Review: The Digit Datum & Its Integrated 'Analog' Suspension

Sep 26, 2022
by Alicia Leggett  
I get excited about passion projects. Anytime I see someone create something totally new and different from the bike designs we've come to take for granted, it's hard not to be pulled in. So, naturally, when we noticed the sleek and unique Digit Datum, I didn't want to pass up the opportunity to ride it.

Digit is a small operation run by Tim Lane of Irvine, California. Tim has roots in several corners of the bike industry, but most recently has created his very own so-called Analog suspension design, which uses a strut housed in the top tube in place of a more traditional system.
Digit Datum Details

• Wheel size: 29" / 27.5" mixed
• Aluminum frame
• Travel: 140 mm / 150 mm or 160 mm fork
• 65-degree head angle
• 435 mm chainstays
• Sizes: S, M, L (tested), XL
• Weight: 28.6 lb / 13.0 kg
• Price: $3,500 - $3,700 USD
digitbikes.com

The design came to life for a few reasons: for one thing, Tim likes simplicity. Fewer suspension components means less weight and fewer bearings, bushings, and pivots than the Datum's more traditional counterparts. Tim says that also makes the bike stiffer because there are fewer places for the system to flex. To make this thing happen, Tim ran a successful Kickstarter campaign, raising $89,386 to bring the bike to production. I'm clearly not the only one who was intrigued.

While the shock looks miniature at first glance, there's actually much more to it than meets the eye. It extends about halfway up inside the top tube, with the air valve, compression switch, and rebound adjuster poking out of the middle of the top tube.

At the moment, the Datum is available only as a frameset for $3,500 USD or in custom anodized colors for $3,700. There's a good chance that Digit will offer complete builds in the future, but supply chain issues at the moment mean that complete bikes would have very long lead times. My build came with a SRAM GX AXS drivetrain, Spinergy MXX 30 wheels, and a Manitou Mezzer fork, putting the complete build weight at 28.6 lb / 13.0 kg.

The Datum is available now for order online, and Tim is just beginning to send out the first production models.



bigquotesThis bike is very, very light for its category, and I find it impressive that it manages to provide traction and damping similar to a design with many more moving parts. Alicia Leggett




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Frame Details

I've been riding a pre-production frame from Digit's pilot run, so my comments may not be fully applicable to the production run. Still, the frame I received has space and bosses for two water bottle cages (extra space in the front triangle being one of the biggest advantages of this design) inside the front triangle plus one below, rubber frame protection on the chainstay, and rubber internal routing ports.

The 12"-long strut provides not only suspension but also structural support. It extends up into the frame and has large oil and air volumes in order to provide consistent damping throughout the full travel range.

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Thorough, user-friendly frame details like water bottle bosses, chainstay protection, and internal routing.

The bike has an emphasis on longevity and serviceability, with a suspension design that can be fully maintained by a competent home mechanic, requiring no special tools. Digit will also offer mail-in services, and each frame will come with a voucher for its first mail-in shock service.

Other details include a SRAM universal derailleur hanger and a Cane Creek press-fit bottom bracket, which comes with the frame.

In terms of sustainability, Digit points out that the most environmentally friendly parts are the ones not manufactured, purchased, and used, so the minimalist design has some roots in sustainability, too. For those parts that do come into existence, Digit uses aluminum and build its frames in California, where a significant portion of the state's electricity comes from renewable sources.

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The rear triangle uses an interesting asymmetric design.


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Geometry & Sizing


The Digit Datum is available in sizes S, M, L, and XL. The L frame I tested has a 1239 mm wheelbase, 480 mm reach, and 649 mm top tube. The head tube angle is 65° on the M, L, and XL sizes and 64.5° on the S, and all the sizes share a 75° seat tube angle and 435 mm chainstays.

Note that the relatively slack seat tube angle creates more space at the front of the bike than an average 480 mm reach bike these days - the top tube length of 649 mm is approaching lengths found typically on XL frames.

Digit recommends the M frame for riders 5'5" to 5'9" and the L frame for riders 5'9" to 6'1". At my 5'10" height, I fit neatly into the size chart for the L frame, but after spending some time on it, I recommend that anyone in doubt size down. Update: Digit has revised their sizing recommendations - the current suggested sizes can be viewed here.

I felt right on the cusp of what felt comfortable for me. The reach is right in my ideal ballpark for modern bikes, but the 75° seat tube angle sat me back far enough that the front end of the bike felt too far away from me, making me hyperaware that the seat tube angle was slacker than what I prefer. That feeling of being stretched out toward the front of the bike was exacerbated by a low 623 mm stack and 110 mm head tube.

I asked Tim about the seat tube angle and he explained that the seat tube angle isn't steeper because to steepen it he'd either have to reposition the upper pivot, which would change the linkage behavior, or give up the uninterrupted seat tube, which is nice because it accepts long dropper posts.

All of that said, most of the geometry is spot-on, especially for rolling terrain rather than the ride-up-to-ride-down style that we tend to have in more gravity-oriented zones.


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Suspension Design

The obvious talking point about this bike is the suspension design. Tim created the Analog suspension design - named because the strut is an analog of the rocker link typically found at the top of a standard four-bar design.

Essentially, the idea behind the design is that compared to a more conventional dual-link, four-bar design, the upper link assembly is replaced by a strut that's housed in the top tube, and the lower link is placed right behind the bottom bracket. The rear triangle is a single piece, and unlike in many traditional designs that see the upper shock link moving in an arc, the strut is designed so that the rear triangle moves in a straight line relative to the front triangle - a slider, rather than a pivot.

The idea is to keep the instant center from wandering too much, keeping the suspension feeling consistent throughout its travel.

The leverage ratio averages a low 2:1 - the shock moves a full 70 mm as the bike moves through its 140 mm of travel. Both anti-squat and anti-rise are moderate and seem aimed at doing just enough but not too much to quiet the bike down.

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Test Bike Setup

To set up the Datum for my proportions and preferences, I slammed the seat forward as far as I could to account to reduce the influence of the relatively slack seat angle. Otherwise, everything else stayed pretty neutral.

I ran the strut with 155 psi and the rebound just a little bit out from the fastest setting. (There isn't a firm end point on the rebound adjuster so it's not realistic to specify clicks.) The strut is accessed where the air valve and adjuster dial poke out of the top tube, and there's a five-position low-speed compression switch and a rebound adjuster at the center of the compression switch that's movable using a 3 mm alley key. That's less adjustment than is available on many of the most popular high-end shocks these days, but Tim says the damping and the amount of adjustment provided by the compression lever can be custom-tuned, and he may offer that as a service to his customers. As set up right now, the compression adjustment is subtle enough that for the most part, I didn't touch the lever mid-ride.


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Alicia Leggett
Location: Bellingham, WA, USA
Age: 26
Height: 5'10" / 178cm
Inseam: 33" / 84cm
Weight: 148 lbs / 67 kg
Industry affiliations / sponsors: None
Instagram: @alicelego_

I spent time riding the bike first in Whistler, then in Bellingham, and most recently in Utah.


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Climbing


As mentioned above, it took me a bit of tinkering to set up the Datum the way I wanted it, but once I moved the seat forward and sped up the rebound, the bike climbed nicely. Its behavior was very quiet while seated, and there was just a bit of bobbing when mashing on the pedals. On loose, even grades and on choppier trails, the bike held traction nicely, feeling sensitive without giving up too much efficiency.

I didn't love the slack seat tube angle, mainly because it moved my pedaling position far enough back (even with the saddle slammed forward) that the front of the bike felt a bit stretched out. At times, I struggled to feel like I had enough authority over both the front and back ends of the bike at once. I also ended up perched at the nose of the saddle quite a bit, which isn't my preferred position, and required me to be much more dynamic moving forward and backward over the bike than I would be on a bike with a more compact feel.

That said, despite the long top tube, the wheelbase isn't actually any longer than average for a size L bike with mixed wheel sizes, and the bike itself felt fine when maneuvering through twisty sections of trail and up stair steps - as long as I made sure I was in a position to put down power.

On more moderate terrain, especially once I moved down to the Utah desert for a few weeks, the stretched-out position was less noticeable than on some of my climb-steep-to-descend-steep rides in the Northwest. When in flatter, rolling terrain, which required dynamic movement over the bike all the time anyway, the pedaling position felt reasonable. I still found myself perched at the front of the saddle when climbing, but was out of the saddle enough that the forward and backward movement that I felt the bike required felt very natural. And, the slightly slacker seat tube angle meant that flat sections of trail didn't roll too much of my weight forward, which can sometimes contribute to arm, wrist, and hand discomfort on bikes with very steep seat tube angles.


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Descending

My experience descending on the Datum was pretty similar to my experience climbing: the suspension performance is quite good, and the geometry is more niche, working well for me in some places and less well in others. When pointed downhill, the Analog suspension does its job precisely, soaking up both small and large hits in a variety of terrain, staying extremely predictable and holding traction nicely.

When the trails got steep, I wished for a higher front end, as the stack is on the short side. That meant that despite the respectable 65-degree head tube angle, I still felt pulled forward over the front wheel in a way that made me feel slightly uneasy. That feeling disappeared, however, once I left the Northwest, and I loved the sporty feel of the bike and the descending position once I was hopping around on choppy, rocky desert trails. It shines on technical cross-country trails that require a very dynamic riding style, and it provided plenty of forgiveness on awkward drops to flat, natural rock doubles, and ledgy stair-steps, both up and down.

While the bike is, in many ways, a generalist - its 140 mm of rear travel, 160 mm fork, and light weight make it a reasonable choice for a variety of terrain, and it'll certainly work on steep all-mountain trails and flatter trail systems alike - I felt happiest on trails with more meandering ups and downs than on the "get up to get down" rides.

I need to mention the sizing caveat again, since I think the size L frame that I rode will feel most natural for riders with long torsos or those taller than me. Being at what I consider the bottom of the proper sizing for that frame (according to me, not the size chart, which puts me in the middle), I was more bothered by the extra space between the slack seat tube and the low front end than taller riders likely would be. For my part, I'd happily take the Datum down any trail bike trail, but I'd be inclined to install some higher rise bars, and possibly an even shorter stem to improve the fit. I have no doubt that those changes would give this bike a chargier feel when pointed downhill.

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Digit Datum
HyperFocal 0
Santa Cruz 5010


How Does It Compare?

The most similar bike to the Datum I've ridden recently is the new Santa Cruz 5010, which sports 130 mm of rear travel paired with a 140 mm fork on mullet wheels - so 10 mm smaller than the Datum in terms of rear travel, but with a similar ride feel. However, the Datum has a slightly longer reach and a significantly lower stack, making the riding position feel more strung out than the 5010's - which is compounded by the Datum's seat tube angle being slacker than that of the 5010. Suspension performance is similar on the two bikes, with the Datum giving a bit more sensitivity and the 5010 falling on the more efficient, firmer side of the spectrum. Ounces to ounces, the Datum beats the 5010's weight by 2.4 lbs (1.1 kg).

Compared to my current favorite 140 mm bike, the Propain Hugene, the Datum is a tad more maneuverable, feels slightly more sensitive in its travel, and positions the rider a bit lower over the bike. The Hugene rolls on dual 29" wheels and has a steeper seat tube angle, more stack height, and a marginally steeper head tube angle than the Datum, positioning the rider over rather than in the bike but keep the riding position centered in a way that makes both the front and back of the Hugene very easy to manage and creates a very composed feel. The Datum has a pretty similar riding position, but while the Hugene feels as if it skips in straight lines over the terrain, the Datum wants to be pumped through compressions and maneuvered through all the twists and turns on the trail, giving it a more engaging, rather than quiet feel. The 31.2 lb / 14.2 kg Hugene build that we tested weighs 2.6 lbs (1.2 kg) more than the Datum.

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Technical Report

The Digit Datum will initially be sold as a frameset only, so these comments aren't necessarily relevant to buyers' decisions and discussion of parts-for-money value, but, like on any bike, the parts did influence my experience of the ride, so I'll still mention the highlights.

OneUp cockpit: I've been wanting to try the OneUp cockpit for quite a while, so I'm glad I had the opportunity to try the bar and stem on the Datum. The bar and stem combo are quite light, which of course help contribute to the bike's overall low weight, and they feel very comfortable to ride. While there are so many variables at the front of a bike and it's tough to exactly determine how a particular cockpit setup contributes to the overall feel of the ride, I have absolutely no complaints about how the carbon bar felt, and since the ride felt appropriately dampened and precise, I can only assume that the system did its job flawlessly.

SQlab 611 saddle: The SQlab saddle is one that I'm always excited to see on a bike, since it's my all-time favorite. Tim warned us when he sent the bike over that the shape may be polarizing, but maybe I was lucky in that it suits me. SQlab places heavy emphasis on designing products that are "physiologically correct" and work with, not against, the body's natural movement to support longevity on the bike, plus help prevent saddle contact zone and back pain. While I'm not a physiologist or someone who can really evaluate what SQlab claims to do, I can say for sure that SQlab products tend to be tried-and-true winners for me.

Integer strut: And then, of course, there's that strut. It took me a while to make up my mind about the Analog suspension design, mainly because it's up against some serious competition. Mountain bike shocks are so, so good today. What can a simpler, more eccentric newcomer do? The strut did its job, maintaining traction and cushioning the ride on par with some of the other light trail shocks out there. In terms of feel, there's a smaller range of adjustment than most high-end shocks out there, but Tim is open to custom-tuning for his customers. As is, there's quite a bit of compression making the shock feel a bit less plush than most of the competition, and I had to run the rebound quite fast to make it feel composed and responsive. There's a compression adjustment switch that is extremely subtle, but again, that's custom-tunable. In short, the strut with its base tune should work well for most riders who run average, middle-road settings, and the custom-tuning option is great to have, but the design doesn't offer quite the same range of adjustments we're used to seeing.

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Pros

+ Lightweight
+ Unique, effective design that distills common suspension concepts to a simple form
+ Balanced, trail bike-y feel

Cons

- Slack seat angle and low stack height creates a more stretched out riding position
- Small range of rear suspension adjustment options




Pinkbike's Take

bigquotesThe Digit Datum is something totally different, and I'm glad that it exists. While the geometry is a smidge off from my ideal, the bike does a good job of taking all the essential suspension characteristics - springy, well damped, and predictable - and putting those in a very lightweight, streamlined package. Digit deserves serious kudos for accomplishing that without any major sacrifices, and trail bike riders whose preferences and bodies suit a slack STA, short stack, and long top tube may well find the Digit Datum to be right up their alley. Alicia Leggett


Author Info:
alicialeggett avatar

Member since Jun 19, 2015
743 articles

329 Comments
  • 186 4
 You gotta admit...those are some clean lines aesthetically speaking.
  • 71 2
 Preach, @preach!
  • 79 4
 Well, yeah... But if it can't take 4 water bottles I'm not interested.
  • 14 35
flag DirtBagTim (Sep 26, 2022 at 10:19) (Below Threshold)
 @bigtim: comment of the year contender, right here.
  • 9 4
 Why is it not called the acoustic?
  • 11 2
 @Compositepro: hmmm. Well it is a very quiet bike.

If I made an e-bike version it would be louder, so maybe I'd have to call it the Digit Acoustic, with Analog suspension. tup
  • 13 0
 @Compositepro: my immediate name thought was stump thruster, but the big S may not like that.
  • 10 19
flag flattire (Sep 26, 2022 at 12:18) (Below Threshold)
 Clean lines at the expense of reliability. They tried MacPherson strut style frames in the mid 90s. The side loads on the shock will kill them over time. Happened to me. I'd much prefer an additional link to give the bike longevity. No for me, dog.
  • 5 0
 @DirtBagTim: found bigtim's alias account
  • 21 0
 @flattire: All of the old Mac Strut bikes I'm aware of used regular-ish shocks, without bushings to deal with the side loads (shock marketing materials sometimes improperly use the word bushing when referring to glide rings, which are really only intended to keep seals from burping out of their glands). The Integer strut uses linear bearing//bushings like in a fork, there's more info here: digitbikes.com/integer
  • 6 55
flag prj71 (Sep 26, 2022 at 12:40) (Below Threshold)
 @flattire: Yup. Poorly thought out design. This bike will be forgotten in a year.
  • 14 0
 @prj71: hi, dude from MTBR! How you doing?
  • 26 1
 @prj71: as poorly thought out as all telescopic forks?
  • 24 3
 Love the look of this frame! Unfortunately, the lack of Kashima coating will hold back my riding to an unacceptable level, otherwise I would be all over this!
  • 7 0
 @VtVolk: ~ Doesn't Chain Reaction sell kashima coat in a spray bottle now ~ I coulda sworn it ~ they had it with the VPP polish and single pivot alignment tools.
  • 5 24
flag shredddr (Sep 26, 2022 at 13:11) (Below Threshold)
 more like digit rectum, amirite?
  • 2 15
flag flattire (Sep 26, 2022 at 13:29) (Below Threshold)
 @DirtBagTim: Great, so the frame requires a proprietary shock. Is it as good as the big boys? FOX, RS, etc? Probably not. The link mentions nothing about beefing up the shock for mac-strut duties.
  • 9 1
 @flattire: here's some more discussion of how/why I think it's better than a shock from the big boys: betamtb.com/news-issues/why-its-ok-that-the-digit-datum-has-a-proprietary-rear-shock

Sorry, I sent you the wrong link about the bushings earlier. It should've been this: digitbikes.com/analog
  • 1 3
 @shredddr: oh dear, I can’t unsee that now.
  • 1 0
 Oooooooooooooooo
  • 6 0
 Cannondale acquisition and here is your next scalpel
  • 8 0
 @usedbikestuff: I used a Lefty/headshock slider in an early prototype. It was overkill, the loads weren't nearly enough to warrant it and it took up space which I instead chose to fill with a bigger, better damper and air spring.
  • 3 2
 @DirtBagTim: I mean you pretty much took system integration and said ‘cute’ for trying. I’m sure someone there drew this on a napkin.
  • 3 0
 @usedbikestuff: ha ha, I do have that 30mm BB axle (which Cannondale introduced) right at the heart of my linkage.
  • 6 0
 The black Datum in the review is so stealthy that it's hard to photograph well. I just got the first bright frames from the anodizer, the colors really pop in the sunlight, check 'em out in the video here: tinyurl.com/mvtx8c8k
  • 3 0
 @DirtBagTim: That purple is the bee's knees!
  • 1 0
 @therealmancub: there was debate around my kitchen table this morning over whether this made the purple better or worse: instagram.com/p/CjJBXOFJTE9/?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y
  • 1 0
 @DirtBagTim: with oil slick everything else
  • 1 0
 @lardo: please send photos when you build it up!
  • 1 0
 @lardo: if you're into oil-slick, you might like this one: instagram.com/p/CkSI19fOPsu
  • 109 7
 If it's only available as a frameset why not swap out the cockpit to a higher rise bar / stem in order to get the stack where you wanted it? Also really seems that after some riding you should have parked the review till you could get your hands on a medium. So much of the review is tainted by poor fit.

For a small start-up this is the one shot at nailing a review and getting the most eyeballs on a review it's going to get...and it's the wrong size frame. Seems they should have gone the extra mile and got the tester the right size frame.

From a frame design standpoint it's going to suck to have your geometry dictated by that suspension upper pivot location. Already behind the norm on seat tube angle. How is it going to allow a 160mm travel frame if it can't change the seat tube angle to allow it to be steeper to account for sag and modern geometry.
  • 49 1
 The upper suspension pivot is located where it is because the prototypes were made using a rear triangle borrowed from an older Bronson. In future iterations I'll have more freedom to locate the upper pivot, I appreciate that a 160mm enduro frame will warrant that. Personally I've found riding all-day all-mountian/trail bikes with very steep STA's makes my arms tired - I might just be too heavy and weak. I'm 6'0"and ride size L with my saddle in the middle of the rails.
  • 33 0
 Looking at Alicia's bio, she and I have the same inseam, but I'm 2" taller. This would explain the different fit sensation - I definately feel you on being the small start-up with one shot at nailing the review.
  • 14 2
 @DirtBagTim: Also, the steeper the seat angle, the closer to out of the saddle muscle group activation. Not ideal IMO.
  • 15 2
 I'm 5'10'' and the numbers of the medium size frame are right up my alley.
It does sound like Alicia would have been better off with a smaller frame.

ST angles steeper than 75° really are not that great for everybody.
  • 5 6
 Unfortunately the seat tube Angle is a dealbreaker for me. 470-480 with an ett under 535 imo seems like the standard for a large with good reason. @DirtBagTim:
  • 3 0
 @DirtBagTim: The build you sent out is incredibly light, but @alicialegget never mentioned frame weight. Do you know what it is in size L?
  • 16 0
 @DirtBagTim: Regarding steep stas: You're not the only one, Tim.
Another reason this platform would be amazing as a 120/130 bike where some of the sta slackening that happens on steep climbs is mitigated by the reduced travel.

Either way, awesome to see a design that's legitimately trying to do some things differently!
  • 4 0
 Digit could have also stocked the bike with a fork with a longer head tube and some extra spacers, so if Alicia moved some from the top to the bottom of the stem she would have both shortened the (effective) reach and elevated the cockpit. I know it would have made for awful pictures, but when sendig a bike to be tested I'd say the testers would have appreciated the extra customization possiblities.
  • 7 3
 @southoftheborder: A short headtube (low stack) enables riders who ride in low angle terrain to weight the front adequately. If the headtube was longer that wouldn’t be a possibility. Someone wanting more stack can always run higher rise bars or more spacers. Maybe all these steep seat angles are reducing people’s hip flexibility...
  • 19 1
 That seat tube angle is the ‘actual’ angle. For actual STA, 75 degrees is miles steeper than almost every enduro bike out there. Most are in low 70’s or high 60’s.

This all means that for taller riders, this STA is likely waaaay better than most production enduro bikes, who deliberately mislead people by only publishing ‘effective’ STA
  • 12 0
 @hamncheez: The large frame, including the strut weighs 6.39lbs / 2.9kg.

It's a nice build but not quite in weight-weenie territory, the carbon bars, Next R cranks are quite light; 1750g wheels are light but not spectaularly so; the Mezzer fork, 210mm dropper, steel rail saddle, EXO+ tires, Code brakes are neither light nor heavy in my book. Looking at the PB reviews of the 5010 and Hugene I'd guess my build parts are heavier.
  • 6 0
 @jclnv: sorry, I made a mistake. I was referring to the fork's steerer, not the headtube. I wrote my previous comment in a hurry, while on the street, and since PB doesn't allow to edit them after posting when I realized it didn't make sense it was too late.

If you feel the stack of a given frame is too low and the reach is too long, you can run more spacers under the stem, and it will effectively shorten the reach and raise the cockpit.
  • 2 0
 @southoftheborder: Makes sense
  • 4 0
 @DirtBagTim: Thats still an incredible weight for not being carbon. I don't think theres a single aluminum frame in that travel bracket that can match it with shock, even with crappy XC shocks!
  • 14 1
 @southoftheborder: I understood that you meant steerer length.

I sent this bike based on a discussion of how it would fit Kaz, it was going to be included in a Field Test. It would've been interesting to see whether fit dominated the roundtable discussion of each riders’ experiences. Since the Mezzer hasn't been well received in PB reviews and because it takes more time to adjust and might be unfamiliar compared to RS/Fox forks, I offered to switch it out for the test, which would've left more uncut steerer, but they said that was unnecessary. I encouraged PB to treat the bike as if it were their own, to cut the handlebars or fit a different stem or contact points if they wanted and warned about the saddle being polarizing.

The Field Test schedule got pushed back a few months however, so the bike was reviewed by Alicia instead. She's actually the first female to ride the production geometry, I realize I probably need to reevaluate the fit suggestions with her experience in mind.

Aside from the fit aspect, this review feels like a win to me. The inventive part of the bike, the new suspension and frame construction, were so well received that they barely warrant special mention, and the shock tune allows it to be dialed in properly with just air pressure and the rebound adjuster. I was pleased to see that Alicia didn’t need to run rebound adjuster full-fast, as this shows that the adjustment range will work for riders who are lighter than 140lbs. I’m about 200lbs and have the adjuster close to the middle of the range, the slow end should work for riders approaching 300lbs. The damping range might be adequate beyond those limits but I didn’t design for that and I’ve not tested it yet, riders beyond these limits typically benefit from custom tuning, which is *relatively* straightforward on the Integer strut.
  • 5 0
 @DirtBagTim: gotcha Tim. I'd like to thank you for all the time and patience you invested here discussing your motivation and ideas behind this bike. I have to admit your answers brought a lot of added value to this review!
  • 5 0
 @southoftheborder: thanks for saying so, it's my pleasure.
I figure that even if all the information is correct and complete going in (which it never is), there's always a chance with any new idea that things will be misunderstood or incorrect assumtions will get made. So it's best for to help get the story straight with the most interested commenters/readers/infulencers before it starts to spread.
  • 2 0
 The black Datum in the review is so stealthy that it's hard to photograph well. I just got the first bright frames from the anodizer, the colors really pop in the sunlight, check 'em out in the video here: tinyurl.com/mvtx8c8k
  • 3 0
 Y'all probably saw it, but I got an absolutely glowing review from someone who fit the bike: www.mbamag-digital.com/mountainbikeaction/may_2023/MobilePagedArticle.action?articleId=1869572#articleId1869572
  • 2 0
 And another with video shreddage over in Vital: www.vitalmtb.com/features/passion-project-vital-rides-digit-datum
  • 51 1
 Can I Digit?
  • 43 0
 Yes you can.
  • 39 0
 Well, I'm gone.
  • 3 1
 It's a boulder approach.
  • 47 7
 Since when is 75* slack for a STA?
  • 16 2
 Fly your freak flag high, Mike.
  • 20 2
 Many bikes end up with a slacker than 75* effective head angle once you raise the seat high. On the Datum the seat tube is welded straight onto the BB shell.
  • 17 2
 2018
  • 7 4
 Since mountains. 77 or so is bang on for rides where there is little to no flat terrain.
  • 12 3
 @wyorider: I won't go so far out on a limb as to say that there are no steeper trails than where I live.

But I'm certain that the trails I ride day-in and day-out are as steep as most people will ever consistently ride. Right on the edge of climbable for even the strongest and most fit riders.

I just had a custom bike built 2 months ago. Largely mirrors the dims of this Digit. 75* STA is what I spec'ed, because that is the best overall compromise.
  • 13 0
 I think the seat tube angle (STA) is a bit of a red herring here. It sounds like the real issue is that the effective top tube (ETT) was too long for the reviewer. It could have also been said that the front-center was too long. BUT, if you're happy with. the wheelbase (front center + rear center), then to shorten then ETT you have to steepen the STA.

Geometry is tough to talk about since all of the numbers are so tightly coupled.
  • 1 0
 Woah dude @mikesee:
  • 8 0
 If only there was a way to offset a seat so people could get the effective STA they want based on size, shape and terrain. Too bad ...the science is impossible.
  • 6 0
 @mikesee: if you have long femurs that works.

Some road and XC pros run aggressive setback seatposts just to get their fit right.

As someone with really average proportions (5’9”, 32” inseam, zero ape index) I’d say a couple degrees steeper than 75 is ideal.

Also, it’s easier to get a setback post than a forward facing one-at least if you’re looking for a dropper.
  • 14 1
 The review doesn’t acknowledge that a 75 actual seat angle is miles steeper than almost every production enduro bike. Most of the angles manufacturers publish are ‘effective’ STA, which is generally a meaningless bullshit number anyway. Chances are, for any rider over 5”11 this bike will put the saddle is a better position than most other brands.
  • 4 0
 @Linc: Yes, but the fact is still that for the reach, the size L has a longer-than-typical effective top tube. So maybe the seat tube angle isn't so bad, but the author's impressions that the bike's fit didn't suit her are still reasonable
  • 1 0
 @DirtBagTim: speaking of which.. what kind of BB is that? I like that bike, looks neat.. could be a fantastic all round trail weapon..
  • 5 0
 @saladdodger: Cane Creek Hellbender 70 (PF41). Here's how it fits together with the suspension: digitbikes.com/concentric-bb
  • 1 0
 @Linc: I reckon you are partially right... 'effective' STA is also a function of stack! So unless your seat tube is a straight line, it's all pretty subjective. As I have short legs and a long torso, my saddle height is usually not that much higher than the top of the head tube - have sketched a few options out and even with an actual STA of 72° and effective STA of 77° for the frame my actual STA is about 76° for what I was trying to do at the time.

If someone has longer legs and a higher saddle, the difference between effective at frame and effective at saddle increases...

A more accurate method for describing seat tube position would be actual angle and perpendicular offset from BB axis, however I think for a lot of people that would be more confusing.
  • 9 2
 Whoa dude… don’t ask that question! As you should know as an avid reader of PB, any STA less than, say, 77 degrees is completely unridable!!!
I noticed that this year in the Alps: the steeps I was able to ride easily on my trusty 2015 bike just two years ago suddenly were not manageable anymore and I had to push… just because the bike mags said a slack STA is impossible these days. These editors are able to use some strange voodoo magic spells to suddenly make all last-year‘s bikes useless!
  • 2 0
 @DirtBagTim: I really dig the bike. I am wondering why you went with PF and not threaded? Not making any implication, just curious.
  • 1 0
 @wyorider: it’s pretty much the same option.

9point8
  • 3 0
 @dirtmcleod: The press fit BB allows the concentric lower link pivot to be very simple. Here's how it fits together digitbikes.com/concentric-bb
The BB shell is thick walled, machined aluminum, which is perfectly suited to press fit, they've been silent and trouble free in testing since 2018.
  • 5 0
 @pmhobson: Agreed. Gotta admit that it seems weird to me that STA is such a big focus on PB reviews. Reminds me of when Mountain Bike Action reviews were fixated on “brake jack” for like three years!
  • 4 0
 @ShopMechanic: @pmhobson: I did a quick drawing of the Hugene geometry to decode its effective-STA. For my 76cm seat height (33” inseam) I plotted the seat angle around 75.6*.
  • 2 0
 @DirtBagTim: I just had an idea. With future reviews, what if you sent them out with a 9point8 dropper? The fall line and fall line r have a lot of adjustability regarding saddle position.

I figured it might make sense given all this microscopic attention to seat angle, without context of the differences between STA and effective STA. But a bit of adjustibikity may help with future reviews...?
  • 2 0
 @trevor-bag: while the 9point8 is adjustable, you need to have clamp parts available to swap out, and take time to make the swap. I fear many/most reviewers wouldn't take the time, they're all kept very busy. I encouraged PB to treat this bike as if it were their own, to cut the handlebars or fit a different stem or contact points. In emails, Alicia told me that she was able to put herself where she wanted to be over the bike by running the saddle forward on the rails, so she didn't make changes.

I sent this bike based on a discussion of how it would fit Kaz, the intent was to include it in the Field Test which is on the front page now, but there was a schedule conflict (my guess is the Yeti embargo). Instead, Alicia got the bike to test and her 2" shorter torso wasn't as great a match (though again, she told me that she was able to put herself where she wanted to be over the bike). I would've loved to hear how it stacks up against the mainstream players in the Field Test, and it would have been interesting to see whether fit dominated the discussion of each riders’ experiences. Anyway, where I'm going with this is that I don't imagine this could happen with future reviews, most other sites have only a few testers on staff and I deal with them personally just as I do with my customers. How's your bike working, Trevor*? *I'm 98% sure you're Trevor the Digit Datum owner. Big Grin Thank you Big Grin .
  • 2 0
 @DirtBagTim:

It's a meee!

Yes so, we just finished getting the frame wrapped, and most of my cockpit finally arrived. Speaking of 9point8 their components are glorious! I'll finally be able to take it out, but sadly it's just in time for my area of Oregon to have 6" of snow.

Soooo almost. I've almost had a chance to ride it. But it looks so good I might just frame it and mount it on the wall instead! JK I'm going to ride the hell out of it
  • 1 0
 Y'all probably saw it, but I got an absolutely glowing review from someone who fit the bike well: www.mbamag-digital.com/mountainbikeaction/may_2023/MobilePagedArticle.action?articleId=1869572#articleId1869572
  • 1 0
 And another with video shreddage over in Vital: www.vitalmtb.com/features/passion-project-vital-rides-digit-datum
  • 34 0
 In a sea of Horst link bikes it's refreshing to see something different. Visually it's a very pleasing frame and this always helps.
  • 29 0
 Awesome job Tim!
  • 16 0
 Thanks!
  • 24 0
 "...and each frame will come with a voucher for its first mail-in shock service." That is an amazing customer service gesture, great move for a new company (and even an established company)!
  • 6 0
 More companies need to offer that, very nice touch! Even better is the idea of making it easily user serviceable.
  • 1 0
 Especially because most need torn down immediately! Thanks for the free slick honey fox!@DylanH93:
  • 16 0
 Definitely one of the coolest bikes I've seen in a while. Also have to appreciate @DirtBagTim dropping all sorts of knowledge in the comments.
  • 10 0
 I think this platform would've been better suited to more of a rowdy, shorter travel trail bike. 130mm rear travel with 140-150mm front, 29er only. Maybe even shorter, like 120mm rear, that could be run with 120mm fork for XC days, or 140mm for trail work. The fact that this bike weighs 28.6lbs with a burly build could yield a 26lbs alloy XC bike - and made in the USA, too.
  • 22 1
 This platform will work for all disciplines, as do Horst link, VPP, Maestro, DW, etc, . I built this 140/160 bike first because that's what I ride most.
  • 4 2
 @DirtBagTim: certainly no fault in building what you like.

I'm just a bit worried that mullets are going out of style and the lightweight construction of this bike will be wasted on most riders who want this style of bike. I feel like the XC crowd is a bit more forgiving of special shock setups and the slacker STA.
  • 9 0
 @PHeller: I wouldn’t worry about mullets going out of style. Seems like it’s past it’s fad phase and is now legitimately part of the standard product line for nearly all bike companies. Hard to find a bike line that doesn’t include mixed wheels or the option for it.
  • 7 0
 @PHeller: If I were a marketing genius I'd probably have thought of that.

I don't think of mullet as being a style thing, I think it's related to size, at 6'0" (taller than average) I find the smaller rear wheel allows me to maneuver the bike on steeps, this isn't an issue for my taller friends, and it's gotta be worse for shorter riders. Both taller and (most) shorter riders appreciate the larger front wheel. It can be difficult to fit a 29" front wheel under the shortest riders, I might offer a 27.5" front wheel if there's demand for a smaller size.
  • 10 0
 "In short, the strut with its base tune should work well for most riders who run average, middle-road settings, and the custom-tuning option is great to have, but the design doesn't offer quite the same range of adjustments we're used to seeing."

Well usually here that's called "set it and forget it". When someone specs an inexpensive fork or shock with few adjustments, it's good, simple, "easy to set up*". But when someone tries something new, and the tune isn't _yet_ exactly what you want, it's a "con"?

*(or really really hard to set up/get dialed, depending on perspective)
  • 21 0
 I see it as a pro rather than a con. I used to work for Rockshox in the late 90's when Boxxers had Homer valves, and SID's had almost as many adjustments as millimeters of travel. I learned that a shock with 1,000,000 possible settings typically has 999,987 incorrect settings.
  • 14 5
 This review was essentially - "I rode a bike the wrong shape for me."

155lbs and 5'10 - probably not what they were thinking for size large - plus taller women have longer legs to torso ratios.

Basically, this isn't a terribly female friendly frame. With a bit more weight, the stiction would also have been less of an issue.
  • 1 5
flag bananowy (Sep 27, 2022 at 9:27) (Below Threshold)
 What do you mean "not what they were thinking for size large"? So their own size chart contradicts what they were thinking? 5'10" is squarely a large according to the chart. And what does weight have to do with bike size? Plus, differences in torso to leg ratio between men and women are a myth that was pushed by marketing departments. Luckily, we've been over that for years now. There is way more variation between individuals regardless of sex than between sexes on average.

The bike isn't just "the wrong shape for Alicia". It's geometry is a bit out of whack for most people. They stuck with the 2015 STA (according to Tim it's because of pivot placement) but still wanted 2022 reach and ended up with too long ETT in every size. Looking at the chart there is no size that would fit me properly both standing and sitting: I'd have to prioritize one. And my dimensions/proportions are perfectly average.
  • 3 1
 @bananowy: I’m 6’ with a large coming. Based on lots of time with a geometry calculator I’ll start with a 33mm stem with 15mm of spacers and a 35mm rise bar, with the saddle forward on the rails 4mm. This puts the bike right at my sweet spot, with the same seated fit as my other bikes but slightly shorter effective reach and higher front end. My effective seat tube angle will be 75 degrees: I have two bikes with 77-78 degree ESTAs that I prefer to get down to 76 by sliding the saddles back. All this to say the geo is spot on if you set it up right. I’d say the 20mm rise bar and 40mm stem made this hard to achieve for a 5’10” rider though.
  • 2 0
 Thanks @jwellford: I feel it's better to design geometry with short seat tubes and short head tubes. It's easy to raise things up by extending the seat post, with headset spacers and higher rise bars; but if a frame is too tall you'd only be able to run a short dropper post and a flat bar.

Not every shape of bike fits every shape of person; just like not every shape of helmet or shoe does. There's little point in building tribal conflicts over whether wide shoes are wrong, or oval helmets, or chamois or flat pedals; just find something that works for you and use that.

I experienced similar resistance when I launched DirtBaggies, people who would never consider wearing any chamois being terribly offended that I'd presented a new kind of underwear for people who wanted better chamois'. If you don't like it, you don't have to wear it, and you'll likely never see it.
  • 1 0
 @AJT123; I don't see any mention of stiction in the review. Could you tell me what led you to think it's an issue?
  • 1 0
 Y'all probably saw it, but I got an absolutely glowing review from someone who fit the bike: www.mbamag-digital.com/mountainbikeaction/may_2023/MobilePagedArticle.action?articleId=1869572#articleId1869572
  • 1 0
 And another with video shreddage over in Vital: www.vitalmtb.com/features/passion-project-vital-rides-digit-datum
  • 12 0
 Hey @alicelego_ what were your thoughts about the Manitou Mezzer on this bike??
  • 8 0
 It’s great on every bike if you set it up correctly and adhere to maintenance intervals
  • 11 0
 Are we ignoring the fact, that it actually is a OneUp cockpit and not a WeAreOne? I am disappointed to not find some geeky pinkbikers complaining about it .... Wink
  • 10 1
 I dunno man, 'Digit' and having that thing going up the frame's bottom is really giving me Dr. Jellyfinger vibes. I mean, cool idea though....
  • 11 1
 The shock goes in through the head tube - that doesn't sound any better does it?
  • 2 0
 @DirtBagTim: I was wondering about that! Presumably the shock has bushings and other wear parts, and I couldn't see how it could be removed for service? It's such a short distance before you'd hit the seat tube... How do you service it?
  • 6 1
 @slimboyjim: It has proper bushings like in a fork (not just the glide rings which are in most shock (though it also has those) there's some info more here: betamtb.com/news-issues/why-its-ok-that-the-digit-datum-has-a-proprietary-rear-shock and here: youtube.com/watch?v=_hCL0W2V9N8
  • 1 2
 @DirtBagTim: Neither of those links explains in any way how you get the shock out for service.
  • 2 0
 @bananowy: It's removed through the front of the frame. Here's Pinkbike's video explanation: youtu.be/fl5O6a3RLvY?t=85
  • 2 0
 @DirtBagTim: To be clear, despite the smartarsery, I think the innovation and design are super cool.
  • 5 0
 Thanks @number44: I didn't know when the review was going to be published. If I'd been first I was going to lead with "Dick Pound".
  • 2 0
 @DirtBagTim: Oh wow, wouldn't have thought of that. Thanks.
  • 1 0
 @DirtBagTim: Thanks - that makes more sense now. I had clocked the head badge and had wondered if that was it! I have to say it looks a very elegant design...
I'm sure I read somewhere that am initial prototype used the internals from a fork? Am I making that up? I could see that some people might be reassured if that was still the case, although I accept it gives you less control and makes you reliant on others...
The only other question I would have is whether you see any wear similar to a clevis mount? I imagine that the longer shock mitigates most of this, but just interested in whether there is much difference in lifespan that you have noticed?
Cheers for the response and congrats on an awesome bike!
  • 1 0
 @slimboyjim: The fork damper reference was in the Beta story. It was helpful as a proof of concept but it didn't really work very well and reduced the air chamber space such that I needed to run 600psi. Get the pressure in there was difficult and though the seals held, it seemed kind of volatile.
  • 3 0
 @slimboyjim: Clevis mounts (yokes), and trunnions have been causing people trouble recently on ‘normal’ bikes because they increase bending leverage on the shock. The problem is that off-the-shelf shocks on ‘normal’ bikes don’t have bushings adequate to manage side loads (they have glide-rings, which marketers sometimes mistake for bushings, but those are mostly intended to keep seals from burping out of their glands). On Analog, the sliding bushings/bearings keep everything coaxial, resisting lateral loads in a similar way to those in a fork leg. They’ve proven just as reliable as my forks (except for when I experimented with a plastic bushing material, that did cause some wear on the slider, but I’m not using that bushing material for production, I’m using metal backed bushings like in a fork (Interestingly, some fork makers used plastic bushings in their production forks for a while, it seems they quickly figured out to not do that too)).

TLDR, the clevis problems aren’t present with Analog because there’s no yoke or trunnion, and the bushings to keep everything working well.
  • 1 0
 @DirtBagTim: Nice! Thanks for the detailed response!
  • 9 0
 Probably the sexiest full suspension bike I have ever seen. Please convince me that the proprietary shock is reliable.
  • 4 15
flag tcmtnbikr (Sep 26, 2022 at 10:14) (Below Threshold)
 @DirtBagTim: Sorry but this diatribe on initial performance did nothing to convince me of reliability or long term serviceability
  • 16 0
 @tcmtnbikr: I understand, this is new, and the only real world test for long term is real world long term testing.
  • 8 0
 Can't wait for this chassis to evolve to fit dual 29" wheels with good mud clearance for a 2.6" tire.
  • 1 0
 Does it fit a 29er now?

Something worth considering: If the same wheel sizes were used on both ends, the STA would be steeper by a degree (76), of course so would the HTA.; add an angleset and call it even.
  • 2 0
 @sanchofula: It doesn't fit a 29" rear wheel (well, maybe with a gravel tire, but don't).
  • 6 0
 I recommend changing to a ZS44|56 headtube to accommodate the use of press-in anglesets to further fine tune geometry to personal tastes. The headtubes will be less expensive as well.
  • 6 1
 Thanks @kperras, ZS is something that's on my list of things to investigate, but safety and reliability motivated my decision to use IS.

There's a hole in the front of the head tube through which the shock is installed/removed. The cross section (and thus hoop strength) of the top/front of the head tube is much greater when using the drop-in IS system.
  • 2 0
 @DirtBagTim: sick bike, love the clean looks, am actually looking for a snappy trail bike, my only question is how do you think it would handle a Clydesdale rider, 270lb range
  • 2 0
 @mtb4matt: The shock requires psi approximately equal to your body weight in lbs, so it's quite easy for heavier riders to get good performance.

Alicia (148lbs) was close to (but not maxxing out) the fast end of the rebound adjust range; I'm about 200lbs close to the middle of the range; you'll need to add a few clicks to make things a bit slower from where I have it.
  • 4 0
 If the rear shock is supported and doesn’t puke (the issue with this design years ago) and the effective STA can be bumped up a couple of degrees and this bike can be a 29er-it’d be compelling.

The potential ability to run 2 bottles and have a straight downtube that doesn’t catch on big ledge up moves would be really nice.
  • 6 0
 There's a 3rd set of waterbottle bosses under the down tube, for if you really it to catch on a ledge ;-D
  • 6 1
 STA only matters if you CAN"T slide the seat forward, otherwise it's the same thing, no sweat.
  • 2 2
 @sanchofula: don’t want to go past the guide markers on the rails. Haven’t bent a seat in a few years because steeper STAs allow me to keep the rails centered on the seat rail clamp.

It’s a lot easier to add setback than trying to jam a seat way forward if you’re sizing to a bell curve of “average” riders.
  • 6 0
 Commenters: We want lighter bikes. We want aluminum frames. We want serviceable suspension.

Tim Lane: I made the bike you want.

Commenters: No, not like that...
  • 3 0
 I’ve had the opportunity to put about 70 miles on this bike. I’ve done a day at Mammoth, and I’ve done an all day 4000 foot elevation gain and descent ride on it. My current ride is an intense tracer from 2016. I am not a bike industry or tech geek, so take that into consideration for my review. The best thing I can say about this bike is I don’t notice anything about the rear suspension. Going from this bike and going back to my Intense, which has been a great bike for me btw, I notice the flex of the Intense. The reviewer in this article makes a lot of comments about geometry, suspension adjustment options, but the fact that she doesn’t mention anything wrong with the suspension itself seems to be a good thing. From my point of view this bike is much stiffer than my Tracer, climbs better than my tracer descends on par with my tracer, even better on the fast medium chunk stuff. I’ve got one on order and looking forward to it.
  • 4 1
 "Tim says that also makes the bike stiffer because there are fewer places for the system to flex"

Fewer parts alone does not make for less flex. The forces still ne to go somewhere. It's a tradeoff between distributing forces though many pivots and bearings versus concentrating the forces on far fewer pivots and bearings. There is also a need to make sure the frame members in between those few pivots can handle _all_ the forces that would have been distributed throughout the rear end if there were more pivots. It's not even close to as simple as "less pivots means less flex".
  • 7 1
 Indeed, it is not as simple as that, but I don't think it was invalid for the review to paraphrase like this.

Fewer bearings result in less lash through the system. Wide spaced bearings handle loads better. Short structural members (e.g. links) flex less under a given load (non-existent links effectively have zero length), closed frame triangles are structurally efficient. I elaborated a little more on this here: digitbikes.com/analog
  • 6 0
 Say what you will about the slack seat tube, a sub 30 pound alloy trail bike is the kind of innovation we actually need.
  • 11 0
 Not headset routed cables?
  • 3 0
 Cool bike, very glad people are trying new and interesting designs. I'm curious, however, no mention of the fork's performance? I know this is a review about a unique frame and it's unique shock, but the fork plays such a huge part of a bike's performance. There was mention of the fork setup in this review yesterday and it has since been removed. This might be one of the first reviews I've read where half of a bike's major performance aspect is just ignored, so I'm curious why?
  • 2 0
 @generalistgrant @alicialeggett do you have an explanation as to why the following was removed from the review?:

"Up front, I ran the Manitou Mezzer fork with 75 psi in the top chamber, 45 psi in the lower chamber, 4 clicks of rebound, 2 clicks of high-speed compression, and 6 speeds of low-speed compression."
  • 2 0
 @therealmancub: Yep. My explanation is that I am chaotic and so is my notes app, and I seem to have not kept the right fork settings notes attached to the right bike. (Brought to my attention thanks to the comments here.) I need to double check on the bike before I add it back in, which is proving difficult since I dropped off the bike in Squamish the other day. Will see it again in a couple days and add settings back into this review. Sorry all - I know that's not good, and I obviously need to be more systematic about that stuff.
  • 3 0
 @alicialeggett: I think we all appreciate the transparency and can now sleep soundly at night; thanks for all you do, it doesn't get said enough
  • 2 0
 @generalistgrant: I can give you my review. I like it, it does require more patience to set up, and it seems less tolerant than RS/Fox of missed service. It's about the same weight as a Lyrik, but feels sturdier. This fork is nearly two years old, when I first recieved it the +ve and -ve air chambers wouldn't equalize properly which made it top out, I think that might've been what influenced some of the poor reviews which Mezzers got in the early days. I spoke with Manitou's engineers about this, I worked out a solution and I'm guessing they made a running change. My only real peeve is that the rebound knob should be red, and the compression knobs should be blue.
  • 4 0
 @DirtBagTim: thanks for the mini review. Nice to hear from someone who has had one for a while. To be clear, I also ride one that I recently put on my sentinel and have been blown by it. It rides so much better than various Lyriks I've had and stuck with for some reason. I just like to hear what others around have to say since it's not a commonly seen or used fork. Also, thanks for coming up with a cool and unique bike design, doubt I'll ever see or ride one, but it's nice to know it's out there!
  • 3 1
 I think this is super cool. One of the most innovative ideas in actually changing how a bike could function. Integration may have some issues, but imagine this integrated shock with a custom tune or wider range of adjustments, a little more travel, chainstay adjustments (maybe that's crazy), and an as long as possible integrated dropper post. With proper execution, it will be light and strong and require way less maintenance. I love it!
  • 1 0
 I rode it with a 240mm dropper, but found it too much (with my 33" inseam). With it dropped all the way I could end up in such a deep squat that it became hard to rebound or retain control. I've had taller friends try the very long dropper with better results, but this is why I decided to sent it to PB with the 210mm dropper.

If you had a custom tune surely you'd need less adjusments, or none at all if the tune were "perfect".
  • 1 0
 @DirtBagTim: I’m a 240 dropper kind of guy myself, with 210 a minimum. But I agree about the tune. Cane creek style with all of the knobs or a great tune with few. Either works for me. I live in Bham and know Alicia. I would love to ride it too but shattered my leg over a Month ago. I think you’ve got a special thing going right now. I weigh 230 and break lots of stuff-so when you have the big travel one and need a tester I’m happy to help!
  • 1 0
 @andrewfif: how tall are you that you like the 240mm droopper, and what's your inseam? It's possible I'd like the mega drop better if I did yoga and shrank my gut - the 27.5" rear wheel is fully necessary for me to allow clearance for the seat to move into.
  • 1 0
 @DirtBagTim: I run the same dropper. 6'2'' with a 37.5'' inseam. I'm a leggy dude. weirdly short torso so when I gain or lose 10lbs its very noticable
  • 2 0
 @DirtBagTim: interesting. I’m 6’1.5 on a good day. 33 inch inseam. Mostly I think it’s terrain dependent and form dependent. I generally ride quite steep trails and because of that work on staying tall at the legs and hinging at the hips to weight the front and see where I’m going. I can ride all of the same stuff on a 210, but having 240 is awesome. I also love the aenomaly switchgrade. That with a 210 is sweet too just to get the tilt of the saddle on the dh. But I don’t need it with the 240. I will say that it’s a long drop to sit down with the extra 30 mm so if you’re doing it all of the time it could tire you out a little more. I almost never buzz my butt with 29, but I’m open to Mx wheel. Just haven’t felt the need. But I do like full 27.5 too.
  • 1 0
 @andrewfif: It's good to hear you can make it work. I imagine the back of your saddle must be very close to the 29" tire when dropped and bottoming the suspension.
  • 1 0
 @DirtBagTim: not sure, but I’ve never buzzed my seat. The only 240 I’ve used is on the new fezzari la sal peak with a steep actual sta. And it’s still sticks out of the frame a bit so that might make all of the diff actually
  • 2 0
 We've seen bikes that integrate the shock into the top tube before. Trek's had them atop the highest podiums in the world with the supercaliber. Of course this one has an additional link and more travel than that one, but even if the idea isn't as original as the breathless copy here suggests it's a cool looking bike
  • 1 0
 I love the look of this bike and its simplicity. But wonder about the welds on the angled tube in between the seat tube and top tube. Seems like an area with a lot of stress. No need for gussets there? I'm no engineer, somebody school me.
  • 2 0
 No need for gussets. Those joints are just as sturdy as the welds which hold the tubes together on any other frame. It's a 1.5" tube, stouter than the seat tube.
  • 4 0
 I'd like to see a squish test - in my minds eye this is putting a huge amount of load onto the rear shock bushes, no?
  • 6 0
 HUCK TO FLAT PLEEEEASE!!
  • 3 0
 Sorry @hughlunnon, I missed the part in your comment on shock bushes. Regular shocks aren't designed to handle non-axial loads, the Integer strut has bushings like in a fork to take care of these. There's more info here: digitbikes.com/integer
  • 1 0
 @DirtBagTim: Thanks! too bad the riders leg is blocking the shock action, hopefully pb does one with feet switched fore/aft
  • 1 0
 @DizzyNinja: Facepalm now I know why they have the bikes jumping into the frame from right to left
  • 1 0
 @DirtBagTim: The rear tyre definitely made contact with the frame in the huck to flat video. I don't design bikes so I'll leave it to the smart people to tell me if it's OK or not.
  • 1 0
 @bananowy: That's a prototype, not for sale, not the same as the bike in this review. There were no witness marks in the crappy soft paint, I think it was really, really close.
  • 6 1
 We are one cockpit? Looks a bit more like one up to me.
  • 11 0
 We Are One Up?
  • 4 0
 @DizzyNinja: It's a OneUp 20mm rise bar on a 40mm RaceFace stem.
  • 2 0
 Cool socks. I have those too. They're sweet socks. Bike is pretty cool too. Too bad the seat tube has to be that slack, I'd love to see v2 after more long term testing and engineering.
  • 3 0
 How long does it take for your leg to re-inflate when you take the socks off?
  • 1 0
 First thought is - if this is a proprietary shock, you'd have to mail it in for service so...how long are you w/o a ride? Seems like you'd need a backup shock in the meantime - that could take weeks.

Also - @Alicialeggett - seems like this was the Mezzer pro? I think the expert only airs in the bottom of the lowers vs. top & bottom...
  • 1 0
 If you look at some of the details from the website and other PB articles, seems way more self-serviceable than most standard shocks...and a lot of those you don't really have an option about, anyway, even if you are a mildly-competent home mechanic.
  • 1 0
 @evilneb: Interesting & good to know... didn't try to look that up in other articles, and was just going from the servicing note here. I've been doing service on RS Super-D and now a Marzo Bomber coil - pretty easy tho the Marzo takes some weird tools like a blowtorch. But yeah, servicability = awesome, esp. if there's a good manual or video to follow. But say you will not service this shock - curious what the wait time would be?
  • 4 0
 @Mtn-Goat-13: It's easier to service than those, the IFP chamber is charged with a regular shock pump through a normal Schrader valve.

I'll be making a service video/manual, the quickest service for people not wanting to open their shocks will be talking their local mechanic through the process, second line of defense will be mailing in for service. I could send out loaners if turnaround time is looking slow. Extra shocks are available to frame buyers (I'm guessing there might be fettlers who want to do A-B testing on different shim stacks, etc...).
  • 1 0
 @DirtBagTim: Well that sounds too simple to be real but...are you the maker / manu btw? Wild, just sounds crazy. I love working on things but it can be complex (with errors). Sounds really baller. Who knew...
  • 2 0
 @Mtn-Goat-13: Yep, I'm the Digit Bikes guy.
  • 1 0
 @DirtBagTim: Gulp. Im so close to fame its palpable. Anyway, Finally read the whole review and I am intrigued. I’m not quite in the bike market yet but I am looking for that one all around her to handle everything below a downhill bike and this looks pretty close, gor western NC terrain, especially with that weight.
  • 2 0
 @Mtn-Goat-13: The Datum is intended to be the all-rounder, middle ground bike, I've taken it on bike park days but it's not a DH bike. I'm surprised that it was compared to the 5010. My most recent (nonDigit) bikes which I compare it to were a Ripmo, Bronson and (gen1, 155mm travel) Transition Patrol, I feel it fits right in that range.
  • 1 0
 @DirtBagTim: Def aware this isn't a DH bike (have one of those and gotta say, park on DH bike is just the best) but I am looking for that Capra-replacement all-around that can nuke heavier-than-usual trail but also just some normal trail or more chill / family style stuff where the Capra feels more tank-like. Had been looking at Ripmo & Following and this seems to be in that range...def considering!
  • 2 0
 @Mtn-Goat-13: To me, the Datum feels like a burlier bike than these. I've only had a short test ride on a Following when someone was test riding the Datum, they echoed that the Datum felt more planted/stable, and they ordered a Datum that day.

It's owner was 5'10" and test rode the Large Datum, we fitted it with a 32mm stem and moved the seat forward. He ordered the Medium.
  • 4 1
 "The rear triangle uses an interesting asymmetric design."

Not that interesting: pretty much every VPP design with the high shock mount used an asymmetrical rear triangle.
  • 1 0
 @DirtBagTim: hookup with the Athertons or similar manufacturer and you got yourself the lightest full sus mtb in given category. Maybe sort out the geo to fit pinkbike-minati sensibilities and it's gonna be a hit. Rooting for you.
  • 1 0
 I think that might be heavier. From what I've read the Atherton AM150 frame weighs about 1.4kg more than the Datum.
  • 2 0
 Without rading it, I would like to ask, maybe it was written in the article. How do you take out the shock system? Is it easy to reach and take out for after-season maintanance?
  • 2 0
 "Thorough, user-friendly frame details like water bottle bosses, chainstay protection, and internal routing."

Internal routing IS NOT user-friendly. In any form. Not. At all.
  • 2 0
 Routing cables internally when building a bike does add an extra step when assembling the bike, which is really quite quick and easy through the 10mm x 25mm holes in the Datum. Putting external cables on the curved down tube would be ugly and leave long loops flapping in the wind.
The only concern I can think of is perhaps if you’re on a trip/race and need to replace something in a hurry. In that case just tape or zip tie the cables/hoses to outside of the frame. They’ll look no worse than on external guides, and you can put them back in the frame at a later time.
  • 1 0
 @DirtBagTim: The big ports are nice so cutting hoses isn't required, but doesn't that just mean the they're flapping _inside_ instead of outside? They also exit the downtube in a perfect place for an external guide, with another on the curve, one at the entry point, and one in the middle, it would be fairly easy to get a routing that follows the tube pretty closely, no flappy loops needed.

The ugliness is totally subjective: being able to physically see how easy it is to work on something is quite beautiful to me. External brake hoses look, to my eye, a thousand percent prettier than, say, a brake hose that dives into a chainstay for less than half the routed length (see recent Atherton bikes). I do appreciate that you make the brake hose actually run internal for the entire length of each tube, but my brain automatically sees the ugliness of doing maintenance on any internal hoses. I currently own a frame with full end-to-end sleeved internal routing, literally the best possible case (totally silent with no more than one entry and one exit for each cable/hose), and it's still not prettier to my eye than a smartly routed external brake hose.

And, this is also subjective, zipties around a whole tube is way worse looking than external guides. External guides are intentional and functional, that's a beautiful thing to some. The hack of zipties around the whole thing is ugly AF. Plus to put them back in later, you have to do _another_ bleed, and that's an ugly thought as well!

The bike looks amazing, seems to perform as intended, and is full of great ideas. But internal routing, and especially calling that routing user-friendly... well, that's not one of the great ideas. Subjectively.
  • 4 0
 @justinfoil: I do understand this. I have made/designed hundreds of bikes using both internal and external routing. I'm not dogmatic about it. I'd even hoped that external would prevail on the rear triangle, but this is what worked best for this frame layout.

If that's your only objection, ask nicely and I might weld cable guides on for you (for a charge).
  • 1 0
 @DirtBagTim: I'm not objecting to any form of routing in _your_ bike. I'm against calling internal routing "user-friendly".
  • 1 0
 Awesome man! This is def a bike that suits Norcal / Socal terrain. Kudos to the honest review from Alicia and kudos to Tim staying engaged with the PBer’s here. Super stoked to see more innovation in the biking world at heart.
  • 3 0
 Great review. No doubt those wheels are also playing into the damped feel. Those MMX 30 wheels are pretty awesome.
  • 3 0
 After I sent that bike to PB I built up a new bike with Crank Brothers Synthesis. The difference between the two is quite remarkable: it feels like Spinergy achieve ride compliance through different damping, CB through different springing.
  • 2 0
 @hardtailparty a comparison review of from a hardtail riders perspective would be pretty interesting I think.
  • 3 0
 @DirtBagTim: I've actually made a comparison review video of the MMX wheels
  • 2 0
 @hardtailparty: I just watched your video. I agree, the Spinergy wheels are comfortable, reassuringly solid feeling, and offer great value, particularly considering they’re made in North America.
  • 3 2
 Looks beautiful, very clean and different. Am hard tail lover here , but this I would very interested in purchasing.... Geometry needs sorting , maybe angleset would do that....
  • 4 0
 Very impressive weight for that amount of travel and metal. Cool Bike!
  • 1 0
 Am I the only one that wants to see the strut removed and serviced by a "competent home mechanic"? Based on where the adjusters are I don't see how you could remove it without hitting the seat tube.
  • 5 0
 It comes out of the front of the head tube (you have to drop the fork and remove the head tube badge).

Here's some more info: youtube.com/watch?v=K9gkEhr22qI&t=215s and youtube.com/watch?v=_hCL0W2V9N8.
  • 5 0
 @DirtBagTim: Hey Tim,

Can we approach this logically?

Bikes are awesome, ergo building bikes is awesome, ergo you are awesome.
Proofed.
Keep up the awesome.
  • 2 0
 The ETT seems fairly long. At 5'8"...to ride a medium I'd have to slam my saddle all the way forward and run a really short stem...at least on paper.
  • 1 0
 Seems like maybe a wider and or bigger bearing setup on the bottom link and some type of ball joint where the rear of the strut connects would eliminate the side load ? If there even is any
Cool bike regardless
  • 1 0
 You can't eliminate loads, you either resist them, or allow acceleration. The bushings in the Integer strut manage lateral loads in the same way that fork bushings do. The bottom link bearings has well-spaced 30mm and 15mm ID bearings, these assist in managing lateral load. The closed rear triangle is structurally efficient, which also helps keep things lined up.

Regular shocks don't have bushings to adequately resist the side loading/misalignment which they're often subject to, so ball joints are sometimes employed to allow some deflection/misalignment. Yokes and trunnions tend to worsen the misalignment issue which is why ball-joints have been of interest recently. Trunnions however limit you to using single ball joints, these aren't ideal though they sometimes help. Double ball joints work much better, but they don't seem suited to this mechanism. I could use a ball joint on the end of the strut, but I don't think it would achieve much. I fear it might be heavier, bulkier, and less reliable.
  • 1 0
 less is more tup @DirtBagTim:
  • 1 1
 Plans for a full 29er 170f/160r bike at all in the future? I really like this design.

Also, any merit to the idea of a vertical linkage off the top tube like a Nomad where the upper pivot is to just provide additional lateral support to the strut's movement? Help with side forces on the bushings inside, keeping things aligned better, and just giving extra rigidity to any side movements? You done any modelling or analysis on this? Or any benefit would be nominal? Seems like the weight addition would be minimal, and I guess a couple more bearings.
  • 3 0
 The plan is to build out a whole line of bikes. Datum is engineer speak for reference, this is my middle-ground reference design, from which I'll derive longer and shorter travel models. The lateral loading is very robustly managed in the slider. I think any benefit to adding links would be nominal - though now I'm wondering whether adding little scissor linkages to telescopic forks would do anything.
  • 2 0
 @DirtBagTim: a whole line of bikes? now I'm drooling over the thougt of a 26/27 100-140mm play/4X/Dual version ;D
  • 3 0
 @naptime: Oh. OK two things:
1) a line can be defined by two points.
b: my aluminum, domestic manfacturing set up is well suited to small runs
  • 1 0
 @DirtBagTim: RAD, happy to test out a proto...... Big Grin
  • 1 0
 @DirtBagTim: right on man. I'll be keeping an eye out. Everything seems right where I want on it except maybe stack (which is prolly more of a me problem and easily solved by a 50mm rise bar). To your point above about seat tube angle, I've talked to my buddy about feeling like my current bike is a little too steep and forward for my liking. I think I'd rather have yours than my current. The numbers look like it'd be a rad bike. Thanks.
  • 2 0
 @naptime: Dreams right? I would love a 26/27 superlight rocket, sadly there is nothing out there and what is happens to be hard to find or clapped out.
  • 1 0
 @jlauteam1: Banshee spitfire?
  • 1 0
 @DirtBagTim: Make mine a fatty! 5.0 rear clearance and a mastodon 150 up-front and you'll be the king of that niche!
  • 1 0
 @MIBikePlease: Hefty bike
  • 3 0
 If y'all want an enduro Digit, or a downcountry or XC Digit, or a Fatty, the best way to hasten their development is to convince any of your friends who want an all-arounder All Mountain bike to buy a Datum. Without sales, developing the other models is going to seem unattractive or impossible.
  • 2 0
 Did y'all see this: digitbikes.com/ring ?
  • 2 0
 So cool. A bit of a long-travel Supercaliber? Wishing Tim all the success in the world.

I'll be ordering when the 29/29 version is released!
  • 2 0
 It's coming soon(ish), you can find out what's going on here: digitbikes.com/ring ?
  • 2 0
 One of the cons in the review is low stack height. Maybe just and an extra headset spacer under the stem when building it up?
  • 2 0
 If the strut is 12" long, how does it come out with the seat tube in the way? What am I missing here?
  • 2 0
 would be interesting to see this design for an xc race bike with the weight savings.
  • 4 1
 its like a supercaliber in a way fr
  • 4 1
 Amazing looking bike but .. push fit bb awe come on
  • 1 0
 The BB shell is thick walled, machined aluminum, which is perfectly suited to press fit, they've been silent and trouble free in testing since 2018. The press fit BB allows the concentric lower link pivot to be very simple. Here's how it fits together digitbikes.com/concentric-bb
  • 2 0
 Cool review. I was intrigued back in the day when you guys first showed this bike. It looks awesome!
  • 2 0
 BITD? It was like 1 year ago.
  • 3 2
 The bike looks sooooo good.
But: seat tube too slack, chainstays on XL too short and pressfit BB.
I'll keep an eye out for V 2.0, keep going Tim!
  • 1 0
 Thanks @DerWeltmeister
I see the geometry as a personal preference thing, not everyone likes the same shoes or helmet, unfortunately you can't please everyone.
The press fit BB allows the concentric lower link pivot to be incredibly simple. Here's how it fits together digitbikes.com/concentric-bb
The BB shell is thick walled, machined aluminum, which is perfectly suited to press fit, they've been silent and trouble free in testing since 2018.
  • 3 0
 Hah - all the weird shit on this one. I like it.
  • 2 0
 How are they gonna call it the Datum and not mention "true positioning" or any sort of GD&T? #Almostnerds
  • 6 0
 Look at the top tube graphic. #probablyanerd
  • 2 0
 Looks awesome. Would love to ride one, but it's out of my price range. Hopefully it sells well.
  • 3 0
 this is the MOST exciting MTB desighn I've seen in years
  • 3 0
 looks like a bike that Boulder bikes built in 1988
  • 1 0
 So good looking! and that seat post insertion length!
Does anybody have news about the Insolent DH bike that used a fox 40 stanchion?
  • 1 0
 The rear triangle only has a seat tube strut on the non drive side? I assume that's to avoid interferance with the chain? But no concerns about flex or twisting?
  • 1 0
 All that does is maintain the distance between the upper and lower pivots on the rear triangle. Twist and flex aren't a concern, it was done this way for years on VPP/JStuned bikes. If you wanted you could fit a front derailleur.
  • 1 0
 @DirtBagTim: Cool. The idea of going back to running a fd makes me want to throw up, but I know there is a set of the market that's still interested in them.
  • 2 0
 "Tim likes simplicity". Hides shock in top tube.

Nice looking bike though and the weight figures etc are impressive!
  • 1 0
 Only ding against this sweet rig is that it won't work with many cranksets such as Cane Creek, Hope, Sram, White Industries......
  • 5 4
 28.5lbs is to light these days. They need to add some carbon to weight bud properly.
  • 6 0
 To light, or not to light, that is the question. If you add petrol though, it definitely *will* light.
  • 4 0
 Don't worry, you can put 4lbs of water on it.
  • 3 1
 Press fit BB it’s unrideable
  • 5 0
 !UN-RIDE-A-BLE! I was hoping I'd be cut some slack for not having the cables running through the headsetlol .

Seriously though, the BB shell is thick walled, machined aluminum, which is perfectly suited to press fit, they've been silent and trouble free (in testing since 201Cool . The press fit BB allows the concentric lower link pivot to be very simple. Here's how it fits together digitbikes.com/concentric-bb
  • 2 0
 @DirtBagTim: Haha, I was being silly, sick bike!
  • 2 0
 @DirtBagTim: Do I see it right that the crank axle also acts as the axle for the lower link? If you remove the crank, you can also remove lower link?
  • 2 0
 @jiri23: Yes, you're seeig it correctly.
I'll be making a video soon to show how the 30mm or 24mm axles install.
  • 1 0
 @DirtBagTim: well done, thats out ouf the box thinking. I like it. Now don´t take me wrong but do you think this could void the crank warranty? I can imagine some crank axles can use butted tubing.
  • 1 0
 @jiri23: I supply a custom 30mm spindle which replaces the one from RaceFace/FSA/Cannondale. The cranks from those manufacturers have a smaller diameter section between the bearing seats, wheras mine has the 30mm bearing diameter along the complete length of the axle to ensure that the suspensions bearings are properly supported.
For 24mm spindle cranks (Shimano), a tube is used as the BB pivot / suspension axle, it has a 24mm ID which the crank spindle rides inside.
  • 1 0
 @DirtBagTim: got it, nice, been following the project from the beginning, wish you luck with the production.
  • 1 0
 Thanks @jiri23: I ran out of luck a while back so I've been doing most of the frame building myself. #handBUILTinCAbyTim
  • 3 0
 This is so cool
  • 1 0
 Balfa Bel Air 2004 looks familiar
www.balfa.wooyek.pl/Images/background.gif
  • 3 0
 Mullets so cool
  • 2 0
 Where's the 20lb xc build?
  • 2 0
 We're waiting for you to build it.
  • 2 0
 Looks like a...Orbea Laufey
  • 2 0
 I like it, took me back to the Boulder Gazelle.
  • 3 0
 We Are NOT One
  • 2 0
 @dirtbagtim this thing is badass. Well done.
  • 1 0
 Thank you so much for the comparison with several other bikes, it's probably the most helpful part of the review
  • 1 0
 I'm surprised that it was compared to the 5010. My most recent (nonDigit) bikes were a Ripmo, Bronson and (gen1, 155mm travel) Transition Patrol, I feel it fits right in that range.
  • 1 0
 @RedBurn The idea? No., but this bike (as mentioned in other comments) is not a simple, single-pivot bike with a shock molded into the top tube...
  • 2 0
 "copie-de-nouvelles" translates to "copy of new"
  • 2 0
 First gen yamaha monoshock flashback.
  • 1 0
 I want this rear-end with the Structure Cycleworks up front. Imagine all the hate for basking in!
  • 1 0
 Weareone cockpit? Looks like a oneup bar and raceface stem to me
  • 3 2
 Amp called, they want their B4 back
  • 7 0
 I would say more boulder gazelle ?
  • 2 1
 @theboypanda: 2001 Boulder Starship LT to be precise...

www.mtbr.com/attachments/starship-ti-jpg.13441
  • 3 2
 @deeeight: All of these share a common theme - anyone dumb enough to buy will be left with a 28lb paper weight in 2 years when the proprietary strut blows and nobody is left with the proprietary parts after the company has gone belly up
  • 6 0
 @tcmtnbikr: that's why you buy two and ride them for 4 years.. duh..
  • 1 0
 @deeeight: The lovechild of the Boulder Starship and the Maverick ML7
  • 4 0
 @tcmtnbikr: isn't this the bike thats strut is serviceable woth components from the hardware store tho?
  • 2 0
 @tcmtnbikr: I bet you thought electric cars would never be a thing too, until Tesla came along and figured it out. Stop hating, this bike is awesome and who ever buys it will get a lot of people asking them nicely for a test ride.
  • 2 2
 @alwaysOTB: Telsa's are still a work in progress though. For inner-city car owners who NEVER do road trips they're fabulous, but if you need to venture to cottage country or travel between major north american cities without the benefit of recharge stations available, or carrying a fuel powered generator with you, they're not quite THERE yet. And they're certainly not there yet in countries where the majority of their electrical grid is dependant on burning fossil fuels.In densely packaged Japan, you'd think electric vehicles would be fabulous but 88% of their power grid comes from fossil fuels (as if 2019). Germany is presently shooting themselves in the nuts by pressing ahead on abandoning nuclear energy and instead relying on natural gas at a time when Climate change and politics SHOULD favor nuclear (until such time as hydro/solar/wind can support all of its needs).
  • 2 0
 @alwaysOTB: the world is thieves selling shit to idiots. Which one are you? Have no idea how an EV relates to a proprietary design from a company that will be gone in 2 years but I was an early adopter of EV- you almost had to be a fool to leave a $10k tax credit on the table. They’re nice for around town but useless as a road trip/get far away from everything vehicle
  • 2 0
 @tcmtnbikr: Don't know why you are so jaded on this topic. I don't think Digit Bikes are thieves, but I do think they have a interesting design and I invested in their kick-starter (not enough to get a frame, but in the hopes that they succeed). I really don't want people to be called "dumb" for buying a bike they like. This bike has been through several reviews on different websites, with no financial backing or little marketing campaign, yet it keeps getting decent reviews. Who are you to call it shit? The bike you referenced looks way different from the Datum (like the electric vehicles of the same era to today's EVs).
  • 2 0
 @alwaysOTB: Maverick's are still supportable with shock rebuilds and pivot kits. Hell I still have a half dozen seal kits for their shocks. Amp's are still supportable. Hell there's a dealer in the USA that sells reproduction elastomer bumper kits for Manitou 1 forks... that's a twenty year old fork. If Analog uses the right supplier for their shock pieces, there's no reason why an owner couldn't expect a decade or more of parts needed to keep the thing running.
  • 2 0
 @deeeight: I have spares, and there will be more as I look at equipping international service centers. All the seals, bushings, etc, can be found at industrial suppliers, though for people who don’t want to buy 100 sets I’ll be assembling service kits. Parts, like the air fill valves, IFP’s, etc can be substituted with parts from other shock manufacturers, which a shock tech might have in their parts bins.
  • 2 1
 I love it, now gives us a steel and titanium version too!
  • 3 0
 Ti front triangle and steel rear, or steel front and Ti rear?

I once had a bike with a Ti front and steel rear, it wasn’t as light as full Ti. At one point the steel dropout broke in a huge (maybe 50’) fall, but it was repairable.
  • 6 9
 The funny thing is...this is merely a modernized 2001 Boulder Starship LT but the shock in the top tube thing is definitely not in any way revolutionary for full suspension mountain bikes.

www.mtbr.com/threads/2001-boulder-starship-lt.20086
  • 21 1
 If this is "merely" a modernized Boulder Starship, then does that make every other bike released "merely" a modernized Session?
  • 6 3
 @ct0413: horst link bikes are merely modernized single pivot bikes.

@deeeight Perhaps you didn't see the pivot and link positioned between the front triangle and rear wheel axle (behind the bottom bracket you can see it in images #7 and #9 in the review). Analog is a multi-link mechanism, whereas the Boulder used a simple single-pivot.
  • 5 9
flag i-like-toytles (Sep 26, 2022 at 9:38) (Below Threshold)
 @DirtBagTim: Perhaps you didn't see that he said "modernized" not "carbon copy".
  • 6 0
 @ct0413: Oh, I'm flattered not offended. The Boulders (and Mavericks) are very cool bikes. I discussed this in comments with @deeeight before, I think we're on the same page.
  • 5 0
 You can fit a 10mm drop dropper post on that boulder
  • 1 0
 @Corkster9: made me look twice. that bike is pain.
  • 2 0
 @DirtBagTim: I DID. Perhaps you weren't aware that Boulder had a link between the swingarm and the strut. On the original gazelles back in 1991 it was a motorcycle chain quick link. The single pivot swingarm could thus pivot thru its travel without binding up the shock shaft. The Original Santa Cruz Tazmon also had a small swing link between the top of the swingarm and the shock shaft. The Analog is no more a multi-link than those were.
  • 2 2
 @ct0413: Well given the session was at its time, merely a modernized Kona from several years earlier, it always amused me when people who's MTB history apparently began after 2000 didn't know that Trek was just copying someone else more cult-bike than them. Remember we went thru about EIGHT years of bad Trek single-pivot and multi-link beam bikes, not to mention the Y-bike URTs before they finally started making bikes that looked like Konas had been for the previous five years. Then its "looks like a session" or "looks like a fuel" and nevermind what these idiots didn't know what came before them.
  • 3 0
 @deeeight: The Boulders and Tazmons have rear wheel axle paths which rotate around their single pivot, their additional pivots are on the seatstay portion of the kinematic chain. What made the Horst link bikes remarkable ove single-pivot or faux-bar bikes was that their extra pivots were on the chainstay portion of the kinematic chain, which modifies the axle path. This is also true of VPP/DW/Maestro/etc, and of the Analog linkage.
  • 2 1
 @deeeight: Yeah honestly I was just making a reference to the "looks like a session" joke and accidentally stumbled into two living encyclopedias on proper rear linkage history. All I admit to knowing about the evolution of kinematics is that I am thankful to be young enough to enjoy what is currently on the market.
  • 1 0
 @ct0413: yes.
  • 1 0
 @madmon: that one does have a single-pivot suspension.
  • 2 1
 Deeeight, There is a fundamental difference between the Session and anything Kona ever produced. Just as there is a fundamental difference between the top swing link on the boulder and the bottom swing link on the Digit. If we're gonna get all nerdy and start referencing 20 year old designs, then we ought to at least be nerdy enough to reference one that is not a fundamentally different design.
  • 2 0
 @gabriel-mission9: it's only different if you pull the brakes Wink
But actually @deeeight is correct, the old Sessions during the era of the Liquid, before ABP, were faux-bar bikes like Konas.
  • 1 0
 @DirtBagTim: Haro's SONIX link bikes also, and the Maverick/Klein/Seven bikes. GT I-drives and their Mongoose cousins. All being floating BB linkages with the wheel pivoted around a virtual point that changed during different points of the travel. Haro's was the most complicated of the arrangements but also worked the best. Too bad Haro couldn't make up its mind what sort of bike brand it wanted to be.
  • 1 0
 @DirtBagTim: Technically the term back in the old days for ones of at nature (boulder, mantis, SC tazmon, that Insolent, etc) was "monoshock" as Yamaha had done basically the same concept on dirt bikes years earlier. Yes fundamentally its not really any different axle path to a single-pivot but bike media types loved to borrow terminolgy from their MX or Car magazine writing backgrounds. That's how we got the original Amp frames being called Mac-Struts.
  • 1 1
 Trek did do some faux bar frames yeah, but i believe all Sessions have been essentially the same layout up until the new high pivot version. Other than the session 10 which was a massive single pivot, and a bit of an outlier given that every other session variant shares an almost identical silhouette. The classic Session that lots of other new bikes now look like, is the 88 onwards design and we all know that Razz

And thats not a kona.
  • 3 1
 What what in the butt
  • 4 2
 Coil compatible?
  • 1 0
 It's not. It might be possible to make a coil work, but I don't have anything planned.
  • 2 2
 serious question now , do those suspension diagrams really matter , why cant it be simple anymore
  • 1 0
 Maybe they matter, the Crestline/Cascade story which is all about those diagrams posted after this review it's still on the PB front page even though the comments conversation has died down and has not been active.

For me the graphs are a development tool - if they don't work out, don't continue with development! I knew I had to show them at launch because the Tantrum guy got raked over the coals for not doing so. But the proof of the pudding is in the eating, and the eating (i.e. the suspension performance) has been good enough, almost unrematkably so, that I don't think people care whether it was baked at gas mark 5 for 40 minutes, or gas mark 4 for 50.
  • 1 0
 Low pivot bikes make me feel sick...
  • 1 0
 @alicelego_ - curious what you thought of those Spinergy Wheels?
  • 2 0
 EnduroCaliber
  • 1 0
 First review I‘ve read fully in a long while, thanks Alicia Smile
  • 1 0
 is it too late to call it the Ally?
  • 1 0
 Because it's aluminum I considered Digit Al.
  • 1 0
 to the creator: beautiful bike and well done.
  • 1 0
 Thank you.
  • 1 0
 press fit... almost nailed it
  • 1 0
 The press fit BB allows the concentric lower link pivot to be very simple. Here's how it fits together digitbikes.com/concentric-bb.
The BB shell is thick walled, machined aluminum, which is perfectly suited to press fit, they've been silent and trouble free in testing since 2018.
  • 2 3
 Lost me at fully "proprietary rear suspension".

Besides: Mullet-only is a non-starter anyways.
  • 2 5
 weight savings brought here from 2000 and 1997. I thought we stopped investing in lemon designs like a single pivot with minimal adjustments and no lock out. I would run screaming from this clean looking ride.
  • 1 0
 Oh, it's not a single pivot. Perhaps you didn't see the pivot and link positioned between the front triangle and rear wheel axle (behind the bottom bracket you can see it in images #7 and #9 in the review). Analog is a multi-link mechanism.

Weight-weenieism wasn't a goal so much as a side-effect, I explain this a little more here: digitbikes.com/analog
  • 1 0
 is the rear wobbly?
  • 1 0
 Not at all, in fact the reduced component count results in wobble (lash) and flex in the linkage than other designs. There’s more info here: digitbikes.com/analog
  • 1 1
 I should call her.
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