Chris Canfield’s new Vampire Bikes project kicks off with one highly adjustable, high-pivot Fastarossa DH frame design and 3 suspension patents tucked inside. CF3 is the key. 3 adjustable pivots. 3 travel settings. 3 possible rear wheel paths. Chris calls it a “quiver killer”!
Strap in. This one will take a minute to wrap your brain around.
Vampire Fastarossa DH bike debuts adjustable CF3 suspension
Ex-DH racer Chris Canfield has been designing mountain bike suspension for two and a half decades, most recently under the company name Suspension Formulas. We best know his current suspension designs from those developed with his brother Lance Canfield for his eponymous bike brand, and also for full-suspension Revel Bikes, both of which license his CBF – Canfield Balance Formula
But he has plenty more crazy suspension ideas, so decided it was time to turn it all into one ultimate DH bike.
Chris also sat down with us about a year and a half ago for the Bikerumor Podcast Ep. 086 to explain multi-link mountain bike suspension designs in a way that more of us could understand.
OK, so what’s new here, and what carries over.
Canfield Balance Formula patent tech
First, let’s start with CBF, this is Chris’s patent that’s already out there on a lot of bikes. Basically, it is a virtual pivot design where the Instant Center (that’s essentially the momentary virtual pivot at any point throughout a bike’s travel) is always in line with the top of your chain, as it comes off your chainring delivering power to the rear wheel. As the rear wheel goes up, the IC goes down to stay aligned with the taut section of your chain under load.
Canfieild explains that this results in “maximum pedaling efficiency” but also means the bike will have no brake-jack and no brake-squat, so balanced braking, too.
What’s new is CF3 – Chris’ Formula Three
The core of what makes this bike so unique is its three main pivot locations. Chris Canfield said he wanted one DH bike that could do it all “a race bike that could handle any track, from rock gardens to bike park air DH courses. It had to be versatile enough to adapt to all of them.“
So, instead of picking a low, mid, or high-pivot design, Canfield just gives you all three in one frame.
Swapping apparently takes just a few minutes – just unbolt the main pviot axle, pull it out and place it back where you want to try next.
Each move significantly changes both suspension travel and rear axle path. Think 165mm in low, 180mm in mid, and 220mm in high. It even keeps a relatively consistent shock cure so you get a similar feel throughout, just with higher leverage as you raise the main pivot and extend travel. Canfield explains that you can usually set your ideal spring setup in the middle position and then add high-speed compression damping going up a hole or lower HSC going down (plus 1 click of rebound for each hole going up.)
That way you can get three bikes in one – from enduro bike feel to pro DH shredder – all quick and easy to swap back and forth depending on how you want to ride.
I-Track Suspension license
The final patent that makes the new Vampire Fastarossa DH bike tick is the i-track dynamic idler pulley design that Canfield licenses from Australian suspension designer Hugh McLay. Mounting the i-track idler pulley on the Fastarossa’s swingarm means that as you pedal harder, a bit more tension (anti-squat) is added to the suspension so it stays more stable when you put the power down. And the force is stronger earlt in the travel, having less impact when you push the bike deeper into its travel.
Vampire Fastarossa DH – Tech details
Yes, the Vampire Fastarossa DH frame has a batwing rocker link and batwing headtube gussets.
And yes, there are bats infesting Vampire’s website that constantly flutter around (and possibly will drive you crazy when you try to read about the bike’s specs!)
- reinforced 4130 steel front triangle to “dampen high-speed vibrations and provide a solid, controlled feel during big impacts”
- 7005 aluminum seatstays, chainstays, and linkages for light weight & stiffness
- variable 150-220mm rear wheel travel depending on main pivot position & Trunnion shock stroke length from 67.5-755mm
(for ex. 165/190/220mm with a 75mm stroke) - 3 main pivot positions – quick swap Low, Mid & High pivot setups in one frame
- chainstay mounted i-track idler pulley can be swapped with a chainguide in the Low position
(and stored on the extra non-driveside mount) - 29″ or 27.5″ rear wheel with lower shock mount flip-chip
- external cable routing, but with stealth routing for a dropper post
- IS44/56 tapered headset
- 34.9mm seatpost, includes CaneCreek 31.6mm shim
- 180 post mount rear brake
- 1 bottle cage + 1 tool carrier cage mout on each frame
- 73mm BSA threaded bottom bracket with ISCG05 tabs (52mm chainline)
- Boost 148mm spacing
- not SRAM Transmission compatible
- 4 frame sizes offered (S-XL)
Vampire Fastarossa DH – Pircing availability & options
Without a rear shock, the $2998 Vampire Fastarossa DH frame comes in four sizes and three vampire-themed colors. It is available now in select colr and size combinations. You pick from Twilight white, Coffin Nail black, or bright Blood red.
And then Chris Canfield will help get you set up with the fork & shock of your choice to start your perfect build.
