While gravity riders were more interested in the radical (and radically simple) eccentric pivot of Morewood’s Izimu downhill bike, there was plenty more to see in their booth.
In particular, we were drawn to the Sukuma, a new all-mountain 150mm bike that licenses Dave Weagle’s Split Pivot rear suspension design. This is a prototype, and we’ll outline the changes after the break, but the key is the DW-tuned suspension with the rear pivot located around the rear axle.
Lots to see, including the Kwela 29er, Zama DH bike and more, after the break…
The Split Pivot design isn’t just something you can license and make. Dave Weagle works with Morewood (and Devinci, Seven Cycles, etc.) to make sure the suspension design works the way he thinks it should and has to sign off on the final layout before they can go into production.
The production model will have a beefier section at the front of the chainstays, a one-piece hydroformed seat tube and better clearance on the seat stay bridge.
The difference between the Split Pivot and Trek’s ABP is the placement of the stays at the axle. Trek’s has the seatstay outboard, SP has it inboard…among other subtle changes.
The convoluted seat tube is designed not just to accommodate the suspension, but also to clear the bottom pull cable arm on the direct mount front derailleur. Personally, I’d just apply a little drillium and grind it off, but hey…
Retail pricing is TBD, but they’re targeting February to start shipping them. There are plans for a 29er version, but there’s no immediate timeline for it. The Sukuma and all other Morewood mountain bikes except the Zula have post mount rear brake tabs.
Zama replaces their Shova LT to give them a new 7″ (180mm) travel bike. Very similar to the Izimu (shown above it in white) except it gets a straight top tube and no Eccentric pivot bolt.
The 6069 Aluminum Kwela 29 (also available in 26″) has short 440mm chainstays, it’ll have a tapered steerer in production form and comes in four sizes ranging from a 15″ to 21″. The tallest size will have a 640mm top tube, and the smallest will be 570mm. Available by end of year. $855 frame only.
Makula gets a new larger size, making three sizes total, and has a new straight top tube with wider front section to stiffen up the head tube.
