Corratec Enduro 175 mellows out with frequency-damped suspension, plus more new road, MTB

In 2014, Corratec developed their 10Hz damper to work in concert with their InsideLink suspension platform. The idea behind it is simple – provide frictionless small bump absorption to reduce high frequency vibrations that a sealed, damped shock absorber simply can’t keep up with. Because the seals on air shocks need to be tight to keep the high pressures in, there’s inherent stiction that must be overcome before it can start working. The negative springs help, but even those can’t get the shock to react to the smallest of bumps. Add in any friction from linkages or shock binding and the benefits of the small TPU upper shock mount become clearer.

Essentially, it’s a small MDU elastomer that isolates the upper shock mount from the frame and adds up to 15mm of travel to the suspension. It’s shown here on their 100mm travel InsideLink Carbon race full suspension bike, which was introduced last year. Now that the tech has been trail proven, it’s been added to the all-new Enduro 175 bike, too…

Made for enduro racing, the InsideLink 10Hz 175 (yes, that appears to be the actual model name) gets a 160mm suspension front and rear, but with the 10Hz system adding 15mm more for 175mm total in the back. This one’s an alloy frame that comes in two spec levels, both with Rockshox suspension and X01 or XT drivetrain options.

Despite the long travel, they say it climbs like a trail bike thanks to the InsideLink platform’s 200% anti-squat. It’s a VPP (virtual pivot point) design that puts the effective pivot about 4” behind the bottom bracket, between the chain and chainstay. They say that makes it impervious to even the most aggressive pedaling efforts without affecting its ability to handle the terrain. That design means their bikes don’t need any platform or lockout in the suspension, letting it stay open to be as responsive as possible.

The 100mm bike gets some updates for 2016, mainly in the form of new spec including Shimano 11-speed groups, with SideSwing and Di2 compatibility built into the frame.

They use titanium axles on the linkage with heavy duty bearings. Because they’re not rotating much, they don’t need to be the same smooth spinning, lighter bearings found in wheels, so they prioritize stiffness and durability in these spots.

The rear triangle is a single piece with a clever mud fender built into the design. The driveside chainstay is dropped lower to prevent chain slap.

 

The MDU elastomer supposedly also helps by extending (or complementing) the tire’s ability to mold to the terrain, keeping it in better contact with the ground.