K2, what's this???

[shovelon]

This is the best they can do?

Perfect for every department store.

http://content.mtbr.com/TRP_14_351_1crx.aspx

[purple gerbil]

now then i dont think it looks that bad and check where that lower pivot is looks like there going back to there roots to that famous dig in technology like the good old days.you know gravity sucks an all. could be a nice xc machine with stiff rear triangle and elevated pivot and looks like could be about 4" of travel in it and low slung for a chuck about ride.

[jeffhop]

cant see the problem with it, looks like it could be a very nice ride, the pivots in the right place but the swingarm is waaaayyy too elaborate, they should have kept some simple lines and im sure it would have been a winner. as it is i would have one if i could convince the mrs i need yet another bike. how much are they?

just had a gander at the rest of the new k2 bikes and the base 2.0 looks very nice it just needs a better gruppo and it should also donate its swingarm to the factory 6.

[Colin]

Doesn't look toooooo bad.....

Mountain > Full Suspension > Factory 6.0

FRAME - 5.5" TRAVEL FULL SUSPENSION, 6061 AL, 3D FORGED UPRIGHT, ENDURO MAX BEARINGS

REAR SHOCK - FOX FLOAT RP2 XV, AIR SPRING, PRO-PEDAL & REBOUND ADJUST

FORK - FOX 32 FLOAT RL, 140mm TRAVEL, AL STEERER

FRONT DERAILLEUR - SHIMANO DEORE XT

REAR DERAILLEUR - SHIMANO DEORE XT

SHIFTERS - SHIMANO DEORE XT RAPIDFIRE PLUS

FREE WHEEL CASSETTE - SHIMANO DEORE XT 9 SPEED CASSETTE, 11-34T

CRANKSET - SHIMANO DEORE XT

BOTTOM BRACKET - SHIMANO OUTBOARD BEARING

CHAIN - WIPPERMAN 908 WITH CONNEX LINK

RIM - WTB LASER DISC XC

TIRES - WTB MUTANORAPTOR RACE, 26 x 2.4"

BRAKES - SHIMANO DEORE XT HYDRAULIC DISC BRAKES, 180/160mm ROTORS

BRAKE LEVERS - SHIMANO DEORE XT HYDRAULIC DISC

HEADSET - 1 1/8" THREADLESS, AL CUPS, SS CARTRIDGE BEARINGS

STEM - K2 BIKE FIT SYSTEM BY NVO, COLD-FORGED AL

HANDLEBAR - FSA XC190A-OS, BUTTED RISER BAR

GRIPS - WTB MOTO-TEC CLAMP-ON

SEAT CLAMP - ALLOY, WITH QR & BRASS BUSHING

SEAT POST - FSA SP-SL-240/CW

SADDLE - FIZIK NISENE HP, WITH KIUM RAILS

PEDALS - CRANK BROTHERS CANDY C

RINGS - 22/32/44

FRONT HUB - SHIMANO DEORE XT DISC

REAR HUB - SHIMANO DEORE XT DISC

SPOKES - KORE 14/15/14G SANDVIK SS, MATTE BLK, WITH BLK BRASS NIPPLES

[shovelon]

Hmmm, maybe you convinced me. The spec does look good. What is particularly surprising is the frame material. 6061 alloy usually does not come out of China or Taiwan.

The design is very dated though and is found in dime stores here. Santa Cruz's Superlite is the best of them, but not their mainstay.

Actually I llike the swinarm styling. I wonder what the package weighs in at.

Terry

[jimbo]

Too bad they didn't have this bike when I bought the Evo.  This new design got rid of the 3 main issues I had with the Evo.

1) Mud Clearance
2) Uninterrupted seattube
3) Lower seattube.

Evo was a great bike for it's day.  

[Matno]

The design is very dated though and is found in dime stores here. Santa Cruz's Superlite is the best of them, but not their mainstay.

Just read a magazine review of the new 2007 Superlight that said it rode as well as (and maybe even better than!) the Blur. Hard to deny the simplicity of a single pivot with the newer shocks!

[shovelon]

Just read a magazine review of the new 2007 Superlight that said it rode as well as (and maybe even better than!) the Blur. Hard to deny the simplicity of a single pivot with the newer shocks!

Can't agree more that it is a very good design. But it just looks like a rehash of existing Iron Horse models. If K2 ever wants to regain my respect, they will have to do better than this.

Maybe next year.