Tech Week 2023: RSD Bikes Announce New Wildcat 150 & RS-291 Ti Hardtail
RSD Bikes are a brand based in Toronto, Canada. Known for a range of hardtails, fat bikes and plus-tire bikes, they also make a full suspension bike - the Wildcat. We're now seeing the introduction of a 150mm travel Wildcat model, as well as further forays into titanium.
The Wildcat 150
The Wildcat 150 is an aggressive long-travel trail bike. The alloy bike uses, you guessed it, a 150mm platform that's built around slack, descent-focused geometry. Whilst the bike may resemble the original, shorter travel 125, both in terms of suspension design as well as all-round aesthetics, it features a new front triangle that features some big changes in its angles.
The head angle of the bike is a raked out 63.5 degrees, which is slack even for a long travel trail bike built around a 160mm fork. It's paired with a seat tube that has an effective angle of 77 degrees. The reach values of the bikes are similarly aggressive with numbers of 442, 470, 490 and 511 mm for their small to extra-large sizing.
Adaptability also appears to be a theme with the Wildcat. The bike is marketed to use both 27+ as well as 29" wheels, as well as being able to work with mixed wheels. They can do this because the rear of the bike is fitted with a sliding dropout, which offers around 15mm of adjustment. The change between 425 or 440 mm chain stays is not inconsiderable and will also will move the rear travel value slightly away from the namesake 150 mm.
In regards to the suspension, the new design produces different leverage and anti-squat ratios, but according to RSD remains a very efficient pedaller. RSD say they build the bikes they want to ride, and the manner in which it pedals is not lost in that. They say that this bike gives the pedaling characteristics to make it adept at steep and technical climbs, just like the type they find on their doorstep in eastern Canada.
RSD say the suspension is soft off the top for better small-bump compliance, and fairly progressive and linear throughout the rest of the travel. Claimed frame weight is 3.45 kg (7 lb 10 oz) for a medium, with a large coming in around 100 grams heavier. Complete bikes weigh a claimed 15.25 kg (33 lb 10 oz). That claim is based upon a bike with tubeless tires and a dropper post fitted.
Complete bikes will start for $4699.00 CAD / $3999.00 USD plus shipping, and frame only options will sell for $2499.00 CAD / $1999.00 USD plus shipping. Pre-orders are currently being taken for delivery in February 2023.
Complete bikes will start for $4699.00 CAD / $3999.00 USD plus shipping, and frame only options will sell for $2499.00 CAD / $1999.00 USD plus shipping. Pre-orders are currently being taken for delivery in February 2023.
The RS-291 Titanium
Much like the Wildcat 150, aggressive geometry is a theme. The RS-291 is built around a 150 mm fork, and the same 63.5 head angle of the full suspension bike. That head angle is coupled with a 75.3 degree seat tube angle. While that is comparatively steeper, it's worth remembering how a static geometry chart converts into a dynamic riding experience is very different on a hardtail.
The RS-291 also makes use of a sliding dropout and, should you want to make the bike even more aggressive, you can fit it with a mixed wheeled setup. This will slacken the bike further to 63.1-degree head angle and lower the bottom bracket to 315 mm.
The bike comes in at 12.7 kg or 28 Lb 1 oz for a medium with dropper and tubeless setup. A medium frame weighs 2.23 kg (4 lb 15 oz). Complete bikes start from $6699.00 CAD / $5249.00 USD plus shipping and frame are $2999.00 CAD / $2599.00 USD plus shipping. Pre-orders are being accepted now, with delivery in February 2023.
The bike comes in at 12.7 kg or 28 Lb 1 oz for a medium with dropper and tubeless setup. A medium frame weighs 2.23 kg (4 lb 15 oz). Complete bikes start from $6699.00 CAD / $5249.00 USD plus shipping and frame are $2999.00 CAD / $2599.00 USD plus shipping. Pre-orders are being accepted now, with delivery in February 2023.
For more information please visit rsdbikes.com.
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I bet there's a ton of people who don't care for all the latest bells and whistles and only want a decent mountainbike that just works.
Not that I'd spend money on extra upvotes cause I'm a cheap SOB...
Just a well designed, no-nonsense general-purpose, all-mountain bike. A classic recipe, executed well. No more, no less.
Also, as a happy owner of a snot-green (in a good way!) Sergeant for the last 2 years, I can vouch for the bike and the great customer service from Alex.
Yes, a slacker HTA would allow me to go faster. I also have 420mm chainstays on it (sliding, I can go to 430), and the longer setting would allow me to go faster too. However, I feel like bikes need to be balanced. A super slack HTA, holding reach the same, increases your front-center. If you don't increase your rear center the bike can actually perform worse. Long chainstays (rear -center) create a bike that can't turn, pop and play as easily, which to me is the whole point of a hard tail. I want dirt-jump-esque handling on the trail, and snappy climbing. Otherwise a 150mm 63 HTA hard tail is going to be less poppy and "fun" than a 120mm normal trail bike and slower on the DH.
Finally, riding a hard tail, even a super slack one with a 160mm fork, really fast is not fun. Its actively painful. The risk-reward is not as favorable as a 130mm or 150mm travel bike. So why take a bike, remove the benefits that its intrinsic nature has (simple, playful, maneuverable, snappy) to attempt to do something it will never be able to do well?
Dude, you're such a loser.
My point is that you want a non-XC hard tail to handle more like a dirt jumper than an enduro bike, so a heavily sagged front end negates that.
I swear these days I'm more stoked on any bike that does a decent take on the classic formula than on the entire "innovative" line-up of Trek, Specialized and Santa Cruz combined.
Steeper -> Slacker?
Did we break them?