Before we get into specifics, let’s just get it out there that Raleigh is working on a full suspension mountain bike. As mentioned in the overview of their 2013 road bikes, the additional resources afforded by their acquisition by Accell are letting them make a bigger push on the mountain bike side later in the year with their first full suspension model. It’ll be alloy at first and use a modified Knucklebox design borrowed from sister company Diamondback.
In the meantime, like the road bikes, all mountain bikes that were BB30 are now PFBB30.
The Talus Carbon 29 hardtails get a thru axle rear end, which several dealers that rode it said really increased the stiffness. Pro model (above) gets an ENVE cockpit, and they’re now using the Easton alloy EA90XC wheels (had the carbon ones last year, this change doesn’t add much weight but offsets the price bump for the ENVE parts).
Alloy models start to get the same changes, and the steel XXIX singlespeed model gets a fancy new drivetrain…
Layup in the rear triangle changed a bit to beef up the area around the axle. Still uses Raleigh’s Direct Connect construction, which means each tube is molded and shaped individually, then put together. This lets them tune the layup at each joint to get the stiffness or compliance they want.
With Fox Float 29 CTD fork it’s $7,000. Complete bike weight is 20lb 15oz, a little more than a pound lighter than last year’s top model.
Talus 29 Alloy gets redesigned with a tapered headtube all the way down the line.
The top Elite model gets a thru axle rear end, a feature likely to trickle down quickly. Rear triangle gets much more shapely with curved and hydroformed tubes. Complete bike weight is 27lb 5oz.
Women’s bikes get same new rear triangle, but aren’t quite up to the same thru-axle spec. Yet. Complete bike at this level is 30lb 11oz, and men’s versions mimic the specs, just a different frame with lower stand over height and revised geometry for women.
Steel XXIX hardtail singlespeed 29er gets upgraded to CenterTrack Gates Belt Drive and now uses a standard 10 speed hub with spacers, making it easier to swap to a geared setup.
Bottom bracket change from regular eccentric to a PressFit 30 EBB.
Apparently the dropouts are so awesome they made the camera shake. Complete bike weight is 27lb 6oz.
A glance at the lineup. Women’s bikes above, men’s below.
