Preview: Antidote's New Trail Bike - The Woodsprite

Mar 28, 2022
by Mike Kazimer  
Antidote Woodsprite


Antidote has shared a few images of the Woodsprite, their upcoming trail bike. The futuristic-looking purple carbon machine has 135mm of rear travel that's delivered by a new version of Antidote's FDS (Floating Damping System) suspension layout. The shock sits in a similar position to the Carbonjack enduro bike, but the way it's mounted at the front of the chainstays looks different – we'll have to wait for some non-driveside images to see what's going on there.

Other details are still thin at the moment, other than the fact that the Woodsprite has 29” wheels, and is designed to be a lighter weight counterpart to the longer travel Carbonjack. That bike has a 65-degree head angle and 450mm chainstays, so I wouldn't be surprised if the Woodsprite ends up with the same head angle, or even slightly slacker, and shorter chainstays.

We'll report back once all of the final details have been unveiled. Unfortunately there's no review coming tomorrow, but we'll certainly try to get one in to test out.


Antidote sure know how to make an eye-catching frame.
A fender helps keep the shock protected from mud and grit.


Posted In:
Reviews and Tech First Looks Trail Bikes Antidote Antidote Woodsprite


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71 Comments

  • 37 2
 Thought it was a pull shock for a moment.

I know people are going to complain about the shock "being in the line of fire" for mud, and maybe thats a valid point, but I say kudos to Antidote for doing something different. now that Geo numbers are starting to settle down, we've reached a point where bikes are all starting to look and perform the same.
  • 15 0
 Look up Cube's Stereo and Fritz from the 2010 era. What's old will be new again.
  • 28 1
 @hubertje-ryu: or the previous gen of propain bikes
  • 2 0
 @hubertje-ryu: Ya you're right. Similar design, except Horst link instead of VPP
  • 10 0
 Looks like there's an integrated fender for the shock... I suspect it'll do a pretty good job.
  • 2 0
 @hamncheez: Antidote looks like a four bar with concentric pivot to me, no?
  • 2 4
 @hubertje-ryu: Its a VPP, like the last-gen propain (and all of antidotes bikes up till now)

EDIT: You're right! Its not VPP! Its exactly like the older Cubes!
  • 5 1
 @krka73: it does do a pretty good job as my carbon jack works fine.

Mind you, people act like this is a brand f*cking new design for the company. No, their Lifeline 26inch DH bike had this exact same design. That came out in 2014 which was before Propain’s inception as a company.
  • 3 1
 I would be more bummed that there seems to be no space for piggyback shock so you would be stuck with this tiny shock. Which might be okay for somebody around 70Kg, but in reality I don't know anyone like that.
  • 1 0
 do they even make pull shocks anymore?
  • 5 1
 This thing is just Genius.
  • 1 0
 @i-am-lp: Piggyback can be mounted sideways. They showed it on their fanpage
  • 2 1
 Moto shock setup has been "in the line of fire" for roughly 40 years and they seem to do fine with the same type guard setup so I suspect it's probably safe enough.
  • 1 0
 @greener1:
But motorcycles don't have a water bottle mount!
  • 1 2
 @hamncheez I don't care about the shock placement. But I'm not riding anything called "sprite."

sprite
[sprīt]
NOUN
an elf or fairy.

No I won't be riding the Forest Fairy this summer.
  • 1 0
 @foggnm: "From Middle English sprite, spryt, spreyte, from Old French esprit (“spirit”), from Latin spiritus. Doublet of spirit, spiritus and esprit."

Nature spirit, Kami, forest demigod, etc is a closer approximation
  • 1 2
 @hamncheez: If you're French or from the middle ages....

No other way to say it than ....bad name choice. But perhaps not as bad as calling yourself Evil bikes.
  • 1 0
 @hubertje-ryu: Actually it’s more like an older Diamondback (db8/db6 ) but with the shock mounted behind the seat tube and ABP at the axle.
  • 24 2
 The close up picture of the head tube looks like that is running the EXT Era fork. Let's see the photos of that complete bike.
  • 2 7
flag inked-up-metalhead (Mar 28, 2022 at 13:19) (Below Threshold)
 Even though its got pike graphics in the first pic?
  • 8 0
 @inked-up-metalhead: you can clearly see in the close-up shot of the cable routing the crown is a different fork. Last two photos, the one on the left.
  • 4 1
 When are you coming out with a dual crown fork so I can fine my order on my DM29?
  • 4 1
 27.5" Era please!
  • 2 1
 good eye!
  • 2 0
 INVERTED \\m// @kroozctrl:
  • 3 0
 @ext-USA seconded on the dh fork. I’m fully in love with my storia and would love some coil goodness for my fork.
  • 1 0
 @kroozctrl: Never soon enough, I wish we had one too! Stay tuned though, lots of great things in the works . . .
  • 21 3
 mikekazimer "We'll report back once all of the final details have been unveiled. Unfortunately there's no review coming tomorrow, but we'll certainly try to get one in to test out."

Cool. Is that going to be on pinkbike or beta?

I was hoping for a follow up from Matt Beer and his first ride reserve 30 hd wheels. Is that yet to come?
Sarah Moore did an "announcement" article for the reserve 30 sl. It would be great to hear her review and opinion of that wheelset. Is it yet to come?
I truly hope the reserve "Testing" article on beta is not the follow up to pinkbike content. That would be a shame.

So is this the new norm?
  • 5 0
 I would have thought that all reviews would be for free? You get a wider reach, and that's what the manufacturers want. People scrolling websites looking for bike reviews are not going to stick around if there is a pay wall
  • 5 1
 @Lloydmeister. yep, all the standalone reviews will continue to be free.
  • 8 0
 @mikekazimer: that's as much as saying the group tests won't.
  • 2 1
 @hubertje-ryu: group tests behind a paywall could be a tipping point for me. hmmm...
  • 19 1
 I love the lines of this bike. The looks alone will make me 10% faster. #science
  • 6 0
 I don't care how it rides, I still want one
  • 1 1
 ...needs to be high-pivoted for 12.5% gains
  • 1 0
 That long seat tube and the short dropper you’ll be stuck with will make you soooooo much faster.
  • 13 0
 Looks like a... bike I can't afford
  • 10 3
 hmm.. looks like a 2016 Propain Tyee
  • 2 0
 "That bike has a 65-degree head angle and 450mm chainstays, so I wouldn't be surprised if the Woodsprite ends up with the same head angle, or even slightly slacker, and shorter chainstays."

Trail bikes all need less than 65 degree head angles now? Geesh.
  • 1 0
 There's still lots of great trail bikes with 66 degree plus head angles. I put this image on an angle finder overlay tool though and it does look 65 or less. Works in my area.
  • 6 1
 These pics of dark bikes against a black background are irritating
  • 3 0
 Maybe GG wasn't the first (maybe they were?) the sharp angles where the top & down tube meet the headtube is sexy AF. More brands are following suit.
  • 5 0
 oop I see a sneaky fork swap in between the pictures
  • 2 0
 Mudflap will protect the shock just fine.

Beef with this frame is the extended seat tube. Make that thing as short as possible. 200+ droppers are awesome, long seat tubes aren't
  • 1 1
 No it wont. Water spray, mud and rock will both go over the top of that and it will clog badly. Bikes are often designed for where they are designed. I had an Intense and it was thee worst bike in the wet and in flint areas because it would clog instantly. Equally flint would carry round on the wheel and jam in the VPP linkage causing havoc. Neither are issues I suspect in SoCal. I would not ride that bike where I ride. I am sure its amazing but it will be literally stuck in the mud in seconds as the fender clogs.
  • 3 2
 "The shock sits in a similar position to the Carbonjack enduro bike, but the way it's mounted at the front of the chainstays looks different"

The way it's mounted to the chainstays is the _least_ different thing about that suspension. How about that it's a not a dual-short-link like the Carbonjack?
  • 2 0
 Exactly. This is clearly just a single pivot. It does have the axle pivot a'la ABP/split pivot but in terms of axle path they've gone from a short link four bar to a single pivot. Interesting.
  • 3 0
 keep the longer chainstays! at least do it for the XLs...
  • 2 0
 What's up with that seat?
  • 4 0
 400mm dropper, dude. Keep up.
  • 3 0
 Trying to hide the not very fashionable seat angle
  • 1 0
 If Evil doesn’t get some bikes on stock before this becomes available, I’m buying it!!
  • 1 0
 Ok, its an amazing looking bike, but its an Antidote, give us the bare carbon goodness!!!
  • 1 0
 Looks like the Influencer child of an GT Lobo and a 2005 Scott Genius....#blessed#geometry#curva nice
  • 1 0
 between POC and Antidote, we are keeping purple in business these days.
  • 2 0
 Beautiful
  • 1 0
 Looks like my old propain ( it has a reartriangle link though)
  • 1 0
 Unique take on a Split Pivot system, very interesting
  • 1 0
 I get the feeling the forces on those stays and pivots are going to be weird
  • 1 0
 My Carbonjack is great, this bike should be a lot of fun
  • 1 1
 On sale April.1st for the low price of $10,999 USD. Delivery July.15, 2023.
  • 2 0
 looks like a... powerfly
  • 2 0
 this is an AD
  • 2 2
 certainly space for a few bottles... oh wait, there is no mounts
  • 6 0
 The Carbonjack has mounts, so I'd be really surprised if this one didn't. They likely didn't have the water bottle bolts installed for the photo.
  • 2 0
 There's also a space for a big ol' framebag. Would be a great bikepacking rig.
  • 3 10
flag kroozctrl (Mar 28, 2022 at 13:49) (Below Threshold)
 Can’t tell if you are blind or being a Karen.

There is a bottle cage mount. I don’t think you realize this but all their bikes comes with black titanium hardware.
  • 7 1
 @kroozctrl:
I know it’s the pinkbike comment section, but you really don’t have to be a dick, y’know?
  • 1 0
 @kroozctrl: It doesn't show bottle cage mounts in any photo.
  • 3 6
 I suspect the fender won't do much to protect the shock. Big section of the circumference of the tire that flings is still exposed, so it will spray under seat and down tube, to collect below on the shock.
  • 1 0
 P fees SW any ß CT no





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