Garishly coloured paintwork, arched look: Corratec is famous for polarising with unconventional concepts. This year's in-house exhibition, to which Corratec invited dealers and the press, was dominated by simple shapes and colours. Are the Bavarians running out of courage? "Not at all!", laughs PR manager Günther Schoberth-Schingenstein: "The flashy colours have become less. But we are now establishing the hardfullies segment."
Hardfullies? What Schoberth-Schwingenstein is referring to is a type of bike that falls somewhere between a classic hardtail and full suspension. Touring bikes with sparse suspension that offer propulsion on the one hand, but also a certain level of comfort on the other. The current "Inside Link", which has been on sale since this season, was the first of its kind: firm rear end, 65 millimetres of suspension travel, rear suspension characteristics dependent on chain tension. A full-throttle bike for sporty rides and marathons. Now the further development: the "Inside Link 10 Hz" - Hertz, the unit for frequency. The first prototypes have already been on show at a number of festivals.
It's all in the rubber
Two tiny elastomers make the difference. In contrast to the current "Inside Link", a type of rubber buffer is fitted upstream of the damper. This is intended to improve the breakaway torque of the air damper and also to filter out fine vibrations, such as those that occur when riding quickly over roots or gravel stones. A second rubber buffer dampens the rebound.
Sounds pretty purist. But Corratec developer Luca Burzio is completely convinced of his invention: "This technology is standard in cars," he says and asks you to press gently on the saddle. And indeed. The rubber buffer reacts to the slightest finger pressure. Clever: The system can be combined with all standard shock absorbers using an adapter. "No Fully on the market can react to small, fast impacts like the Inside Link 10 Hz," says Burzio confidently.
Off to the test drive
Could you go for a ride? "Of course," says Burzio and takes a prototype with a 120-millimetre rear triangle out of his office. Officially, there is no production-ready bike yet. However, the Inside Link 10 Hz is due to be launched on the market in autumn. The prototype is close to series production, confirms Burzio. So get on the saddle and head off-road. The Corratec premises are idyllically surrounded by gently undulating hills in the foothills of the Alps. The perfect testing ground.
The geometry of the frame is sporty, but the mounted stub stem softens the riding position somewhat towards an enduro style. However, this hardly detracts from the climbing ability. The bike masters even the steepest climbs without rearing up. The rear suspension remains remarkably calm. It wakes up from its lethargy on the ups and downs of the trail. It reacts sensitively, but feels firm overall. Marathon riders will find this pleasant, but enduro riders will probably need to get used to it.
There is no discernible difference to the current Inside Link without 10 Hz technology, despite focussing on feeling the new product so passionately presented by Corratec. It is only when you hold your finger against the rubber buffer that you realise that it is working diligently the whole time.
Conclusion
Fast, tightly sprung all-mountain fully with a wide range of uses. For riders who find hardtails too hard and classic fullies too soft. Only a laboratory test can clarify whether the 10 Hz technology actually makes touring faster and safer. As soon as the production version is available, we will test it in detail. The bikes in the 10 Hz series should be on sale from autumn. Prices start at 2699 euros. The frames are initially only available in aluminium.
