LaMere Cycles has made a name for themselves by selling factory direct carbon frames at very enticing prices. That usually means the frames are of the open mold variety and very similar to other bikes on the market. Their new Dopamine carbon full suspension bike is apparently a different story. After testing a full suspension frame that was available from an open mold (and breaking it), LaMere designed their own frame with a proprietary mold.
The result is a crazy light carbon full suspension bike that can be built with a dizzying array of options depending on how fat or tall you want to go…
Starting with the frame’s construction, the Dopamine is a full carbon frame that weighs in at a claimed 2170g for a medium without the axle or rear shock. Cable routing is a mix of internal and external including internal dropper routing. One of the more interesting features is the ability to swap out the rear swing arm to run either 148 x 12, 170/177 x 12 or 190/197mm x 12 rear hubs depending on your needs.
Combined with a 100mm threaded bottom bracket, the frame can then clear a number of different tire sizes up to 29+. This bike was built with the Bontrager Hodag 27.5 x 3.8″ tires on Lamere carbon rims, but the bikes have been built up with 26 x 5″ (on 86mm rim), 27.5 x 3″, and 29 x 3″. Depending on the wheel size, different fork travels are used to keep the geometry fairly consistent which includes a steep 69.5º head tube angle. JP LaMere says this is to keep the bike’s ride as lively as possible and more of an XC race machine than other full suspension fat bikes. Stock rear travel in fat bike mode is 140mm, but it seems like that too can be adjusted – we’re clarifying this and will report back.
Frames start at $2200 and complete builds include an X01 build with 29 x 3″ wheels and tires at 25.4lbs for $6500 and an XT fat build with a Bluto at 25.81 lbs and $5700 – though LaMere often builds custom bikes for their customers which will probably be the case for the Dopamine since there are so many options.
