MDE Updates Italian-Made Aluminium Carve & Damper Frames
Following his recent collaboration with Gamux bikes, Federico Biora, of Italy's MDE Bikes, has updated his own range of bikes with a totally overhauled Carve trail bike and some updates to the Damper.
MDE frames are completely handmade in the workshop located at the base of the Susa valley close to Turin. As the frames are made in Italy, Federico offers standard geometries for 29" and 27.5" wheels, but the bikes are also customizable including geometry, colors, details, components for a €180 fee.
The Carve has a new front and rear triangle and has adopted the suspension linkage from the Damper to become a modern aggressive trail bike. The geometry of the bike has seen the largest overhaul, with the standard 29" version of the bike based on a 140mm travel fork having 5mm shorter chainstays, longer reach, 77.9° seat tube angle and 65.5° head tube angle. The bike can also be run as a 27.5" option though, based on a fork with 150mm of travel and that has a seat tube angle of 76.5°, reach and top tube similar to 29", a head tube angle of 65° and a BB height of 342mm.
MDE Carve Details
Frame Material: Aluminium
Travel: 127mm or 135mm rear (depending on shock), 140mm (29") or 150mm (27.5") front
Wheel size: 29" or 27.5" options
Linkage: I-link 2.0
Custom geometry: Available for €180
Frame Weight: 2.9kg w/o shock
MSRP: €1,890 (frame only) - €4,390 (Race Build)
Frame Material: Aluminium
Travel: 127mm or 135mm rear (depending on shock), 140mm (29") or 150mm (27.5") front
Wheel size: 29" or 27.5" options
Linkage: I-link 2.0
Custom geometry: Available for €180
Frame Weight: 2.9kg w/o shock
MSRP: €1,890 (frame only) - €4,390 (Race Build)
Also new is a re-shaped swing arm to help with mud discharge and cleaning, a straight seat tube to allow for longer dropper insertion and new external cable routing that can be concealed with a removable 3-D printed cover to protect the cables from dirt.
The new CNC'd upper link was carried over from the Damper.
The tapered, zero stack Zs44 / Zs56 head tube is new for 2021.
The short links that drive the Carve's suspension.
The chainstay protector is also new and 3D printed
The MDE Carve is available now for €1,890 as a frame only or €4,390 for a race build that includes Rock Shox Pike Ultimate RC2 DebonAir fork, Rock Shox Deluxe Select shock, a GX drivetrain and Maxxis tires on MDE wheels. An A La Carte spec build is also available as is custom geometry.
MDE Damper
The Damper has also picked up a couple of updates mainly focussed at better equipping it for short offset forks. The head tube angle has been decreased by half a degree, now becoming 65° for the 29 wheels geometry (with 160mm fork, became 64.5° with 170mm fork) and 64.5 ° for the 27.5 wheels geometry(with 160mm fork, became 64° with 170mm fork).
The AM spec has 10mm less travel front and rear and an air shock.
MDE is also now offering the Damper in 2 different spec levels, a 155mm air-sprung All-Mountain version and a 165mm coil-sprung Race spec. Both builds are 29ers but the All-Mountain version has a 160mm Rock Shox Lyric Select RC DebonAir fork and Rock Shox Deluxe Select shock while the Race version has a 170mm Rock Shox Lyric Ultimate RC2 and Rock Shox Super Deluxe Coil Ultimate.
More info, here.
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Hopefully they can sort the insurance out!
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What I mean is a woman's version of the frame.