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Ministry Cycles answers your pedaling prayers w/ CNC machined & bonded Psalm 150 3VO trail bike

ministry cycles psalm 150 mountain bike
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First teased here on Bikerumor, Chris Currie’s 3VO suspension platform initially ended up on the Jamis Portal and Hardline mountain bikes in 2018. Those were updated with a lighter carbon version in 2020, but to fully appreciate what they’re doing with their own brand, we need to step rewind a bit.

Chris explained the 3VO development process for us all the way back in 2015 (grab some coffee), before Boost axle spacing was ubiquitous, but he’s been working on it since 2004. The concept is simple enough: Create a long travel bike with modern geometry that can’t bob AT ALL on climbs, regardless of the rear shock’s setting.

Now, finally, Chris’ own brand, Ministry Cycles, is about to launch its first model with the 3VO suspension platform, the Psalm 150. Yes, that means 150mm rear wheel travel, with all the key benefits of his design inferred:

  • Incredible small bump sensitivity
  • Minimal brake dive
  • Smooth anti-rise and anti-dive curves
  • Predictable, efficient ride no matter what you’re doing

Where it differs from the Jamis is in the leverage ratio and frame construction. They say it’s bonded alloy body is lighter, and the new layout makes it even more sensitive and efficient, with a more progressive leverage ratio that makes it work well with both coil and high-volume air shocks.

What his Anti-Squat & Anti-Rise numbers actually mean

ministry cycles psalm 150 mountain bike leverage curves charts

Chris spreads the gospel of anti-rise and anti-squat as much as most, but unlike religion, his miracle performance is explained with science versus magic.

His anti-squat figures are based on a realistic rider+bike center of gravity point of 1150mm (45.3″) above the ground, and calculated when riding a 32-tooth chainring and the 50-tooth cog. Pretty much the exact steep climbing, grinding gear combo you’d want anti-squat in full effect to prevent pedal bob as you slog up the climbs. And they say it does this without creating undue pedal kickback.

The anti-rise is designed to be at 100% at sag, which creates a neutral effect on the bike’s suspension under hard braking.

ministry cycles psalm 150 mountain bike pivot hardware
Main pivot hardware moves on big 15mm axles with standard hardware.

Adjustable geometry via swappable dropouts

The original concept also used modular dropouts, albeit mainly to future proof against changing axle standards. Here, they’re getting a higher purpose by letting you adjust the bike’s geometry and handling.

Rather than the original shock-mount flip chips, Trail Dropouts and Warp Speed Dropouts tweak the head angle, seat tube angle, and BB height. Here’s his descriptions:

Trail Dropouts are 435mm, maximize maneuverability, create a 65° head tube angle, 77.7° seat tube angle, and low but not extreme 30mm bottom bracket drop.

Warp Speed Dropouts are 445mm for maximum stability at speed, create a 64.5° head tube angle, 76.8° seat tube angle, and super-aggressive, get-yourself-some-155mm-crank-arms 37mm bottom bracket drop for serious, locked-in, glued to the trail ass-hauling.

Psalm 150 Leverage Ratio

The leverage ratio ranges from 3.11:1 at full top out to 2.12 at full travel, with a very subtle ramping at the end to help eke out the last bit of travel. The decreasing leverage works well for coil shocks’ inherent lack of ramping, but still claims to work well with higher volume air shocks.

All the usual claims are made – supple initial movement, good mid-stroke support, and excellent bottom-out resistance.

About that bonded aluminum frame…

ministry cycles psalm 150 mountain bike frameset

Further differentiating the Psalm 150 from other bikes is the frame construction. Rather than welding aluminum tubes together like most, Ministry Cycles opted for machined frame sections that are then bonded together.

They say using 7075-T6 alloy gives them a stronger base material, and using multiple aerospace bonding agents creates a frame that’s structurally better and lighter than could otherwise be achieved with metal.

The frame uses “full perimeter lap joints” to create a single, hollow form on the front triangle. Seat tube and head tube cups are then fully sleeved and bonded into the frame for maximum strength on high-stress areas. This construction method also eliminates warping from welding’s heat, so they say the frames are perfectly aligned, too.

ministry cycles psalm 150 mountain bike frame cutaway showing bonding points
Yellow highlights show bonding areas.

The main pivots are 15mm axles using common (read: affordable, easy to replace) bearing hardware. Interlocking contact points and “strategic fasteners” reinforce the moving parts, designing it “to be able to pass the most stringent bike tests available”.

It’s designed around a 160mm fork and 29er wheels, and gets a SRAM UDH derailleur hanger, BSA 73mm threaded bottom bracket, and fits up to 210mm-travel dropper seatposts.

A 1.5″ straight head tube allows for adjustable-angle headsets…and future compatibility with any new standards. Those plus the modular dropouts and machined construction are a key part of their claim that this bike should last forever, you’ll just update it as needed.

When can I buy one?

Frames are still in the prototype phase, but Currie’s been putting miles on the test bike shown here. The construction method will allow them to produce bikes on demand, or at least in small batches. Based on their social media posts, they’re still fine tuning and seeking a manufacturing partner.

Do good things come to those who keep the faith? We’ll see once we can get a review bike in and head back to Dirt Church…

MinistryCycles.com

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Jason D West
Jason D West
1 year ago

That looks awesome!!!

nooner
nooner
1 year ago

At the end of the day it’s just another SRT (solid rear triangle) bike. Shame.

Roger Pedacter
Roger Pedacter
1 year ago
Reply to  nooner

Yeah, because all those other SRT bikes with VPP or DW links are so terrible, lol. I guess you need to tell Santa Cruz, Ibis, Revel, Pivot, etc, etc their entire product ranges are garbage…

Roger Pedacter
Roger Pedacter
1 year ago

That’s a really pretty frame. But much as I love this new trend of machined and bonded frames, it’s a terrible use of material.

Greg
Greg
1 year ago
Reply to  Roger Pedacter

At least it isn’t made in one piece like a couple of the other completely machines frames.. A bit less waste this way.

alloycowboy
alloycowboy
1 year ago
Reply to  Roger Pedacter

Not really, all the excess aluminum from CNC maching can be recycled, unlike carbon fiber.

Roger Pedacter
Roger Pedacter
1 year ago
Reply to  alloycowboy

I didn’t say it was a waste of material. I said it was terrible use of material. But inefficient would have been a better word. Yeah, of course it can be recycled. But it’s a lot of work to mill it down, and a lot of work to recycle it, and you’ll never have the grain structure of a properly formed tube. I suppose it makes some sense if you don’t want to/can’t weld or heat treat.

Smokestack
Smokestack
1 year ago
Reply to  Roger Pedacter

Concur. I also think about the number of billet machined hub flanges I’ve seen that failed for no reason other than grain orientation of the billet and it’s a pass from me. I test rode the Jamis Portal and the platform is really something else. If Jamis would just update their geo they’d have a winner.

mike
mike
1 year ago
Reply to  Smokestack

completely agree with the note on Jamis. I pedaled a 27.5 portal and it was awesome, but the geo is the only killer. With updated geo and higher quality suspension bolts/hardware it would really rock!

christopher
christopher
1 year ago
Reply to  Roger Pedacter

You can however, as this bike does, integrate much better use of geometry and internal webbing to give the bike strength where it is needed. No post welding heat treatment reguired, no cracking around the welds which is a far greater risk than grain direction. Grain direction is also taken into account for the materials yeild strength value, so if the bike is designed correctly this will not be a risk. You can also use 7075, a much higher strength aluminium, whereas you get micro cracking welding 7075.

christopher
christopher
1 year ago
Reply to  Roger Pedacter

Aluminium is one of the worlds easiest materials to recycle, so not so bad after all. IMo it’s better than welding a whole bunch of tubes together, and far better for small scale.

Brian
Brian
1 year ago

When you asked yourself, “should I make religious puns throughout the article”, the answer should have been… No

Chris
1 year ago

Very important to clarify that a frame has not been sent off for any lab testing yet. We’re getting there, but rIght now, I’m the only crash test dummy flogging the prototype out on the trails.

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