Literally the highlight of next year's range is the Aphex downhiller. The polished aluminum shines on several surfaces of the angular frame and draws the eye to the hydroformed aluminum tubes. The head tube area is particularly dazzling, and not without reason. The engineers from Mattighofen have put a lot of work into this area. The steering angle on the Aphex can be adjusted from 64 to 66 degrees in two steps - all you need is an Allen key.

The rear of the frame is also variable, and in several ways. Firstly, the suspension travel can be changed from 200 to 230 millimetres without changing the geometry, and secondly, the rear triangle can be adapted to different slopes. A total adjustment range of two centimetres in length is available. But there is much more to the new dropout: a disc brake mount in the robust Postmount standard sits above the thru-axle mount. And to ensure that the braking force reaches the standard 203-millimeter disc, KTM has routed the brake line inside the frame. The Austrians have also consistently routed the shift cable inside the frame for protection. So much technology does not weigh KTM down. The new downhiller should weigh around 18.7 kilos fully equipped. For those on a budget, KTM also offers the same frame with cheaper, but no less functional components. In the Eco version, however, the bike is called the Tribute.

The freeriders in the Caliber line rely on the same frame concept as the two downhill machines. For weight reasons, only the variable head tube has been omitted. The suspension travel is also slightly shorter: there is a choice of 180 or 200 millimetres, which is also better suited to the single-bridge forks fitted. In return, KTM has given the Caliber bikes a wider gear ratio. Because they can also be shifted using the cranks, a total of 18 gears are available instead of just 9 as on the Apex and Tribute.

www.ktm-bikes.at