Whether for mountain bikes or e-mountain bikes, modern geometries are becoming ever more extreme and steering angles ever slacker. This brings advantages on steep and fast trails, but also disadvantages in terms of handling. As a solution, Syntace introduced the K.I.S. (Keep it stable) steering assistant under chief developer Jo Klieber last year.
Our test showed that the system has several advantages. The steering with return force, which is already familiar from cars, is unfamiliar on a bike at first. However, the improved handling at low speeds uphill and the increased traction and control downhill proved Klieber right. Now a new iteration of the K.I.S. system is about to be released.
"Retrofittable for almost everyone" - Jo Klieber on the new K.I.S in an interview
EMTB: You presented the K.I.S. steering assistant for the first time a year ago. How has the system been received?
JO KLIEBER: Everyone sees the blatant advantages in terms of function. While a high-end shock might make a bike 5 per cent better, the K.I.S. makes it 10 to 20 per cent better.
We clearly felt the influence in our driving tests. Why is the industry struggling with this?
Precisely because K.I.S. is so ground-breaking, many manufacturers try to talk the system down at first. Because if such an idea is not yours and not freely available, then it is to your economic disadvantage.
When will the big breakthrough come?
In the future, it will no longer be possible to sell steering systems without restoring force. We can see this in the other driving, swimming and aeroplane classes. We are currently working on a second retrofittable version of K.I.S., which brings the breakthrough much closer.
What is it all about?
This new K.I.S. offers three decisive advantages: It can be adapted more closely to your riding style, with very harmonious support. It can be switched on and off. This is important so that everyone can directly perceive the drastic differences in comparison. And the most important thing: the new K.I.S. can be retrofitted to almost all bikes.
How do you think K.I.S. will continue to influence the development of the mountain bike?
We can already see how the geometry can be thought of much more freely. A bike with K.I.S. and an extreme 60-degree steering angle rides better than a bike without K.I.S. with 64 degrees.
Where do you still see potential in the development of (e-)mountain bikes?
With the engine, we have broken out of the constraints that we had imposed on ourselves through tradition. But we are still learning too little from other industries. From motorbikes, for example, but also from others.
Are there any specific points that you would take over from the motorbike?
Take weather protection, for example: no motocrosser can ride without mudguards. It even looks stupid without them. It's the same with lights. Thanks to the integrated battery, you could do a lot more and better than just plugging in any lights from the accessories afterwards. Motor and software: I can't go into too much detail here, but I believe that the software alone could be used to build a motor for e-mountainbikes that would allow us to tackle much more difficult terrain than we do now. And not just the trial champions of this world á la Danny MacAskill or Tom Öhler, but every normal biker.
Jo Klieber - the tinkerer from Tacherting
The man behind Liteville and Syntace stands for the combination of lightweight construction and durability like no other. With Liteville, Jo Klieber proved for years that aluminium bikes can still be competitively light even in the age of carbon. His fatigue and crash tests for frames and components set standards. Today, he shares the brand shares in Syntace and Liteville with off-road motorcycle specialist Pierer, which has acquired a 70 per cent stake in Liteville and Syntace. The group is behind KTM Motorrad, GasGas and Husqvarna, among others. Pre-development and patents, and therefore also the rights to the K.I.S., remain with the inventor Klieber at Jo Klieber GmbH.
Adrian Kaether
Editor
