Zobop Returns

Last month Joe and I brought a prototype full suspension frame back from Taiwan called Zobop. The new design shows great promise as an all around trail bike using a floating pivot design to resist pedal induced bobbing and be plush over rocks, bumps, and drops. Floating pivot bikes are gaining a lot of attention and popularity for riding on all types of trails.

Our friends at BTI joined me for a ride in Sedona recently and here is what they said:

  

Earlier this month we took a trip to Sedona's red rock country to pay a visit to Voodoo Cycles. We took the opportunity to test ride ah  prototype of the new Zobop, Voodoo's replacement for the venerable Canzo 26.

The Zobop is an all purpose XC trail bike with five and a half inches of travel. Aside from the terrific new lines, the most noticable feature of the Zobop is its new Floating Pivot Point suspension (FPP) designed by Joe Murray. Differentially pivoting links constantly adjust to pedaling forces, rider weight distribution and bump frequency. For a full suspension bike, the Zobop has very little sag, but offers tons of usable travel while remaining very active. The ride was plush, so plush in fact that we couldn't help checking the tire pressure every so often. This is a 2011 bike with an expected release of July/August 2010. Can't wait for this bike to hit production.

Zobop Ride Impression

I haven't ridden a 26" wheel bike on dirt in at least 8 years. I have now had two rides in Sedona on our new Zobop full suspension prototype and have been blown away. The new frame uses a floating pivot point linkage and Joe's legendary geometry to make one hell of a bike. It did take me a bit to get used to the smaller wheels and the 67 degree head angle (with the Talus set at 140mm) but once I got into the flow of the trail the bike was superb.

Riding in Sedona is such a challenge, it has tight windy singletrack with short steep climbs, 4 foot drops, slick rock, and lots of cactus to dodge. This floating pivot really makes this terrain manageable: stiff suspension on the climbs transmitting all your power, and soft supple active suspension for all the bumps, drops, and descents. I had no idea how well this could work!

So from my first impression you can say that I am stoked on our new frame. Joe has done a great job indeed. With just a few more tweaks we should have these available by mid-Summer this year along with the new Bokor 29"er, Nakisi, and Maji.

Bondye Badness

Well.. after 4 hours of J.B. showing me how to build up a road bike its done, and sick. Weighed it and it came out to be just over 17.5 lbs. The new Ultegra grupo looked really nice with the Bondye frame. Rode it out lake Marry the next day on a 60miler and the geometry could not of felt better, everything was perfect! The Fi'Zi'k saddle was also amazing! So anyway here is a picture, and thanks again Benson for the help building it up....