Euro News: Bulls “Wild Flow” FS 29″er Introduced

Euro News – BULLS Releases Full Suspension 29″er: by c_g

Yes, it is this time of year again and bike manufacturers are putting out news on their new 2012 line. Last year we all had predicted that the 29″er movement would hit big time here in Europe and sure enough it has – hardly one manufacturer here that did not already announce one, or is in the final development stages on one. Some Euro companies are just now introducing their first 29″er bikes for the coming season (e.g SIMPLON – see intro here), others are already entering their second season – optimizing their existing designs or introducing new ones. BULLS has done both.

The Wild Flow is BULLS´ first full suspension 29″er. It´s prime objective is to be a race worthy, efficient bike with lots of bang for the buck (remember BULLS is part of the ZEG – which serves over 1000 shops in Europe with their products).

Being designed again by Gerrit Gaastra´s “GG Concept” in cooperation with the BULLS team riders Karl Platt and Stefan Sahm, the bike shares the same stretched wheelbase and slack head angles I have come to know from the BULLS Tirone (reviewed here early this year). This was the bike that proved me wrong with the (mis-)conception of STABLE being SLOW (and boring) – though admittedly it took some adjustment to appreciate the bike´s particular ride character. I wouldn’t be surprised to find a similar set of traits with the Wild Flow, once I get a chance to ride it.

Here are a few technical specs of the BULLS Wild Flow:

-100 mm of travel front and rear, incorporated with a suspension set up that is claimed to feature a distinct “anti-squat” arrangement allowing for efficient pedaling even with a very low rebound setting. Still it is said to have a very linear suspension curve allowing to make use of every millimetre of travel.

-The ROCK SHOX Ario RL shock is mounted underneath the top tube and provides Rebound adjustment and lock-out options.

-One design goal was to maximize lateral stiffness and power transfer, which is why the Wild Flow features the SHIMANO Press Fit 92 bottom bracket, a tapered head tube and…….

……… a X-12 mm thru axle on the rear.

-The frame is executed with massive diameter (triple butted alloy) tubes and smooth welding technology.
-The geometry is a slack 70.5 ° head angle (size S: 70°) coupled with a steep 73.5° seat angle (size S: 74°).
-The rear remains having a long 460 mm eff. chain stay length, which was exceptional for their hard tails but is only slightly longer than the competition´s full suspension bikes
-The bottom bracket drop is a moderate 40 mm, that comes out as ~60 mm when sagged correctly.
-Of course it will have ample tire clearance – just like we have come to know from the BULLS 29″ers.

The BULLS Wild Flow´s intended use is stated as “Marathon to Technical Touring” (which for us writes Alpencross). There will be two versions. The Wild Flow 1, that will feature a Deore/SLX/XT mix drive train and a economic part selection, weigh 12.2 kg and sell for € 1999.- and the XT-equipped Wild Flow 2 that has slightly higher grade components selling for € 2399.- and weighing at 11.9 kg. Both models will have the identical ROCK SHOX Reba RL front fork (with Pushloc remote lock out) and RS Ario RL shock.

The Wild Flow obviously is a mass compatible bike, driven by “function meets economy” and not spec’ed as a true endurance racer would do but that is the philosophy behind BULLS bikes. At these prices one can do upgrades later on easily. Taken the weights are correct the frame itself should be a pretty light platform to work with.

To me the questions are: Will the BULLS Wild Flow remain to be unique handling bike like its hard tail siblings were? Will the uniqueness be of a positive kind? Will it be as efficient an equally awesome seated climber?

I am looking forward to throwing a leg over this bike sometime in the future.

The other BULS 29″er (hard tails) have received some face lifting by accommodating 100 mm forks and some minor details but remain unchanged on the whole. The ti-framed Tirone (the first Ti-bike I rode that didn’t feel like one ) has furthermore received a more compliant rear triangle, a curved down tube and some beautiful Wright-style dropouts but is said to have kept all its other trademarks like superior lateral and torsional stiffness from the massive and highly manipulated tubes, the excellent tire clearance, the foul weather compatible full length cable housing, or the 27.2 diameter set tube (Bulls have done them already last year, while everybody else seemed to have adapted only this year, zero stack headset, …. (and many more – see here).

Wait for more News to come your way as other companies introduce their 29″ers for 2012.

RIDE ON,

c_g