: $8900
- Yeti SB150 T2 Turq X01 w/ carbon wheel upgrade: $9,300
- Santa Cruz Megatower CC X01 build: $8,450 note that is not with carbon wheels
- Specialized Stumpjumper Evo Pro x01: $8,600
My bike commute is 5 miles one way, but if it were 20, that Lemond ebike looks like a thing I’d want.
a small frame with no shock should be 5lbs or less. 6 is pretty portly.
The point is, GGs frames arent the lightest, and maybe they should be lighter, but they aren’t unreasonably heavy.
GG rocks. Looks like it's northern cousin does too. Good stuff @WAO! North American manufacturing for the win.
I think a carbon frame mold is $100k
@bike4life22: $3200 w/ shock according to Reeb website as of now
Because they use the same front triangle they are actually on the lighter side when you get into the Gnarvana and The Smash travel ranges.
My mondraker on the other hand, in a size large, with a very similar build to the Medium Yeti, is sub 30lbs. real tires(EXO+) too. so you can't say any of your examples are "light" for what they are shooting for.
second, it's style. I am "light on the bike" versus smashing, albeit I weigh 185lbs. the ligther you can ride, the more momentum you carry, the less obsticals you put your full weight on, the less flats you get.
smooth is fast.
@adrennan: stand and be delivered
These smaller manufactures using carbon construction have to "weigh" (PUN!) the pros and cons of an overly light layup and warranty related returns and repairs. If you go too light, then you'll end up spending all your profits on managing a warranty department, and likely pass those costs onto the consumer in the form of a higher retail price for the product. I imagine WAO weighed these factors as well and decided a burlier frame was a better option.
In this regard, I think GG does a good job. They are cheap(ish), stout, and warranty claims are handled pretty quickly. I'll deal with a 1lb increase for that.
The We Are One builds are competitive in pricing to bikes made oversees with similar spec.
(with the exception of a few direct sales brands like canyon)
Pretty darn impressive for a first bike.
—
Hopefully they will add some more build options to bring the price down in the future- but with limited production I respect their choice to just offer high end for now.
You are correct, 32 lbs is not light to me either. My 150/160mm bike weighs 30lbs with chain/bash guard and aluminum wheels.
This is a rad bike, but the bike market has gone crazy with making everything longer and heavier now, so 32lbs is “light”.
The new Ibis at 22.5lbs is what I consider to be “light”.
Yes, you should just lose weight on your body for much less $$s. Yes, beefier frames can handle more abuse. Yes, you're stupid for paying all that $$s for carbon when aluminum will do just fine.
BUUUT, all that aside, a lighter build makes a big difference. Especially for a "do everything" focused Enduro build.
And for $10K, you should be getting a bike that's one of the lightest in its category. Not a couple pounds heavier than comparable builds that cost a couple thousand $$s less.
I love WAO, and I wish them all the success in the world. But even if this was the right bike for me, the weight/cost ratio would make me think twice.
The feeling of riding light is also different from actual weight. There are plenty of bikes out there that weigh less, but require more effort to ride.
You could put different tires on it and be sub 30lbs. So glad the bike industry is eschewing this prevailing weight theory.
Although Brian Park just talked about how much of a difference a light bike makes on the last pink bike podcast…
Those tires weigh 950 / 1100g which is on the light side for all mountain / enduro
My Lg Ripmo with a similar build (including WAO wheels) comes in just under 31lbs. So the frame might be one pound heavier?
I’d put in in the same weight bracket as a Hightower or revel rascal.
Seems super reasonable, especially considering the focus on longevity.
Love seeing Magura brakes! I’ve been running them for years and they are just... So. Good.
Your point is you can get it cheaper+lighter. But it is made in Asia. And lighter is only a result of the design for the intended use. Nobody I know is riding an Ibis around here (Central BC) without constant durability issues.
You threw an off-topic thing in there for comparison. We do see your point, but it is off-topic and doesn't add much to the discussion. We are talking about locally made, highest-end, non-mass-produced bikes.
I thought it was clear when I threw a bunch of other off-topic stuff out there for comparison. Apparently not.
PS, I broke 2 e*thirteen wheels this year in the first 6 days of riding them. I have thousands of kms on WeAreOne rims and haven't even had to true them. I also broke two carbon frames in the past. I don't mind paying more for fewer headaches around here. I mean, if I rode in S. Dakota or somewhere like that it really wouldn't matter or be as hard on my bikes I guess.
For regular/park riding I have assegai tires and cushcore on Union hydra wheelset which adds 3-4 lbs. oneup handlebar and supercrush grips.
If this was released by anyone but WAO, the comments section would read very different.
they're having the bike for some time now
reading isn't your strengh
JK!!
Design lead: "Straight and clean lines look too plain. I want something electrifying! Something to shock people when they look at it!"
Designer: "Say no more fam." *Draws lightning bolts*
Design lead: "Perfection."
It's doubly Impressive that WAO were able to spec the bike as well as they have considering that they are at the back of the spec bus as a nano-builder. Sure, I'll be swapping out a few bits as I have my biases but it is impressive balance of bits hung from those frames. Between the big guys buying everything in sight, 500+ day lead times, shipping container shortages, the rubber shortage(buy all your tires) and the general state of parts availability in general at a consumer level, I imagine the challenge of spec'ing the bikes was almost as hard as the building the bike itself.
should we start a pool for guessing the frame only price? i'm guessing well over 4k freedom units. it'd be awesome to see these come in at less than some far east frames like the overpriced sb150 (4200usd).
If you’re smashing yourself on that part of the frame you’re going to be hurting regardless.
Pinkbike being a large global site needs to post in the most common dollar that the industry uses and that is USD on the reviews.
Again, I know PB is global, but they cut their teeth in Canada for years while they grew and can't even give us Canadian MSRP's for Canadian companies or race coverage now? I saw better British, French and US champs coverage and all we got was a spreadsheet. Loose.
500mm reach ain't gonna be 500mm with a fistful of spacers. Every 10mm spacer eats up about 4mm of reach. I'm 6'2'' and wouldn't consider a bike with 500mm reach and 626mm stack. With a 40mm stem, by the time the bars are high enough I'm back over the back wheel like the old days.
www.pinkbike.com/news/prime-bicycles-launches-with-new-downhill-and-enduro-bikes.html
Pity there's no frame only option and TBH, by the time this made it's way to Australia it would be nearly $7,000 Australian Pesos. For comparison, Ripmo V2 is $5,700. Love the lines (beauty is in the eye of the beholder) on the frame and the jagged angles for the rear triangle/seat tube works for me.
A) Tougher than a GG Revved frame?
Aa) 29 only? C'mon.
Aaa) Does a CK headset qualify as "bespoke"? Not even the best headsets in the game, by far.
B) Is this next gen carbon layup and molding? I'm good friends with top level motorsport (think WRC and LeMans) and hand laid carbon is really a joke these days.
and....
C) Holy shit, those prices.
Looks nice though.
I complete agree with WAO's perspective that the lowest 8 cogs should be prioritized when setting chainline.
But generally, since most people (within the maxxis realm) have settled on a DHF or Assegai up front, it would make a lot of sense for "control tires" to match that consensus. Just like in their previous field tests. And since that's what they did on previous field tests... I would assume they probably they probably had trouble getting the amount of tires in the spec they wanted/need (DD Assegai's in MaxxGrip).
If I was riding widths of 2.3 or less, the DHF is a great front tire.
PB has to keep their articles constant and chooses USD in most cases.
Nothing wrong with 32lb bike but an S works enduro is 170/170 and weighs same or less w/ similar build kit.
but in all seriousness, many brands offer this, ive exercised it twice on my current bike, sometimes I just eat it man what can I say? and if a brand will eat my mistakes, and for a lot less than 10 grand, then the choice is easy.
Oh , I am used to seeing Ibis Dw link which has the links and the yoke.
Just another one of those examples of where engineers find the "best" solution but don't bother thinking about the future repairs.
In the case of a bicycle. Feels better to work for decent. Don’t need pedal assist.
Are they even permitted to come out of their homes by their government at this point or do they need to get a bunch of inoculations to stand outside alone?
You'd think since elections are so tight in the US that conservative republicans would have been all over getting vaccinated. Instead, a good 1 or 2% of them will die now which should seal the deal for Democrats in future elections... haha... good job dumbasses!!
There is no 4th wave. I don't even know a single person that has received care for it yet. Zero. I won't be altering my life just because some clown on the internet listens to too much CNN and has grown paranoid XD
I'm also not dumb enough to think that just because it hasn't affected me that it means there's no risk to me or others. I also don't know anyone who has died from not wearing a seatbelt while driving, but again I'm not dumb enough to think that means I don't need to wear one... f*ck... your education system really has failed you hasn't it.
As for the forth wave... "There is no 4th wave" oh man... you're in right now! The US went from a low of around 4000 cases a ay at the around the end of June and now you're back up to 135,000!! Florida is reporting more daily cases than they've ever had!! The stats show it's largely happening in states with low vaccination rates and spreading among unvaccinated people. This Delta variant is vastly more contagious (think Chicken Pox when you were a kid... so easy to get) and causes worse outcomes. You guys are so f*cked... just wait until the winter hits... oooo boyy... it's going to be rough ride down in the US.
And all for what? Just so you can say that you didn't do something that the scientists who are literally 1000x smarter than you when it comes to epidemiology. Like whatever your profession/job is, you're probably quite experienced and know a lot about, you probably know a lot more about how to do your job than any epidemiologist. So why do you think you know more about their job than them??
Anyway, I honestly hope you and your family will be ok... it's getting scary down there again... I just don't want to see your hospitals get overwhelmed to the point where they have to turn away other injuries and sick people. Take care!
I can't imagine what it is like to be so brainwashed. There is nothng going on here. The test they are using is wildly inaccurate. We have known that for a year now. Cases mean nothing. They are just trying to scare you. I was literally just in the local hospital for work an hour ago. It is completely normal here. Your television is scaring you again buddy. Time to take a nap before you have a panic attack
Those are inoculations, not vaccines. A vaccine is - a substance used to stimulate the production of antibodies and provide immunity against one or several diseases, prepared from the causative agent of a disease.
There is no immunity being granted and there is no causative agent being utilized. Those injected can still get it and can still carry it. They are not immune. It is worthless. Immunity is protection or exemption from something. The injected are not immune. They still get it and still carry it. Singapore has reported that 75% of those testing positive are "vaccinated" proving it does not work. The yankees can't even schedule a game right now because 9 of their vaccinated players keep testing positive for the thing they got vaccinated to protect themselves against. It's worthless and you sound foolish advocating for something that does not do as it was intended
You said yourself you don't even know a single person suffering from this thing " Neither do I, but what does that have to do with not getting a vaccine... there's no downside, just get it, protect yourself, your family, your kids, your neighbors, your community and allow your country to get back to normal."
I am normal and I have never left because there never was any reason to. I'm not giving up my freedoms because other (weak-willed and fearful) people are willing to give up theirs. Of course the cases are going wild. They are controlled through the PCR cycles. THe PCR test is wildly inaccurate (www.nfl.com/news/all-77-false-positive-covid-19-tests-come-back-negative-upon-reruns) and we have known that for years now It is an experimental drug in a clinical trial phase. If you do not believe me you can visit the US government site which tracks this: clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT04368728
You are a guinea pig in a clinical trial