Spot Brand’s new Cream is a titanium belt drive 29er that replaces the Rocker frames for 2013.
The Cream gets a stiffer front end with a custom headtube that’s machined inside and out, and the downtube is bent to spread the distance between it and the top tube for better stiffness and more confident handling. At the rear, the seat tube is cut with a curved plate welded in to shorten the chainstays by providing a nook for the rear tire to nest into.
More nifty features, and a steel version, below…
They designed new cable guides that accommodate 1, 2 or 3 hoses/cables. This streamlines the frame quite a bit and works with anything from just a brake line to a fully geared bike.
The chainstays are bent a bit right where they cross the tires. In conjunction with the cut seat tube, founder Andrew Lumpkin says it’s nearly twice as compliant as the Rocker when seated. Stand up, though, and it’s plenty firm for hammering.
$3,400 retail for the frame, as shown it’d be a little over $7,000. Claimed weight is about 20lbs with some pretty fat 2.35 tires.
There’s also a steel version (not shown) called the Honey Badger that’s just $900, a $300 price drop from the Rocker Steel. It has a crenelated (indented) down tube at the head tube to increase stiffness without using a gusset. Several builds with or without the Gates Belt Drive will be offered, too.
Notice the OS titanium Spot handlebar? It’s a new piece that’ll be offered next year with a 7° bend and 700mm width.
