Arantix Test Ride Photos
IsoTruss Top Tube
Tube Joints at Bottom Bracket
Tube Joints at Head Tube.
The Bike |
The Arantix from Delta 7 Sports
If you like technology, you’re going to love this bike. Before our scheduled test ride in the Nevada desert, the guys (and gal) at Delta 7 Sports (www.delta7sports.com) provided a nice overview of the technology.
IsoTruss Tubing: The main spans of the frame tubing (top tube, bottom tube, seat post, chain stays and seat stays) are all made out of a leading edge structural design called IsoTruss(TM). This methodology uses carbon fiber strands which are interconnected by 3-dimensional pyramidal structures throughout the sidewall with Kevlar wrapping at all of the many joints. Note that the core of this tubing structure is still hollow. Despite what your eyes tell you, this advanced structure can carry incredible loads. The seat post is specified to handle 1000 pounds of force, and real-world tests show it exceeds that by a hefty margin. The IsoTruss tubes are joined to solid carbon fiber tubes at the major frame joints. Some aluminum alloy is utilized at the Bottom Bracket housing for threading and at other points on the frame where components are joined to the frame under torque.
The Frame: The frame is rigid overall, but has flexing characteristics at the micro level, providing a stiff structure, but with more flexibility than alloy frames. Another neat feature of the hollow and open structure is the ability to run a continuous cable housing from lever to component inside the tubing. Furthermore, the truss-like structure of the tubing distributes loading uniformly and also means that a single point of failure does not compromise the integrity of the whole structure as would be the case for a solid frame. You would think the open structure could be a mud trap, but Delta 7 Sports has done testing which shows closed structures have greater surface area onto which mud can adhere. It didn’t matter to us since dust is the only thing on the trail out here. For those concerned, Lizard Skins makes a cover.
The frame itself weighs 2.6 lbs. and the totally equipped demo ride was a meager 22 lbs. I was so enamored with the frame itself, that the components largely escaped my attention. I did glean there was a carbon fiber SRAM XO rear derailleur, a Fox F100 fork, and Chris King 1 /1/8-inch headset. The demo was tuned to show off the weight and handling characteristics, so we were riding some pretty narrow tires on lightweight rims.
The Ride: Now for the ride. The bike was the center of attention cruising through the venue to the test trail. I had to get used to riding a hard tail again, but was surprised at its overall rigidity. As we pedaled up the gravel road to the trailhead, I imagined the bike to be a great climber on fire roads, and did manage to pass most of the other riders on the way up. The bike’s light weight and instant response to my inputs seemed to offer an advantage, but took some getting used to. As I made my first turn onto the single-track, I had to remind myself what this bike is because it is so light and so reactive that any action brings an immediate response. Pushing the cranks, steering, leaning into a turn, and standing over the front as I dropped into a dip all yielded instant feedback. I had to be conscious to not overdo it.
Even though the bike is a hard tail, I put it to the test on the jumps. Its light weight and responsiveness got me airborne quickly and effortlessly, but the landings came with a jolt (To be fair, I had earlier ridden a full-suspension 29er from another manufacturer).
Once I figured out how this bike ran, I eagerly put in another lap just for fun, truly enjoying the bike’s quickness and agility as it reacted to my every whim. Despite the jolts, I couldn’t resist getting airborne again.
This bike is a truly unique ride, and fun. I thought a perfect setup might be a 29-inch version in order to yield a slightly smoother ride and dampen some of the bike’s (or perhaps the rider’s) jerkiness with the added inertia of 29-inch wheels. Perhaps even a single speed would be fun. The company also has a road version with more narrow tubing. Although the Arantix started off with the dubious title of “World’s Most Expensive Mountain Bike”, the price has already been dramatically reduced by 30%. The IsoTruss tubing is currently hand fabricated, but the company has the ability to use automated assembly if volumes demand it. Look for the price to come down further as the road model and the overall technology find their way to greater popularity.
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