Spot is back with their Living Link suspension platform, putting it on two all-new, short travel lightweight XC/trail full suspension mountain bikes. What started out in 2015 as a prototype concept went onto the original Rollik, then the 130mm Mayhem 29er, and then an updated, longer travel, enduro-ready Rollik.
For the new Spot Ryve, they’ve dialed back the travel to 100mm and 115mm to create efficient XC and lightweight trail bikes, all still using that unique leaf spring design…
Fill me in, what’s Living Link?
The Living Link is a composite leaf spring that acts as a lower linkage between the front triangle and the rear triangle. The upper linkage is a more traditional rocker arm, and between the two, the connect the rear to the front. The Living Link flexes in something of an “S” shape as the suspension compresses, and they say it’s good for about 3,000,000 cycles…which is almost certainly more than you’re likely to put on it before other things break. You can see it in action here:
Besides being laterally stiff and keeping the rear triangle in line with the front even under hard corners, it’s designed to work with the rear shock to control the motion and provide a very linear mid-stroke suspension curve so that it can be active over most of the chatter. What’s more, it’s captured inside the two halves of the frame, so there are no lower bearings to wear out or develop play. They say it’s so efficient, you don’t need a lockout, either. Sweet, because that saves weight.
Why two versions of the same bike?
Above, the 100mm Spot Ryve, and below, the 115mm version. Basically, some people want a more playful bike with a little extra travel, and some people want a race-tuned, ultralight XC weapon with which to win races and marathons. So they made both. And both of them come with a dropper seatpost, because even XC racers like to get rowdy once in a while.
