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Bicycles

Scurra Hard Enduro mountain bike has a wild take on front suspension

By Ben Coxworth
September 20, 2013
Scurra Hard Enduro mountain bike has a wild take on front suspension
The dual-suspension Hard Enduro mountain bike has two rear shocks ... although one of them serves as a front shock
The dual-suspension Hard Enduro mountain bike has two rear shocks ... although one of them serves as a front shock
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The dual-suspension Hard Enduro mountain bike has two rear shocks ... although one of them serves as a front shock
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The dual-suspension Hard Enduro mountain bike has two rear shocks ... although one of them serves as a front shock
The pivoting parallelogram linkage system
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The pivoting parallelogram linkage system
The two identical shocks sit head-to-head
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The two identical shocks sit head-to-head
The complete prototypes each weigh around 33 lb
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The complete prototypes each weigh around 33 lb
For a 29-inch wheel, the system provides seven inches of travel
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For a 29-inch wheel, the system provides seven inches of travel
Trelever is also said to offer a minimum of suspension response lag, low unsuspended mass, and a very stable yet agile ride
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Trelever is also said to offer a minimum of suspension response lag, low unsuspended mass, and a very stable yet agile ride
The Hard Enduro in use
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The Hard Enduro in use
The Hard Enduro in use
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The Hard Enduro in use
The Hard Enduro in use
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The Hard Enduro in use
The Hard Enduro in use
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The Hard Enduro in use
The Hard Enduro in use
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The Hard Enduro in use
The Hard Enduro in use
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The Hard Enduro in use
The Hard Enduro in use
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The Hard Enduro in use
The Hard Enduro in use
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The Hard Enduro in use
View gallery - 14 images

When Gizmag was poking around at Interbike 2013 earlier this week, we were particularly interested in finding unique products that would catch the eye of even non-cyclists. Well, when we saw Scurra's Hard Enduro mountain bike, we knew we'd hit pay dirt. The bizarre-looking bike forgoes a traditional telescopic suspension fork, and instead uses a linkage combined with a rear shock for its front suspension. The setup allows for seven inches (178 mm) of travel, along with some other claimed benefits.

Scurra founder/engineer Martin Trebichavsky was quick to point out that the two bikes on display were proof-of-concept prototypes, and that a commercial version of the Hard Enduro would be considerably simpler and lighter ... although at 33 pounds (15 kg), the existing bikes aren't obscenely overweight as it is.

The patented Trelever front suspension utilizes a pivoting parallelogram system, to link the front wheel to a stock DT Swiss M212 rear shock. That shock is located in the middle of the aluminum frame, and sits head-to-head with another identical shock, which handles the rear suspension.

The two identical shocks sit head-to-head
The two identical shocks sit head-to-head

Trebichavsky says that in its current form, the Trelever system weighs roughly the same as some suspension forks. It would be good to see it lose at least a bit of that weight, though, as the one bike that we lifted did feel slightly front-heavy.

Martin also told us that along with its seven inches of travel (for a 29-inch wheel), one of Trelever's other selling points is its enhanced front wheel control. It is also said to offer a minimum of suspension response lag, low unsuspended mass, and a very stable yet agile ride.

The best way to verify these claims, of course, is to try out a commercial version of the Hard Enduro for yourself. That probably won't be possible until at least next March, when the bike is scheduled to reach the market. It should be priced at a rather intimidating €9,000 (US$12,000), which will include a transport case.

For another interesting approach to mountain bike front suspensions, take a look at the Lauf leaf-style fork.

Sources: Scurra, Trelever

View gallery - 14 images

Tags

BicyclesSuspensionMountain BikesInterbike 2013
12 comments
Ben Coxworth
Ben Coxworth
Based out of Edmonton, Canada, Ben Coxworth has been writing for New Atlas since 2009 and is presently Managing Editor for North America. An experienced freelance writer, he previously obtained an English BA from the University of Saskatchewan, then spent over 20 years working in various markets as a television reporter, producer and news videographer. Ben is particularly interested in scientific innovation, human-powered transportation, and the marine environment.

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12 comments
dalroth5
Twelve grand? For a BIKE???!!!! For that sort of money the 'transport case' had better come with an engine, 4WD and a decent stereo...
Synchro
Bike prices have been getting stupid in recent years.
This design is almost identical to Whyte Bikes' PRST1 and JW-2 bikes from 2000! This design looks rather more fragile and less practical though. It's also similar (in layout) to Muddy Fox's "Interactive" system from 1995, though that did even freakier stuff by synchronising front and rear suspension!
I like this kind of design - one of the problems with regular telescopic forks is that stiction (resistance to initial movement, static friction in the fork due to contamination, poor lubrication etc) is relatively large as there is 1:1 relationship between movement of the suspension and the wheel. Rear suspension tends to be much smoother as the wheel has far more leverage on a shorter shock (e.g. the shock on an 8" travel bike might only compress by 2"), so stiction's static friction is more easily overcome and you get better small-bump performance.
Silly price though.
Dale
29"? I see 27.5" on the tyres.
I agree $12K is ludicrous for this monstrosity. I get that it’s a prototype but it’s still ugly as sin and too heavy.
The components are not even high end and for that price I'd be expecting the very best.
10/10 for ingenuity though.
flibb
Bike PRICES have been geeting stupid, I'd say this design is stupid. I must have missed where everyone was complaining about the poor performance of reasonably priced telescopic forks and the need for something else.
Rt1583
It seems that this suspension design would allow the front tire to rotate back toward the frame when under compression.
I'm not up to speed on the technicalities of mountain biking but wouldn't this be detrimental? It seems to me that if the tire/wheel rotated back that it would take energy away from the riders forward momentum, I may be looking at it all wrong though.
Jon Smith
Making things more complicated for marginal gains always works out well plus as we see here never hurts the price either. Plus this design is really a looker isn't it?
Bahnstormer
Looks kinda like an awkward cross between an Earles fork and BMW's telelever suspension.
Maverick62
The theory of the wheel moving to the rear of the vehicle comes from off road buggy racing. The principle is that the rearward movement takes the wheel away from the obstruction which makes the jolt less severe. The old VW trailing arm front-end is a perfect example.
Daishi
I think suspension itself on bicycles is over rated. Like, how hard core are you really at peddling that your bicycle actually needs a suspension to deal with your awesome?
I barely know anyone with a suspension bicycle that leaves pavement on it and most real world people keep it under about 20 MPH.
Competitive/fast down hill mountain biking is the single instance I can even think of where suspension is needed and that makes up about 0.0001% of actual cycling.
Nearly all of that other 99.99% of the time the suspension adds useless weight to the bicycle and absorbs some of your wrath when you do try on some gohard.
fckgravity
Diachi with all due respect I don't think you know what you are talking about, just because you don't know any real mountain bikers (and there are a lot of us) doesn't mean we don't need suspension. Cars could still drive without suspension so lets get rid of that. Sure it will not handle well, cause loss of control and take most the pleasure out of a drive, but hey it will be light and cheap right? I don't race competitively but I own several hard-tail, no suspension and long travel bikes, and each has its place but the rigid would never come out alive of a real bike trail ridden with any kind of normal speed.
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