Transition Launch Long-Awaited Revised TR11 Downhill Bike

Some bike launches sneak up on you and leave you scratching your head thinking that they did well to keep things so quiet, other times it's only a matter of time and a formality to see something official out there. After a solid year on the World Cup circuit, and hucking in the desert under Jackson Riddle, the TR11 could well fit into the second category.

Some things we knew, others we didn't. The bike being ridden so publicly was alloy, but that's not a guarantee that the end product bike would be, and carbon downhill bikes aren't uncommon after all. Today can act as a confirmation - the production bike is alloy. It also shares the name of its predecessor.


Frame Features

The bike has 200mm of travel, mixed wheels and an adjustable chainstay length thanks to a flip chip in the rear of the bike. This system offers a plus or minus 5 mm adjustment. The small and medium sizes will have 440 and 445 mm length options, whereas the large and extra-large will see that value increase to 455 and 450 mm to compensate for a long front center.

One noteworthy point is that this isn't a 29" downhill bike. It's mixed wheel only bike. Some will claim that a full 29 will always be faster, but I think it's subjective to track and conditions. For a bike with 200 mm travel, one could argue that a mixed-wheel platform will suit the needs of more riders more of the time, even if some desire the all-out speed of the larger rear wheel.


The bike also features a straight 56mm headtube, which when combined with a 1 1/8 inch fork steerer that you would expect on a triple clamp fork, will maximise options for adjusting the fit or geometry of the bike. It also has internal brake routing, which is a departure from some of Transitions bikes in recent years, yet they do it by feeding both brake and gear cable through the same port. This will ensure a better-looking cockpit and will tuck in nicely behind a rider's number board.


The bike also features a Boost 148 mm rear axle and not the 157mm spacing that's often found on other downhill bikes. Transition says this is to make it easy to share wheels between trail and enduro bikes. Taking your trail bike to somewhere perhaps you shouldn't? Well, this idea would help swap your burlier wheels and tires onto the shorter travel bike possible. The bike still has the 83 mm bottom bracket shell to ensure a better chain line on tight 7-speed cassettes, homemade or otherwise.


Geometry

The TR grows slightly in terms of reach. Transition also note that the small is smaller and the extra large is larger, to better accommodate more riders. The large's reach also increases significantly, by over 20 mm compared to the outgoing version. That said, the medium's reach increase is less pronounced, and is a mere 7mm larger. It's also worth noting that with a 45mm head tube you can increase or decrease the reach by around 7 mm, depending on the brand of headset you choose.

The headtube angle is also a very slack 62 degrees. In recent years, downhill bikes have gravitated towards around 63 degrees. That said, with so many riders running their fork crowns at a variety of places on their fork legs, it's something to be taken with a pinch of salt. Somebody with the tubes barely breaching to upper crown top lip will have a slacker bike than somebody reducing their lower crown to be 200mm and no more from the lowers.

Models & Availability


There will be one full build available, as well as a frame-only option. Both of which will be available in a raw finish, or light green.

The full bike comes with Fox Performance suspension, TRP DH-R Evo brakes, a SRAM GX drivetrain and with other parts from Anvl, Maxxis, Stans and Oneup. The frame-only features the same Fox Float X shock found on the full build. Complete bikes are priced at $5,299 USD / $7,299 CA, with frames selling for $2,299 USD / $3,199 CA, and are available now.

For more information please visit transitionbikes.com

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Reviews and Tech First Looks DH Bikes Transition Transition Tr11