Throwback Thursday: 9 Bikes Turning 10 in 2022
As we make our way through 2022 and await all of the exciting new product developments let's take a look back through the archives at some of the bikes turning 10 this year.
1. Santa Cruz Tallboy LT & LTc
![Santa Cruz Carbon All-Mountain Tallboy LTc 29er]()
Launched at the beginning of 2012 in Sedona, Arizona Santa Cruz announced a new version of its Tallboy 29er in the form of the LT and LTc. The longer travel Tallboy pushed the 29" bike into the trail category offering 135mm of rear travel using Santa Cruz's VPP suspension.
Santa Cruz offers the longer travel Tallboy as an alloy frame LT or the lighter weight carbon LTc. The carbon frame had a claimed weight of 5.3 pounds with the alloy version adding another pound of weight.
![Geometrey]()
The early 29" trail bike from Santa Cruz offered a now pretty steep 69.5-degree head tube angle across its M, L and XL sizing with a 72.6-degree seat tube angle. These geometry numbers mark a 1.5-degree slackening of the head tube angle compared to the then-standard Tallboy.
After a first ride on the Tallboy LTc RC wrote: "The takeaway for Santa Cruz's new all-mountain/trail 29er is good news. Few 29ers feel this good at the outset. Fewer still handle as lightly and nimble in demanding situations - nimble enough that I often forgot that I was on a big-wheel bike. The Tallboy LTc is not going to inspire many to don a full face and mach DH runs and it isn't going to win XC races. The Tallboy LTc's selling point is in the riding. Hit the trail and in less than a mile, the boundaries between bike and rider begin to blur until at some point, there is only speed, effort and line choice. It doesn't get much better than that."
![Fox 34 Float 29 RLC Kashima fork and Float RP23 Kashima shock.]()
Read more here.
2-4. Carbon Versions of the Specialized Demo 8, Santa Cruz V10 and Devinci Wilson
![2013 Specialized Carbon Demo]()
![2013 Santa Cruz V10c - Drive side shot]()
![Devinic Wilson Carbon]()
2012 seemed to be the year for launching carbon DH bikes. For Specialized it launched the carbon Demo 8 with a redesigned carbon front end that reduce the frame weight by 408 grams compared to the full alloy bike. The Carbon 8 also used a more progressive suspension setup and the team replica bike featured a magnesium link.
While Santa Cruz had already launched a carbon V10 by 2012 it still had an alloy rear end, but the new model would be fully carbon fibre. Santa Cruz claimed the new bike would save 400 grams at the rear over alloy and the revised front triangle saved 300 grams on even the previous carbon version. The full-carbon V10 had been raced by the Syndicate during the 2012 season.
Finally, the Devinci Wilson also got a carbon update in 2012 bringing the overall bike weight down to a claimed 36.11lbs for the SL version.
Read more about the Specialized here.
Read more about the Santa Cruz here.
Read more about the Devinci here.
5. Scott Gambler with a 'Floating Linkage'
![The new Scott Gambler.]()
Updated for 2012 was the Scott Gambler DH bike, seeing a new 'floating linkage' design that uses a higher pivot on the swingarm for a claimed improvement in handling severe impacts like rock gardens and square-edge bumps.
The bike also featured plenty of customization with a 15mm of adjustment at the rear dropouts, one degree for the head angle and ten millimeters of bottom bracket height from a two-position chip at the lower shock mount. Syncros also offered an angle adjust headset to change the head angle by two degrees, allowing you to make it as low as 60 degrees.
After taking the Gambler for a first ride Matt Wragg said: "Scott developed the new Gambler to be a World Cup contender that is versatile enough to be enjoyed by any good downhiller. The fact that we could simply get on it and ride hard indicates that Scott's team has achieved that goal. After only two days on the bike, though, we are left with more questions: Will the Gambler hold up to daily abuse? What is it like on different terrain? After my short time with the Gambler, I am confident enough to say that Ben Walker and the Scott team have created a top-level downhill bike."
![Scott USA Gambler geometry]()
![Details of the shock and linkage.]()
Read more here.
6. Lapierre Spicy 916 with electronic shock
![Lapierre 2013 Spicy side shot]()
While Rockshox launched its new Flight Attendant electronic suspension last year, back in 2012 there were a number of bikes in the Lapierre range running electronic shocks. The e.i Electronic Suspension works using a pod attached to the damper containing a servo motor that alters the shock damping from locked out to wide open in .01 seconds. Sensors on the crank, hidden in the BB shell determine if the rider is pedaling, while accelerometers located on the stem cap and the fork slider register the severity of each impact before the rear wheel hits a bump.
After the press camp for the new bikes and shock RC said: "As for the Spicy’s e.i. rear suspension option; I’d say that you’d be an idiot not to run it. Let e.i’s simple electronics and trail-proven RockShox Monarch shock manage the details and use every bit of your concentration to ride the terrain ahead."
![RockShox Monarch RT3 with d.i servo]()
![Lapierre 2013 Spicy frame details Fox 34 fork e.i.Monarch shock and Formula The 1 brake]()
Read more here.
7. Redalp
![Less than 37 lb 16.8gk Incredibly fast]()
Offering a very unique silhouette compared to most DH bikes the Redalp used an articulated chain link for a more rearward axle path and claimed "outstanding suspension performance". As part of the frame design the Redalp also had a straight link from the head tube to the wheel with claims of increased stiffness, lower weight and solving all of the problems associated with high pivots...
![Pro-Motion set up. No chain growth no squat no pedal back kick. Simple but highly efficient]()
Read more here.
8. Banshee Prime
![Banshee Prime]()
Launched in October of 2012 the Banshee Prime was the brand's first 29" bike and came with 130mm or rear travel. Banshee's aim with the Prime was to use geometry normally found on a 26" bike alongside its new KS Link suspension platform.
In terms of geometry, the Prime used an adjustable head angle between 67.5 and 68.5 degrees with an effective seat tube angle of between 75 and 76.6 degrees depending on the geometry setting.
![Banshee Prime]()
![Banshee Prime]()
Read more here.
9. Cotic Rocket
![Cotic Rocket Full Bike]()
Using Reynolds 853 Ovalform steel tubing and running 150mm of travel the first Cotic Rocket was launched in the middle of 2012 with 26" wheels and one of Cotic's classic edits. Featuring a 66.5-degree headangle the Rocket also used Cotic's own Droplink suspension platform.
Read more here.
1. Santa Cruz Tallboy LT & LTc
Launched at the beginning of 2012 in Sedona, Arizona Santa Cruz announced a new version of its Tallboy 29er in the form of the LT and LTc. The longer travel Tallboy pushed the 29" bike into the trail category offering 135mm of rear travel using Santa Cruz's VPP suspension.
Santa Cruz offers the longer travel Tallboy as an alloy frame LT or the lighter weight carbon LTc. The carbon frame had a claimed weight of 5.3 pounds with the alloy version adding another pound of weight.
The early 29" trail bike from Santa Cruz offered a now pretty steep 69.5-degree head tube angle across its M, L and XL sizing with a 72.6-degree seat tube angle. These geometry numbers mark a 1.5-degree slackening of the head tube angle compared to the then-standard Tallboy.
After a first ride on the Tallboy LTc RC wrote: "The takeaway for Santa Cruz's new all-mountain/trail 29er is good news. Few 29ers feel this good at the outset. Fewer still handle as lightly and nimble in demanding situations - nimble enough that I often forgot that I was on a big-wheel bike. The Tallboy LTc is not going to inspire many to don a full face and mach DH runs and it isn't going to win XC races. The Tallboy LTc's selling point is in the riding. Hit the trail and in less than a mile, the boundaries between bike and rider begin to blur until at some point, there is only speed, effort and line choice. It doesn't get much better than that."
Read more here.
2-4. Carbon Versions of the Specialized Demo 8, Santa Cruz V10 and Devinci Wilson
2012 seemed to be the year for launching carbon DH bikes. For Specialized it launched the carbon Demo 8 with a redesigned carbon front end that reduce the frame weight by 408 grams compared to the full alloy bike. The Carbon 8 also used a more progressive suspension setup and the team replica bike featured a magnesium link.
While Santa Cruz had already launched a carbon V10 by 2012 it still had an alloy rear end, but the new model would be fully carbon fibre. Santa Cruz claimed the new bike would save 400 grams at the rear over alloy and the revised front triangle saved 300 grams on even the previous carbon version. The full-carbon V10 had been raced by the Syndicate during the 2012 season.
Finally, the Devinci Wilson also got a carbon update in 2012 bringing the overall bike weight down to a claimed 36.11lbs for the SL version.
Read more about the Specialized here.
Read more about the Santa Cruz here.
Read more about the Devinci here.
5. Scott Gambler with a 'Floating Linkage'
Updated for 2012 was the Scott Gambler DH bike, seeing a new 'floating linkage' design that uses a higher pivot on the swingarm for a claimed improvement in handling severe impacts like rock gardens and square-edge bumps.
The bike also featured plenty of customization with a 15mm of adjustment at the rear dropouts, one degree for the head angle and ten millimeters of bottom bracket height from a two-position chip at the lower shock mount. Syncros also offered an angle adjust headset to change the head angle by two degrees, allowing you to make it as low as 60 degrees.
After taking the Gambler for a first ride Matt Wragg said: "Scott developed the new Gambler to be a World Cup contender that is versatile enough to be enjoyed by any good downhiller. The fact that we could simply get on it and ride hard indicates that Scott's team has achieved that goal. After only two days on the bike, though, we are left with more questions: Will the Gambler hold up to daily abuse? What is it like on different terrain? After my short time with the Gambler, I am confident enough to say that Ben Walker and the Scott team have created a top-level downhill bike."
Read more here.
6. Lapierre Spicy 916 with electronic shock
While Rockshox launched its new Flight Attendant electronic suspension last year, back in 2012 there were a number of bikes in the Lapierre range running electronic shocks. The e.i Electronic Suspension works using a pod attached to the damper containing a servo motor that alters the shock damping from locked out to wide open in .01 seconds. Sensors on the crank, hidden in the BB shell determine if the rider is pedaling, while accelerometers located on the stem cap and the fork slider register the severity of each impact before the rear wheel hits a bump.
After the press camp for the new bikes and shock RC said: "As for the Spicy’s e.i. rear suspension option; I’d say that you’d be an idiot not to run it. Let e.i’s simple electronics and trail-proven RockShox Monarch shock manage the details and use every bit of your concentration to ride the terrain ahead."
Read more here.
7. Redalp
Offering a very unique silhouette compared to most DH bikes the Redalp used an articulated chain link for a more rearward axle path and claimed "outstanding suspension performance". As part of the frame design the Redalp also had a straight link from the head tube to the wheel with claims of increased stiffness, lower weight and solving all of the problems associated with high pivots...
Read more here.
8. Banshee Prime
Launched in October of 2012 the Banshee Prime was the brand's first 29" bike and came with 130mm or rear travel. Banshee's aim with the Prime was to use geometry normally found on a 26" bike alongside its new KS Link suspension platform.
 | The Banshee Prime is a 29er for guys who don't think they like 29ers. The relatively slack head angle, low BB height and extremely stiff frame makes the Prime ride like no other 29er out there. We took everything we learned from our Paradox 29er hardtail and from our 26" full suspension bikes and combined that knowledge and experience to create an aggressive all mountain 29er that's extremely capable and a huge amount of fun to ride. The stand-out feature on the Prime is the speed that it can carry across all types of terrain. It's noticeably quicker on the climbs and the combination of the big wheels, slack geometry and KS Link suspension allow you to take lines on the descents that a 130mm travel bike has no business riding. If ever there was a bike to silence the 29er doubters, the Prime is it. |
In terms of geometry, the Prime used an adjustable head angle between 67.5 and 68.5 degrees with an effective seat tube angle of between 75 and 76.6 degrees depending on the geometry setting.
Read more here.
9. Cotic Rocket
Using Reynolds 853 Ovalform steel tubing and running 150mm of travel the first Cotic Rocket was launched in the middle of 2012 with 26" wheels and one of Cotic's classic edits. Featuring a 66.5-degree headangle the Rocket also used Cotic's own Droplink suspension platform.
Read more here.
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But I will say, the Banshee looks "less dated" than the majority of the list up there. But, you can see even just in photos how much reach has grown... That prime looks tiny, like a size small or something
x2 V2.5 Spitfires
x1 V3 Rune.
Did anyone see one being ridden?
www.pinkbike.com/photo/14970398
If you push the cranks, it pulls the pulley down, wich pivots the "triangle" backwards, which pushes the swingarm upward and compresses the suspension right ?
Or is it a leverage thing and the triangle link is here to prevent this kind of behaviour ?
Had to size up with a large frame with it's crappy 19.5" STL since the TTL & reach was so short and I didn't want to run a 100mm stem. Combining that with the old school geo, wallowing RP23 shock and early VPP, making the bike feel like an expensive pogo stick. Blarf
Bought a Process 111 two years later and that completely changed my attitude about 29ers. And then Kona f*cked up the end game LoL.
Got I don't miss 2x drivetrains. That tallboy was honestly a decent bike, but it makes me nauseous thinking about the miserable shifting and the constant OTB fear.
That Scott DH bike has a pivot probably as high as the new Trek Session. It had loads of chaingrowth and pedal kickback, but that Scott rode amazing. It was so fast. how?
I was certainly faster on it than my buddies Demo with the short chainstays
youtu.be/grNUgu0H9YA
Don't know how fast he is though...
Interestingly, Steve demonstrates this effect around 3:45 in the video above.
Please excuse the comically delayed response on a worthwhile discussion. Was gone riding this weekend.
I can’t believe we are still talking about these sea monsters in 2022. I though discussion died with suspension acronym BS in 2010 when Joe Graney of SC wanted convince everyone that their suspension is dominating. Just before they made second edition of Blirs and Nomad which had worse kinematics than the first one. Trek introduced their Active Braking Pivot, Giant revised Maestro. It was a shit show.
As to pro riders using anything. Unless you deliver it right from the horses mouth the idea that they make conscious decisions is not always the case. If anything you’d be better off talking to their mechanics not all of whom will be scientists. As if this level of scrutiny mattered anyways
But it still might be a thing. "Pedal kickback" is a near-universal trait on full-suspension bikes, in varying degrees, so maybe I learned to accommodate my braking habits around it decades ago. So I guess I'm curious, but still not sure it's a problem to be solved. But maybe.
On a highish pivot DH bike like the older Scott Gambler, and on the Gambler itself, I have felt pedal kickback. When you are going down Fire Swamp in Deer Valley (Park City) there are sections that are so steep you question whether a two-wheeled vehicle can even ride it, and its filled with 1 foot to 3 foot drops pretty much the whole way down, like irregular stairs. As you are holding on for dear life, the back wheel locks up and you feel your rear grip die, repeated "pops" of your forward foot pedal, and a fear of complete death. I never had my feet come off, even on flats, but it wasn't the greatest feeling. I don't know if it actually makes you slower though, and pros charge through this section at speed while I'm crawling down, butt behind my saddle. For me its an annoyance, but probably not slowing me down. Maybe its different for pros?
Having said that this is all theorizing so we may simply not bother going too deep into it.
However it's ok to say that i'm "a bit of a dick" and "pretty dull", when you consider the "fairly pedantic" shit i just wrote.
No bikes are indestructible, Banshee included. Yes, I think the V3 Banshees are fantastic, but I am on my second frame after cracking the first. But I have cracked frames from other manufacturers in the past too. Banshee customer service was fantastic and I wouldn’t hesitate to buy another.
Rear suspension design yet has to become obsolete...
I had the 2013 sworks demo, defo one of the best DH bikes I’ve ever owned until the cables started wearing through the carbon at the shock recess
Travel is 136 on mine so similar there
But the rest of the Geo is crazy different now
Such a cool looking bike. I just got a frame to build up, looking forward to riding it.