Just arrived at BM Global Headquarters is Chumba Racing's EVO "all-mountain" frame, as brought in to the UK by distributors of all things niche and American, Sorted Cycles.
The EVO delivers 6in of travel from a Fox DHX Air 5.0 shock, using Chumba's own FCC linkage design. It's quite FSR-like (although with a considerably longer and more forward-mounted rocker arm and greater offset between the rear axle and chainstay pivots), but it would appear not sufficiently FSR-like to recquire Chumba to license anything from Specialized - there's no FSR sticker on the frame.
It's built in the US from heat-treated 6061 aluminium, or, to be more precise, it's built from 6061 aluminium and then heat-treated. The presence of comprehensive gussetry at the head tube, down tube and seat cluster signals the EVO's hard-riding intentions. The frame and shock comes in at 4.1kg (9lb) on our scales, so we'd position it on the freeridey side of all-mountain on our current spectrum of riding styles. Stated geometry on this Medium/Large frame (there's also a Small/Medium option) is 68.5°head, 72°seat and 23.5in effective top tube.
If you fancy one, an EVO frame will cost you £1,300 in a choice of colours - we think it looks rather fetching in white.
Sorted Cycles can also supply all of Chumba's other frames, including the 5in travel VF1 (very similar to the EVO, but less travel and lighter, with an RP3 shock and fifty quid less), the 8.5in F4 DH bike (which runs an 83mm BB, floating brake caliper and 12mm through-axle rear hub - £1,500), the 4.25in travel, 130mm fork-ready XCL (£1,200) and a pair of 4X/slalom frames. The DSS has suspension and lots of gussets at £1,250, while the DSL is the same front half with a rigid back end at £750.
More details from www.sortedcycles.co.uk or call 0208 659 3217. In theory you can look at www.chumbaracing.com too, but at the time of writing it doesn't appear to be playing. So we'll go off and throw some bits at the EVO instead, and when enough of them have stuck we'll let you know how it rides...
