Tomac Supermatic: new 26er-Fully
In-house development is time-consuming, but necessary. After all, the name Tomac rules out serving up mass-produced Far East goods. The developers tried out 30 damper set-ups on the new Supermatic until they found the right set-up for their own rear suspension system, which they called "IAS". This is now: low compression, maximum sensitivity, high riding comfort. In order to manufacture the carbon frame, an extensive specification sheet had to be worked through and a suitable manufacturer had to be found. The specifications for the new 120-millimetre Supermatic fully (All Mountain Sport category) sound familiar: higher stiffness with lower weight, sensitive suspension function with the greatest possible drive neutrality. Tomac boss Joel Smith promises that all goals have been achieved.
The main frame and rear triangle are made of carbon fibre, small triangles and box-shaped struts provide stiffness, which is also ensured by the absence of a pivot point above the dropout (the struts provide the flex). The chainstays and down tube are protected from damage by baffles and impact protection, so nothing should stand in the way of tough trail use. The Supermatic suspension weighs 2.3 kilos with shock and is therefore on a par with a Trek Fuel EX Carbon. Two equipment variants are planned, prices are not yet fixed. With 120 millimetres of travel, Tomac's new 29er with the name Diplomat is in a niche. The suspension travel is (still) unusually long for a (still) limited target group. Based on experience, the 120 mm in combination with the large wheels should feel like a real all-mountain bike.
John Tomac himself says: "I have the most fun riding the Diplomat out of all our bikes!" The development effort would have paid off.
Tomac Diplomat: new 29er fully
In addition to the large wheels, the Diplomat also has a low step-through. The chassis largely corresponds to that of the Supermatic, but the frame is made of aluminium, not carbon. Tomac states a weight of 3.1 kilos. In terms of geometry, the developers paid attention to particularly short chainstays, while the 71 mm steering angle is intended to provide manoeuvrable handling. The tyre clearance is large and designed for tyres up to 2.5 inches wide.
Clever detail: Tomac has adapted the red guide plate to prevent chain jamming on the bottom bracket from the company K-Edge. However, it also fits other bikes.
