Generally it’s attention-grabbing to listen to how a brand new bike comes about. Within the case of Ari’s incoming Superior Peak downhill bike, it was created as a result of their sponsored riders wanted a DH race bike, or one thing to experience freeride contests with. When these riders began producing outcomes on the bike, Ari began getting questions on the place individuals may get one!
Initially Ari hadn’t determined if this bike would go into manufacturing, however with anticipation constructing, they opted to provide a small run of the Superior Peak this 12 months. The bike will quickly be obtainable in two full builds or as a frameset.
Ari Superior Peak – Key Options:
Whereas the Superior Peak is a totally succesful downhill race bike, it was designed to incorporate loads of versatility and adjustability. Ari has freeride athletes driving this body along with their racers, so it’s factor this bike could be arrange for racing or freeride/bike park use.
The Superior Peak body is constructed from airformed aluminum, and it may run 29” wheels or MX wheels on all body sizes. A flip chip on the prime of the seat stays retains the body geometry and kinematics nearly an identical with both rear wheel dimension. For freeride or bike park setups, the Superior Peak can run a single crown fork.
The Superior Peak body affords adjustable geometry and suspension kinematics, with eight doable configurations. Every adjustment is unbiased of the others, so riders can fine-tune one facet of the bike at a time.
You possibly can select between high and low BB settings, brief or lengthy chainstay settings, and the body is appropriate with angle and attain modify headsets. The bikes come inventory with regular headsets, however Ari affords customization choices and can add a attain/angle modify headset to your bike upon request. On prime of tuning the geometry, the Superior Peak’s suspension curve could be adjusted through two much less/extra progressive leverage ratio settings.
Body sizes S1, S2 and S3 can be obtainable, masking riders from roughly 5’3” to six’5”.
Construct Choices:
The 2 full bike choices would be the Comp and Elite fashions. Since Ari remains to be within the prototype levels and issues may change, we’ll depart the whole spec rundowns for the launch article. At a look, the Elite mannequin features a RockShox Boxxer Final fork, a Vivid Final rear shock, and a SRAM X01 drivetrain. It can retail for $6499. The Comp mannequin will get a RockShox Boxxer Charger 3 RC fork, a base mannequin Vivid rear shock, and a SRAM GX drivetrain. That mannequin is priced at $4499. Each fashions can be obtainable in both the blue or white/uncooked colorways seen within the photographs.
One Journey Impressions:
I received an opportunity to take the Superior Peak for a number of laps within the Whistler Bike Park throughout Crankworx… and it rekindled my affinity for downhill driving. This secure, supportive bike introduced my pale bike park confidence again in a number of hours flat!
Ari doesn’t have a geometry chart posted for the Superior Peak but, however listed here are a number of the key specs on the setup I rode: I’m 5’10” tall, and I used to be on the S2 body dimension, arrange with 29” wheels entrance and rear. The S2 body has a 480mm attain, and was in its brief chainstay setting (444mm). Its head tube angle is 63.5°. I rode the bike within the low BB setting, and within the extra progressive leverage ratio place.
With just some hours on the bike, I’m preserving my transient preliminary impressions centered on body geometry and suspension traits….
Geometry:
I stepped out of the DH recreation for the previous couple of seasons, after promoting off my getting older downhill bike. Within the meantime, path/enduro bikes have grown considerably (which I’m completely happy about), so I used to be curious what dimension DH body I’d really feel snug on.
With a attain of 480mm, that is the longest downhill bike I’ve ridden by a big margin, and on the primary lap it felt lengthy when it comes to wheelbase however snug so far as physique place and attain. After a pair runs, I shortly tailored to dealing with the longer bike. By the tip of the day I used to be satisfied that is the dimensions of DH bike I needs to be driving.
The prolonged entrance finish gave the bike loads of stability at excessive speeds and was undoubtedly not too lengthy for me to drag up for slightly bump-to-bump wheelie. The 444mm chainstays didn’t really feel excessively lengthy in any respect, and cornering was nonetheless comparatively fast and enjoyable. My take a look at bike was within the brief place, so you have got the choice of going longer if you’d like.
Oddly sufficient the Superior Peak’s 63.5° head angle is definitely steeper than the slackest place on the Specialised Stumpjumper I not too long ago reviewed. With a 200mm DH fork up entrance, it felt appropriately slack and really succesful on steep or tough terrain.
Suspension:
With the bike within the extra progressive leverage chip setting, I hit about 90% journey. Maintaining in thoughts I’m a bit rusty within the bike park, and the bike has a much less progressive setting, I doubt I’d have any bother dialing it in correctly given extra time to experiment with setup. That’s a pleasant factor to know in case you’re a light-weight rider like me (at 135lbs).
The Superior Peak’s Tetra Hyperlink suspension linkage did a terrific job of sucking up large or repeated hits. What actually happy me was how supportive the mid-stroke was; the bike felt vigorous and by no means spongy whereas pumping via rollers or tight berms. It additionally confirmed an eagerness to spring ahead and preserve velocity.
Whereas bump absorption was nice, the Superior Peak is just not a motorcycle that produces a numb, deadened experience. I discovered its supportive mid-stroke helped it pop fairly properly off roots, bumps, or greater jumps.
Ari is planning to formally launch the Superior Peak this fall, so watch Bikerumor for an upcoming article with full particulars on the mannequin lineup. clients can pre-order a Superior Peak from Ari’s web site now.
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