Zerode Bikes Launches its G3 Downhill Bike
The new Zerode G3.
Press Release: Zerode Bikes
Zerode bikes burst onto the DH scene in 2011 with the launch of the G1, which quickly gained a reputation for incredible suspension performance due to it’s low unsprung mass
centrally mounted alfine gearbox and high pivot.
Along with the G2 released in 2013 the bikes gained a cult following and introduced design concepts that years later would be emulated by the world's top manufacturers.
The accolades and success in the downhill world came thick and fast, with Privateer World Cup wins, National titles and the famous Eddie Master whip in jandals becoming the stuff of mtb legend.
In the following years, Zerode's focus has been taking the principles of low unsprung mass and centralized weight and, with help from German gearbox maker, Pinion and Gates Belt Drive, incorporating them into enduro riding platforms - the Katipo and Taniwha.
Drawing from the years of research, development and learnings from the iterations of G1 and G2 and their enduro riding platforms, the G3 is the embodiment of Zerodes origins and the reason the company started - removing complexity from the riding experience and using simple design and the unequivocal principles of physics to improve suspension performance through the gnarliest of terrain.
Pre Production Bikes Tested And Set For Rollout
The Details:
• Mixed mullet
• Pinion C1.6 gearbox
• Gates Carbon Drive Belt
• 3 reached-based sizes 435 , 460 and 480
• Each size shares a 63 degree
• All sizes incorporate 440mm chainstays
• Mixed mullet
• Pinion C1.6 gearbox
• Gates Carbon Drive Belt
• 3 reached-based sizes 435 , 460 and 480
• Each size shares a 63 degree
• All sizes incorporate 440mm chainstays
With the growth and popularity of Zerode since the launch of their enduro range - the Katipo and the Taniwha - the company has been able to carve out time and space for founder, Rob Metz, to draw from customer experience, World Cup DH riders and learnings from their current designs. ‘’Imagine the G1 and G2, but with 10 years' experience under our belt.” Metz says. ‘’It’s amazing what time, experience, feedback and greater R&D resources can produce. I think we’ve made a real statement here. We can’t wait for people to throw their legs over these and see what they are capable of’’.
The official launch will be at Crankworx Rotorua in March and pre-orders will open in April. Production bikes are due to market in the later half of 2023
Pre-production bikes are currently getting thrashed under some of the fastest riders in the world. Early testing shows they simply pull away from other DH bikes on rough sections and increased grip under braking means racers are redefining the definition of late in “late braking”
When this was relayed to Rob - he simply said “Of course they do - it's physics”
For more information go to Zerode Worldwide and Zerode Europe
Author Info:
Must Read This Week
Sign Up for the Pinkbike Newsletter - All the Biggest, Most Interesting Stories in your Inbox
PB Newsletter Signup
I found my perfect DH rig.
Pink or Blue! Too bad there's not a purple ano color...
Cool
fstatic1.mtb-news.de/f/hk/7j/hk7j7o8hrcyx/original_IMG_9528.JPG?0
I had the original GripShift back when SRAM wasn't yet a thing. I had the clear plastic ones so you could see into the workings, with a set of black grips that would leave an imprint of the GripShift logo on the palm of your hands. They worked fairly well until the rubber in the grip area stretched and the rubber splines would slip out of the plastic splines. You could overcome this by gripping tighter, but once it rained, forget it! So on with the zip ties to tighten the rubber grip to the plastic internals, but this left the end of the zip ties to dig into and cut your hands. After two years I had had enough and bought some new XT shifters so I could still run the levers that I had gotten when I bought the GripShift.
Fast forward 20+ years and I thought I'd give GripShift another shot. I had always liked the ability to dump 4 plus gears in one twist, so as I was setting up a new DownCountry build I put on a GX level GripShift with a TwistLock on the left. Makes the bars look fairly clean.
I have now been running this bike for nearly four years and I have not had a single issue with the GripShift. The grip hasn't parted ways at the spline like the ones in the 90s did, and I can't say I hate or like the grips, but I can say they are a hundred times better than the WTB grips that came stock on a Trek that I tested for a day (the bike, not the grips, they just came along for the ride).
All in all, I can't really understand all the hate. I don't know if people have even tried them, or if they are just on the bandwagon and conforming with the herd?
So it's a yes for me, Simon...
I was lucky and had mine solen
A friend of mine who used to work for ODI bugged the owner for years to make a GS compatible grip, but they never would.
Shifting in the air, or even when bombing an eyeball shaking rough patch is second nature.
When I've climbed to a downhill launch ramp I track stand for 1/2 second and drop 6 gears. Meanwhile, my buds are dismounting and doing that hand pedaling wheel lift shift thing. It's actually hilarious.
I suspect G3 WC riders will do well.
and if you don't undestand, why don't you ask for a clarification instead of hating on it?
am i your kindergarten teacher, you forcing me to ask the latter question?
@baca262: don't let props drive your self confidence issues. Leave that sh*t to FB.
You now talk about stopping distances, but this is not what your first comment alluded to. So why are you now bringing this up?
If your fork was moving fast enough, but your shock was not, perhaps your suspension set up was not right. Again, what type of suspension (bike) are you talking about? Maybe a Proflex? No one knows but you.
If you can clarify your points, please, then I am sure people will kindly offer their opinion rather than downvote.
Lower unsprung mass is good for suspension performance, but it can't be analyzed in a vacuum. The 15 or 20 lb motocross wheels can have pretty excellent performance, because the forces are greater in the context of a motorcycle. If you are riding your mountain bike slowly on mellow trails, you don't need the suspension, and if you are riding aggressively, the higher forces your wheel experiences will creating very high acceleration allowing your suspension to do its thing.
Shame the reach wasn't three inches longer!
To be clear, I'm not hating on something I don't understand. I don't hate your comment, but I do think it's worthless because it's essentially illegible. If you're going to accuse strangers of being stupid for not understanding you, at least make sure your comments are coherent first.
A few years later I was talking with Brandon Sloan about my experience on it and he said "YEAH... they've got some interesting stuff going on with the back end of that thing..." -haha- so they were aware.
Great stuff - can't wait to try a G3!
I must have unknowingly purchased the low drag Taniwha. I hear talk of this extra drag business but unless you are running xc tyres the percentage of additional drag is so negligible I wouldn't think anyone would even pick it up in a blind test
I don‘t think so.
But yeah, the gearbox and belt are cool too.
Several years ago I would spend countless hours in my bike cave fixing derailleurs, chains, chainrings cassettes, cables, bottom brackets, spindles, hangers, and shifters. When they weren't bent or broken or worn out, they needed cleaning, lubing, adjusting.
Two years ago when every bike shop said NO to a new bike, Ali Quinn at Zerode said "No problem Mate" (or something like that) and a week later I was building up a Katipo.
Now, I'm never going to tell anyone that Pinion and Gates is a XC riding solution. It's not. But if you're cranking up hills and coming down hot... well it's the shizzle. The first time on the Katipo I cleaned a 3 mile technical trail that most people 1/3 my age can't ride. It has been a revelation, "Grip Shift" and all. I immediately gave away 6 bent & broken derailleurs, with a moving box full of chains and half worn out clap trap. And chain cleaners. And chain lube. I ain't never going back.
All those late hours I used to waste fixing crap in the bike cave are now spent with my sweetheart. Thank you Zerode.
As for the rest of you, I'll be waiting at the bottom...;-)
The tensioner is probably a bit more chunky than the chain version (so potentially does need more tensioning) but actually more reliable,
I was riding a Canfield Lithium last year, sz medium, and the Taniwha sz large is comparable.
Very cool DH Pinion bike!
My only grip is the grip shifter,why don’t they make like a inboard rotary shifter on a barrel with a paddle on it instead.
Might work.
last I recalled you could grab like 5 gears with one thumb stroke ... might be wrong though.
Short (435 reach), Medium (460 reach), Long (480 reach)
pinion.eu/en/smartshift