Zerode Katipo Deluxe with Pinion gearbox first ride review - MBR

Description

After riding, racing and testing mountain bikes for decades, this is the first bike where I’ve received instructions on how best to change gear. And there’s me figuring I had a pretty good handle on what all the buttons and shifters do by now… Best mountain bikes: the ultimate trail, enduro and XC bikes Need to know: 29er enduro bike build around the Pinion P1.12 gearbox Rotary shifter delivers 12 gears and offers a 600% range Travel on the Katipo is 170mm front, 160mm rear. Bike weight is 15.96kg (35.2lb) and with weight in the right place the rear suspension is pitter-patter Zero dish rear wheel adds strength and allows for narrower 142x12mm spacing It’s fair enough though, considering Zerode uses a completely different drivetrain and shift system to the vast majority of bikes. You don’t need to squint to see what form this takes either: a Pinion gearbox replaces the chainset and bottom bracket, a rotary shifter looks like something from a bygone era, then the futuristic drivebelt and tensioner pulley sit where you’d normally see a chain and rear derailleur. Pinion’s system seals cogs in a CNC’ed aluminium housing and they are permanently bathed in 60ml of lubrication, that’s not that dissimilar to the gearbox in my van. The gear range is a bit broader though, offering a 600% range via a twist-shifter that’s part of the right-hand grip. How does that stack up with a stock set up? Well it offers a considerably wider range than SRAM Eagle, which has a 520% range, although 10-52 Eagle still has an ‘easier’ lowest gear for climbing. This Deluxe Katipo model has 12 evenly-spaced gears but you can’t shift under load. And having more interconnected cogs increases friction too; although the internet consensus concludes this as around 5% extra drag when bedded in, so not huge. Plus, derailleurs distort the chain to extremes of the cassette and get caked in mud, so smoothness degrades to narrow this gap further. Zerode also claims extra benefits in terms of overall performance from having a gearbox. Obvious ones are greater clearance and durability, but centering significant weight from the swingarm to the frame improves the suspension action by changing the sprung/unsprung mass ratio. Anyone that’s ever ridden an e-bike will have noticed this effect as additional grip and tracking. You’ll also notice the extra weight, which the Katipo also shares with electric bikes. It’s not as bad as you think though. The Pinion setup adds around a kilo over a traditional drivetrain, but with select components the build here comes in at a competitive 15.96kg, which is only a hair heavier than the new Yeti SB 160. A gearbox isn’t the only thing going on here though. There’s also a full carbon frame with 160mm travel and contemporary, yet not too radical, angles. Only two frame sizes are offered where the Large has a 475mm reach, a 73.5º head angle, 435mm chainstays and a well-placed seated climbing position. The chassis is solid and …Continue reading »