Commencal Supreme DH V4 World Cup - Review

Jul 25, 2016
by Mike Kazimer  



First seen in 2015 under Rémi Thirion at the Lourdes stop of the World Cup DH circuit, Commencal's Supreme DH V4 is one of the more radical looking downhill bikes currently on the market, thanks to its high-pivot suspension design and integrated idler pulley. With 220mm of rear travel and a 63° head angle, the Supreme V4 was designed to tackle the roughest tracks around.

Commencal offers four different models of the aluminum-framed machine, with prices ranging from $2,999 USD for the base model Origin up to $5,699 for the World Cup edition tested here. Highlights of the World Cup model include a RockShox BoXXer World Cup fork, SRAM 7-speed X01 DH drivetrain, Code brakes, and e*thirteen's new LG1 carbon cranks.


Commencal Supreme DH V4 Details

• Intended use: downhill
• Wheel size: 27.5''
• Rear wheel travel: 220mm
• 63° head angle
• 6066 aluminum frame
• 1.5" head tube
• 12 x 150mm rear spacing
• ISCG 05 chain guide tabs
• Weight: 37.5 lb (large, actual, w/o pedals)
• MSRP: $5699 USD
www.commencal.com
It's a very well sorted component package, one that's race ready out of the box - just add a number plate and you're good to go. The fact that it has an aluminum frame versus carbon does help keep the price down at the cost of adding a few extra grams, but 37.5 lb is still a very reasonable fighting weight.


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Suspension Layout

Other than the fact that it would be made from aluminum, roll on 27.5” wheels, and had to be fast, Commencal's designers were given free reign when it came to the design of the Supreme DH V4. At the time, Nico Menard, the head of the company's R&D had been experimenting with the concept of a high pivot bike, one where the main pivot is located well above the top of the chainring, and decided to create a 160mm enduro bike to test out the concept. That bike may not have been the prettiest to look at, but its speed out on the trails proved the the idea had merit, and the decision was made to use the suspension design on the Supreme DH V4.

The concept of a a high-pivot DH bike isn't new, but the Supreme V4 may be one of the cleanest executions of the concept to-date. Instead of having the idler pulley bolted onto the frame like a part from an Erector set, Commencal have integrated it into the seatstay, which makes the bike much more aesthetically pleasing. The large aluminum pulley wheel rotates on a sealed cartridge bearing, and can easily be removed for cleaning with the removal of one bolt.

Why is that pulley even necessary? It helps to counteract the relatively large amount of chain growth that comes with a high pivot suspension design, and minimize the associated pedal kickback. It also has the benefit of virtually eliminating any chainslap, making for a nearly silent ride out on the track.
Commencal Supreme V4 Review
It may look complex, but at its core the Supreme DH V4 is a link driven single pivot design.

Another one of the design goals for the bike was to keep its center of gravity as low as possible. To that end, the scissor-like lower linkage is located just above the bottom bracket, and the shock sits in a recess cut into the downtube. The suspension design does bring to mind the Sunn Radical DH bike, which isn't entirely surprising – after all, Max Commencal was the founder of that company as well.


Commencal Supreme V4 Review
The brake and derailleur housing are routed behind the integrated bumpstop on the bike's 1.5" headtube.
Commencal Supreme V4 Review
The chain runs over a rubber chainslap protector on its way into the seatstay where the idler pulley is housed.


Frame Details

A close examination of the Supreme V4's 6066 aluminum frame reveals a very high level of attention to detail. Integrated fork bump stops and internal cable routing are fairly common these days, but it's the little things like the moto foam tucked into the frame where the front of the shock sits that set the V4 apart. That's a trick usually seen on the World Cup circuit to help keep mud from finding its way into little nooks and crannies – it's not something you'd expect to find on a stock bike.

The inclusion of a front and rear fender is also a nice touch, as is the downtube protector that extends far enough to help protect the portion of the linkage that sticks out on either side of the frame.


Commencal Supreme V4 Review
The dropouts can be swapped out to add additional length.
Commencal Supreme V4 Review
Moto foam keeps mud from collecting underneath the rear shock.


The Supreme V4 uses a pressfit BB107 bottom bracket, which results in the same spacing as using external cups and an 83mm shell. 12 x 150mm spacing is in place for the rear wheel, which is secured with a bolt-on thru-axle.

For riders who wish to deviate from the bike's stock geometry, Commencal offers headset cups that can increase or decrease the reach by either 5, 8, or 10mm, and there are also different dropouts available that can be used to extend the bike's wheelbase.


Geometry / Sizing

The last few years have seen the reach numbers on most mountain bikes increase. The changes haven't been quite as drastic in the DH realm, but one thing is certain about the DH V4 – it's reach numbers are very conservative. According to Nico Menard, “For sure the Supreme DH V4 is on the short side in terms of length. We designed this frame and tested in Andorra where we ride steep and not so fast trails. In this type of riding, the reach is spot on.” For comparison, the size large V4 has a reach of 408, while a large YT Tues measures 450mm, and Specialized's latest Demo comes in at 440mm for a size large.

The good news is that for 2017 Commencal will be increasing the reach of all sizes, with the large going to 430mm and the XL to 455. Those numbers still aren't the longest out there, but combined with the use of reach-extending headset cups they should help a wider range of riders comfortably fit on the bike.

Commencal Geo Chart


Specifications
Specifications
Price $5699
Travel 220mm
Rear Shock RockShox Vivid R2C, 267x89mm
Fork RockShox BoXXer World Cup
Headset Semi integrated, IS41, 1 1/8" lower washer, sealed bearings
Cassette SRAM PG795 10-24 T
Crankarms E13 LG1 Race, carbon, DM 36T
Chainguide E13 LG1+ Wide Angle
Bottom Bracket SRAM XO
Chain KMC X11L, 11 speed
Rear Derailleur SRAM XO1 DH
Shifter Pods SRAM XO DH 7 speed
Handlebar Renthal Fatbar, 780mm, 30mm rise, ø31,8mm
Stem Renthal Integra, 45mm
Grips Renthal Lock-On Kevlar
Brakes SRAM Code, 200mm / 200mm
Hubs E13 LG1R+, 32H
Rim E13 LG1R+, 32H, TLR
Tires Maxxis Minion DHR II, 650b x 2,40 , 60 TPI, 3C Maxx Grip
Seat Ride Alpha / CrMo rails
Seatpost Ride Alpha DH, 31,6mm, 300mm

Commencal Supreme V4 Review





Handling

Commencal designed the Supreme V4 to be able to take on the steepest trails around, so that's exactly where I took it when it arrived. As I made my way down the first of many near-vertical dirt chutes it wasn't just the bike's composure that I noticed – it was how ridiculously quiet it was. Thanks to the idler pulley system there's virtually no chainslap; when you're coasting, the click of the freehub body is the only sound, and when you're pedaling the bike is almost dead silent. It's by far the quietest downhill bike I've ridden, and that's in its bone stock configuration – there wasn't any need to go wild with the helicopter tape to try and quiet things down.

When it comes to steep trails, the V4 is unflinching, and refuses to be rattled no matter how heinous the terrain; the combination of a 63° head angle and a very rearward axle path creates a machine that's ideally suited for plummeting straight down the fall line. I did find myself a little further off the back than I would have liked on a couple of occasions due to the bike's shorter front center – an XL would have been a better fit for my 5'11” height. The large was easy to place exactly where I wanted it, but more length would have given me room to shift my weight rearward without feeling like I was sitting on the rear wheel.

Commencal Supreme V4 Review

bigquotesWhen it comes to steep trails, the V4 is unflinching, and refuses to be rattled no matter how heinous the terrain; the combination of a 63-degree head angle and a very rearward axle path creates a machine that's ideally suited for plummeting straight down the fall line.

It'd be easy to look at the V4's geometry chart and come to the conclusion that the 425mm chainstay length would create a bike that's a cornering fiend, but in reality that's not entirely true. It's no slouch in the corners, and it never felt like the rear end was hanging up or lagging, but because of the extremely rearward axle path, it does feel longer than those numbers suggest. The fact that the bike lengthens as you push into the suspension creates a incredibly stable platform, one that pastes the bike against a berm - it's like being stuck to the wall of a Gravitron, but without the smell of corn dogs and cotton candy.

The BoXXer World Cup and Vivid R2C felt well matched to each other out on the on the trail, and once I set the rebound and compression on the shock to my liking I didn't need to tinker with it again. The same goes for the fork – it didn't take long to find the sweet spot, which for my weight and riding style ended up being 77 psi and three bottomless tokens.

Commencal Supreme V4 Review

Put a man-made lip in front of the V4 and it'll blast off as far as you'd like, and when it's time for re-entry it'll touch down in the same smooth and controlled manner no matter what type of nastiness is in the landing zone. The rear travel has a very smooth ramp up, and there wasn't even a hint of harshness as the end of the shock's stroke was approached. Bunny-hopping is a different story, and it does take a little extra 'oomph' to pop the V4 up and over obstacles. Compared to the Rocky Mountain Maiden, the V4 prefers to stay low to the ground, mowing through obstacles rather than bounding up and over them.

Pedaling performance isn't quite as crucial on a DH bike, but it can't be neglected entirely – just look at the finish line sprint at the Cairns World Cup track for proof. Out of the saddle sprinting aboard the Supreme V4 is relatively bob-free, and the rear end remained calm even when I was mashing down on the pedals to gain a little extra speed.

The V4 is definitely capable of some serious fall-line plow action, but you don't need to be as wild as Rémi Thirion or George Brannigan in order to tap into its performance. Where bikes like the GT Fury and the Scott Gambler work best with a confident pilot at the controls, the V4 is still very manageable even without a fully pinned riding style. As wild as it looks, the bike's handling felt very neutral, and even at lower speeds it never felt unwieldy or sluggish.


Issues

• RockShox's Charger damper is usually a trouble-free unit, but after a few days in the bike park the Boxxer World Cup lost its rebound damping, and started making an unsettling top out noise. It turns out that a seal had been damaged, likely due to a hard bottom out. Once that was repaired it was smooth sailing once again, and the fork worked flawlessly for the remainder of the test period.

• The lower shock mounting bolt managed to works its way loose a few times, even with medium strength threadlock applied. It's worth checking it regularly, especially after a full day of smashing out bike park laps.



Commencal Supreme V4 Review
SRAM's Code brakes are still some of the best even after all these years.
Commencal Supreme V4 Review
e*thirteen takes of the bike's cranks and chainguide, both of which were trouble free.

Component Check

• SRAM Code brakes: Code brakes have taken a backseat while SRAM's newer Guide brakes steal the spotlight, but for outright power the Codes still reign supreme. I'd actually sort of forgotten how much I liked the Codes until getting reacquainted with them on the V4. There isn't quite as much modulation as with the Guides, but the fade-free control that they offer in the steeps is still hard to beat.

• Maxxis Minion DHR II tires: It's hard to beat a set of Minion DHR II tires front and rear for an all-conditions tire combination. From hardpack to steep and loose they offer tenacious grip and very predictable cornering.

• Renthal Kevlar lock-on grips: Companies often try to pinch pennies by spec'ing cheap house brand grips, so it was a welcome sight to see that Commencal decided to avoid going down that route, and instead installed a set of Renthal's ultra-comfy lock on grips. Even after long days in the bike part spent rocketing through braking bumps my hands felt fine, without any unwanted sore spots or tiredness.

• e*thirteen LG1r carbon cranks: The LG1r cranks saw plenty of use and abuse – hucks to flat, extra-muddy laps in the bike park, you name it – and they're still spinning smoothly. Crankarm stiffness isn't an easy thing to notice when there's 220mm of travel between you and the ground, but I will say that the cranks definitely aren't flexy. Surprisingly, they came without crankarm protectors – I'd recommend tracking down a set to avoid hearing the sound of carbon crunching against rocks.


Commencal Supreme V4 Review


Pinkbike's Take:
bigquotesDo you like your trails steep, rough, and raw? The Supreme V4 is well-equipped to dive into the gnarliest terrain on the planet - just make sure to choose the size with the appropriate reach number to suit your needs, a tactic that may leave taller riders waiting until the longer 2017 version is released. - Mike Kazimer




Visit the high-res gallery for more images from this review.



About the Reviewer
Stats: Age: 32 • Height: 5'11” • Inseam: 33" • Weight: 155lb • Industry affiliations / sponsors: None
Twenty years deep into a mountain biking addiction that began as a way to escape the suburban sprawl of Connecticut, Mike Kazimer is most at home deep the woods, carving his way down steep, technical trails. The decade he spent as a bike mechanic helped create a solid technical background to draw from when reviewing products, and his current location in the Pacific Northwest allows for easy access to the wettest, muddiest conditions imaginable.


Author Info:
mikekazimer avatar

Member since Feb 1, 2009
1,716 articles

124 Comments
  • 80 5
 I really have nothing negative to say about Commencal at all haha. Even if I try really hard for a pinkbike review article I still can't think of anything bad to say. Keep up the great work and amazing bikes!
  • 24 0
 Finally, in respond on the previous cork 720 v4 video.

"Compared to the Rocky Mountain Maiden, the V4 prefers to stay low to the ground."
  • 16 1
 I'm currently driving out of Andorra with a full tank of tax free diesel and some tax free alcohol in the back of my camper. Seen these everywhere and want one so very badly. What a machine.
  • 19 1
 press fit bb is my only complaint. got a chance to demo one at winter park. way too fast of a bike.
  • 12 30
flag lyophilization (Jul 25, 2016 at 8:12) (Below Threshold)
 ive found a few annoyances over the past 6 months of riding my v3. it should be noted that i LOVE this bike overall. but i hardly ever hear anything bad about commencal, even though they have issues like any other bike.

the first is seldom an issue, but still one nonetheless. the space between the frame and rear tire is really small, so if im pushing up or riding slow down muddy terrain, mud get caught and caked in between the frame and tire. then if a rock gets stuck to the tire, it get jammed in there and puts gouges in the frame. like i said, doesnt happen often.

the other issue was the "tubeless ready" rims. i bought a lower end version of the v3, but still it was laughable how shitty these rims were set up. a single layer of crappy tape, that didn't even cover the valve area. it was the first time id switched to tubeless, so i didnt know that it wouldnt hold. the stans actually made the tape peel up. so yeah, it didnt seal well.
  • 34 0
 @lyophilization: tubeless ready just means that the rim bead is shaped to seal and hold a tire properly. It doesn't mean they're pre taped or anything. It's your own fault you didn't pay attention when you set it up.
  • 7 0
 As long as you never have to deal with their customer service. After owning a number of their bikes and loving them i won't be going back any time soon, cause if anything breaks your stuck. I am still waiting for follow-up after more than a year. Despite like 40 mails to commencal nothing happens. I really want to like commencal and have loved their bikes, but that customer service is just way too risky. @commencalbicycles you guys really need to work on your service
  • 14 2
 I still like the jedi better.
  • 2 0
 @adrennan: spent a couple hours on one at winter park too. Great bike, just eats the rough stuff.
  • 1 1
 @colinthemetz Lmao you blew up your shock, dropper, and have a jammed up airspring that took me half an hour to fix. And your wheels stop spinning when there's a quarter inch of mud on 10 feet of Jones. You really do love that geometry, don't ya Smile
  • 5 0
 "The chain runs over a rubber chainslap protector on its way into the seatstay where the idler pulley is housed." Beautiful looking and sounding bike but have fun cleaning that after sloppy rides.
  • 1 1
 @siderealwall2: haha all those have nothing to do with the actual bike, just lots of use and little maintanence, and no, my wheel does not stop spinning after a quarter inch of mud on jones. And yea, I really do love the geometry.
  • 70 5
 10/10 would sell my child for this.
  • 38 0
 Don't do that, it's sized perfect for the kid.
  • 4 0
 @FindDigRideRepeat: sweet! We can share then! This should help me lobbying the wife. Tip of the hat to you sir.
  • 15 3
 @nickkk: Boy or a girl? Can I see the health record first? No, no it's not about trafficking. According to this online community It may be actually worse: We are looking for young talents for 16" E-bike racing.
  • 1 0
 @WAKIdesigns: You monster!
  • 7 0
 @WAKIdesigns: its tempting Waki, but that's how it starts though. Next thing you know my first born is locked in a secret room in the basement forced to re wire DI2 components, mill energy drink powder with bare hands and eat chamois cream and race sealant to survive. I cant do this. I just cant. For she is the daughter of a freerider. And she will be free.
  • 38 0
 I'd love to see a video of the suspension cycling become a standard feature of Pinkbike reviews. The way suspension looks while working might not make a material difference to bike performance, but it does look cool, and it'd help us understand the way some of these complicated modern linkages work.
  • 16 0
 Vital MTB did this a while ago for a series of 17 bikes - it really adds something to the reviews by bringing the bikes to life. I'd love to see this here on PB as a standard feature too. Here's the link if you would like to see what I'm on about. P.s. the opening song makes the video Smile : www.vitalmtb.com/videos/features/Test-Sessions-17-Suspension-Systems-Cycled-for-Science,30696/bturman,109
  • 1 0
 The Vital suspension test is a way to see how the linakges on more complex systems, Like the evil, work. Not meant for a kinematics overview like what AndreXTR does, but still not bad at all!
  • 2 0
 Vital's video was incredibly satisfying to watch though
  • 2 0
 Well said, I've been wanting this for such a long time.
  • 27 2
 i hope one day bikes will be so quiet, that you only can hear your tires, the hub and the birds #thedream
great looking bike Big Grin
  • 20 4
 I don't even wanna her my hub -> lots of friction going there!
  • 5 0
 Infinite air time.
  • 8 17
flag jack-aldred (Jul 25, 2016 at 1:44) (Below Threshold)
 The demo has everything you need then
  • 5 0
 I mean, It's never happened to me... you couldnt hear a 747 take off over my bike, but I've heard storys that tyres make a funny noise on trails once you can hear them!
  • 3 0
 Just wear some ear plugs when riding this new commencal and pretend how quiet it is.
  • 1 1
 @EnduroManiac: my 240S is completely silent. tyres on dirt and no other noises
  • 4 9
flag kleinblake (Jul 25, 2016 at 5:07) (Below Threshold)
 @Jack-McLovin: loudest bike I've ridden in recent years
  • 6 5
 @kleinblake: That's bullshit. I'm talking about the new frame design btw.
  • 5 6
 @Jack-McLovin: me too. The chainstay is like half an inch above the chain. So loud
  • 8 6
 @kleinblake: Sort out the chain tension then. And sorry for my first comment, guys. Forgot that most of Pinkbike hold a grudge against S.
  • 1 0
 @kleinblake: Experience chainslap like seen in this video, and perhaps anything will sound quiet to you. vimeo.com/160236697
  • 1 0
 @EnduroManiac: Get those hubs that cam zink uses then
  • 1 0
 @endlessblockades: Yep, surely my next hubs.
  • 23 0
 I never get over how cool looking this bike is.
  • 8 0
 I maintain my previous assertion - on looks alone, I'd take the V4 over the Demo, or anything else out there. When I first saw the frame's silhouette in that original teaser video I literally forgot to keep breathing. Imagine it in piano black, or brushed raw aluminum, or maybe a rich sparkle blue.
  • 2 1
 @Bluefire: Had we not started our own frame building, this or the Canfield was the option. Wait until you ride one. They are FAST. Will never go back to a crummy low pivot design for agressive riding.
  • 23 2
 408 reach on a large? What the hell were they thinking?
  • 3 0
 Thought the same... I ride NS Bikes Fuzz in L... 470 reach and would not go less than 460.
  • 1 0
 Seriously, my medium transition patrol has 432 reach. I'm only 5'7" (170cm) and it's perfect for me.
  • 1 0
 Yep. Thats a no go for me. Would have bought one before this article but im glad i didnt. Seems I would have been disappointed with a L at 6'.
  • 22 1
 Just dont be over 6'
  • 16 0
 My thoughts exactly - XL for someone under 6 foot? What does a 6ft 4 rider buy...
  • 12 0
 yup, would have bought one of these already if they made them in my size. Commencal's XL is everyone else's M. They do have a pretty extensive kid's bike lineup, seems like the sizing carries over.
  • 21 2
 Is there ever going to be a Canfield Jedi review?
  • 1 5
flag mark3 (Jul 25, 2016 at 10:56) (Below Threshold)
 it would be nice to see a review on the guerrilla gravity dh bike as well
  • 14 0
 This review is completely unnecessary. Remy Metallier's videos revealed everything anyone should ever need to know about this bike. And the man said ABSOLUTELY NOTHIN'!!!
  • 18 5
 SRAM CODE AINT DEAD!!!
  • 9 5
 Best brakes on earth!! They put saint and guide to shame! Unbelievable how good they are
  • 3 0
 They should do it like Specialized and combine the Guide levers with code calipers because Taperbore needs too much maintenance.
  • 3 0
 @SickEdit: nope, taperbore in the Code is totally fine thanks to the much bigger fluid volume compared to the elixir models.
  • 9 2
 Get the positive out of the way - Love the high single pivot idea, for DH racing on rough tracks it should be great, rearward axle path, idler to keep anti squat in check, decent leverage curve - Sounds good to me, lets hope next year we see some DH tracks that will test this kind of bike and not the more bike-park stuff.

Only problems is that they seem like they got the sizing wrong and have thrown the reach adjust cups out there as a band-aid to help with that - Am I right in saying all of the racers are on XL bikes with the full 10mm plus in the headcup?

I know some racers are coming back a little from super long bikes - many of the Saracen team & Sam Hill choosing either slightly shorter TT's with cups or custom frames - Those frames have a reach of around 440mm though for size medium / large bikes so still considerably longer than the XL model Commencal - And Sam / Mannon are only around 5"8 /9 too so that probably explains that one.

DH geometry seems to have settled around the 430-445mm mark for a Medium-Large frame because it just plain works, DH bikes are for going fast on and racing - stability = speed. I agree that some riders will want a playfull bike rather than out and out speed but a 220mm rearward axle path bike with considerably growing chainstay length probably isnt it.

EDIT - Just read they are making them longer for 2017 - Commencal, go give your designer a poke for making you build a whole years worth of tiny bikes before waking up!
  • 6 4
 1. Just to put things into perspective... you are insulting the guy who's responsible for the design of all Commençal bikes.
Surely you know better than him what bike geometry works best for DH racing?

2. You want a longer bike, ok. People want longer bikes, so 2017 bikes will be longer. There is so much trend and personal preference involved, it's impossible to judge what geo is best just based on what other brands are doing etc.

3. You criticize the lack of a few cm, which is a lot I agree. But have you calculated how long the bike becomes when sagged, let's say 20% front and 30% rear? If not, then it's pointless to compare with bikes that have very different kinematics.

Personally I haven't, but I'm sure Nico Menard and his team have good reasons behind their choices. It's just too bad if the length doesn't suit you Wink
  • 11 1
 @Uuno: You are contradicting yourself in that statement - I didnt say I knew 'better' only that Commencal seem to have made a mistake with sizing backed up by the fact they have altered it considerably after just a year of production.

We also have a rider selling his large bike on this page as it is far too small.

Personal preference is one thing, an XL bike with a reach smaller than many size Medium is a poor choice and can lead to riders with bikes far too small unless they research geometry, and why should they? That is the manufacturers job.

Chainstay growth is irrelevant here, it wont make your reach longer.
  • 1 1
 @Racer951: Chainstay growth is a little relevant here. I am 6'2". My personal bike has a reach of 420mm, I run a 50mm stem and it feels good to me. With the lengthening you do get, it helps to not be too stretched out toward the front of the bike. At sag, you will typically be longer than most other DH bikes. Sizing is so very subjective to the individual and how you want the bike to feel and also the ride has to take into account what type of trails they noramally ride. If you ride rough single tracks that have tighter turns, you may not want such a long bike. Or if you want it to feel a little more nimble and playful, etc. The Pinion gearbox frames we are almost done with, we have them a little longer in sizing, I think the medium is like 430mm. The person who the frame is for is 6' and likes that size.
  • 3 0
 Remi Thirion is 5ft 8" and rides a Medium frame with +10mm reach adjust headcups, and also tends to adjust his chainstay length by +5mm or +10mm depending on the track.

Yet Francisco Pardal at 5ft 11" rides an XL with +10mm headcups...
  • 4 1
 @will-dalley: Exactly. Each rider really needs to evaluate THEIR needs to the trails they normally ride. It would be great if we could just have a palate of bikes in different sizes and stem lengths to find exactly what we like. But that is not at everyones disposal.
If you run a lot of tight trails and corners, you may want a slightly shorter reach on the frame and then run a 50mm stem instead of a 30mm to shorten the wheelbase.

Just stuff to think about when looking at frame sizes.
  • 5 0
 Does anybody else remember an article, not sure if it was pinkbike or elsewhere, where the writer stated that a high pivot idler bike would not make it to a world cup podium? I want to re read the article, so any help is appreciated.
  • 4 0
 m.pinkbike.com/news/6-questions-i-want-answered-opinion-2016.html

Check Mattwrag comments, he quotes Matti Lehikoinen.
  • 1 0
 @Uuno: Isn´t that exclusively about gearboxes?
  • 1 1
 @Blablablup123:
"I had a very interesting chat with Matti Lehikoinen about efficiency last year - he explained that it's for similar reasons you don't see idler pulleys on race-winning bikes."
  • 1 0
 @Uuno: Thanks, I could not remember the exact quote.
  • 2 1
 @Uuno: Aaah, ok. Doesn`t make a lot of sense to me. A pulley wheel with ceramic bearings will have almost no friction and most definitely less than some chain guides with sliders some pros are using.
  • 4 1
 @Blablablup123: Its not about increased chain friction as that is minimal, I imagine it was about pedalling efficiency as high pivot bikes / idlers not designed correctly can often pedal poorly due to low anti squat - I cant imagine the Commencal suffering from this though - You can see the prototype Norco's also using idlers, I imagine to try and improve suspension action in the rough, Porter / Mojo also did similar testing.

All I can think is that the lengthening of the wheelbase / rearward axle path would be a hiderance to riders of a certain style like Gwin who likes to skip over the terrain, this type of bike wouldnt reward that kind of riding.

I would love to see this bike smashed down Vai Di Sole or similar but the WC series is using more and more bikepark style tracks which is a shame.
  • 6 0
 Wilson gets bashed for being "way too short for a modern dh bike" at 436 size large, which is not big by any means, but only a mention he was off the back more than he'd want on the commencal with 408 reach.
  • 13 5
 ....But does it come with suspension grips?
  • 2 0
 No, but you can expect a big bunch of dudes who will whine about something, regardless of what product is being tested on Pinkbike. At least once @mikelevy, you must post an empty article called "First Look" and put "let us know what you think, in the comments below" in Pinkbike's take.
  • 3 1
 Got one of the first V4 when it first came out. Used to have the V2. This bike is a blast to ride. Had some issues with it though after a month of use and long story short, commencal wanted to check the bike and find whats wrong so i spent 200Euros to send it to them,didnt fix it and from the emails didnt really look like they give a shit for customer after the sale i done , so they sent it back to me telling me thats the bike is gonna sound like crap when the rocker link is moving etc. Tore apart the whole bike and fixed it myself. WORST customer service i've ever had, customer service that they piss you off with stupid excuses and last but not least team mechanics that dont know their shit. Still the best bike i've ever had that puts a smile on my face every time i ride it.
  • 1 0
 How did you fix it? (I suppose you are the one with the creaking linkage/ shock)
  • 3 0
 @Blablablup123:

Main Rocker link bolt was tighten to 38lb instead of 15lb. Major difference.
I guess was to hard for commencal mechanics to check it themselves.
  • 1 0
 @FiLaReToS: Glad you solved it, not glad Commencal was that useless.
  • 2 0
 Demo'd this bike and took it a few runs to really find home on this thing but once I did I really liked it. I thought it did really well in corners and felt faster than my Jedi. Very impressed with Commencal and love their prices.
  • 1 2
 It helps you ride a rearward axle path bike!
  • 3 0
 Delighted to see that the 2016 Balfa BB7 is finally out -
just a decade or so out of production, and under a slightly different name :p

Commencal is getting all my bucks
  • 3 0
 I would love to hear more about the performance and durability of the E13 LG1R wheel set as there are almost no reviews anywhere to be found.
  • 2 1
 every full sus commencal owner i have talked to owns a tube HD locktite. so some reasons their bolts just love to back out. on my second bottle for my meta sx. they should start sending torque wrenches with on their full sus bikes too.
  • 1 0
 i didnt like my v2, the rear end was a bit too long .this looks quite good though. its looks like its got a bit of demo 8 and a bit of scott gambler rolled into one. With an ohlins on it and in satin black it would look pretty rad
  • 1 0
 This is a great bike! Ridden a lot of bikes this is one of the better ones. I've also never ridden a large frame before @ 5 8 ... It pedals very well over bumps chattery rock roots at low speed.. Stable at high speeds flicky at low speeds. higher bb decreases pedal strikes. progressive too. The rear squats down with heavy heavy braking versus extending like many bikes this can benefit in some situations. It has a nice pop to it off jumps and bump jumps oh yeah... dead quiet bone stock no velcro. yellow balfa's for the win!
  • 1 0
 As an Australian willing to hand over their money for one, how do I buy one? No seriously. The Aussie website is at least 2 years out of date and I cant find any bike shops around here that will sell them. If anyone knows please PM me.
  • 1 0
 Try to contact them via their european website maybe?
  • 2 0
 Im not sure what to think, but the reach on the modern bikes are growing a litle too much. Top tubes and reach in some bikes are VERY long for their size, and i cant understand why so much love for ''huge'' bikes.
  • 2 0
 Kyle Strait let me take out his XXL version of this bike at Northstar for a few runs and said you can call the company to have one special ordered. The thing was a tank and felt perfectly sized for me (i'm 6'4").
  • 4 0
 My 09' Glory is on it's last legs - this bike is certainly on a short list of possible replacements
  • 4 0
 When the 5' 11" rider wants an XL it is time to extend your reach by at least 1"
  • 3 0
 Even that 2017 reach on the XL is hardly massive - its 22mm less than my XL AM bike!
  • 1 0
 I usually ride a small, had a go on a medium as small are sold out and it was spot on for me. Looking at an upgrade as my darkcycles is 14years old now but uses similar suspension design Smile
  • 2 0
 I wonder what they say about the supreme dh V3 sizing because for a large it's 405 mm?
  • 1 0
 I am going to get this bike, but based on every ones review about the sizing can anyone help. i'm 5'7 and was going to get a medium. But now I'm not sure.
  • 3 2
 Always liked the look of the v3's & this one. Parts availability & warranty backup would stop me buying one though unfortunately.
  • 4 1
 I've had a V3 in the past and had no problems getting spare parts from commencal. Also even though i wasn't the original owner they helped me out with a reasonable price for a crash replacement frame.
  • 3 0
 they have a 5 year warranty?
  • 2 0
 @johnl2: 5 year on the frame, 3 year on chain/seat stays

confusing to say the least
  • 2 0
 If it were Chromoly and had the word Balfa sticker to its downtime I'd buy it in a second
  • 1 0
 or darkcycles scarab like I'm still riding..
  • 2 0
 Check us out, should fit the bill/
  • 1 0
 @Peregrinebikes: I think I just peed a bit, I know what is very like that wasn't put into production that I wanted to buy.
  • 1 0
 @bat-fastard: I was looking at that one too! And it never happened, so i made it happening. We also have it happening with a gearbox. Almost done with those. Follow us because it will be posted soon.
  • 1 0
 @Peregrinebikes: thanks have done, not sure if I'd go gear box but will wait for the 27.5 or would have bought the one for sale lol
  • 2 0
 Minion DHR front and rear???

Doesn't everyone usually run DHF?
  • 5 0
 The newer DHR seems to be getting favour front and rear, seems to be a hybrid of the High Roller and DHF - I think Minnaar often uses one on the front and rear now.

Looks like it has more space between the knobs and is meant to be awesome under braking so for loose / damp conditions it looks like a good choice.
  • 1 0
 a bike with normal round tubing, nice. clean
  • 1 0
 Does it need a longer than standard chain ?
  • 1 0
 Nope. Standard 116 link 10sp chain
  • 1 0
 Willing to wait for the 17s with increased Reach and better colours
  • 1 0
 Looks like a commensal. Badass
  • 1 1
 F@ck phone autocorrect. Commencal
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