Howler Frameworks' High Pivot Steel Frame - Bespoked Show 2021
2021 has seen the spread of high pivot bikes from small brands to big brands with frames made from everything including carbon, aluminium and even bamboo Billy, the founder of Howler Frameworks is now throwing his own hat into the ring with his new frame, the Howler Fenrir.
Based in London, Billy established Howler Frameworks in 2018 after taking a frame building course at the Bicycle Academy, complementing his career as a bike mechanic. Like most frame builders, Billy started out with a hardcore hardtail build but following a period of furlough in 2020, decided to push his skills a bit further with the Fenrir. This is only the 12th frame Billy has built but SRAM took notice of his work and asked him to exhibit it as part of their stand at the Bespoked Show.
The bike uses a linkage-driven single-pivot suspension system designed by Billy that bears more than a passing resemblance to the old Scott Gambler. The bike has 150mm of travel in the configuration shown here but increasing the shock stroke by 5mm will allow the bike to become 160mm travel. The linkage has been designed around a coil shock with a linear progression.
This prototype is roughly equivalent to a size medium and has a 446mm reach, 75° seat tube angle, 64.5° head tube angle and 6mm bottom bracket drop. Currently, the prototype frame is built from 4130 Cromoly but as a production model Billy would look to use Reynolds or Columbus steel. Eventually, Howler will stretch to a four model range with a dirt jump bike, the 27.5" Rune hardtail, a 29er bike packing bike and this 27.5" full suspension bike. The Fenrir is set to be released in Q2 of 2022. For more info and to follow its progress, follow Billy on Instagram at @howlerframeworks.
Howler Fenrir
Frame material: Steel, 4130 chromoly
Intended use: aggressive trail/enduro
Travel: 150mm or 160mm (depending on shock stroke length)
Wheelsize: 27.5"
Head tube angle: 64.5°
Seat tube angle: 75°
More info: @howlerframeworks
Frame material: Steel, 4130 chromoly
Intended use: aggressive trail/enduro
Travel: 150mm or 160mm (depending on shock stroke length)
Wheelsize: 27.5"
Head tube angle: 64.5°
Seat tube angle: 75°
More info: @howlerframeworks
The aluminium parts of the linkage have been machined by Rideworks but the rest of the frame is Billy's handiwork
Rideworks also made some smaller custom bits for the bike like this chainguide and a custom seat clamp.
The bottom of the shock is mounted to this bridge between the seat and down tubes.
As the idler sits behind the chainring, there's enough chain wrap to not need a lower guide.
Thanks to his partnership with SRAM, Billy's prototype only had one housing heading to the back of the bike. The rear brake hose is routed behind the linkage and down to the chainstay.
The bike is finished off with one of the coolest head badges going.
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Brian’s going to miss that next check.
Be safe be well,
Incognito Robin
If you gotta ask, then it's not for you.
Realistically, it weighs within a pound of other steel FS frames.
This frame has some extra stuff going on (idler, rocker link, some gussets, etc) that probably end up meaning it's 9-10 pounds with the shock. That's just a guess, though.
I assume he used straightgauge for the DT and TT here, so you could save maybe 100-150g by going with butted tubes (assuming that's what's meant by using Reynolds on future iterations).
This isn't really the kind of item that weight weenies are going to line up to buy regardless. I enjoy seeing framebuilders, even if they're very new at it, try full suspension stuff.
-W
But still, OBVIOUSLY SRAM doesn't know anything about specing parts so it's still WRONG rabble rabble...
I think all queries about weight need to be prefixed with the riders weight. It's not just the bike that has to move, but bike plus rider. So a 15kg bike, is typically only 20% of full system (bike plus rider) weight. Obviously less of a percentage the bigger you are..
Read here: www.starlingcycles.com/does-bike-weight-matter
Heavy soft tyres do, but it’s probably limited to that.
I just think the field test showed what those of old enough to have been around last time they were the next big thing found out last time.
Wait for Hammerschmidt to come back some day and its the solution to wide range cassettes and fragile chains.
As for Forbidden.. I heard a very real review of those bikes from the best source possible! Just don't believe the internet content that someone is paid to say!
I was at the Nationals round at Inners and stood in front of their old rider and his pals who gave a frank and honest review.
I ride a 2016 mega and it climbs like an old dog, loses speed in continuous high speed hits but is really stable. I just wish it would climb better and carry speed better. I will change it when I ride enough to justify changing it.
Doing a good job with the pivot(s) is more important for lateral flex on FS bikes anyway. You can have the stiffest stays on earth and a wimpy main pivot and it'll flex all over the place.
-Walt
There is a massive selection of thin wall large diameter 4130 out there because people still build aircraft out of it (and bikes, of course). So these tubes were chosen for a reason, not because of supply constraints.
-Walt