We got to preview the new Made-in-Austria KTM mountain bikes earlier in the summer at the Euro Press Camp, but there were plenty of new details on hand at Eurobike. The biggest development off-road for KTM in 2016 is definitely the move to the new Straight Line Link suspension design for their cross-country and trail bikes. While the inline layout should improve shock actuation, the bigger impact is that the new design eliminated rear-end pivots, gets a new carbon rocker link, and adds Boost spacing, all of which increase rear stiffness while shedding a lot of weight.
Read past the break for more details on the new carbon bikes, an aluminum 27.5+ model, plus a new fat option and father and son e-trail bikes…
KTM claims that the new suspension setup improves small bump compliance and at the same time big hit absorption, which gives the bike the feel of longer travel. As a result all of the new bikes get matched with slightly longer (~10mm) travel forks than in the rear. The top of the line 9.8kg (21.6lb) 6900€ Scarp Prestige also pairs a XX1 drivetrain with XTR brakes for a light weight and best performance. The carbon Scarp includes some creative adjustable routing, this time on the Prestige to solve the remote lockout on the Monarch XX shock.
The 10.8kg (23.8lb) 6500€ Lycan Prestige gets a carbon frame almost indistinguishable from the Scarp, save for the switch to 27.5″ wheels. It’s built with a similar XX1/XTR kit, using smaller 160mm Freeza rotors, and the new Boost rear-end. Another nice touch for those of us looking through the bikes, all of the KTMs have the rear suspension travel printed on the rocker links. The new Scarp, Lycan, and Myroon get low-profile E-type Side Swing front derailleur mounts that let the bikes be set up cleanly with single, double, or even triple chainrings, and offers Di2 compatibility with modular routing.
Just like with the Scarp, the top of the line Lycan Prestige is all carbon, as are the next Prime and Master versions. Stepping down to the Elite level swaps in an aluminum rear triangle, still with the no-pivot flexing stays. Go another step down to the numbered versions (272, 273 & 274), and the frame, rocker link, and rear triangle are all alloy.
While the carbon bikes stick to standard width tires, KTM added a new 27.5+ trail bike in the aluminum Kapoho. The 3900€, 13.4kg (29.5lb) bike gets the same new Straight Line Link suspension in a triple butted alloy Boost-equipped frame, plus 27.5″ x 3″ Rocket Ron tires, remote fork and shock lockouts, a KS dropper post, and an XT build.
On the hardtail side the Myroon 29er gets the Boost treatment as well, including a new set of looped stays and the hollow 3D carbon dropout developed on the top-end mountain and road range. The Myroon 29 Prestige B gets the XX1/XTR kit for 5800€ and comes in at a claimed 8.9kg (19.6lb). Three other Prime and Master level builds get the same updated carbon frame, but last year’s non-Boost carbon 29er and 27.5″ versions carry over as well.
On the fat front, KTM adds a new rigid version called the Fat Flea for 1800€ that adds a rigid aluminum fork to last year’s alloy frame. The new bike gets spec’ed with a mixed SRAM X5/7 drivetrain, Shimano hydraulic brakes, and 4.8″ Jumbo Jims to keep the weight to 13.8kg (30.4lb).
Lastly on the e-side of things KTM will now offer a Macina (read: machine or e-bike version) of the 125mm Kapoho for a 4300€, 21.4kg (47.2lb) 27.5″+ e-trail bike. The Boosted bike sticks with the older suspension layout, but whether you like it or not this is a e-assisted trail bike meant to handle some pretty technical trails. A 29er hardtail e-bike, the Macina Mighty is also available for 3500€, but more interesting is a 24″ Macina Mini Me that brings e-mountain bikes to kids for 2200€. I can’t see many kids on that sized bike who would be comfortable handling its 19.1kg (42.1lb) heft, but the Bosch motor should help it get up the trail even if the 63mm of Suntour fork travel won’t likely do much on the descents.
