Pipedream Skookum 29er - just in

[redplanet]

Pipedream Skookum 29er - just in

par redplanet » Mar Mai 21, 2013 9:45 am

We've just got our hands on a titanium 29er from Pipedream Cycle - it's called the Skookum and is a singlespeed, belt drive hardtail retailing for £2,699, or £1,175 for the frame only.

Belt drives aren't new in terms of technology; they use the same principles and manufacturing techniques that car cam belts employ. But with chain-driven transmissions being the dominant force when it comes to two wheels, a belt drive makes for an interesting bike.

The titanium frame is intriguing because, for obvious reasons, you can’t split a belt to fit it round the chainstay. Therefore, you need to be able to separate the frame - temporarily - so the belt can be fitted. That's why the Skookum's chassis features a threaded coupling part-way up the driveside seatstay. A tool is supplied to loosen or tighten the coupling - once unscrewed, the frame can spring apart just enough to pop the belt in or out.

[img:360:240]http://cdn.mos.bikeradar.com/images/news/2013/05/20/1369045375284-1gg9th2uitc6b-360-70.jpg[/img]

The driveside seatstay comes apart here

The Skookum is essentially the same as the well established, 26in-wheeled  hardtail, but with 29in wheels and a shorter fork travel - it’s designed to work with an 80-100mm fork, in this case a 100mm X-Fusion Slide 29 air unit. The wheels are Halo Vapours wrapped in the same brand's Choir Master tyres, stopped by Hope Tech Evo X2 brakes.

You can spec a variety of other options, including an eccentric bottom bracket and cable routing for a geared Shimano or Rohloff hub. It can be built with a standard chain transmission, too. Our test model's 44mm head tube, belt coupling and sliding dropouts pushed the bare frame price from £989 to £1,175.

[img:500:333]http://cdn.mos.bikeradar.com/images/news/2013/05/20/1369045318972-1tieposw0bcsm-500-70.jpg[/img]

Gusset parts make up the cockpit

Pipedream's belt drive of choice is the Gates Carbon Drive 22T singlespeed. Claimed weight for a typical Gates belt is under 100g, against more than 200g for a chain. 

To stop the belt slipping off, Pipedream’s setup uses the CenterTrack system, with a single central raised ridge on the sprocket and chainring that mates with a slot running the length of the belt. Cranks are Truvativ X9s, with Gusset providing the bar, stem, and saddle. The dropper seatpost is by X-Fusion.

A full review of the Pipedream Skookum is coming up in issue 149 of , on sale 4 June. For more information on Pipedream bikes see .
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