Domestically, KTM is more known for their motorcycles than their bikes, but 2015 marks the year they begin equalizing that awareness. Already sold in some moto dealers to fanboys and girls, the bikes have quite a bit to offer. We covered their road and cyclocross models at Eurobike, check them out here.
For mountain bikes, the highlights are the Scarp, a racy full susser, and the Lycan/Lycan LT 650b trail and enduro bikes with travel from 125mm to 160mm.
The Scarp is available in both 29er and 27.5″ wheel sizes, with 100mm and 105mm rear wheel travel respectively. That travel’s made possible with their Pro Damping System floating rear shock. By positioning the shock mounts on the rocker arm and chainstays, they say drivetrain and braking forces are isolated from each other and from affecting the shock. Based on our experience with similar designs on other brands, it’s a darn good idea that works very well.
Other technologies include the Groove Cut head tubes, which not only keep things stiffer, but look killer, particularly in carbon…
Across the lineup, frames feature internal cable routing, pressfit bottom brackets and mostly thru axles. The top version of the Scarp 29er gets the new XTR Di2 2×11 and Rockshox RS1 fork. There’s also a version with the mechanical 1×11 Xtr group, and that one has a claimed weight of 9.9kg (21.8lb).
Unfortunately, the one shown tricked out here with orange Race Face chainring and gold cable housing isn’t a stock build. Models trickle all the way down to SLX/Deore mixes for carbon frames with two different levels of carbon depending on model. Two alloy models are also available, one with XT, the other with Deore.
Seen from another angle, the detailed shaping of the headtube area is more apparent. And more impressive.
The Lycan comes in two models, one with 125mm travel (shown) and their 160mm enduro version, the Lycan LT (for Long Travel).
Even the alloy frames get the Groove Cut headtubes. For 2015, the carbon models upgrade to a full carbon rear end, which drops 400g off the prior version. Top models get a carbon rocker arm, too. The standard Lycan is paired with a 130mm fork, and versions run the gamut from carbon/XTR down to alloy/Deore with 2×11, 2×10, 3×11 and 3×10 groups sprinkled throughout.
The Lycan LT get two models spec’d with a 160mm Fox 36 fork, making them monstrous trail crushers straight out of the box. One’s with XT/XTR, the other with SRAM XX1. The next two move down to a Pike and then Revelation fork. Four models in all, all with full alloy frames, and all with dropper posts included.
Of course, there’s the full range of carbon and alloy hardtails, too, and even a fat bike. And they’re all made in Austria, where the brand is based. Check out the US website at KTMbikeindustries.com or view their 2015 catalog on Issuu. Their main site is KTM-bikes.at.
