· Frame weight: 5.4 lbs (Medium frame with rear shock)
· Rear shock: FOX RP23 custom valved to work with the DW Link and Pivot's specific linkage rates.
Ride: The frame is designed to be an incredible pedaler with an efficiency level that will impress even the most discerning pro level XC riders. However, unlike most pro level XC bikes, the Mach 4 has a full 100mm of active travel to soak up pretty much anything you can throw at it. The DW Link system keeps the bike from bobbing during hard pedaling efforts out of the saddle and gives the bike additional traction while climbing (seated or standing) as well as really helping propel the bike forward during sprinting and hard efforts out of corners. The beauty of dual link designs, and the DW Link in particular, is the ability to optimize the wheel travel path at different points in the travel. Single pivots designs, and even 4-bars are tunable to a set arc and therefore are really optimized for a section of the wheel travel and/or for a specific gear/chain ring combination. The DW link truly allows us the tunability to give the rider the best pedaling performance possible without sacrificing braking or suspension feel.
Frame stiffness: We believe that the frame stiffness is one of the most important aspects to having a suspension frame perform at the highest level, so every detail on the Mach 4 was designed with frame stiffness in mind. The BB shell is 92mm wide allowing for a wider down tube at the bottom bracket which really contributes the frame's overall rigidity. The lower DW-Link features oversize pivot axles and 8 cartridge bearings for unmatched reliability and smoothness as well as contributing heavily to the zero flex nature of our design. Finally, the compact, one piece rear triangle pivoting off of short dual links are two of the final touches that help the Mach 4 set a new bar for frame stiffness.
Technology and cutting edge innovation: Internal BB: The Mach 4 is the first frame of its kind to feature a 92mm wide bottom bracket shell with internal Shimano XTR bearings. There are no spacers or threads in the shell. The bearings are housed in composite resin cups with a full sealed sleeve to keep out the elements. This design allows for easy crank installation, and no frame facing or special spacers required. The design insures that the chain line is perfectly optimized and as an added plus, the bearings are extremely easy to replace and install and have a 3 year warranty from Shimano.
Direct mount front derailleur: Designed to work in conjunction with the bottom bracket system, the front derailleur mounts directly to the Mach 4's hollow bottom bracket forging. This locates the front derailleur perfectly to the crank and chain rings and provides for the most solid and accurate front shifting possible.
Tubing and forging technology: All tubes on the Mach 4 are proprietary 6000 series. The down tube, top tube, and chainstay are all triple butted and hydro-formed. In addition, every other part on the frame (other then the head tube) is cold forged. Forging is significantly more expensive but yields a much strong, lighter frame.
Zero Stack headset (not integrated): The 50mm zero stack design allows us to reduce the front end height by over 1 inch which is great on an XC racing frame. It reduces overall stand over and really helps get the rider in a better position (especially on the smallest frame sizes). Aggressive riders can use standard riser bars without having to flip stems upside down. In addition, the head tube is a larger diameter which in turn gives us more weld area for a larger top and down tube making the frame both stronger and stiffer in the front triangle. Many people look at the headset and think that it is an integrated design. It is not. The zero stack design is a standard 1 1/8th headset with the top of the cups flush with the head tube. Every headset part is replaceable and with Cane Creek, FSA, and Ritchey, they use the same bearing in this headset that is in their equivalent standard external 1 1/8th models.
Other info: The Mach 4 comes in 6 sizes to fit riders from 4'10" all the way to 6'4". Each frame size utilizes different tubing shapes and wall thickness' to optimize the frame for the weight and size of the riders. Even shock valving and stoke on the smaller frames differs from that of the larger frames in order optimize the performance of each size frame for a given size and weight range of a rider. The Mach 4 comes in 3 colors (Blue or Black anodize, or White/black paint).
