Interbike 2010 - Ellsworth Momentum Slopestyle Bike
Slopestylers, 4X riders, and hooligans take note, Ellsworth had their their brand new 2011 short travel Momentum at Interbike for riders to eye up. We've got a full test in the works, but for now you can have a closer look at the bike inside and listen to Harry from Ellsworth give you the lowdown in the audio.
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Visit the Ellsworth website for more information.
This bike looks like serious fun. Good looking, as well as tight and light - some of the important ingredients for a bike to win me over! We have a 2011 Momentum on the way and will report back, but for now it's up to you to tell us what you make of the new bike!
Stay tuned for more Interbike coverage!
Read on...
Ellsworth had a couple of new additions to their lineup for the upcoming 2011 season, but the model that I'm sure you're all most interested in is their new slopestyle, 4X, and general fun machine, the Momentum. While it certainly does have similar lines to the other bikes in their catalog, all of the full suspension models use Ellsworth's ICT (Instant Center Tracking) suspension design, this is a ground up design for the intended task. This 120 mm travel fun machine features geometry that will reward aggressive riders, with a 13.1" bottom bracket height, firm suspension, and tight angles. Harry from Ellsworth has more information in the audio below.
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Is raw the new black? I sure hope so! The Momentum frame is handmade in the US and it has a simple and classic look with an open triangle design and subtly sloping tubes that don't scream "look at me!" like a lot of other bikes out there. Once you get up close though it is clear to see that there is quite a bit going on, including this shapely tapered headtube, complete with a low stack headset.
The 2011 Momentum uses Ellsworth ICT (Instant Center Tracking) suspension design, albeit tuned to deliver a firm 120 mm of travel on this slopestyle and 4X intended bike. As with any design, there is all sorts of science behind it, but the basic principle is a floating virtual pivot that tracks the chain line throughout the bike's travel. The goal is to have a bike that doesn't require any sort of pedal assist, be it a lockout or excessive amounts of compression damping, and can remain fully active and fluid which allows it to track the terrain. Activating the shock is a set of large I-beam section rocker arms that are tied together with a carbon brace to further enhance stiffness. All suspension components, excluding the damper, rotate on sealed bearings.
Visit the Ellsworth website for more information.
This bike looks like serious fun. Good looking, as well as tight and light - some of the important ingredients for a bike to win me over! We have a 2011 Momentum on the way and will report back, but for now it's up to you to tell us what you make of the new bike!
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Anyone else?
Very true.
undercoverfreak,
Claiming anything aside, even the smallest variations in pivot layout can effect the ride. Nope, I haven't ridden an Ellsworth (yet) so I wouldn't know, but I'm willing to bet that it does some things differently.
mikeyridesbikes, sry mate but Kona is not 4 pivot/FSR type suspension. Single pivot with some levers.
And there are people out there that wouldn't ride anything but single-pivot. And there are some that only ride hardtails.
There IS no BEST design, just the one the feels good to you.
I've ridden ICT, and it works very well. You can climb up technical roots and ruts and the traction is great. Just pedal pedal pedal and let the suspension hook up. I was very impressed, but the price, not so impressive when I can get designs that feel good to me for a lot less.
so you didn't have any problems, but because you heard that EW had poor customer service you decided to sell your Moment? Considering your relationship is with your local dealer (that you bought your Moment from..and not Ellsworth directly)..this does not make sense?
the Moment has been the most "trouble free" model that EW has ever made - we have been importing and selling EW for 10+ years so speak from experience here
it is actually a virtual pivot, if you paid attention in Suspension Class 101 you would know that any horst pivot bike IS a virtual pivot, with an IC that is impossible with a simple single-pivot or rocker-activated single pivot
Specialized's FSR, Devinci's 4-bar and Ellsworth's ICT are all slightly different versions of the virtual pivot suspension system - as are VPP, Maestro, Banshee VF4B and others using "short dual links"
and to clarify, Devinci started using tapered head tubes in 2010, not for years...I owned a 2009 Devinci Hectik which had a regular 1.125" head tube, and have owned their bikes going back to 2005 (Devinci Ollie and Johnson with 1.5" head tube) - my 2010 Devinci Hectik has a tapered head tube which is a first for Devinci
ICT works damn well, and works just as well as the current "flavour of the month" virtual pivot designs - hint : ICT is actually a "virtual pivot"
if you've ever had the pleasure of riding an Ellsworth Dare (DH race) or Moment (all-Mountain) they are top performers
Ellsworth's Epiphany (trail) bike has just won "best of test" here in the UK magazines against contemporary high end bikes from competing brands
ICT is not FSR, in fact ICT has its own patent, and knowing how sue-happy Specialized are, that tells you something about ICT being different - I've always found ICT to be less reactive to pedalling than FSR
I don't own any Ellsworths, but have had the pleasure to take them on test rides and have found them to be solid performers and very capable under braking, pedalling and full power, with no hint of flex in the rear
visually Ellsworth's rear end is love / hate, but the bikes are very good performers and the update for 2011 with taper head tubes and new geometry is a great step forward for EW
:et's not forget Ellsworth is MUCH bigger than the man, there are a lot of us. And I know everyone there works their tails off and we feel like we make some amazing bikes,and that they keep getting better. Maybe we should wait until this bike is reviewed by someone who rides Slope Style or 4X before we form an opinion on it.
PS I know my profile doesn't have an Ellsworth on it I haven't built mine up yet, I have been riding a loaner bike from Ellsworth, (which performs better than both bikes on my profile) waiting for the new 2011's to come in. So please save the comments if anything it shows I understand there are a lot of people who make good bikes out there and the difference between Kona's Faux bar and Ellsworths ICT.
there's no virtual link. it's just a rocker actuated horst link. nothing fancy or special compared to the tons of other horst bikes out there ride wise. norco, nicolai, khs, specialized, ghost, lapierre, older devincis, chumba etc, there are a ton of horst link bikes out there. ict is just ellsworths way to market theirs. they actually used to be 110 percent efficient.lol
Woow you my friend have no real understanding of what a virtual pivot is. What effectively you have said is that every double wishbone suspension vehicle, be it a Formula 1 car or ellsworth, baja truck ect ect, has no virtual pivot. Shhh now and go read some book before you look even more silly.
I'm really confused about your statement of "braking performance / brake jack" with Ellsworth's ICT
like Specialized's FSR or Devinci's 4-bar, the ICT gives a very neutral braking response which allows the suspension to cycle under hard braking - this is a common trait of 4-bar / horst pivot virtual pivot suspension designs
the difference between FSR and ICT, is that ICT designs actually pedal better with less rider-induced compression bob
if you've ever ridden a Specialized FSR bike, Ellsworth ICT bike, Devinci 4-bar / horst bike, or any of the many brands that licensed the FSR like Norco, Ventana, etc. you would understand this characteristic, the first time you jam the back brake on hard, whilst rough round ground
I've owned many suspension bikes since 1992 including simple single-pivots, faux-bars (rocker activated single pivots), URTs, Macpherson Struts, short-link virtual pivots and many of the FSR variants, and can assure you from 1st hand experience that the FSR style (including ICT) and short-link virtual pivots have "active" braking whilst the single pivots of all variants have a characteristic of skipping over the rough ground whilst the back brake is locked up
this can be reduced or removed by installing a floating brake system on the rear of a single pivot
I've actually tested 2 bikes on the same trail (Banshee Wildcard - faux bar vs. Banshee Rampant - short link virtual pivot) in Winterberg Bike Park, Germany - the Wildcard's back wheel skipped on the bumps with the brake on, whilst the Rampant tracked the bumps with the back brake on, my buddy and I rode the same trail back to back swapping bikes and it was incredibly apparent to both of us - when he got home to the UK he sold his Wildcard and bought an Ellsworth Moment Mk3 to enjoy active braking
EDIT - well besides obvious: Spec likes to charge for Horst in the US.
The drop-outs on the Ellsworth and indeed all Ellsworths,is attached to the (virtual) seatstay,which may not seem like much of a difference over the Kona,but they are in fact 2 different animals,wheelpath,suspension feel,progression and everything is effected in small but noticeable ways.Making Ellsworths the superior system in my opinion.
Gringo.
Do not get me wrong, I like SP. What I mean is: it is about tweaking (refining). Take any of the concepts and adjust it to the application.
So Horst should be just fine in slope. I just do not get why they call it ICT.
Put on the glasses and look again. This is a different design to any Kona, and while the difference may be the placement of a single pivot, this is enough to have a major effect on the ride. Completely different bikes! And your comment "Now it's just out-dated technology, not something that has been refined" is ridiculous - loads and loads of bikes use similar designs and function quite well, but I'm willing to bet that you wouldn't ride those either? That is a very nice Specialized that you ride by the way. Different layout, but many of the same principles apply. And FYI, the design of your Specialized is one that has been tweaked and refined for many years to end up looking like yours does. The Horst link used on your Stumpjumper didn't look exactly like that 10 years ago, get my drift?