DMR Bolt Slopestyle Prototype - Eurobike 2010

I love prototype bikes, especially when they are this fresh! Pictured here is prototype numuro uno of DMR's Bolt short travel slopestyle and general fun machine. DMR has long been known for their hardtails and you can certainly see the simple lines of those rigid frames carry over onto the new Bolt. Just as found on some of DMR's other frames, the Bolt is built using steel tubing, in this case it is heat treated 4130 chromoly. The goal was to make a bike with the same attitude as their hardtails, but with 125 mm of rear wheel travel to be a bit more forgiving. The result is a bike that looks like its going to be as fun as a barrel of monkeys.

There were a number of requirements that DMR wanted to meet when penning the Bolt. Among them, it had to have enough travel and be forgiving enough to want to ride over a hardtail on some terrain, it had to be stiff enough to not feel like a wet noodle when pushing hard, short chainstays were obviously wanted, as well as to have it be easily convertible to singlespeed if so desired. It looks as if all those boxes have been ticked off. The swingarm pivots concentrically around the bottom bracket shell which means that chain tension will not change as the bike goes through it's travel. All you have to do is install DMR's 'Swopout' horizontal dropouts and shorten your chain in order to convert to singlespeed. The small link just above the shock does not alter the shock rate at all, but serves to keep the bike as stiff as possible.

The concentric bottom bracket is the key to being able to run a single speed setup on a full suspension bike without resorting to using a spring loaded chain tension device. Because the swingarm pivots directly off the bottom bracket shell the distance from it and the rear axle remains constant as the bike goes through it's travel. No funky bolt-on chain tension bits are required. If you want to run gears you'll need to use some sort of chain guide up front which can be mounted on the Bolt's ISCG05 tabs. Have they thought of everything?

DMR says that you'll be best off using a 120 - 150 mm travel fork to match up with the 125 mm found out back. The Bolt will be available in either metallic black with anodized orange link, dropouts, and BB pivot parts or aqua with green anodized bits. If you like to do your own thing when it comes to stickers you'll be stoked to know that the stock decals are removable and the Bolt will come with an extra sticker sheet if you want to get all custom on it.

This is DMR's simple and effective 'Swopout' adaptable dropout system. Two bolts hold on each of the Bolt's aluminum dropouts and make for a simple job if you want to switch from a vertical geared setup to a horizontal single speed system. Availability should be around December or January with a projected retail price of $1300 - $1400 USD for the frame and rear shock.