Press Release: Actofive Cycles / Fiasko Racing | The story began in 2017 with some rough sketches of an enduro/trail bike giving my ideas and dreams the first frame. Since then, I am in the constant process of developing and building the P-TRAIN. I focus on creating the ultimate riding experience on a enduro- / trailbike. That means constantly engineering, manufacturing, assemblying and testing.—Simon Metzner |
Actofive Cycles is based in Dresden, Germany, founded by the mechanical engineer Simon Metzner.
With a passion for technology and his vast experience in engineering, Simon´s dream of an own bike frame came true, tailored toward individual preferences: the highest possible pedaling efficiency with an ultra-sensitive suspension. The result is the `P-TRAIN`, named after Helsinki´s airport shuttle train, which combines a steel frame with recently emerging trends like high pivot suspension and CNC-machining.
The very first prototype / Pic: Martin Dinse
The earlier stage prototype of the CNC-machined swing arm
The welding is done by local partners and experts for tailored-made steel frames. The heat-treated 853 Reynolds tube set, together with the CNC-machined ZS44/ZS56 Headtube give the aesthetic finish. The front triangle, with its elegant, skinny steel tubes, segues into a CNC-machined, high-tech rear end, which delivers 130 mm of travel.
Actofive belongs to Metzner Engineering Ltd., which is a engineering office, focusing on one-hand-engineering- and production services from conception to the finished product. This allows Actofive to manufacture all parts in-house on a CNC milling machine. Special attention is paid to the rear swingarm. Each side of the rear triangle is made from one piece of 7075 aluminum and bolted together with titanium bolts. This guarantees a unique look, as well as high strength and precision.
| It takes numerous revisions and an enormous persistence to get something right that’s not the status quo. Creating this bike is challenging because you´re always juggling between function, stiffness, weight, aesthetic design, and production effort.—Simon Metzner |
| I consider high pivot as the solution for solving the well-known conflict between pedaling efficiency and response behavior of the MTB suspension. High pivot balances between a high anti-squat value and a minimal pedal kickback. This means if you push hard the bike feels like a hardtail. On the fly, on the other hand, the suspension shoots off. Additionally, high pivot helps you to control your bike on hard landings or heavy braking situations.—Simon Metzner |
Busy times in the Actofive workshop / Pic: Robert Kruegel
Its about the details: chainstay protection, gusset with lasercut logo, CNC-machined ZS44/ZS56 Headtube, bolted cable mounts / Pics: Christian Marks
Actofive P-TRAIN Details• 29" wheels
• Reynolds 853 front triangle
• CNC-machined 7075 alloy swing arm
• 130 / 140 mm rear travel
• 140 / 150 mm rear travel
• High progression rear suspension ratio
• High anti-squat through idler pulley
• 480 mm reach in size medium
• 66 deg head angle
• 77 deg seat angle
• 425 mm chainstay length (434 mm at SAG)
• Contact:
Actofive Cycles
What´s next?
With the third iteration of the CNC-machined swingarm, work is underway to fulfill the requirements in terms of stiffness, design and performance. This means that the P-TRAIN will be available in a small batch and three sizes (small, medium, large) soon. In addition, a completely CNC-milled aluminum front triangle in a two-piece construction is in the works.
The third iteration of the swingarm is more edgy, more lightweight and compatible to the completely CNC-machined equivalent
Blocks for the completely CNC-machined aluminum front triangle are await shaping
Words & Edit by Fiasko Racing
@mikelevy please do a review of this and more niche bikes. Theses small brands need the exposure PB can give them, and we all love to ogle exotica.
Don't get me wrong. That bike (and others like it) is what dreams are made of. I just don't see the cost/performance ratio making any sense. For value, complete bikes at any level are the way to go. If it's more about the art of it to you, then that's an entirely different matter altogether.
Little guys still around,He'll be 21 this year, Maybe ill finally come clean to my mom about his name... or not.
you can have a look at my Photoalbum here:
www.flickr.com/photos/hagbard/albums/72157713983398521
I think they need to combine the rear end of this with the front end of Structure's SCW1....
m.pinkbike.com/news/review-six-months-on-structures-wild-looking-cycleworks-scw-1.html
Congratulations! What a beautiful and intelligent work. I`m unfortunately not wealthy enough to buy one, but you sold me a dream and that`s already a lot
All the best for after.
Prost!
Come on guys, CNCing has been a fixture of mountain biking since the 1990s!
Seems fair to assume though that it's not going to be cheap.
Could you tell me the brand of the chainring mount in your sram cranck ? the teeth look bigger than original ones?
Do you make this chainring choice because of a minimal number of teeth for the traction ?
thanks
Chainstay length at sag?
www.actofive.com
it doesnt really mean anything. it is based on an assumption and not anchored in reality.
A much more useful metric would be chain growth, particularly between 25-40% travel.
Disagree? change my mind...
chain growth and shock damper is responsible for nearly all of the resistance to rider induced bob.
no linkage setup that i know of differentiates between downward forces from a rider mashing and compressing shock, riders inertia increase compressing shock, or a bump compressing shock. such an idea is snake oil and not how linkage works.
to all who downvoted instead of providing a counter argument, you are dumb sheeple
No one is saying anti squat is a definitive measurement of bob. Anti squat is a measurement of the frame, just like everything else like antirise, leverage ratio, pedal kickback ect. all things being equal a frame with more antisquat will bob less.
You do realize most the things you just listed affect multiple other things not just antisquat right? the resistance to pedal bob is affected by all of those, therefore there is no way to accurately measure a bike's resistance to pedal bob. putting chain growth in the same boat. Yes the measurement doesnt change, but the amount of pedal bob changes. Dont go acting like there is any way to measure pedal bob on paper. in reality both numbers affect the pedalling performance of the bike. take a high pivot bike like this one for example. Thanks the to idler chain growth is kept at almost zero but the high instant centre means the driving force of the wheel at the ground can counteract the squatting motion.
I could bust out linkage x3 and show you a bike with exactly zero chain growth yet 130% antisquat.
Using chain growth only to divine a bikes pedalling performance is like finding z in x+y=z wile only knowing x. so in my opinion antisquat is a better ( still imperfect ) way of judging a bikes pedalling performance. (by the way- the way antisquat is calcualted takes chain growth into account)
BTW- in the last example, might wanna take a look at specialized BRAIN
While i say this i do agree people tend to take 100% antisquat value as "it will not bob at all" and this is wrong.
Yes, i realize that those things contribute to pedal bob. Chain growth with a given chainring size provides a concrete measurement which can contribute to the combating pedal bob / anti-rise. which is why i feel like it is an important metric to have at hand.
I am not acting like there is a way to put pedal bob on paper, - dont put words in my mouth ( ;
That is a really interesting good point you make about the high pivot bikes, i had not thought of that and appreciate you saying so. That's relevant for sure, but i hadn't thought of it relative to most bikes with such low pivots. That actually sounds like a much better way to tackle bob then with chain growth.
I don't know why your bringing up BRAIN but i am familiar and do appreciate the design.
>no linkage setup that i know of differentiates between downward forces from a rider mashing and compressing shock, riders inertia increase compressing shock, or a bump compressing shock. such an idea is snake oil and not how linkage works.
I now realize you meant linkage. Must have misread lol
anyway yes, i completely agree antisquat is not a way to compare apples to apples. MTB industry needs better standardization of antisquat calcualtions.
Thanks for not being a typical pinkbiker who is rude and doesnt read a thing the other says
Support the innovators. If you support the copycats, your money is going into corporate pocketbooks, not toward the innovation that actually drives improvement. I’m so glad we don’t have to listen to Specialized’s terrible ideas on bike geometry anymore.
I think many only realize they’re on wrong geo once they go to new geo. Until then, people internet-think their way to all sorts of conclusions that are based more in theory land than actual experience. People just want to justify their choices, especially if the alternate perspective means that their bike is inferior. We put so much effort and emotion into our own rides; it’s hard to admit that they might not be what’s best.
And the funny thing, in one of the recent Fox yt vids with Jordi, he pretty much said the same thing.
If you ride a modern trail bike, you are essentially still riding something that was influenced by roadie culture - a.k.a designed for pedaling over smooth terrain and making quick turns without leaning the bike, all of which work great if you ride the most boring trails in the world. Sure, you can learn to ride it on steep stuff, but there is absolutely zero reason why bikes should be as short as they are with the stupid seating position that puts you close to the rear axle.