Every year, it seems as though one brand makes a particularly big splash at Inerbike claiming to have achieved the mountain biker’s Holy Grail of supple suspension and efficient pedaling. This year, Quebecois company Devinci were attracting a lot of envious looks and generating a lot of positive Dirt Demo impressions with their three-bike line of Split Pivot bikes. The nominal technology here is a chainstay:seatstay junction that is concentric with the rear axle, reducing brake influence on the suspension and increasing lateral rigidity. Like the DW*Link, there are plenty of ride feel possibilities using the patent, so each Split Pivot bike can be tailored to suit its intended purpose. In development with suspension guru Dave Weigle for close to four years, the Dexter, Dixon, and Wilson certainly seem worthy of the attention. Hit ‘more‘ for more information and pictures…
All of Devinci’s new bike are made in Canada out of extensively formed 6000-series aluminum tubing formed just down the road from their facilty. Been wondering where the bikes being built in the Life Cycles trailer was? It was in Devinci’s Quebec factory, something they’re understandably quite proud of.
Let’s start with the “big bike.” The Wilson‘s (above)suspension uses an interesting rocker that rotates around the bottom bracket, actuating the shock after being pulled by the chainstay. The low-leverage shock strokes 89mm to yield 216mm of travel. The idea was to balance “square edged bump compliance, cornering feel, and pedaling performance.” The Wilson is intended to be a true World Cup downhill contender.
The 145mm travel Dixon is the middle kid in the range and is what Devinci consider to be the best all mountain bike they’ve ever made. The FRG Adjustable geometry pivot allows for high or low upper seatstay pivot locations (see detail image, below), changing the geometry to lower the bottom bracket by ~.2in and slacken the head tube angle from an already slack 67.5 degrees by another half-degree. The design asks very little of Fox’s RP23 Boost Valve rear shock- about 40% less than competing designs- reducing air pressures and improving small bump compliance.
Finally, we have the Dexter. Not a race bike per se, but at 110mm, certainly a racier bike than the other two models. Targeted more at riders who like to ride fast but aren’t necessarily Hell-bent on a podium spot- or if they are, it’s in rougher terrain. The 110mm of travel is designed to work with a 100-120mm fork- complete bikes come with 100mm forks. The head Dexter’s head angle is also on the relaxed side- 69.8 degrees in the FRG pivot’s high position, 69.2 degrees in the lower position- something that may appreciated on that 2AM lap at the 24 Hours of Moab. The model at the show (Dexter SL) was built up under 23lb with the only silly expensive parts (but not really all that light as far as race bits go) being a pair of Easton Haven Carbon wheels.
