Specialized invited a small group of journalists to its private mountain retreat above Whistler Village to unveil a completely new slopestyle bike that will step in for the
SX that the team has been using this year. The P.Slope is designed to replicate the agility and snap of the
hardtail P.3 chassis, while offering the extra stability and measure of control that rear suspension brings to the game. Rear suspension travel is 87mm, with 100mm up front. The P.Slope shares the same geometry as the competition-proven P.3, but is otherwise a new design from the ground up.
The P.Slope was first photographed at the Bearclaw Invitational under the Claw himself. The new chassis steps away from the FSR four-bar suspension that Specialized has carved its name upon and instead uses a single-pivot triangulated swingarm that drives a RockShox Monarch air shock through a seat-tube tunnel. The swingarm rotates around the bottom bracket shell to eliminate chain growth - which means that it can be run as a single speed.
The heart of the P.Slope is a low-leverage rear suspension designed to reign in the foolishly high air pressures that Slopestyle competitors use to keep the shock from blowing through its travel on landings. Most suspensions run near three-to-one leverage rates, which force slopestyle competitors to run shock spring pressures in the 300 to 340 psi range. Specialized team riders Darren Berrecloth and Martin Soderstrom reportedly can use pressures as low as 175 psi in the Slope's RockShox Monarch shock - and that the rear suspension actually works well when it finally does move.
Specialized says that the P.Slope's concentric bottom bracket pivot and matching shell were among the most highly engineered aluminum forgings that their design team has produced.
The P.Slope's single-pivot rear suspension rotates concentrically around the bottom bracket shell on a sturdy pair of needle bearings. An ISCG-05 chainguide mount is integrated to the drive side of the swingarm, so the chain guide will rotate as the suspension compresses, which should keep the chain in better alignment when a derailleur is being used. "When?" you ask. Specialized designed the P.Slope's adjustable rear dropouts to be interchangeable from single-speed to geared, so its owners have more options. The left-side rear dropout incorporates a post-type caliper mount to keep the brake aligned with the rotor as the chain is adjusted in single-speed mode. In addition, the P.Slope's BB30 press-in bottom bracket can be adapted to fit conventional threaded BB systems, or even the old-school press-fit BMX BB system. The rear hub is 135mm wide with a 10-millimeter bolt-on axle.
Two Allen bolts fix the rear dropouts in place, while chain tension is accomplished with a captured, threaded adjuster. The rear brake caliper (right) is mounted to the left dropout so it will remain in position with the P.Slope's 160mm rotor.
Specialized chose to drive the shock directly with the swingarm through a tunnel in the seat tube. The arrangement presumably keeps the P-Slope's profile slim and smooth, with no external rocker links to catch clothing or shoes as the rider performs in competition. The seat tube is hydro-formed into its final shape and afterwards, the tunnel is bored through and finished with a discrete welded insert. The result is a simple looking chassis that emulates its P.3 hardtail sibling in profile and reportedly, handles and pedals so closely that the team can switch seamlessly between the P.3 and P.Slope.
A look down the seat tube tunnel at the P.Slope's RockShox Monarch 3-way damper. The suspension configuration keeps the frame slim and smooth.
Components are primarily Specialized P-Series items, with a 750mm handlebar, a 35mm stem, and 36-spoke wheels with P-Series hubs. The fork is the venerable RockShox Argyle with a chromoly steerer. When asked about the possibility of a Specialized-made Gyro appearing on the P-series bikes, we were told that Specialized has no plans to make one, and that the team uses a Cane Creek headset to adapt to either of the two most popular existing Gyros. The P-Series stem has a built-in feature to route the front brake hose through the fork's steerer tube.
Clockwise Up front, the P.Slope runs a 100mm RockShox Argyle fork. A rider's view of the P-Series stem reveals the brake-hose routing through the stem cap. SRAM/Truvativ's Descendant crankset can be fitted with a chainguide should the owner decide to run a rear derailleur.
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The final MSRP and delivery dates are still in the TBD stage although the buzz is that we should be seeing the new P.Slope later this year in bike shops, and Specialized estimated that the price of the complete bike will be a bit more than $2000 USD. We are told that complete P.Slopes will ship with an adapter kit that will include two different derailleur options as well as bottom bracket adapters. A frame-and-shock option will also be available.
Specialized 2013 HelmetsSpecialized showed a new-for-2013 helmet targeted at the All-Mountain rider called the Tactic II. Designed by Motorsports helmet guru Bob lakes, the Tactic II sports a low, close fitting in-molded shell and a less aggressive profile that should play well to racers and riders who shy from XC helmet designs that appear to be styled after Acapulco's multi-tier beach-front time-share condominiums. The Tactic is tastefully sculpted to protect the head with a low back and a smooth profile. Plenty of vents should keep the rider cool in Summer and a ratcheting head band ensures a good fit. Specialized also designed in a vertical adjustment feature into the head band, and shortened the visor to provide maximum visibility. Specialized says, if you are going to buy only one helmet, then the Tactic II is it. Sizes are small, medium and large, and the price for the new Tactic II is a very affordable, $75 USD.
The Tactic II helmet is sculpted to please (and protect) All-mountain and gravity oriented riders who want a lighter-weight half-shell helmet. The rear of the helmet is low on the head and features Specialized's 'Headset SL' ratcheting headband. We liked the 'Tri Fit' buckle that spreads the retaining straps to clear most any ear types.
Launched earlier this year, the skate-style Covert helmet has an ABS plastic shell that is said to be one millimeter thinner than its competition - and 50 grams lighter. The EPS liner is designed to offer certified protection, while presenting the thinnest profile. The Covert shares the Tri Fit side buckles and is sold in an extra-small size for young riders, in addition to small, medium and large adult sizes. Eight colorways are available and the MSRP is pegged at $40 USD.
A look around the Covert helmet shows its minimal ventilation, and its true-to skate culture profile. Specialized hopes the Covert will cross outside the boundaries of cycling into most active sports.
While the carbon-shelled Dissident full-face DH lid is not new, two new colorways are offered for 2013: Shredded Clown (left) and Iced Blue on the right. Get yours now for only $350 USD
@Flyboy7777 that's great news.
@spaced: CroMo aka waterpipe (only differs by a tiny percentile of Cro and Mo) is an extremely versatile building material with incredible fatigue strength compared to aluminum and carbon. It is heavier - only a drawback on roadframes - but is the ideal construction material for offroad bikeframes.
you can tell by looking carefully at that P Slope frame, an expensive amount of investment went into tooling all the forged parts (dropouts, BB area, etc.) and the hydroforming of the tubeset
shame I don't that kind of riding any more, it looks like a hugely fun bike!
liking the Tactic II helmet though
You don't ride DJ or slopestyle, do you? Well... Here's the dummy-proof explanation.
Step one: BB centric pivots. As you know, this removes chain growth and allows you to run Step two, which is single geared, which eliminates the need for a derailleur.
Not having the cable attached from the handlebars to the derailleur means it's easier to do barspins and tailwhips without having to think "Okay, do I have to do this next tailwhip opposite?". For the pro riders who have access to Straitline's gyro, this means they have a perfectly awesome setup where they can barspin and tailwhip all day long. And we all know how many tailwhips riders like Soderstrom can do...
Yes, the suspension designs are a lot more difficult to get good performance out of for anything that involves more pedaling than getting up to speed, but the main concern of the design isn't about reducing pedaling ineffencies. It's about having something to cushion the 300lbs of force trying to drive the rider into the ground.
Also, in response to your point about pumping up the shock: This one's optimal pressure is considerably lower, by about 33% according to the article.
1. BB centric pivot removes chain growth but in terms of quality suspension no chain growth is BAD. Chaingrowth helps to fight suspension bobing on pumps and pedalling.
2. If you want to do tricks why would you choose an FS bike? There are very few comps that really require a FS bike. Even the biggest dirt doubles are easily doable on a ht. Drops and other features as well as rough terrain are a problem.
3. For pro riders yes but how many slope pro riders are there? I mean guys who really go to the biggest comps and run the biggest features? 93 guys have some points on the fmb world tour and many of the fmb events have features where being on a hardtail is better.
4. 300lbs of force? Again 93 pros. It's a bike for pros and that is it.
btw. Shimano is experimenting with Di2 wireless disc brakes. Wonder how long before it makes bb pivot bikes obsolete.
@Wakaba it is also less stiff. Yes it can be made stiffer but then it will be considerably heavier. I see no real advantages for fs heavy hitting bikes when a properly built burly alu bike will take a ton of beating. Not to mention there will soon be carbon slope bikes . You will know who I'm talking about if you follow the news closely
I previously owned 2 different Banshee Rampant's with their short-link virtual pivot suspension, an absolutely killer bike, and you could run it singlespeed using the specific YESS chain tensioner but you still had the same vulnerability of having a tension arm clamped to a derailleur hanger, which could easily be broken in a crash (common to SS and DJ riding)
www.pinkbike.com/photo/5899448
the Rampant excelled at a play bike, but I did break a healthy number of derailleur hangers on heavy landings or during crashes
there is definitely something solid about a "true" singlespeed setup for Slope Style and Dirt Jumping, compared to 1 x 9 derailleur gearing or even 1 x 1 with chain tensioning arm
can understand why Specialized have gone in this direction: their new bike / frame is designed specifically for that purpose, where a couple of pedal strokes get you moving and then you are pumping through the jumps and stunts, hardly pedalling unless you stuff a jump / stunt and need to get back to speed
its certainly not a "playbike" for all round riding including 4x and DH runs?
As for broken derails - there are a few new improved ideas that would help that from happening. That new hanger standard that shimano pushes may be it. New saint rear is also super compact and very sturdy. I get that such a bike is needed for the pros but for the general public? Though fixes are a thing so why not ss mtb bikes.
Though in the end I can see where you are comming from.
you make some good points!!
I must admit the only BB pivot bike I test rode was the G-Spot which felt terrible after extended ownership of Specialized FSR and Banshee Faux-Bar bikes (pivot behind BB shell)
the Rampant was a crazy little bike because the slight chain growth actually caused the rear wheel to rotate, so when pumping on the pump track or dirt jumps you just went faster and faster...
www.pinkbike.com/photo/5021494
www.pinkbike.com/photo/5021496
www.pinkbike.com/photo/3530643
1. Like I said before, pedaling platform and suspension bob isn't as big a deal taking the edge off of hard landings. The suspension design is comparitively weaker at damping compression, but that's not the point of what they're trying to accomplish with it.
2. Having full suspension can make riders more confident on large features, which is key in enabling them to do better tricks more smoothly. What is particularly attention-getting about this bike is that the geometry is exactly the same as a commonly used bike for DJ and SS, and once the bike leaves the ground, it doesn't matter how the suspension doesn't resist compression because the bike will return to its original geometry until the landing. Then it doesn't make a difference because the rider is either not on the bike or has his feet on the pedals and has finished the trick.
3. Look at the podium of last year's Redbull Joyride. Not a single hardtail out of three pro riders.
4. That 300 lbs of force is a part of dirt jumping. If you leave the ground, go ten feet in the air and come back down, you're going to have a lot more downforce than just your riding weight. The pros aren't naturally heavier or harsher on their landings. That's physics, not politics.
thank your for your input, you also make some very valid comments about the suspension tech and design requirements for a suspension SS bike
I am about to start a new job (closely associated with SBC) so its exciting to see new developments coming from the big "S" like this new P Slope frame
Before I go to responding to your post I think you missed an important point. I don't claim it's a bad bike for the biggest slope events. I claim the bike makes no sense for the wild public. It makes as much sense as a full blown f1 car for a sports car enthusiast. It's a VERY niche product, it's good at what it does but the market appeal is created artificially by marketing.
1. Yes and no. Yes as a specific bike for the comps the ss design makes sense for durability reasons but on the other hand some of the big comps are not 100% smooth and a bb setup offers reduced traction. Though that's less of a factor. The main point here is the bike has no realistic market.
2. Having full suss will make rider more confident but again the jumps have to be enormous for it to make it a differance. A local comp in here has 4-5m tall doubles and all the riders who do it for tricks not for fun do it on hardtails.
2b. A fs bike will take away some pop from the jump. You can't avoid it. It will require more energy and speed to get the same air. On smaller jumps where most up and comming riders get their first results that will be a problem since most of them are build for hardtails (most fmba bronze events, many silver ones, not to mention local stuff).
2c. A fs bike will always be considerably heavier which is a factor in rotations and whips.
3. Where did I claim fs bikes are bad for joyride? They are awesome for events like the joyride. Look up results of many silver and bronze events. 90% of the podiums will be on hardtails. That's what I'm talking about. The real use is extremely limited for these bikes.
4. Refer to the rest of my comment and don't speak of phisics when you use the term "lbs of force". If you speak of science please be specific.
Is that specific enough, or do I have to explain gravity and inertia to you too?
2. You change your argument. First you speak about a bike for comps and now you are about fun and games. If it's fun the "jumps are so big you will snapp of your gears and run out of cables" argument goes away.
3. It may be the differance between cleaning it and eating it but it may also be a difference between an underrotated trick and a one landed perfectly. It goes both ways.
4. lbs of force is an antiquated term. Newtons. I really hope you are not an engineer because you seem to throw the world science and other terms like you are Carl Sagan yet prefer to explain something like this was a phisics for dummies book.
5. I'm speaking from observation about ss bikes. There was a craze in Europe for them a while ago. Everyone wanted them but after the hype cleared people went back to hardtails. If you want to learn new tricks hardtail still wins. The fully for dirt jumping works as a 2nd bike and most kids that go into ss train their tricks on dirtjumps. The only people I see with a ss fully are going for the dartmoor shine because the price in Poland of it is very competitive compared to anything else (Polish based company so it is kinda obvious it is cheaper here, same for ns). Not that's a bad bike, I like it. I just don't see the hype and I'd rather stay with a 26player (like the one you own).
@Finnrambo people said the same about hydraulic brakes.
www.cyclingnews.com/features/closer-look-shimano-dura-ace-di2-transmission
It's not perfect but it could work.
As for powerlines - I'm yet to see one over a bikepark. Not to mention you do realize wireless technology progresses? The technology to not be affected by powerlines exists.
Also if the guys with the di2 got thousands of km out of it it is fair to assume you can get at least half a season on single battery. How hard is it to check that? Not to mention every trail you ride you never touch the brakes until the first super steep unstoppable part?
btw. People were also freaked about carbon in dh a few years ago so your technolog scare argument is invalid. It will go away with time because 99% of the riding community is really easy to sway with marketing and after they go test it the remaining group will go for it too.
also didn't know that Dobermann wasn't doing too well, but I also haven't heard much about them in a while, so it's understandable.
I'm obviously exaggerating, but keep in mind: 400 PSI at rest probably means over a ton per square in when the shock is compressed.
Educate yourself: www.pinkbike.com/news/Tech-Tuesday-negative-spring-air-shocks-2012.html and specifically: www.pinkbike.com/photo/8122544 RC droppin knowledge.
Take RC's example again: if that shock is rated for 200 PSI, and you run it at 400, it will hit 800 PSI well before you're at full travel, higher than the manufacturer ever designed it for. if you take it to his fully compressed stroke, the shock will be under 1400 PSI of outward pressure.
As for your statement about the shock never compressing, hogwash: you put compressive force on a spring, it compresses. the amount may vary, but as we learned above, it won't take much to get higher than the rated pressure for the shock. If it didn't compress at all, there'd be no need for this frame: they'd just ride hard tails.
Even if, as you said, it only compresses when they take a bad landing, witness what sometimes happens to tubes in exactly that scenario: explosive decompression. You'll notice that they get the f*ck away when that happens, too: and that's just a piece of rubber.
Your tire comparison doesn't work, either: Tires are made of a material with elastic properties: when you put compressive force on a tire, the rest of the tire that's not touching the ground can expand to make up for the compression at the contact patch.
Attempt to be a winner? Lol. I'm trying to tell you something that exists in our world, yet you can;t accept it for some reason.
You're wrong, for very basic reasons. read what i posted above, or don't: i don't really care. you were given the opportunity learn something, if you don't, not my problem.
Just because people are doing it, especially pros who get their shit free, doesn't make it a smart idea. Pro's do all sorts of things that someone who buys a bike and keeps it for more than one season shouldn't do. running your shock well in excess of it's max pressure is one of those things.
pros used to drill holes in their brake levers to lighten them up for races. average people who tried the same thing ended up with bent levers, because they'd weakened the lever too much. pro's got free replacements when they did this, everybody else had to buy new levers. some people probably had horrible crashes because the lever failed exactly when they needed it: when they were squeezing it real hard. This is the same shit.
Lastly, you're forgetting that all of those bikes require you to run the shock at far too high pressure... one of THE main points of this new frame was to reduce the leverage so you could run the shock at a less retarded PSI level.
Secondly, I'm glad you agree. Their marketing is always top notch and manages to suck in the masses time and time again, convincing them an "S" on the headtube makes their bike innately superior to all others. Their bikes meanwhile, are always pretty much equal with all other big brands and never take any risks or innovate in a meaningful way.
there's 68/73mm, 83mm, spanish, BB30 and that's it apart from obscure ones that nobody uses any more
Oh I also forgot Euro 100mm in the original list. Fat Bike BBs.
innovation is not only changing something if there is an inherent problem. There wasn't a problem as such with the playstation 1. Th graphics weren't great etc, but nothing really WRONG with it. But how much better is the PS3?
It's the same with bikes and pretty much everything else you can think of. Don't be so closed minded. If bike manufacturers were as closed minded as you guys, we'd all still be riding fully rigids down fire roads and dirt jumping wouldn't exist.
I'm not narrow-minded, I just don't see the point in introducing new sizes when the old sizes were doing fine.
Now youre comparing the invention of suspension to introducing another seatpostsize. Suspension fixes a lot of problems and makes you go faster. The new bb and 12mm axle don't (in this particular case)
My point is that without innovative new technology, we would be stuck in a rut.
Hahah you seem to know what's up. Makes more sense to be 10 right.? Anyhow... Carry on..
There may not be a bigger market for slopestyle bikes as there is for anything else, but there is still a market. And still kids that will have their parents buy them 1 because their faveourite riders are riding them.
Be closed minded and hate it if you like, but now i know what i want for my slope bike next season...
Problem is in regards your opinion on concentric BB pivot bikes is that you're only speaking from your limited experiance. Going by reviews of the Devinci Wilson, they've managed to get the concentric BB pivot to work very well by combining it with a split-pivot at the back (a la Trek/Fisher ABP). Mind you it seems to me (from my limited understanding of physics) to get a concentric BB pivot / split-pivot combo rear suspension to perfectly cancel out any bobbing potential without negative bobbing potential too, one would need the bike setup with the crank & cog wheels of the same size diametre. Meaning hub gears, but such a pivot combo wouldn't need a chain tensioner either, making an 11 speed Alfine hub perfect. Mind you the gearing would be bloody low, maybe one of those Schlump High Speed Drives could be fitted in the bottom bracket (a dual range planetary gearset for fitting in the bottom bracket see - www.schlumpf.ch/hp/hsd/hsd_engl.htm )
Question nr 1: From which country comes that engineer?
Question nr 2: Were you surprised when you found out?
not good spesh
i really don't like it
not impressed.