BIKE: High Pivot seems to be the order of the day in downhill. Trek switched its Session to High Pivot some time ago, and now Canyon has done the same with the Sender. I remember an early FREERIDE test from 2016 with you. Even back then, the high pivot bikes were the fastest in the test. Have big bikes without a high pivot become obsolete?
Marcus Klausmann: No, they're not obsolete. Take a look at the Frameworx, the Specialized, Santa Cruz or YT. Or even the Atherton. In other words, bikes without a high pivot are still competitive.
So is high pivot more fashion than a cinematic must-have?
You can't say that either. High Pivot has been around for a long time. I raced downhill bikes with high pivot early on. But high pivot also has its advantages and disadvantages. Today, high pivot designs are of course much more sophisticated and better. In the 2016 test, I had already realised that the advantages of Bulls and Commencal outweighed the disadvantages.
What would they be?
The advantages: The chain has much less chain tension. With High Pivot, the wheel lift curve is different - it does not run in an arc, but first to the rear and then in an arc. The rear wheel can therefore avoid obstacles better. Disadvantage: You have chainstay elongation during compression. This is still good when braking, but it's a disadvantage when cornering because you can't turn as quickly. This used to be the main disadvantage of high-pivot systems. But the designers have now got to grips with this better. On the other hand, when I went back to riding conventional bikes, I sometimes liked them better because they give more feedback and feedback from the ground. High-pivot bikes, on the other hand, felt rather "dead" - sluggish!
They stuck to the ground too much and travelled every wave. That makes them slow again. But even that can't be generalised. Some manufacturers like Commencal have this under control. They don't ride sluggishly at all. Others have that high-pivot feeling from the early days, like the Norco that we tested together in Todtnau years ago. I would therefore be very interested to know how the new Canyon transmitter shows how the high-pivot idea was realised here.
So you mean: High Pivot doesn't have to be.
That's right: high pivot doesn't have to be. Take a look at the Atherton - it's an absolute World Cup winning machine and the simplest system. That's why: Bikes without a high pivot are definitely not sidelined.
High Pivot puts pressure on the scales. The Canyon Sender and comparable bikes weigh around 18 kilos.
That's right. But weight no longer plays a major role in today's bikes. Look at Fort William! The racers there all stick half a kilo to a kilo of lead under their bottom bracket to get that e-bike feeling. The e-bike has brought people back to weight and they have realised that weight is not such a bad thing. But it's also true that weight makes you sluggish, you have to move weight and you need power to do that. Nevertheless, a heavier bike is preferable to the racer today, because it is more stable, safer and gives more control. Weight can even be an advantage when jumping, because a heavier bike flies through the air with more stability.
Especially as the jumps are getting fatter and fatter when I think of Red Bull Hardline or Darkfest.
These are now motocross distances. A lightweight bike will blow you away much faster.
Knowledge to show off: What is High Pivot and how does it work?
Origin
High-pivot designs were originally used in motorbike racing before being adopted in mountain biking. This technology is known for its ability to improve off-road responsiveness and traction, a concept that lent itself well to bikes ridden in extreme and technical terrain.
Inspired by this, bike designers adopted high-pivot kinematics for downhill bikes as early as the 1990s. Prominent example: Nico Vouilloz's V Process. The revival of high-pivot bikes was fuelled by the bike label Commencal. Commencal used the Supreme DH high-pivot downhiller so successfully in the World Cup that a hype arose around the kinematics. Suddenly all racers wanted high-pivot bikes and the fashion even spilled over into the enduro and trail categories, which was now possible thanks to the single chainrings, as chain guidance via a pulley is only practicable with one chainring.
The principle
If a bike with a low pivot point compresses, the rear triangle becomes shorter during compression and the chain consequently longer. In contrast to this: High pivot rear triangles. Here the rear triangle becomes longer. As a result, the chain also wants to shorten and chain pull occurs, which pulls the pedal back uncomfortably (pedal kickback). Countermeasure: chain deflection. If, however, the chain is placed around the pivot point by means of a roller, the chain length remains the same. Therefore, there are no more problems with pedal kickback. Another advantage: This deflection decouples the chassis when pedalling.
Advantages of high-pivot kinematics
- Better obstacle overcoming: High-pivot designs allow the rear wheel to move in a path that can roll over obstacles better. In other words: more control.
- Reduced chain pull (pedal kickback): The raised chain run and the use of a deflection roller minimise the chain tension, which enables a smoother ride.
- More traction: The axle path of a high-pivot bike can improve traction, especially under braking and in technical sections.
Disadvantages of high-pivot kinematics
- Complexity and maintenance: The idler pulley increases friction
- Weight: The additional hardware, such as pulleys, can increase the overall weight of the bike.
- Cost-effectiveness: Due to the more complex design, bikes with high-pivot kinematics can be more expensive.
This might also interest you
+ The new Canyon Sender 2025
+ The high pivot reference: Commencal Supreme DH
+ The top shots in May. You have to see them!
Dimitri Lehner
Editor
