The Malverns Classic mountain bike festival returned this year after a 20 year hiatus and attendees thought the event prestigious enough to warrant the launch of a new bike. Meet the X, Kinesis' new hardtail cross-country bike, a bike that will happily wear flat bars or drops, race or adventure - it's a many trick pony and it looks rather good too!

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Being at the Malverns Classic this weekend meant that we got to get a good look at the new steed as it pulled in straight from its first practice laps of the cross-country track. Over the last few years, Kinesis has been sweating the details at their design studio in  West Sussex thinking how they could improve on their previous mountain bike frames. Having the test ground of the South Down on our doorstep, means they are in the ideal location to put in the sweaty hours putting their thoughts and ideas through their paces. They’ve spent those hours either playing around in the woods or with a number board strapped to the bars to develop our latest XC frame the X.

Kinesis say the X is built from our years of experience of optimising alloy tubing to build the best aluminium frames, our heritage of making renowned XC hardtails for UK riding.

Features

Kinesis have put all their time and energy into developing their alloy frames. They say whilst other manufacturers focus has been on carbon, they believe that by putting the same development into alloy tubing, we have created a frame that rivals carbon in many ways, and hands down beats it on price. Damian Mason of Kinesis UK said ‘Kinesis are the only frame manufacturer to use Super Plastic Forming (SPF) on their alloy frames. Most manufacturers use Hydroformed tubes, but with SPF we can create lighter tubes and more intricate shapes that will build into a lighter and stiffer frameset.’

The X features is an oversized downtube with an SPF created hexagonal cross-section, an ultra-flat top tube and seat stays with a flat diamond cross section. Kinesis says that these tubes combine to give a frame that is superbly stiff laterally, whilst vertically compliant to help smooth out the ride.   

Kinesis UK will offer the X in a true full size range from XS through to XL. The XS frame is designed around 27.5” wheels, whilst all other sizes have 29”, to minimise stand over height and toe overlap, benefiting the rider when hustling the frame around your local XC course or when loaded up for your next adventure.

The X has been designed to be compatible with a 100-120mm suspension fork, a Lauf Trail Racer fork or our Maxlight Carbon rigid fork.  

The X has been designed with internally routed full-length gear outer as this is better for sealing out the elements and will keep you shifting accurately for longer. Full length outer has the added benefit of making an internally routed gear cable change simple and quick to do.

Kinesis has integrated the replaceable rear derailleur hanger into both the Thru Axle and the dropout of the frame. This is in order to increase the rigidity of the rear hanger, without compromising its ability to break away in an emergency.

Adaptable cable ports allow you to build the X with set up of your choice. Di2, 1x gearing, dropper post – it’s your choice.

The very first Kinesis X will take on the XC race at the Malvern Classic early Saturday, stay tuned to our coverage to see how it does!
 

Specification

Super Plastic Formed 7046 Aluminium tubing

148mm Boost rear axle spacing

31.6mm seat post required

Tapered Integrated headset required

73mm threaded BB

160mm max rotor size

Clearance for up to 29 x 2.4” tyres

Di2 compatible

Stealth Dropper compatible

1750g (medium frame)

Sub 10kg complete weight with Lauf fork, XT and carbon wheels

Colour: Hyper Blue

Sizes: XS (27.5”) / SM / MD / LG / XL (29”)

Frame supplied with seat clamp, rear through axle, frame ports and cable guides

Price: £500 for the frame

Available from early August

• www.kinesisbikes.co.uk

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