Devinci Wilson's Carbon Swingarm and 29'er Atlas - Interbike 2011

Big news from Devinci with the addition of a carbon fiber swingarm for the back of their Wilson downhill bike in 2012. The new swingarm has actually been in testing for quite a while now, having made appearances on the back of some of Devinci's top rider's bikes this last season, and Devinci has been quite pleased with the results. While it is slightly lighter than the aluminum version, it is the new swingarm's added stiffness - claimed to be roughly 35% - that is the story here. We've put plenty of time on a 2011 Wilson SL and have had no complaints about a lack of rigidity, but 35% will be a hard number to ignore.

Devinci Wilson's carbon swingarm details:
• Tested by Devinci's World Cup racers
• Claimed to be roughly 35% stiffer than the aluminum version
• Will come stock on the 2012 Wilson SL and the Wilson frame
• Retrofittable to older models using the same hardware

The new carbon swingarm picture above will come stock on Devinci's top tier Wilson SL, as well as the frame alone, while the less expensive RC and XP models will come equipped with the aluminum version. Wilson owners who are lusting after the carbon rear end will be pleased to hear that it is retrofittable onto older models using the same hardware.

The carbon swingarm is trick, but it really does raise the question of when we'll see a Wilson made entirely from carbon fiber. I was met with a "no comment" when I posed the question of a full carbon downhill bike to Devinci's Gabe Fox, but we're willing to bet that they are working on it behind closed doors as we speak. It likely won't make an appearance this season, but given Devinci's experience with carbon - just look at their road lineup - and many other manufacturers making the move to the wonder material, it will only be a matter of time.

The 8.5" travel 2012 Wilson uses the exact same suspension layout as the previous year, with an ultra low shock mounting position that keeps the center of gravity at a minimum height. The suspension is activated via the bronze coloured link (left) that rotates concentrically around the bottom bracket. You can adjust the Wilson's handling by rotating chips within the rear axle pivot (right) that allow you to choose between a 64° and 64.7° head angle, as well as raising the bottom bracket height from 13.9" to 14.3".

Devinci jumps headfirst into the 29'er category with their 2012 Atlas, a 110mm travel big wheeler that looks ready to do double duty as either a race or trail bike. It uses the same technology as Devinci's other performance mountain bikes, including Dave Weagle's Split Pivot suspension that isolates braking and suspension forces to allow the wheel to track better when you're on the binders. There will be two models, the RC and the less expensive Atlas XP shown above.

Devinci Atlas details:
• 110mm of rear wheel travel
• Split Pivot suspension
• 16.9" chainstay length
• Tapered head tube
• 142x12mm rear end
• Post mount rear brake
• BB99 bottom bracket shell

29'ers, and especially full suspension 29'ers, are known for having longer rear ends to deal with the larger diameter wheels, but this can have an adverse effect on how the bike handles. Devinci has gone to great lengths to reign in the Atlas' chainstays, bending and shaping the seat tube to allow the rear wheel to tuck in as close as possible and allow for an industry leading 16.9" back end. The result should be a machine that is more maneuverable and playful than some others, while still retaining the advantages of the larger wheels.

Riders are able to adjust the Atlas' handling by flipping inserts within the rocker link, allowing you to choose from either a 71.2° or slacker 70.6° head angle. Pinkbike will have the first full review of the new Atlas in the coming months so stay tuned.

Visit the Devinci website to see their entire lineup.