Czech steel framebuilder Zoceli’s new Vysoko high-pivot ‘hard enduro’ bike took a moment to wrap my brain around. We’re used to seeing longer travel enduro, freeride, and DH bikes with high-pivot designs and idler pulleys mounted high on their seatstays. But this bike is missing a chainring, or even a visible chain connecting the cranks to that upper pulley.
Instead, it’s hiding its primary drive inside the steel frame – connecting the cranks to what looked like an idler pulley. And it’s the conventional chain of the external secondary drive mounted on the seatstay that puts your power down to the rear wheel…
Zoceli Vysoko dual-drive high-pivot steel enduro freeride bike
Zoceli calls it Split Drive.
The idea of Czech frame builder Martin Saida was to get all the plush travel of a high-pivot design, without the downsides. So, instead of adding a long parallelogram chain path with an idler pulley on the outside, Zoceli broke it up and put half inside.
By splitting the drive path into two separate chains, Zoceli creates a compact, clean design where the drivetrain is more protected, extra weight is centered in the frame, and both suspension and braking are unaffected by your weight on the pedals.
While there’s plenty of complexity inside to make it work, on the outside it’s a clean setup. No chainring to crud up or bash on rocks. And more room to build burly links for stiff suspension, which are then also easier to access for cleaning and servicing.
And the more complex primary drive is tucked inside, away from nasty weather and trail debris – connecting a custom BB spindle with eMTB cranks at the bottom to a drive sprocket centered on the high-pivot up top.
So, what’s inside?
Tucked away inside, where it requires minimal re-lubrication and isn’t subjected to mud, water, or dust is the heavy-duty dual-row primary drive timing chain. It connects a pair of hardened steel drive cogs keyed onto the custom BB axle, and then another pair of cogs on the upper axle at the center of the main high pivot. The entire setup is centered in the frame to evenly transfer your pedaling forces up to the external drive cog. And low-friction composite glide plates keep the chain adequately tensioned.
That external stainless steel 14T external drive cog at the top of the seatstay effectively acts like a 32T chainring, due to the 28:12 gear reduction ratio from the hidden internal primary drivetrain.
Then, you get an external drive with a straighter chain line, almost entirely unaffected by suspension chain growth, and quiet-running with minimal chain slap. And finally, it angles your rear derailleur forward and upwards, away from normal rock strikes.
Tech detail
- TIG-welded Columbus steel and chromoly frame
- CNC-machined 7075 aluminum dropout and lower suspension linkages
- progressive virtual high-pivot 4-bar rear suspension layout
- 170mm (230x65mm) or 160mm (230x60mm) rear wheel travel
- designed to go hard… for 180-200mm forks
- dual-link internal timing chain transfers forces via paired sets of steel primary drive cogs
- custom machined integral steel BB spindle compatible with ISIS eMTB cranksets
- custom bottom bracket included, with standard replaceable sealed bearings
- semi-integrated ZS44/ZS56 headset
- continuous stainless steel-lined cable routing through the front triangle
- 30.9mm seatpost with internal dropper routing (34.9mm external clamp)
- 203mm post mount rear brake
- Boost 12x148mm rear hub spacing
- 2.5″ max rear tire
- single bottle cage mount under the toptube (additional cage mount, extra)
- mullet or full 29er setup, adjustable with two chainstay positions
- 4 sizes available (M-XL)
- 4.4kg frame weight, including primary drive and ISIS BB axle (no shock or rear axle)
Zoceli Vysoko – Pricing, options & availability
All Zoceli frames are made to order, and include a lifetime warranty.
Zoceli likes muted pastel colors, but frames are available in any single color powdercoat matte or gloss for no extra charge. You can even get a clear powdercoat that showcases the colorful heat tint of the welds, but will eventually show oxidation, also at no extra charge.
The Vysoko frame sells for 3990€ with VAT, not including delivery.
But Zoceli are running an off-season sale now that will save the next ten mountain bikers 15% off their new frame. That means if you order now, a frame will cost 3390€. Pay half now, and Saida will start building your frame this fall. Then, it’ll be ready for you to build up at the start of next year, just in time to hit the trails the moment the snow melts.
The Vysoko is a frame-ony deal, and then it’s entirely up to you how to build it, depending on how you shred. The frame does not include a rear shock or crankarms, but does come with the complete internal drive system with 14T narrow-wide upper drive cog, bottom bracket & ISIS axle. It also comes with a SRAM UDH, a DT Swiss rear thru-axle, and spare chain guide.
Build it up geared for trails, or singlespeed with a tensioner like the Rampage-ready build above.
Enduro or Freeride, or Just Ride!
Zoceli officially calls the 160-170mm travel Vysoko a ‘Hard Enduro’ mountain bike.
What that means will vary a lot in how you build it up – single speed or geared, single or dual-crown. But clearly it can be an all-mountain trail shredder with just enough of classic freeride inspiration to rock it down the steepest exposed cliffs or huck it off boulders in the woods.
Simpler, shorter Naosm enduro or Narum trail bikes
If you like the idea of a steel full-suspension mountain bike handbuilt in the Czech Republic, but are thinking about something simpler, shorter-travel, and even lighter weight… Zoceli has got you covered there, too.
Their classic short-link virtual pivot Naosm is an enduro shredder with 160mm of flip-chip adaptable 29er or mullet travel at 2800€. And the slightly cheaper 2600€ Narum trail bike is all-mountain-capable, even with its shorter 135mm rear wheel travel, offered in 27.5, mullet, or full 29er setups. Both are also part of the fall 15% off deal, for the next few bike orders only.
Get in touch with Zoceli framebuilder Martin Saida to have him make you one. And then, you get to decide what to ride it off.
