Revel Bikes is no stranger to concept bikes, but now their development process has an official name. Reve’s experimental bikes will now be a part of their Concept Labs, a program designed to publicly showcase the company’s experimental product development work. The Golden, Colorado-based manufacturer will use the platform to share prototype builds, geometry experiments, and early-stage design concepts that may or may not reach production status.
The company has previously developed several prototype projects, including a 3D printed thermoplastic composite downhill bike and the “Ratical,” a 3D printed titanium full suspension trail bike featuring a Horst-link CBF layout. “We spend a lot of time in the shop dreaming up ideas, testing theories, and building things that may never see a production line,” said Adam Miller, Revel’s founder. The program represents the company’s effort to maintain ongoing communication with riders rather than working behind closed doors during development cycles.
The newest program focus is Project El Jefe Grande, which consists of two experimental titanium hardtail frames designed to test 32-inch wheel configurations. The project includes an XL frame equipped with 32-inch wheels front and rear, and a size Medium “Mega Mullet” setup featuring a 32-inch front wheel paired with a 29-inch rear wheel. According to Mike Giese, Revel’s Director of Product, “Revel has a unique advantage: The ability to use titanium as a concept incubator. Got a geometry idea that might be completely wrong? Build it in Ti and find out. Want to test a wheel size before committing to tooling? Build it in titanium and find out.
That’s exactly what we did with 32″. We’ve been watching the 32″ movement closely, and we got too curious to stay on the sidelines. So we built two hardtails. A size XL running 32/32, and a size medium Mega Mullet running 32 up front and 29 out back. Not because we know the answer yet, but because we think wheel configuration and frame sizing might work together in ways we haven’t fully explored. The right wheel combo could give a rider a better fit and handling than sizing alone ever could. We’re in the testing phase. We’re learning. And honestly, it’s a blast.”
Follow the development process at the link below.
