Mountain bikes that have "Prototype" written on them simply attract a certain amount of interest. It's all the more interesting when the frame shape indicates that it must be a Bold and its rider is also Bold's brand manager Vincenz Droux. Friendly and uncomplicated during small talk, he only goes into limited detail about the treacherously new bike: "Of course you can take photos of it. But I can't tell you any more than that I'm trying something out."

Droux also replies to two further questioning attacks with a silent grin. Well, let's analyze what we've seen: Visually, it resembles Bold's longtravel model "Linkin Trail LT". Compared to this, however, the rear triangle of the prototype has obviously become more massive. The reinforcement bar that connects the seat stays is also new. A comparison with the photos of the LT version shows that the rear pivot point is also positioned slightly differently. Together with the flatter look, we deduce from this that the new model has a different geometry.

Is the new Bold heading towards enduro racing? It seems likely, as the rocker arm that controls the hidden shock also appears to be slightly longer. This may or may not mean more suspension travel. It could also have something to do with the fact that metric dampers will be used in the future. Another noticeable feature is the bulkier frame in the area of the down tube, bottom bracket and seat tube. Although this is not clearly visible in the photo comparison, you can see a clear difference to the same area on the Linkin Trail LT with your own eyes. It can therefore be assumed that not only metric shocks but also shocks with reservoirs will now fit in the frame.

When asked when we will find out more about the mysterious prototype, Droux once again responded with a silent grin. As a Swiss company, Bold can be expected to reveal the secret at the Bikedays in Solothurn - purely hypothetically, but we are curious.