New Look : Hyper's Prototype All-Mountain Bike

650B All-Mountain Machine When we learned that Eric Carter, one of the fastest North American racers in the sport's short history, signed on to be part of the Hyper team, we knew that there were good things in the works. Carter is renowned for his feedback and development skills, traits that pay off when designing and testing a new bike. It looks as if Carter's knowhow is taking shape in the form the prototype that he was riding today and that is pictured here, a 150mm travel, 650B-wheeled all-mountain machine. Carter himself admitted that Hyper would have to really hit a homerun with the bike in order to win over serious riders, and while still in the development phase (this is the actually the first prototype), it looks like they are well on their way to doing just that. Also of note is his bike's Suntour fork a shock - the 650B specific, 160mm Auron with 34mm stanchions, and long stroke Durolux air shock.

Hyper Prototype Details • Rear wheel travel: 150mm • 650B wheel size • Uses a single pivot, four-bar suspension design with a reversed ''moto-link'' • Progressively linear suspension rate (2.6 - 2.1) • low and centralized suspension mass • Removable, splined ISCG-05 adapter setup • 13.2'' bottom bracket height (may change on production bike) • 66.5 ° head angle • Availability: TBA • MSRP: TBA

Moto Inspired Suspension

While Hyper didn't set out to rock the world with a new suspension system, they had a few goals in mind when designing the new bike's rear end: low center of gravity, reliability, and a low leverage ratio were all on that list. To that end, the bike makes use of a single pivot swingarm (note that the rear axle is attached to the chain stays) with a set of machined rocker arms that activate the top end of low-slung shock. This is combined with a moto-esque linkage that is partly hidden underneath the bottom bracket shell, with the shock attached to the diminutive lower linkage at the bottom end.

How does it all function? The chain stays move up as the rear tire hits a bump, pulling upwards on the lower linkage while at the same time compressing the shock with the rocker arms, effectively compressing the shock from both ends. Carter told us that the bike's lower linkage is essentially a reversed version of what is used on a dirt bike, and that the system allows them to swap in different length

link pieces to alter the leverage rate for development purposes. We had assumed that it employed bushings at each pivot given how compact the layout is, but the bike uses sealed bearings at every pivot location, as well as an extra level of sealing in the shape of added O-rings at each pivot.

Frame Details

Hyper knows that, at least at this point, their new 150mm travel bike isn't going to be as light as some of the carbon fiber super-bikes out there right now, but they went into the project with the intention of designing a stout and affordable chassis that could take some serious abuse while still sporting a relatively competitive weight. The first prototype shown here comes in at just over seven pounds, and Carter told us that he expects the final production version to tip the scales at somewhere just over six pounds, a respectable weight for an aluminum framed, 150mm travel machine. The bike likely won't be flimsy, either, with muscular looking stays, captive pivots, and and a thru-axle rear end. Removable ISCG-05 tabs allow a chain guide to be fitted, or a direct mount front derailleur can be bolted to a small stub that protrudes from the spar surrounding the shock. 

Sumber : Pinkbike.com