Update on BH’s Prototype Cross-Country Race Bike, Under Cover on the XC World Cup

Two months ago we got a sneak peek at a prototype next-gen BH cross-country race mountain bike. We suspect it could be the successor to their long-running Lynx family. Details are still very limited since BH is doing a good job keeping the prototype wrapped up both on the racetrack and in the pits. But we got in for a closer look to try to sus out some more details…

BH XC race mountain bike prototype could replace the Lynx

As it stands now, Spanish bikemaker BH has two cross-country models in the lineup. There’s the Ultimate Evo hardtail and the 100mm travel Lynx Race Evo fully. An eagle-eyed anonymous reader sent us spy shots of the prototype from a race in the north of Spain back in March.

Now that the UCI MTB World Cup is in our backyard, we dropped in to try and get a better look ourselves. I had hoped by now it would be uncovered, but unfortunately, it’s still wrapped in neoprene.

Most of the BH Coloma team are still racing the current Lynx Race. That suggests the final launch of this new prototype is probably still quite far off. But it does give us a chance to see the bikes next to each other.

So what can we see?

Just like we saw in the spy shots before, the headtube really looks just like the Lynx Race, with the same full internal cable routing through the upper headset bearing. And the main pivot of the swingarm looks like it’s in exactly the same place as before, too.

What’s a little curious here on the driveside, is that there is an all-new – and quite significant – tapering of the seatstay above the Split-Pivot concentric pivot at the rear axle. Normally when we see a taper like this, it is meant to allow the seatstay to flex instead of having an extra pivot.

But since there’s obviously already a pivot at the axle, the only real reason you would need a flex stay would be if the shock was fixed to the seatstays instead of having another pivot hidden inside that secret wrap, right?

What we can see.

Here we get a close-up view of the main pivot, the swingarm, and the PressFit bottom bracket. It’s all quite similar to the current Lynx Race.

But it is worth noting that this BH prototype XC bike has a flatter, boxier shape to the swingarm. And there’s a more dramatic bend to drop the stays. That’s likely to increase tire clearance to meet the new 29 x2.4″ standard while keeping a short chainstay length.

The tall & narrow boxy shape continues back to the Split-Pivot, those massive triangular brake post mounts, and a UDH standard. While many bikes have prioritized SRAM and wireless shifting, this one still has clean mechanical shift cable routing.

What we can’t quite see…

This BH prototype is still hiding its XC secrets inside the neoprene wrap. But a closer look reveals some interesting shaping!

Just in front of the seattube, the toptube flares out quite a bit to the sides. That looks a lot like the shaping of the front shock mount on the current Lynx Race, which could suggest a reverse shock orientation?

There’s also a clear inward curve of the seatstays in from of the seattube. My guess is this is a one-piece seatstay assembly, just with the bridge now in front of the seattube where it meets the shock. And maybe a tiny rocker link in there too?

Other BH prototype XC bike build details

A close look BH Coloma’s Jofre Cullel Estape cockpit does clear up a bit of the compatibility of the new bike. Sure everything is routed internally. But it’s also key to see just many cables are going into the frame. There’s 2 mechanical cable from the left hand – a remote lockout for the hidden rear shock, plus the cable for the mechanical BikeYoke Divine SL dropper post. Then on the right hand 2 more – the mechanical shift wire for the XTR rear derailleur, and the hydraulic hose for the rear brake.

More XC World Cup race testing

That’s all we know about this prototype of BH’s next-gen carbon XC race bike. The question remains whether there is a conventional shock and linkage hidden inside that little neoprene sock. And if it will deliver 100mm, or more or less travel?

But seeing just behind the BH rider, how tiny the linkage and Öhlins XC shock (hmm… with electronic controls!) on the BMC Fourstroke is, BH could probably fit it all in there with a cleanly integrated design.

BHbikes.com