REEB Cycles Officially Launches Steel Short Travel Trail Bike
PRESS RELEASE: REEB Cycles
REEB Cycles is officially launching the steel short travel (120mm) “SST” trail bike for widespread availability, a development that relies heavily on exploring the limits of manufacturing technology to build a truly unique high performance mountain bike. The SST is the first trail ready indication of their investment in aerospace manufacturing experience, engineering and materials.
The SST trail bike blends the custom steel tubeset from Jeff Lenosky’s signature Redikyelous hardtail with the design, fabrication and abuse testing of Adam Prosise’s groundbreaking BREWser. Pairing the suspension technology design from the critically acclaimed Sqweeb and utilizing innovative aerospace-grade SLM 3D printed frame components, the SST embodies the rowdy and playful character of REEB’s proven steel hardtails while providing enough suspension to hit the big lines.
At the heart of the SST is a brand new, REEB exclusive 4-bar suspension system that combines the pedaling and braking performance of a Horst-link with the simplicity and low weight of a flex-stay. REEB uses custom formed steel stays, a hollow yoke and proprietary dropouts to precisely control suspension movement and increase lateral stiffness over a traditional steel frame. This design gives the SST incredible small bump sensitivity, supportive ramp throughout the travel, and a sublime balance of stiffness and compliance. Leverage ratio, kinematics and geometry are all tuned to create an ultra responsive chassis that jumps off the line, crushes climbs, slaps berms, launches gaps, and floats through chunder like a much bigger bike.
Essential to SST development was exploring the limits of manufacturing technology and applying it to build a light, stiff and strong steel bike. The SST features SLM 3D printed hollow stainless steel chainstay yoke, seatstay clevis, and rear dropouts. The result is a stronger, stiffer, lighter, and more elegant trail bike.
“Metal additive manufacturing (3D Printing) has intrigued us for a while, but until recently it was not a cost effective or accessible technology. Over the last couple of years 3D printing has become much more mainstream so we jumped at the opportunity to make some parts,” said the SST and Sqweeb design engineer and REEB Cycles President, Steve “Space Cowboy” Ziegler. Steve brings more than two decades of aerospace manufacturing, engineering, and operations experience paired with a lifelong addiction to fast bikes and a deep connection with the REEB brand.
REEB has been able to develop the lightweight steel full suspension frame by leveraging Selective Laser Melting 3D printing to create thin wall parts with internal structure that would be impossible to manufacture on any subtractive CNC machining process. REEB leveraged the process to develop the steel dropouts, main pivot yokes and seatstay clevis bosses that are lighter, and stronger than machined aluminum parts. Their appearance is also sleek and matches the aesthetics of steel tubing.
The REEB Cycling fabrication team (Adam Prosise and Robbie Jackson) also adds James Bridge, who has over 8 years of experience developing engineering concepts into reliable products for the aerospace industry. James has contributed to multiple successful spaceflight missions and shares the team’s love for precision fabrication and fast machines.
With these additions REEB plans to expand their scope of operations to focus on increasing manufacturing capability and reducing lead times while retaining the grassroots culture and exquisite craftsmanship that are synonymous with the brand. The company is committed to bringing people, technology, and culture together to develop and deliver extraordinary products to customers who share a passion for riding bikes and having fun.
Sqweeb aesthetics are visible via the in-house CNC machined rocker link, although with a reduced size and weight to match the SST’s intended use. All SST pivots have been extensively tested on the Sqweeb frame and paired with enduro bearings throughout.
Visit the NEW website at www.reebcycles.com to order any model of bike directly from REEB Cycles.
Current SST lead times are:
FRAME ONLY: December 1st, 2022
X01 AXS BUILD: January 1st, 2023
GX Build: February 1st, 2023
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I developed intestinal polyps just from reading that, thanks.
"Large Water Bottle inside the Frame"
"Threaded BB"
"No cables routed through the headset"
"Adjustable geometry"
And then there are the acronyms. SST, SLM, CNC, etc...
Hand made, short travel, aggressive geo, full squish, steel frame out of a small shop in Colorado where you get a reply to emails quickly from a rad crew of builders? Easy decision. I'm not much for assigning emotions to inanimate objects, but this thing is flat out sexy. While many riders in my area show up on trails with the latest carbon offerings every season, I'll be cranking out the miles on this bike for a very long time.
I've never been more disappointed in myself that I'm not in a financial position to buy this over the Asian-made frame I ride today. And it's truly depressing knowing that won't change. It's a shame this bike is destined to be in the hands of so few. It looks perfect; I love the origin. Good work.
"Steve, only you call yourself that"
"My name is Space Cowboy. Spaaaaaaace Coooowboy"
"Less talking, more passing the joint Steve"
A steel frame is heavier than carbon, etc so there's a weight cost. I recommend contacting Reeb for a realistic estimate about their/your builds.
For comparison - PB's Tallboy 5 (large X01 AXS) test bike is 1lb lighter than mine: www.pinkbike.com/news/first-ride-the-2023-santa-cruz-tallboy-gets-updated-not-overhauled.html
^I spent less and think I have a better build and more capable platform. YMMV.
I tend to break stuff, so weight was less of a factor unless I could shed it somewhere without compromising durability.
The SST rips.
Steel frames are famous for the ride quality provided by the material flex...
This is not your “typical” spindly seat stay flex design. This is a “Horst link” style chainstay flex stay. Higher torsional stiffness and much better braking characteristics. Lengthening/shortening the stays has not been on our list of improvements, everybody has been very happy with 435mm.
Definitely my style, @REEBcycles you guys coming to Moab OB?
Sharp looking bike!
Coil shocks are awesome on big bikes for doing big-bike stuff. This seems like (heavy) overkill.
Would like to see what “light” actually means-in British Imperial or Metric units……
I don't have a weight in KGs but mine comes in at 33lbs with heavy enduro wheels / tires, heavy bars, coil shock, and enduro fork. I think with a Pike, lighter wheels/tires, carbon bars, etc you could pretty easily get it under 30lbs.
However, on a light short travel bike that’s a lot of extra weight.
But I also don’t get the whole heavy bike with short travel thing.
Good trail and enduro bikes are very efficient in terms of power transfer, and suspension can be set up/tuned to be as damp or lively as you’d want.
Clanging off the bottom out bumper all day doesn’t seem worth whatever (marginal) efficiency gain there might be.
My last bike was a 2020 Enduro, for instance, which pedaled plenty well and was responsive despite it's geo and travel #s, but it made riding some trails more boring and less engaging. It was also a handful on tighter XC-type trails and the option of throwing some lighter/faster tires on it for that type of trail wasn't a thing. Both bikes had really good suspension performance IMO (they don't hang up on square edges, generally track well, etc), but the geo/kinematics/travel on the SST means it's more responsive to input regardless of weight. You feel the trail more, which is more to the point. The SST does climb better and is more efficient, but I've had short travel bikes I felt climbed poorly compared to my previous Enduro, hell I've ridden 130 bikes that were less efficient than it was climbing, so travel numbers does not always translate to efficiency. I doubt most people buying this bike are doing so to point and shoot down the hill during an enduro race, unless you are able to ride like @prosauce.
It's still lighter than most bikes I've had and I can lighten it up a few pounds if I wanted to do so, I just don't because riding 4-5 days a week here tends to wear on components and I'm more concerned about longevity. I find the way it rides more engaging and enjoyable day to day than a big bike which, while it may climb efficiently, is a little too dead and makes some trails a bit more boring. OTOH, I'm not out to just pin it to the bottom of the hill as fast as I can anymore, I'm out to enjoy the ride and take advantage of the features on the trail, which IMO shorter travel bikes (not just the SST) make more feasible than a big bike does.
PB will scream why short CS on the all frame size, however for trail bike I believe this is more then ok
Yeah, that’s a tough one mate. Beats me.