Lars Tribus Featured in German Mountain Bike Rider Magazine

World Champion and long-time CHUMBA rider Lars Tribus was featured in German Mountain Bike Rider Magazine.  Lars was photographed by legendary photographer Francois Portmann - and has posted pics of himself and the "proving grounds" (his backyard).

You can check it all out here: http://larstribus.loopd.com/

French Magazine Velo Vert Visits CHUMBA

France's renown mountain biking publication Velo Vert paid a visit to CHUMBA in Anaheim last week.  Yannick, a journalist for the magazine, attempted a touring bike trip from northern California down to Anaheim, but pouring rain and winds prevented him from finishing the bike trip.  Fortunately, he was able to rent a car and pay us a visit.  Here's a few pics he took, the rest are available via the link here: http://www.velovert.com/Reportage_VTT_en_direct/52/342/Visite-Chumba

 

 

Here's some words from Yannick:

Hey les amis !

I finally started my touring biketrip Sunday afternoon and reach San Luis Obispo Wednesday evening andstayed there a couple of days in order to cover all the bike historyhere + posting Chumba pics on web ! I'll hit the road again tomorrow(Saturday) toward Big Sur. 

So, Chumba in reports on homepage on www.velovert.com. Direct link is: http://www.velovert.com/Reportages_VTT_live , then click on ''Visite Chumba''

Thanks again for all your friendly help, it was great time there !  

 

Yannick Oven - Journaliste testeur 

2009 CHUMBA Race Season Recap

2009 was one of CHUMBA's most successful race seasons in the company's 16 year history.  We launched one of the nation's largest grassroots racing program.  Using a dedicated 50 feet RV to transport our race bikes and provide race support nationwide.  It was a large investment for the company, but we had an unprecedented number of CHUMBA riders at all racing levels representing on the bikes, putting up impressive results, but more importantly, having great camaraderie and moving the sport forward.

Up and coming Junior Expert rider Jake Payne had many top 3 finishes including the Fontana National, the Santa Ynez National, and Brianhead NMBS #6.

                                      

At the UCI World Cup, CHUMBA was represented by 2x National Champion Duncan Riffle and Pro Rider Brad Benedict.  Duncan had one of his most successful years, coming in early in the season with impressive finishes, and ending up as one of the top 20 fastest racers in the world. Duncan made a big statement for his sponsors through his efforts and top-notch representation. Duncan came in first at the IXS Downhill Cup among over 300 participants from 19 nations.  You can find more information here: http://www.sicklines.com/2009/06/02/ixs-european-downhill-cup-race-1-in-verbier-31st-may-2009/

 We hope 2010 will be equally as successful for all of the riders and the rest of the industry.  Everyone putting their time, effort, and heart into the sport through racing deserves mention and we thank the entire industry for all of the contributions.

                                          

CHUMBA Racing Facilities Remodel Completion!

Part 1 of 2

Dear CHUMBA Riders, Friends, and Family:

So far, the new year has been great!  We've completely remodeled the interior of our building, improved our bike assembly, warehousing, and production equipment; and we are extremely proud of our new facilities - so we thought we'd share and give all of you a virtual tour.

First, we started off with a new showroom - we've displayed all of our frames, past articles of our championship-winning bikes, and added jerseys of Lars Tribus, Lisa Sher - and other current and past famous CHUMBA Riders.

Here are 2 shots of the showroom from different angles:

We then moved on to our conference room and studio - adding a 10 feet logo to the glass panels, and decorating with marketing images from our industry for inspiration.

                           

                         

Afterwards, we thought we'd add some style to our hallway - to represent the company heritage and team colors of red, white, and black.  The red, white, and black jersey have graced the likes of Shaums March, Duncan Riffle, Lars Tribus, and numerous other top American racers.  So as a tribute to our racing heritage the hallway got the CHUMBA race treatment.

                        

Then, we moved on to our offices - to help create some inspiration in our day - we installed 10 feet wide images to add some colorful backdrop to our daily work area.  Walking into our offices has become a much more enjoyable experience. 

                        

                        

Finally, we did some work to our R&D area, but we can't show you too much of that. ; )

                      

Well, thanks for coming along on the tour, and remember, we always love meeting our customers from all over the country and the world, so feel free to call us if you want to stop by.  Stay tuned for Part II where we will show your our warehouse, production facilities, and bike assembly area.

Happy trails!

CHUMBA Rider Pins It at Australian National Champs!

The Australian Mountain Bike Nationals at Adelaide, South Australia took place this week.  Known to locals and regulars as RADelaide, it's one of the nation's premier spots for biking in the country - and had a list of premier riders representing.

Our CHUMBA Rider came in 6th overall and provided these amazing photos.

                                           

Interview w/ Ted Tanouye - Headtube Sizes

Ted Tanouye is CHUMBA's head designer and founder.  The son of a NASA engineer with mulitple ground-breaking designs under his belt that have competed successfully in national and international races, Ted is one of the sport's true legends.

Interviewer: The rage these days seems to be on tapered headtubes, do you think they will become an industry standard?

Ted: I can't say for certain what will happen in the future; however, building frames for over 20 years, I have seen ovalization of head tubes at the lower cup area on race frames, and we have seen manufacturers react to this.  What they have done, including myself, is add headtube wall thickness and gussetting of the headtube junction areas.  For instance, on the F5, we do use a 1.5" outer diameter, as well as wrap most of the headtube with a reinforcing gusset.  The number of reported instances of stress risers and ovalization on recent DH frames is almost zero.

Interviewer: What about trailbikes?  What is your experience with ovalization?

Ted: Aluminum will always have a fatigue life.  And, depending on the type of usage these bikes expose themselves to, you could see massive amounts of force applied to the lower area of these bikes.  10 years ago, I woud never have imagined that trail bikes would be subjected to the type of abuse that they undergo today.  Also, it's not only the ordinary usage, but flat-landings and slip-ups during jumps and drops could mean that the head tube is subjected to forces that are far magnified compared to ordinary trail-riding or if you were to have a smooth transition or landing.  Taking all of this into consideration, manufacturers  seem to be trying to deal with this problem by increasing the head tube size by using a larger bearing to dissipate stress, and increased surface area for mitering; however, it's tough to say how effectively these proposed solutions will work out in the long-run.  However, we can say with some certainty that the lower head tube area will usually ovalize first over time wth repeated stress.

Interviewer: So what is the future of CHUMBA's headtubes?

Ted: Any time we propose a change in the frame, we deliberate over the change, and try to review as much data as possible to make sure that the change really affects performance and durability in the long run.  We really try to resist the urge to jump on the band-wagon, as there is a lot of pressure from industry hype to adopt new standards.  We will take a wait-and-see approach before committing to a change.

Interviewer: Thanks for the information, and hope to talk again soon.

[END]

Custom-made F5 frames from Spain

Our distributor in Spain, Gavarres bike, has made these custom frames based off of the F5 chassis, using new geometry, custom graphics, and a new top tube.  These bikes are not yet available, as they are still in prototyping phase, but you can check out pictures here and e-mail us for more information.

Let us know what you think!

The Beauty is in Simplicity

In Malcolm Gladwell's best-selling book "Blink," he describes a phenomenon of rapid cognition - meaning the mind makes a split-second decision on a person, a product, or an idea - and has a gut feeling or intuition that is often times correct.  When we set out to design the VF2 - this book heavily influenced our design philosophy - we wanted a bike that just "looked" and "felt" right without any excuses.  We aimed for simplicity in design, we didn't want too many moving parts, forced pivot locations, or excessive tube bending and shaping - what we aimed to do is make a bike that "flowed" and had a natural elegance to it.

We emphasized our constantly linear suspension - one designed around a simplistic yet enduring engineering philosophy - don't over engineer the linkage - keep it predictable and constant.  So, we naturally went with a 4 bar fully active linkage.  Second, we wanted the bike's proportions - front and rear triangle to look natural to the eye - and we didn't want to warp parts of the bikes just to fit in pivot points and make the linkage work.

What we came up with, is what we believe to be one of the most beautiful frames on the market - you can see how the competition stacks up and judge for yourself.

Compare different designs - 2 different philosophies - complexity vs. simplicity:

Coil or Air?

Some people swear by air shocks - others by coil.  Sure, there are obvious benefits to air shocks, such as generally being lightweight, and less expensive than a coil with titanium spring.  However, the way these shocks work with different suspension linkages also influence people's decisions.  Since air shocks increase dampening exponentially as a shock compresses, frame designers often use a regressive leverage rate towards bottom-out to create the desired "linear" feel.  This is why some frames like the Ibis HD, which uses the DW Link, instruct riders to only use air shocks with their frames.  If a coil shock was used on this bike the suspension would end up feeling softer as you compress the linkage past the sag point towards full compression - essentially providing little bottom-out resistance.

On the other hand, many 4 bar frames have linear linkage feels, this gives the option to either run a coil shock or an air shock.  A coil shock - which is inherently linear coupled with a linear linkage - will give a feeling of controlled and predictable travel.  This is largely because the suspension would compress with an equivalent amount of force throughout its travel.  Conversely, if you ran a progressive air shock on this type of linkage, you would get a progressive feeling suspension.  So you have the option to run either coil or air with a linkage like the CHUMBA VF2 or XCL.

It's conceivable that some riders have used coil shocks on frames not designed to accept the linear rates of these dampers.  It's important to always double check with manufacturers first before swapping out different shocks to make sure that the results of the damper change will coincide with the desired ride feel.

You can shoot any suspension set up or tuning questions to tech@chumbaracing.com. Just to be clear though, all of CHUMBA frames were designed to accept either coil or air shocks, and we encourage the use of coil shocks.

Happy trails.

CHUMBA Rider Takes 1st Place at Fontana

Here are the words from Adam:

     I have just raced my Chumba F5 at the first Fontana Winter Series and won First Place by over 4 seconds in Junior Expert.. The course was sandy, blown out, and included a few off-cambered sections too, but my F5 tracked through it all with ease, even with bald tires.. I couldn't believe the difference when I rode a run down the course on my buddy's bike, his bike just did not compare to the handling and pedaling efficiency of my F5. With my time that would have earned me 7th out of 40 Pros, I know that my bike had something to do with the result. I would just like to thank you guys for making such an awesome bike!

Thanks a Ton,

     Adam

What Makes a High-end Frame, High-End? Part 2 of 3

This is the second installment of our series.  So, in the first installment, we determined that having an in-house fabrication facility assists in reducing prototyping costs while giving the company increased depth in engineering and manufacturing of high quality frames.

Now, we consider the production methods used when mass-producing frames.  The variance in quality of frame manufacturers can be day and night - and one traditional piece of criteria that has stood the test of time is to look at weld quality.  A high-end frame, whether made in the United States or overseas, will always have a consistent weld-bead, and what we often like to refer as "dimes" or "pearls" to describe this feature.

Here is a picture of the CHUMBA F5 - which showcases a quality weld:

As you can see - there are minimal blotches, and a uniform, clean look to the craftsmanship showcased in the frame.  Additionally, you can see this XCL picture:

Weld quality is a good indicator of the level of care and craftsmanship the manufacturer puts into their frame.  Usually, a frame with consistent weld beads is a sign the manufacturer was willing to incur the extra expense to ensure good frame alignment, finish, and materials when manufacturing the frame.

So it's often not so much just the simple question of what country the frame was made in, but rather, what level of manufacturing and engineering depth does the bicycle company have in-house; and after producing workable models in-house; to what length does the company go to ensure pristine welds, frame alignment, and a beautiful finish.  Often times, the subtle details in the frame will reveal this information.

CHUMBA Advocate Krash David Collins Passes Away

Krash was one of the most loyal CHUMBA riders out there.  Take a look at his calf:

Sadly, he passed away this month.  There was an article about him in Bicycle Retailer, and a picture of him on his EVO. available at http://www.bicycleretailer.com/news/newsDetail/3614.html

Downhill Promoter Collins Passes Away

SAN CLEMENTE, CA (BRAIN)—Dave "Crash" Collins, a Bootleg Canyon race promoter, died on January 8 after a battle with Melanoma cancer.

"I told Dave a few weeks ago that he was a total inspiration for the way he'd ride his big-hit bike on our XC trails, just lookin' for the next jump to hit, or drop to go down," said industry veteran Steve Boehmke. "He even got air on his road bike whenever he could—reminded me of being 12 again. Free and fun. That's why we do this, right?"

Collins had just announced plans for the Dam Cold Downhill, a new pro-am with a $20,000 prize purse. The race, scheduled for this weekend, was an opportunity to give local racers the chance to ride against pros like Sam Hill and Cedric Gracia.

Just a year ago another Bootleg Canyon legend passed away, Brent Thomson. He succumbed to complications from heart bypass surgery. Thomson was known for promoting the trails of Bootleg Canyon as well.

"He knew that Bootleg Canyon has the potential to be an even greater destination than it already is," Boehmke said of Collins. "The town of Boulder City was super inviting to Dave when he'd ask them for sponsorship. They really appreciated his vision of what BC can become. His next project was going to be bringing criteriums to the city center, and I'm sure the course would have been as gnarly as the downhills at Bootleg."

A memorial service will be held from 7 p.m. - 9 p.m. Saturday, January 16 at the San Clemente Community Center, 100 North Calle Seville, San Clemente, California, 92672. Those wishing to make suggestions for eulogy remarks, remembrances or activities for the service are asked to send their requests in an e-mail to frknsty04@yahoo.com.

—Jason Norman

CHUMBA Sponsored Rider Video - Fontana 3rd place in Expert

Here's Tim Mangini on his new CHUMBA F5 - he'll be racing the entire Fontana series this year, let's wish him luck!  Feel free to send us any updates on your riding season so far as well - photos and videos always welcome.


Tim Mangini: Chumba Racing from tim mangini on Vimeo.

Custom-painted CHUMBA Helmet

We've seen a bunch of helmets with CHUMBA stickers all over them, but this helmet was hand-painted. Check it out!

What do you think?

What Makes a High-end Frame, High-end? Part 1

This is part 1 of a 3 part series.

There are so many frames on the market today, whether they be multi link, single pivot, or 4-bar from myriads of different manufacturers and a full-range of prices that it's hard to identify what differentiates frames without a thorough analysis.  So, we've complied a list of commonly asked questions and explanations that can help you evaluate the heritage and quality of a particular bicycle frame.  Here goes:

(1).  Can this bicycle company produce a frame in-house without using a subcontractor?

A bicycle company that is able to fabricate bikes has more control over their prototyping process and product development.  Rather than outsourcing these functions, an in-house fabrication ability allows designers, machinists, and riders to communicate and develop product with immediate feedback.

This process is valuable for multiple reasons.  First, designers receive first-hand experience and information with respect to fabrication issues with improved communication and control during the prototype manufacturing process.  Second, designers can implement revisions much quicker and with more flexibility than working with a subcontractor.  Last, subcontracting fees can really add up, creating an economic disincentive to try as many different possibilities for prototypes as possible.  It's not uncommon to try 3 or 4 different versions of  a prototyped frame before a satisfactory bike is produced - the costs can be extremely high for a subcontractor to go through this revision process, and this cost is ultimately passed on to the consumer.  There's a reason why top bicycle companies, including Yeti and Santa Cruz keep prototyping abilities in-house - even though they also rely on subcontractors.  Here's an informative article posted by Santa Cruz Bicycles regarding the prototyping process they conduct in-house: http://www.santacruzbicycles.com/mail/march08joe.html

So what's the moral of the story?  If your riding a high performance boutique bike from a company that needed to outsource all of its product development and prototyping fabrication, chances are that the bike will carry a steep price tag, not necessarily because it is any better.

Cane Creek Double Barrel - VF2 / XCL Preload and Spring Rate Settings

Please Click on the Chart Below for Spring Rates and Preload Settings

Praise for CHUMBA

We decided to post some of our rider's e-mails to us.  This post will be updated periodically.  Feel free to send us any feedback you have as well to info@chumbaracing.com.


Received March 19, 2010

Hey Guys,

Just a note from down here in South Africa. I bought the new VF2 a couple of months back from a local importer. I'm really happy with the new bike...Something/someone told me to try something new. Besides the strange looks I get from my fellow mountain bikers when they see my bike (no one knows what a Chumba is here) I am loving it. I am using it mainly for cross country riding and what I may lose out on a XC bike I make up for in the pure fun of bulleting down rocky descents. So much fun!! ...my humble Chumba, I'm very proud of it.

Components: Sram XO, Juicy Ultimate, Hope Pro 2 +Stan ZTR355, XTR cranks. 

Thanks guys, you are doing great work.

Donavan

Received Jan. 26, 2010


Let me just say you guys have an awesome bike there.  At this point with pedals it is 25.5 lbs.  And stands to loose even more weight when the xtr cranks come in.  It is a complete success.  The ride as you told me is beyond anything else.  I see no need for the pro-pedal platform to climb.   With so much travel for a cross country bike I can ride with more sag than normal.  This helps keep the rear wheel in contact all the time.  I ride with more accuracy, the bike sticks to the middle of the trail and does not fish around. 


James


Received Jan. 20, 2010


I got my VF2 yesterday and all I can say is WOW!!!!!  I have yet to see a picture that does this frame justice.  Not only the color but the shape of the tubes, it is truly spectacular!!!!!  I was is a meeting when the frame arrived and the receptionist dragged the box into the office where I was and and everybody wanted to see what was in the box.  When I opened up the box and pulled it out all I heard from a room full of non-mountain bikers was that is fu#$ing awesome and it truly is!!!!  But when I got home I had to listen to wife scream for about an hour but it was well worth it!!!!!!!!!!

Thank you guys for your time.  This was the best purchasingexperience I have ever had not with just a bike product but overall. It was a pleasure working with you two. 

Hopefully I get the VF2 put together by Friday and the rain stops long enough for me to take it out for a little bit.

Maybe I should really piss my wife off and start building an EVO!!!!!

Thank you,

Nathan from Nor. Cal.


Received Jan. 11, 2010

I wanted to thank you again for taking time out to show me around the Chumba facilities and for taking care of me. By far the best customer service I have received. I’ve installed the links and the Fox DHX 5.0 air. From my perspective, the links allow me to carve and turn quicker. I’m still working on finding the optimum settings for the Fox. 

Best Regards,

Wayne

Received Jan. 6, 2010

This is Lee from Albuquerque, NM.  I just wanted to thank you again for the visit last week.  My two brothers that were with me thought it was pretty cool.  It was nice of you guys to take time out of your busy day to spend a few moments with a few "fans".  I'm now back in Albuquerque, where it's freezing, and hoping to hop back on my Evo if it's not too cold this weekend.  Keep up the great work, wonderful customer service, and producing one of the best bikes out there.  Once again, much appreciated for the tour and I hope the new year brings you lots of luck and prosperity.

thanks, Lee

p.s. now I'm thinking of getting an XCL with a CCDB in the future(if the wife allows). You guys are a bad influence :)

Received Jan. 11, 2010

I went against all suggestions and perceptions of sense, and my HX2 is to blame.  It looked way to good sitting in my basement, so against my Doctors' and Thereapists' advice to wait, I rode my new bike yesterday and it was amazing!  22 degrees outside and I'm riding by myself with a 3/4 repaired wrist and loving every second of it.  That bike corners, manuals and bunnyhops like no other 29er I've ridden.  I will have to send in a picture of single speed rig once my custom wheels are complete.   

Thomas 

2010 January Issue of Mountain Bike Action - CHUMBA in the Press

The January issue had these cool shots of the F5 and our trail bikes.  Although the descriptions weren't the most accurate - glad to see the bikes make it into the mag!

CHUMBA Racing - Cane Creek Double Barrel Shock Tuning Program

This whole project started because customers asked if the VF2 was capable of being more than just an XC bike and if they could improve upon the RP23 that was fitted to the VF2. Awhile back, Ted Tanouye, head of R&D at CHUMBA, and I were riding the Fullerton Loop in California. After climbing a steep section of the trail, we stopped, and I asked, “How is that rear shock?” Ted said “the VF2 with a CCDB could outperform an EVO equipped with an air shock.” For Ted - a man who developed championship-winning race bikes out of his garage – to make such a claim, gave cause for serious attention to this rear shock and how it would interact with CHUMBA frames, specifically, our VF2 linkage system.

                           

So I turned to one of the industry’s most knowledgeable shock gurus – Josh Coaplan, head of R&D at Cane Creek. Josh helped develop the Double Barrel alongside other engineers at Ohlin’s Racing, the premier shock manufacturer for off-road equipment, like ATVs, snowmobiles, etc.

I sent Josh a VF2 frame for analysis of axle path and leverage ratio to help us optimize the complex settings of the CCDB for the VF2. From my conversations with Josh and Malcolm at Cane Creek - we hoped that this shock properly tuned to the VF2’s linkage would provide the basis in which to help reduce pedal-induced bob while retaining the superior bump absorption and traction that the CCDB is famed for. Coupled with the VF2’s linear linkage (more on that later) the CCDB would offer unrivaled shock tune-ability and performance.

                                    

Upon receipt of the frame, Cane Creek proceeded to build their own hardware to make sure a proper fit of the Double Barrel in the shock mount locations of the VF2. After Cane Creek received the VF2, they proceeded to equip it with the proper hardware, and started to do a full analysis of the leverage ratio, axle path, and other relevant data all from real-world data acquisition.

The data Cane Creek acquired, matched all of the R&D testing that we had confirmed in our 3-d modeling, as well are our prototypes, and actual production models.

CHUMBA’s frames have the unique advantage of allowing the suspension to behave the same way at all points of travel, allowing for smooth technical climbing, pedaling through rock gardens with a fully active suspension, and descending with complete confidence and predictability, whether riding on the trail, or hitting bigger drops and jumps.

CHUMBA and Cane Creek jointly analyzed shock settings and performance by testing the CCDB on the VF2 with professional riders, engineers, and test riders both at CHUMBA and Cane Creek. We then confirmed data between each other and found similar results.  Here's a pic of Cane Creek's VF2:

Given the linear nature of the VF2’s leverage ratio curve relative to other bikes in its class (although technically it is regressive and slightly progressive towards bottom out), the linkage will reflect a shock’s tuning very closely. This means, if you tune up the low speed compression, you will immediately feel this throughout the VF2 linkage’s travel without varying leverage rates from the linkage interfering with what you want the shock to do.

This means if you own a VF2, or are interested in one, you have the advantage to really custom tailor your Double Barrel to how you want it to perform at low speeds or high speeds, and the linkage will remain neutral to accept your change, making the combination of the VF2 and the Double Barrel one of the most customizable rides on the market.

CHUMBA Partners with Progressive Bikes UK

Simon from Progressive Bikes UK is one of the most passionate cyclists out there and a genuinely nice guy; so when we had a chance to partner up with him for distribution of CHUMBA bikes we knew it would be a great fit.  So far this year, Simon has quickly become one of our top distributors, gaining a lot of momentum with our VF2 trailbike.

So, if you're in the UK and want to check out some CHUMBA rigs, give Simon a call, here's his website info: http://www.progressive-bikes.co.uk/chumba.html

Headtube Debate: Frank from Crank Brothers weighs in

I stopped by Crank Brothers to ask questions about trends in headsets and other products that might affect the second gen EVO. Frank, the head of engineering at Crank Bros. said that he believes a tapered headtube (1 1/8" to 1 1/2") could be the best option because riders could use a standard steerer tube without running 2 sets of spacers (on a 1.5") - a potential weight-savings.  He also pointed out that the forces from the wheel would likely be transferred directly to the lower headset area first - making a larger diameter headset area more durable in the long run.  He explained that forces would be magnified at the lower headset area, and eventually partially dissipate making for less force loads traveling to the upper headset area.

I am beginning to embrace the idea that a tapered headtube with a reducer cup could be a great option - however, I am also still very fond of the 1 1/8" for it's simplicity - and long-term durability when used on CHUMBA frames.  We've also had extremely good results with the 1 1/8" inner diameter and 1 1/2" outer diameter headtubes on our F5s.  We still have some time to make the final decision - so we'll see!

Some serious standover -

XS XCL size - rider is 170cm, or approx. 5 feet 6 inches.  What do you think about the sizing?  I've asked the rider to measure the effective top tube length with this set up - let's see how the geometry works out!  For those interested in how to measure effective TT I found this diagram on the internet: www.surlybikes.com/blog/spew/spew_17_bike_fit

UPDATE: The effective top tube reported is 21".

CHUMBA Racing F5 in La Bresse, France

CHUMBA reunites with Japanese Distributor Mom & Pop's Bicycle

Mom & Pop's, a distributor of high-end mountain bike frames and products, including Fox Racing Shox, in Japan, has began distribution of CHUMBA frames once again.

If you are in Japan, please contact Mom & Pop's to discuss CHUMBA frames. Here is a link to their website: http://mamapapa.at.webry.info/

CHUMBA EVO Wins Best of MTBR!

The CHUMBA EVO wins Best of MTBR! In the extremely competitive all-mountain full suspension category the EVO comes in with a rating of 4.95/5.00.

The EVO reviews speak for themselves, please visit here.

CHUMBA Tech Article - Leverage Rates

There have been many exciting developments with CHUMBA over the last few months. But, before I get into that, I would first like to thank all of our loyal supporters and riders, and let everyone know that CHUMBA is truly on its way to becoming one of the world’s most prestigious bicycle brands. CHUMBA is focused on quickly developing and tuning our suspension technology, along with offering aesthetic and performance options unmatched by any other high-end company. Here are a few of the things we’ve been doing:

1. Identifying Suspension Curves and Accompanying Shock Settings to Maximize Performance

To make things easy – just remember that a decreasing leverage ratio means compression resistance is increasing; and increasing leverage ratio means compression resistance is decreasing. Just remember the analogy of a lever – imagine that you are trying to compress the shock with a lever. The longer the lever is the easier it will be to compress the shock; so the more you increase your leverage ratio, the easier it becomes to compress a shock. As your leverage ratio decreases, it will become harder to compress the shock.

As you can see in the chart above published by Trek’s R&D team, the leverage ratios at a given area in shock travel vary tremendously for some manufacturers. As you can see on the DW-Link Mojo – the dramatically varying and increasing leverage ratio towards the end of stroke means less bottom out resistance from the linkage. Additionally, the Santa Cruz Blur probably has one of the largest varying suspension rates, going from as high as 2.7 all the way down to 1.65. Further, on the DW Link and VPP, the leverage rates increase and decrease all throughout the curve – making for varying feels throughout the travel.

As you can see with the VF2 – the leverage ratio is predictably constant – making the travel feel extremely consistent and predictable when compared with the competition. You can see the variance of the compression resistance is minimal, being slightly regressive with a small amount of bottom out progressiveness at the end. Yamaha MX and CHUMBA test rider Dustin Nelson put it well when he says “linear rates give you the most amount of controlled feel over travel” – as you don’t need to compensate suspension feel with a varying leverage rate to try and make up for pedaling input from
the suspension.

December Newsletter

Table of Contents

Dear Valued Friends, Riders, and members of our extended Family:

First, we'd like to begin by wishing everyone a Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays from CHUMBA! In this newsletter, we will be featuring the following content:

* 2010 Remodel of CHUMBA's Anaheim Facilities Near Completion, Pictures included!

* 2010 CHUMBA Website Update - all new pictures of VF2 and color options!

2010 CHUMBA Headquarters Remodel

A successful year starts with a fresh beginning! We decided to launch this new year by completely remodeling our facilities to reflect the history and brand heritage that CHUMBA embodied since 1993.

We started by revamping what was once a sales room, into a complete showroom full of every model, and different color options, to show visitors the many different product offerings CHUMBA has. Also - we decorated the room with memorabilia from races, magazine articles, and jerseys of some of our most famed riders.

2010 CHUMBA Website Update

Our web guy has graciously updated our site for 2010. While it is still in progress, you can check out many new pictures of the VF2 in all different custom colors with some spectacular builds!

Please visit www.chumbaracing.com and click on the VF2 link.

New CHUMBA Blog!

This blog will feature all of our current and past newsletters, including technical articles - so the first posts will be dedicated to being a good resource and library of all past information!