Super bike: Zerode G-1 downhill bike

[Hairy]

http://www.bikeradar...hill-bike-33111

 

 

A tiny New Zealand outfit are taking on something just about every big bike brand has considered, prototyped and then shelved – the internal gearbox bike. It’s been one of the holy grails of bike design for a while. Just as we were starting to accept that it would stay in the realms of fantasy, along came Zerode and the G-1.

Cutting edge

The performance benefits of an internal gearbox are numerous and easy to understand. For a start, the gears and the parts used to shift them are packed away in a weatherproof housing. Mud and water can’t get at them, wear is reduced and there are no fragile bits of metal to snag and break on rocks. Shifting is smooth and consistent – smashing in another cog under maximum exertion over the finishing line will feel exactly the same as your first shifts of the day rolling around the car park.

The downsides of previous designs have been weight and a loss of pedalling feel as the directness of the traditional setup is lost. But that’s not the case here. An eight-speed Shimano Alfine touring hub is the heart of the gearbox. It’s a sealed unit, which weighs the same as the sum of the parts it replaces. Positioned snugly above the shock in the mainframe, the gearbox moves the weight of the transmission from its traditional position at the end of the chainstays to the front triangle.

As a result, Zerode have increased the sprung weight (the rider, frame…) and reduced the unsprung weight (the rear wheel, brake…) so the back end is more sensitive over obstacles. This in turn offers greater suspension performance throughout the G-1's huge 235mm (9.25in) of travel. Moving the weight inboard also improves handling. The main mass of the bike is centralised and where you want it for the best manoeuvrability – between your knees.

http://cdn.mos.bikeradar.com/images/news/2012/02/06/1328522879479-vsbby3fuzh74-670-70.jpg

Path of least resistance

Zerode weren’t content with ‘just’ producing a gearbox bike though. They also addressed what they saw as a glaring omission of many suspension designs. With the transmission gubbins out back, many manufacturers focus their efforts on achieving a vertical wheel path (where the rear wheel travels up and down). Zerode reckon that hits on the trail rarely come in a linear fashion, instead reasoning that having a more rearward path enables the wheel to flow over obstacles, as opposed to bouncing out of the way.

By reducing the slowing effects of hits, the Zerode can carry more speed. Moving the gearbox inboard added to this improved responsiveness – so much so that the Kiwis claim impact stresses are reduced to the point where you can run lighter wheels. When it comes to geometry, Zerode have decided to keep things long, slack and low. The G-1 has a 64.5-degree head angle, a 355mm (14in) bottom bracket height and will be available in short and long (562 or 602mm) top tube lengths.

Anything is possible

The Zerode G-1 is available as a frameset (comprising frame, Fox DHX RC4 shock, shifter, gearbox, tensioner, rear sprocket, spacer kit and axle) from £2,700, and as a custom build to whatever spec your wallet can handle. They’ve even got an all-mountain version in the pipeline for those who want to take the G-1’s bold performance on all-day jaunts.

It’s hard not to admire the plucky blokes at Zerode – they’ve taken on the perceived rules of downhill frame design, chewed and digested them, and then still decided to chuck them out of the window. Without forward-thinking manufacturers like Zerode making rule-breaking bikes, the market would stagnate. Watch this space to see if their bold promises for the G-1 add up to a ride as revolutionary as they claim. For more details, visit www.zerode.co.nz or www.prestige-cycles.co.uk.

http://cdn.mos.bikeradar.com/images/news/2012/02/06/1328522879485-1pefratmvwmbe-670-70.jpg

Edited February 9, 2012 by Hairy
Tiny font fix

[jimmy hardtail]

I'll take a white one in large, please santa ...

[nigelhicks]

no thanks

[(Deon)]

Hairy, is that tiny font from NZ too?

 

Damn, is that what it's like to be old, I need magnifying glass??!!

 

EDIT: There, fixed, I feel young again!

Edited February 9, 2012 by Pain or Shine

[MoreTrails]

Hairy, slap some more pictures up of the bike....you can't just put 2 up!!!

[Hairy]

Font adjusted and Because you asked ...........

[(Deon)]

no thanks

 

Why? Seems like the only working solution to internal gearing.. can't see that it has added any weight and if they benefit from no limitations of the conventional chain restrictions, the suspension can reach new levels of performance where others are left behind.. (because of restrictions that is)

 

I like!

Edited February 9, 2012 by Pain or Shine

[MoreTrails]

Shot

[nigelhicks]

Why? Seems like the only working solution to internal gearing.. can't see that it has added any weight and if they benefit from no limitations of the conventional chain restrictions, the suspension can reach new levels of performance where others are left behind.. (because of restrictions that is)

 

I like!

 

1. because its using touring gear components - this has been tried before and it was crap! the inernal gearbox hubs that Shimano make for touring are not sturdy enough for DH.

 

2. If the gearbox (other than Hondas) worked why has it not been pushed by any of the big players? Personally i think its a farce ...

 

but thats just me!

[Hairy]

Hey Nige .... it would be nice if what you were saying can be proven to be incorrect so that this sentence can read as follows:

 

2. If the gearbox (other than Hondas) worked why has it not been pushed by any of the big players? Personally i think its a farce It is fast...

[(Deon)]

ah.. assuming the touring gear component has not been modified, I see your point.

 

They did say it won't get dirty, but no mention about the rigors of DH.. although, a few team riders are winning. Only time will tell, as with any new tech!

[Hairy]

http://www.zerode.co.nz/gallery/39rdp33.jpg

[Hairy]

http://www.zerode.co.nz/images/gearbox_ttl.gif Welcome to the Future......

 

http://www.zerode.co.nz/education/1pg10.jpg As mountain bikers we love riding in all sorts of conditions. Mud, sand, dust, dirt in all forms gets all over our gears and moving parts wearing them out and hindering their performance.

 

We all know the feeling of skipping gears. Many of us are scared for life by derailleur malfunction. Whether it is caused by bashing your expensive derailleur on a rock or all of those little pivots wearing out the result is the same, poor shifting, no confidence and a riding experience that is less than desirable. The Zerode gearbox never misses a gear, ever!!

The shifts are seamless under full load, at a full stop, up or down & even if your bike is caked in mud. Your Chain will last for years not months because they aren’t tortured into climbing up and down clusters and the Gearbox itself is a sealed self contained unit that requires almost no maintenance. You will never drop a chain because the gearbox allows a fool poof chain guide to be built into the frame.

 

We put a lot of testing into selecting our gearbox and after thousands of downhill runs and trails rides on the same unit we are confident we've made the right choice and sure you'll agree.

 

To date we have known Gearboxes as heavy and draggy making the bike feel sluggish and hard to pedal. The Zerode Gearbox weighs about the same as the parts it replaces ( cluster, derailleur, chain guide or chain rings and front derailleur for XC bikes. Gearbox drag is a non issue, the efficiency of the gearbox means the drive chain feels similar to a standard derailleur system.

 

Once again very real improvements in your bikes performance have been made through Zerode's redesign of the mountain bike frame from the ground up. This truly is the future of mountain biking.

[nigelhicks]

ya look ... im sure its come a loooong way from the last time guys played around with the touring components to create internal gearing on DH bikes...

 

Also .... you need to think that unless you design the bike so that there is no chain length shift on shock compression then you have a problem if there is no derailleur. The guys have obviously thought about all this and found ways to fix it ... but that was a big problem back in the day when they tried it.

 

im just scheptical that the touring components arent strong enough yet. ... but good on Zerode to be playing around with it

[Hairy]

I do hope they have this sorted... I dropped them a mail earlier asking if there are any bikes in SA as it would be interesting to see.

 

It is rather nice when people go out there and tackle a problem to make MTB's better.

[Capricorn]

Nige: two chains, both around the rear pivot point = zero chain growth.

 

if it's not yet DH-tough, i'm sure some engineering pencil sharpening will fix that too.

 

wasnt the Honda G-Cross team's g'box just a derailleur-in-a-box?