With the new Transalpes 650b, Stefan Gruber, Managing Director of Transalpes, finds himself in a select circle of trendsetters. After Ruchti Bicycles and Scott, Gruber is also one of the protagonists driving the market launch of the 650b wheel size. Gruber's Trail Supply accessories range also includes Notubes products - and this manufacturer has had 650b rims in its range for years. Trail Supply is therefore also one of the few suppliers that can fuel the 650b trend in this country with parts.

But now to the new bike from the Transalpes forge: designed for forks with a suspension travel of 160 to 180 millimetres, the manufacturer promises that the geometry of the new frame - in particular the head angle, chainstays and bottom bracket height - is precisely matched to the size of the 650b wheels.

Configuration: The prototype features an SR Suntour Durolux fork with a full 180 millimetres of travel. For the other components, Gruber relies on Shimano Zee stoppers, a Shimano XT drivetrain, Notubes Crest 650b rims, 2.35 Hans Dampf Snakeskin tires from Schwalbe and a dropper seatpost. With this setup, the scales should stop at 13.4 kilograms. A good value, as the selected components are not designed for lightweight construction.

"With lighter components, the Transalpes 650b still has a lot to offer in terms of weight," says Gruber, giving an outlook on future versions of the new mountain bike. The Transalpes 650b is available for test rides in the Factory Shop in Zwillikon.

www.transalpes.com