Roc D'Azur 2012: Randoms

Oct 14, 2012
by Matt Wragg  
Here is a roundup of the most exciting things on show this weekend at Roc D'Azur

Schwalbe tyre details
Schwalbe s test bike
Schwalbe tread pattern
  Schwalbe have been playing with their tyre range recently. You can decide what you find more interesting here, the fact that these are 27.5" tyres, or that this is, more or less, the tread pattern their World Cup racers will be running next year and that you won't be able to get your hands on until 2014.

PEF s Commencal Supreme
PEF s Commencal Supreme details
  That's not just any dust on Pierre Edouard-Ferry's Commencal Supreme, that's the rarified dust of Virgin Utah, fresh from the Rampage.

Caminade One-For-All
Caminade One-For-All details 2
Caminade One-For-All details 1
  Caminade are small, new French brand and they had this their One-For-All on their stand. The name, One-For-All is a bad pun on the fact it has 140mm or so of travel. The frame is made from Reynold 853 steel, which allowed them to create the distinctive lines. We do like the way they have built it too - single ring, big bars, drop post, it looks like a lot of fun. What we don't like is the fact that they wouldn't let us take proper side photo of it, in case someone stole their kinematics...

ACC with her Trans-Provence-winning Ibis Mojo DH.
  Anne-Caroline Chausson is here racing anything and everything this weekend, we wouldn't mind betting she was winning too. With her was her Trans-Provence-winning Ibis Mojo HD enduro race bike.

2013 Mondraker Sumnum.
Details of the Mondraker Forward Geometry Sumnum.
  The Forward Geometry on next year's Mondrakers has sparked a lot of debate. This is what the 2013 Sumnum will look like, the top tube is 3cm longer to compensate for the zero-reach stem. Only time on the trail and riders' feedback will say whether this is the future or just an interesting experiment.

Exprezo 145mm frame.
  There's something about a raw frame that just catches your eye. Exprezo had this 145mm frame to hand and metal connoisseurs will spot that it has an aluminium front end and a steel rear.

Merida One-Sixty
Merida One-Sixty details
  Merida isn't a name you hear too often here on Pinkbike, they may be the second largest bike company in the world, but they have traditionally stayed away from the gravity side of thing. That is until now, they are very keen on enduro and are launching the One-Sixty (that's how much travel it has) - this is the same bike Ralph Naf smashed to fifth in the Trans Provence this year. There are some nice details in here too, like the Reverb Stealth. It looks a lot like they thought about what they wanted from this bike and have put together a strong spec (if they ditched the 2 x 10, it'd more or less be a race-ready enduro bike).

Rockrider Dropline
Rockrider Dropline details
  Rockrider is a name you have heard here on Pinkbike more often, usually from European riders laughing at them... They are Decathlon's in-house brand and have been churning out low-end bikes for years now, but they have decided to move up the market. This Dropline is their new downhill bike and the detail you need to know is that it will cost 2,500 Euros. Looking over the spec, it has everything you would want from an entry downhill bike - downhill tyres, big brakes and chainguide. There's nothing on here you'd need to change before you could go and point it down something ugly and for that price it's great value too. They won't be selling them in Decathlon stores, at least not for now, you'll have to go online to get your hands on one.


Posted In:
Racing and Events Randoms


Author Info:
mattwragg avatar

Member since Oct 29, 2006
753 articles
Report
Must Read This Week
First Ride: Fox Releases New Grip X & Grip X2 Dampers
77701 views
First Ride: Rocky Mountain's 2024 Altitude Has a Completely Revised Frame Design
76851 views
Thank You For Everything, Pinkbike
70651 views
How to Watch the 2024 Mountain Bike World Cup [Update: Staylive Offering Access in New Zealand, South Africa & More]
59493 views
First Ride: The 2024 Giant Trance X Advanced
49644 views
[UPDATED] Final Elite XC Results & Overall Standings from the Mairiporã XC World Cup 2024
40173 views
Staff Ride: Matt Beer's NZ MTB Rally-Spec Ibis HD6
37522 views
First Ride: 2024 Yeti SB165 - Now With Mixed Wheels
36255 views
Sign Up for the Pinkbike Newsletter - All the Biggest, Most Interesting Stories in your Inbox
PB Newsletter Signup

98 Comments
  • 62 10
 That Caminade bike is gross..i just cant get past that horribly swoopy top tube.
  • 22 2
 I can't get past... everything. Not exactly what you'd expect from a bike coming out in 2012. And they're worried about someone poaching their design... seriously?!
  • 9 3
 Gross sums it up. Looks like you would catch VD if you sat on it.
  • 5 4
 Looks like a bad santa cruz nomad
  • 14 2
 looks like a nut smasher to me. i've never understood why any company uses and upward sloping top tube. mind boggling for a mountain bike
  • 2 2
 does anyone know how much the gambler will be?? Smile
  • 2 1
 Tis one fugly mofo!
  • 13 14
 well it is French
  • 11 0
 Horribly steep geo = check! Upward sloping top tube to crush balls = check! Shock placed perfectly to get destroyed but dirt and stones = check! Stupidly long chainstays = check!

Shame really as I'm a bit of a steel fanboy.
  • 5 1
 Actually they're likely more worried about Santa Cruz suing them... they're using a virtual pivot design with short contra-rotating links... and SC already sued Yeti for that in the past year or so. Nice execution of a full floater shock setup though. And I like that they did it in chromoly throughout other than the linkages.
  • 4 1
 @bloodbrotherbiker. Around 6 million pounds is what they said but you can get a frame and shock option for around 2 million. Not bad in this current economic climate.
  • 1 0
 Looks like it's gonna snap in half.
  • 2 0
 how does deeeight know everything??? and that Caminade would look nice being chucked off a cliff
  • 2 6
flag ZDirt (Oct 14, 2012 at 17:57) (Below Threshold)
 "The French copy no one!...... and no one copies the French!"
  • 4 1
 Worst shock placement in the history of bicycle riding.
  • 1 0
 Hardly any different that the shock placement on a lot of motorcycles including motocross bikes, and they kick up a lot more dirt and debris with the back tire than any bicycle.
  • 1 0
 I wasn't saying that in a negative way, and yes I have been riding a few Opus bikes for some time (Astro frames).
  • 1 0
 looks to me like some kind of full suspension cyclecross contrapction if that could exist. just waiting for someone to pick it up and run off over some logs.
  • 1 0
 looks like a hopped up beach cruiser...lol
  • 16 1
 Rockrider, KHS, OPUS.....Same...All from Astro Engineering.
  • 17 0
 And astro seems to do a good job. The KHS DH bike looks sweet!
  • 5 0
 That Rockrider looks good, like a modern version of the Sunday.
  • 4 0
 its quite similar to the mondraker on a few pictures above it
  • 2 0
 tried a KHS lately, Astro or not, they are sick bike. Catalog bike can be good (but should be cheaper since they are selling tons of them...:S)
  • 1 0
 i thought the rockrider was the previous mondraker summum when i first saw it, looks exactly like it
  • 6 0
 " (if they ditched the 2 x 10, it'd more or less be a race-ready enduro bike)"
I wonder what Ann Caro would say about that. Her Trans winnig bike sure looks like a 2x10 to me. That black yellow scheme is dead sexy.
  • 9 1
 I want the scott gambler, actually a pretty nice looking setup.
  • 4 1
 i cant tell if it actually is a 650b gambler, it would have to be a custom fox 40 and rear triangle. it would so sick if it is though
  • 4 2
 Fox forks are 650b compatible as standard anyway, so i thought.
  • 2 0
 Im guessing with 27.5 inch the rear end wont work in the short position? Smile
  • 1 0
 Fair enough, thanks mnorris
  • 2 1
 No Fox forks are NOT 650B compatible as standard. Except for their specific 650B models, you either sacrifice your teeth, tire width, mud clearance, or hope to god you never actually achieve full travel in order to do it. I am running quasimoto 2.0s with my Talas 32 140 for example, and at full compression I don't hit the tire on the crown, but then the Quasimoto isn't actually 27.5" in diameter. I'd never run a NeoMoto 2.3 with this fork without internal modifications to restrict the compression stroke. Fox forks are officially compatible with a maximum tire diameter of 27.0" for the 32 series models and 27.3" for the 36 and 40 series models.
  • 1 0
 @mnroiss122 ,Nothing would happen to the head angle unless one of the wheels is smaller than the other ( reminds me a of a thread some one has made about ' why are back wheels are higher then front wheels ' )
  • 1 0
 Is it me or does the Gambler run 27.5" front and 26" rear?
  • 7 0
 Please do a all the AM/ trail bikes of 2013 :-)
  • 3 0
 That would be really helpful/intersting.
  • 7 0
 That sumnum is STUNNING!!!!!!!
  • 2 0
 rockrider!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! who would it guess a dh bike with a cool price and some interesting features, not bad, not bad at all keep it up maybe they could do something like dh for the masses. but they still can not override the yt industryes dh bike price its just to low to beat in my opinion
  • 7 1
 For 2.500 euros I would buy YT Tues 2.0 than Rockrider....
  • 2 0
 I'd say you're not alone in that thought process
  • 15 1
 I'd buy a really fucking big aquarium , just saying.
  • 2 0
 But the after sale will be so much easier in Decathlon's stores...
  • 2 0
 Caminade has so...strange geometry but it looks very comfy, even graceful and light. Mondraker is nice. But all in all, I understand that bike industry is developing but I can't stand this pursuit of fashion and money.
  • 5 0
 That Rockrider...KHS?
  • 6 0
 No, both are Astro like few more brands on the market. Big Grin
  • 1 0
 CTM for eg. (czech/slovakian brand?)
  • 1 0
 Krafsthoff, Haibike, maybe next rebirth Q-Bike... And the list is not over!
  • 1 0
 Don`t want to be seen on Decathlon stuff. Large stores full of bottom of the barrell goods at inflated prices and constant markdown (called "promo"). Fat people buy their trainers there.

Especially bikes are true sweatshop jobs. 60$ chinabox marked up 10 times. Astro Freeride frame is about 200$ in quantity and well made.
  • 1 0
 Whats up with the prototype Michelins? Kind of becoming a fan after riding on their Wild Grip'R2's that are new for 2012. They seriously should rethink their naming system.....
  • 1 0
 I'm a big fan of Merida and is reaaally looking forward to try out the one sixty.
They make awesome MTB's, hope they someday put together a real DH/Freeride bike other than the UMF Duncan.
  • 1 0
 Can somebody tell me where i can get my hands on one of those blue Commencal Supreme's? I can only find one that looks like a frickin' Taxi Cab!
  • 1 0
 Blue was the 2012 color. 2013 Will be neon yellow. I think CRC still has some blue ones, or get one from Commencal directly. Or give Cedric Gracia a call, he might have some left (ProBikeShop). I honestly don't know where to get one in the States, I'm sorry Smile
  • 1 0
 Thomas Genon won Crankworx on a Merida hardtail and also hit Rampage on the Meirda 160. Merida has been in the game for a while, good to be getting noticed!
  • 1 0
 To be precise, he used a 180mm Freddy on Rampage ( www.merida-bikes.com/en_gb/bike/2012/70/UMF/Freddy+1 ) Wink But yeah, it's unfair to say that they haven't done many "gravity" bikes, they just use UMF brand for that...
  • 4 1
 Those are the skinniest 27.5 tires I have ever seen.
  • 2 0
 Really? And just how many 27.5 tires have you seen? In real life... not just magazines and website photos. I have five different models of them within 30 feet of me right now, and those on the gambler do not look skinny to me.
  • 1 0
 Must be an illusion , schwalbe tires are enomous , my 2.5's are as big as maxxis 2.7's.

Pisses the people off that load the bikes on uplift trailers because they are awkward to fit in the slots Razz

One guy joked that he would cut them down with a stanley blade.
  • 2 0
 So, Caminade ppl are affraid that someone will do to them what they did to Intense/Santa Cruz then?
  • 4 1
 Merida actually has been making AM and DH bikes for a long time
  • 1 0
 so with the mondraker and a zero reach stem, seems kinda awkward to adjust compression/rebound etc.
well i guess if it rides better...
  • 1 0
 turning knobs wont be impossible, have fun pumping up your air fork tho! alot of people run boxxer world cups and a few are on dorado
  • 2 1
 What if I buy a moondraker frameset and don't want to ride a fox fork, where do I get a zero reach stem for a boxxer, marzzochi or another fork?
  • 1 0
 except for pre-2012 888s all those forks are compatible with the stem... hopefully they include a 35mm stem for easton/nukeproof bars
  • 1 0
 Yep, it mounts the same as a standard direct mount stem. The problem is that you have to chop your steerer tube way short so the bars will sit directly above it. There goes the re-sale value of that fork.
  • 1 0
 " the top tube is 3cm longer to compensate for the zero-reach stem" Kind of the hard, expensive and weighty way to get extra cockpit room, when a longer stem would do.
  • 4 0
 Congratulations on completely missing the point there...
  • 1 0
 Zero-reach takes out the ability to adjust the head angle by moving the stanchions up and down the crowns. Only option here is for full-slack unless you put a spacer under the stem. I do like zero-reach though... Nice feel.
  • 1 0
 The Merida probably won't sell in spanish speaking countries (just guessing) based on similarity to a curse word meaning poop.
  • 1 0
 finaly a real full suspension bike from MERIDA, good bike and we hope see more merida bikes review on pinkbike
  • 1 0
 What's wrong with the 2x10? I've been planning on doing that with my Intense Uzzi to make it more trail suitable.
  • 2 0
 That stealth Reverb Routing on the Meirda looks soo clean!
  • 2 0
 More info and close up pic of Ann Caro HD would have been nice.
  • 2 0
 That Caminade has a bizarre design.
  • 1 0
 Ya I don't think a short stem is an interesting experiment on the summum ! Ask Brook McDonald !! He won a World Cup ! Duh
  • 2 1
 I want the xprezo just cause its called a gamjam :-)
  • 6 3
 gamjam style?
  • 8 0
 facepalm...
  • 1 0
 At first sight that Rockrider looked like a grom sized Mondraker.
  • 1 0
 Dee eight thought on the gambler
  • 1 0
 I like the new Renthal Fat Bar logo on Mondraker Sun!
  • 1 0
 crazy Michelin tire! looks like a cutted Wetscream
  • 4 4
 where can I buy a caminade?
  • 2 0
 caminade.eu
  • 1 1
 before adopting your new pet, do your homework: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dromedary
every dromedary is an individual and might not meet class standards
  • 2 1
 Mondrakers are my life!!
  • 1 1
 Rockrider has copied the look of the summum....
  • 3 4
 Is it just me, or does that Scott have a 650 on front?
  • 2 1
 blindness?
check it out the second photo...
Below threshold threads are hidden







Copyright © 2000 - 2024. Pinkbike.com. All rights reserved.
dv65 0.315427
Mobile Version of Website