Go bold and beyond with Bold Bikes.
What’s better than an early season bike trip get away? An early season bike trip get away with some new bikes to demo!
The trip was to Nakusp to check out their much talked about Mount Abriel Recreation Area. An awesome place well worth the trip, but not why we are here today. Today is about a couple of very intriguing bikes that we brought to ride. Heard of Bold Cycles before? Well now you have and honestly, it was only a matter of time.
Bold Cycles is the Swiss company that pioneered in-frame suspension. Yep, the shock is tucked neatly away within the frame. The result is a look unlike any other, truly beautiful. With the shock protected from the elements, it is safe from dings, dirt, dust and everything else we regularly subject to shocks.
Sound like a pain in the butt? After spending 3 days riding and playing with them, I can officially say it’s no big deal. There is a quick release hatch under the frame that is used for accessing in-frame storage and shocks adjustments. Like most shocks, there are firm/open settings, but instead of reaching down between your legs you can control them from the cockpit. I was a bit apprehensive of adding more controls to the cockpit, as the trend at the moment is simplify. However, I found it really intuitive and actually used it as intended. Plus the in-frame storage is best in class and comes stock with a ‘Save the Day’ kit, which includes a tube, tire levers, pump & multitool.
Ok, let me back up. Bold Cycles keeps their offering very simple with two bikes. A ‘Trail’ bike called the Linkin or an ‘Enduro’ bike called the Unplugged.
The Linkin Trail bike is a 29er offered in two travels: the Linkin135 which sports 140mm up front and 135mm in the back, or a harder punching Linkin150 with 150mm of travel front and back. We had the Linkin150 model on our trip. Everyone was very happy with the ride quality of this bike. Comfortable ride position, low stand-over and very efficient climbing. Descending was fantastic. We were riding black tech trails and blue/black jump lines. The bike was slack enough to instill confidence yet rode nimble and agile on the tech. It cornered great in the flow and was very predictable in the air. Overall, we were all very impressed with this shred machine.
The Unplugged Enduro bike is also a 29er that comes with 170mm of travel up front and 160mm on the back. Its geometry is fairly low/long/slack, but nothing too crazy. The result is a long travel 29er that is totally capable of point and shoot riding over the roughest/steepest stuff, but still maintains a respectable amount of playfulness and agility. You can get rowdy on this bike, but it is still totally enjoyable an pops on mellower trails. We found the combination very well balanced and super fun. Climbing on it was pretty darn good for a big bike. If you get out of the saddle and start cranking, there will be some bob, but you can firm it up with the flick of a thumb and boogie up those technical section no problem. The Unplugged overall performed like a refined brawler. Like James Bond, it was happy to go toe to toe with the gnar but also to sip martinis in a tuxedo. A class act.
After a few days of ripping around on these bikes, we tried to pick one word to describe the ride experience. We all decided on SMOOOOTH. Smooth climbing, smooth descending, smooth in the air.
Ok, now about their looks. I left this till the end as I didn’t want anyone to think they are just a good looking bike. But seriously, how amazing do they look! The rear triangle and linkage combined with the internal shock placement results in an incredibly clean and stylish look. They turn heads and you get asked about them out on the trails. Rightfully so, they are beautiful works of art that can rip...
There are a lot of super cool bikes out there for sure. Smart designs and performance are expected these days from high end brands. So who is Bold for? The ride quality is fantastic; tick that box. From there, I’d say someone who values well thought out features, style and something a little outside the box. If you want something a bit different with stellar performance and even a little futuristic, you can confidently put Bold on your short list. And if you love your bike, you will ride your bike more, which the most important part. So go for it… Be Bold.
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