NS Bikes presents downhill bikes made from carbon fibre

Ludwig Döhl

· 05.07.2018

Photo: Wolfgang Watzke

NS Bikes presents downhill bikes made from carbon fibre

At the Eurobike Media Days, the Poles from NS Bikes will be presenting a carbon mountain bike with exciting detailed solutions for the first time with the Define range.

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NS Bikes is known for its stylish, downhill-orientated mountain bikes. Until now, however, the Poles have only produced aluminium bikes, but now they are presenting an all-mountain and trail bike made of carbon for the first time for the 2019 model year. The template for the new carbon Define bikes was the Aluminium frame of the Snabb. The new Define carbon bikes are available both as a trail bike version with 130 millimetre suspension travel and as a 150 millimetre version for enduro and all-mountain bikers. Both versions have 29er wheels and the same frame. The suspension travel and the geometry of the frame are adapted to the respective area of use via an interchangeable shock mount. The suspension forks of both models each have ten millimetres more travel than the frame. According to the manufacturer, the carbon frame should weigh 2400 grams without the shock. We weighed the ready-to-ride NS Define 130 at 13.6 kilos with pedals. All models should be available from January 2019.

The Define 150 has a 36 mm Fox fork with 160 millimetres of travel and should even be equipped for moderate bike park use despite its carbon frame. The geometry and equipment are radically trimmed for downhill fun. We weighed the Define 150 at 13.9 kilos without pedals.

Photo: Wolfgang Watzke The Define 150 has a 36 mm Fox fork with 160 millimetres of travel and should even be equipped for moderate bike park use despite its carbon frame. The geometry and equipment are radically trimmed for downhill fun. We weighed the Define 150 at 13.9 kilos without pedals.

The Define frame changes its suspension travel and geometry via the lower shock mount. The main frame and rear triangle remain the same for both versions (130 and 150), only the shock mount is changed. In series production, the aluminium part will be anodised black. The test bikes at the Eurobike Media Days were still in prototype status.

Photo: Wolfgang Watzke The Define frame changes its suspension travel and geometry via the lower shock mount. The main frame and rear triangle remain the same for both versions (130 and 150), only the shock mount is changed. In series production, the aluminium part will be anodised black. The test bikes at the Eurobike Media Days were still in prototype status.

Photo: Wolfgang Watzke The rocker is already familiar from the NS Snabb and has been adopted.

All cables are routed through the outside. However, there is a recess in the carbon frame in the lower ear, which is intended to serve as a cable duct. Mechanics will be pleased to be able to easily change the cables, while everyone else will enjoy the clean look. A successful detail.

Photo: Wolfgang Watzke All cables are routed through the outside. However, there is a recess in the carbon frame in the lower ear, which is intended to serve as a cable duct. Mechanics will be pleased to be able to easily change the cables, while everyone else will enjoy the clean look. A successful detail.

The geometry of the new Define bikes is radical. Only Giant and Mondraker take a similarly strict approach to the long reach and slack head angle.

Photo: Hersteller The geometry of the new Define bikes is radical. Only Giant and Mondraker take a similarly strict approach to the long reach and slack head angle.

We have already ridden the top version of the Define 130 through the Serfaus bike park and were surprised at how confident the trail bike is on the descents. Nasty root passages, steep sections or even larger jumps do not lure the Define 130 out of its reserve. The bike with just 130 millimetres of travel at the rear can even hold its own against some all-mountain or enduro bikes on descents. Despite the long reach in size M (470 millimetres), the riding position is not overly sporty. The short stem and the wide, heavily offset handlebars compensate for the long main frame somewhat and make the handling extremely direct. The rear end bobs slightly on the climbs, but can be stabilised using a shock platform.

Photo: Wolfgang Watzke We have already ridden the top version of the Define 130 through the Serfaus bike park and were surprised at how confident the trail bike is on the descents. Nasty root passages, steep sections or even larger jumps do not lure the Define 130 out of its reserve. The bike with just 130 millimetres of travel at the rear can even hold its own against some all-mountain or enduro bikes on descents. Despite the long reach in size M (470 millimetres), the riding position is not overly sporty. The short stem and the wide, heavily offset handlebars compensate for the long main frame somewhat and make the handling extremely direct. The rear end bobs slightly on the climbs, but can be stabilised using a shock platform.

Absolute novelty: the frame length (the reach) is variable

As a representative of radical, modern geometries, NS Bikes is in line with the current trend of building longer and slacker mountain bikes. The Define 130 in size M already has a reach of 470 millimetres, which is well above the usual values of the competition. For all bikers who do not follow the modern geometry quite so radically, NS Bikes has built the head tube into a kind of tapered bush. The cone bushing can be mounted in the head tube in two directions and can thus shorten the reach by exactly ten millimetres. The 65.5 degree head angle (Define 130) and the rest of the geometry remain untouched.

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The tapered bush in the head tube makes the reach adjustable by ten millimetres. It is held in the frame via the Ahead clamp of the headset and a slight press fit of the components. The extremely long geometry can thus be shortened in a few simple steps.

Photo: Wolfgang Watzke The tapered bush in the head tube makes the reach adjustable by ten millimetres. It is held in the frame via the Ahead clamp of the headset and a slight press fit of the components. The extremely long geometry can thus be shortened in a few simple steps.