Spotted: Mysterious Full Suspension 650b Prototype

Looks like some new Rocky Mountain frames to me. The design has similarities to some of their old designs (IMO) and both bikes appear to be rocking the new 35mm bar and stem from Race Face along with the cranks. It just reeks of Rocky Mountain to me. I wonder where the truck is from? (CDN or USA)

My guess is that it is the new 650b from Niner.

Looks like a Turner to me.

Looks like a Bizzaro Horst link.

Evil?

It looks like a MIT Master’s Degree thesis project. D-.

haaa. yes. def looks to be a hyper. it has the same stout rear brake mount too. thanks for the link

it’s a braze on for a sweet rat trap.

Turner!

I believe that Hyper and some of KHS bikes have the same set-up.

differences between this and the Hyper are:
this prototype does not seem to have a moto-type linkage between the shock and chainstays.
the top tube/seat tube reinforcement is a tube in this one, a folded sheet on the Hyper.
the seatstay pivot is much further back on the prototype.
odd that the prototype has an unmounted rear brake with an IS adapter but the frame takes a direct post mount.

Kudos to Topmounter for the most subliminal comment today!

Expresses Rocky Mountain from shock placement and compartmentalization.

The mystery is that anyone should be interested in this. Its an unusual “faux bar” i.e. a single pivot delivered in the guise of a four bar with a different position for the swingarm link pivot than we commonly see. So what changes with that pivot behind the rear axle rather than in front of it? Nothing! The main pivot on the swingarm completely determines a) axle path and b) acceleration (pedaling performance) and braking response. So, what’s left? Repositioning pivots can and will vary the leverage rate/ratio of the rear suspension. Yawn! Now we have another way of making a completely trivial change to the way a bike operates.

The only absolute and indisputable certainty to be had here is that it is definitely NOT a campy seatpost

Def not a Rocky. They just revamped the Altitude (27.5) suspension design last year which has received good reviews. Plus, why would RMB drive 22hrs to ride Snow Basin when their R&D shop is in North Van? Makes even less sense. If they want dry conditions they only have to step outside for the little rain they’ve had for the last 4 weeks already. If not the Shore, just drive 4 hours to the BC Interior which is already semi-arid and hitting 90-100F

The shock placement thru the seat tube looks like the Commencal DH, but I’ve never bothered to look at Hyper so could be that too… the seat tube reinforcing at the top tube looks like a Turner to me but why would Turner dump the DW link so fast when he’s just really getting into it?

Hmm, Hyper…

Suspension nothing unique. A dozen or so companies use this. Believe Keineses owns that basic setup.

Rear. $10 says big extra hold is to adapt to 29er. Smaller set of holes could be to change travel from 140–160mm or such. So. Such a frame would be a perfect budget Enduro rig with such versatility.

Or a budget prototype to test concepts etc. as for who? I’d say all are wrong. And no one took to the fact this was snapped at the same time as QBP’s Sadddle Drive 🙂

Commencal meta AM.

This bike is not anything like most of the mentioned bikes above. Those who see similarities to the Commencal Meta are right but why would Commencal go stateside to test a bike that shows zero improvements on their existing design. The bike could easily be a Hyper (although quite different to the other prototype bike referred to by several contributors). They have a distinct skill for only testing bikes but never releasing them.