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Alutech Sennes DH 29 to be first production 29er downhill bike

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alutech_sennes-dh-29_204mm-alumiunum-production-downhill-bike_3-4-beach

German bike maker Alutech has already had a couple of generations of their Sennes DH bike, but up until now it had maxed out with 27.5″ x 2.8″ tires. But the bike designers had been pushing for years to get more long travel bikes rolling on wagon wheels. Their 150mm travel 29er Tofane enduro bike was their last stepping stone and showed that 29″ wheel and tire options were finally up to the gravity task. Now we’ve seen other 29er DH concepts for many years, but can’t think of any other that have gone into production as a 29″-specific bike, and that’s what is in store here. Starting in under a week’s time Alutech will have the new 29er Sennes up on their website ready to order direct. Until then check out the details below the fold…

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photos courtesy Alutech

Details on the new 29er version of the Sennes are limited to the medium-sized bike, which will get a 204mm travel alloy frame just like its 27.5″ predecessor. The current bike comes in 5 sizes, so expect about the same out of the larger wheeled version.

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Geometry wise the move to 29″ wheels comes with a 1.5° slacker headtube, out to 62° with the same 42mm of fork rake,and gets a longer toptube up to 458mm frame reach. It also gets more bottom bracket drop to 16mm to accommodate the higher position of the hubs off the ground. That still put the BB 11mm higher than 27.5″ bike. Chainstays look to be a bit longer (and are still adjustable) but line up near the longer position of the smaller wheeled bike at 445mm. Overall wheelbase grow for the same sized bike by almost 5cm to 1269mm for the size M.

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There aren’t any real options for a 29er-specific downhill fork, but thanks to the giant rubber usually strapped around DH wheels, the 27.5″ Fox 40 that this bike is built up with offers respectable clearance at the arch with the 27mm internal e*thirteen TRS wheels and 2.35″ tires. Clearance at the fork crown is pretty tight when the 203mm fork is bottomed all the way out, but hopefully you don’t plan to spend large amounts of time that far down in the travel, so the fork should work fine.

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Other than updated geometry of the 29er bike, the frame looks to mostly share the same Horst-link 4-bar suspension, construction, and detailing as the second generation 27.5″ bike. The front end of the main triangle does look to get stretched out a bit, and maybe the headtube shrunk a little bit as well to accommodate the slightly higher front end of the bigger wheel.

alutech_sennes-dh-29_204mm-alumiunum-production-downhill-bike_driveside-sea

Total bike weight as shown here is said to be 14.6kg/32.2lb with a pretty high-end build. Pricing hasn’t been officially released, but expect to see frame & fork right around 3000€.

Alutech-Cycles.com

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23 Comments
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giver!
giver!
7 years ago

Voted Pinkbike DH bike of the Year!

captain derp
captain derp
7 years ago

either their geometry charts are wrong, or they have no clue how to size a bike. claimed stack height is 960mm. double you tea EFF.

Mr. P
7 years ago

Nicely done Alutech! The benefits to steam rolling straight down a race course with the big hoops seems obvious. (see comparisons of the Specialized 650b and 29er Enduros for an apples to apples comparison on wheel size and how it rides)

P

Heynowwww
Heynowwww
7 years ago

650b plus up front!

bearcol
bearcol
7 years ago
Reply to  Heynowwww

If you did that you would have a taller rear wheel. it would be nearly as lopsided as running a 26″ up front and 650b in the back.

bearcol
bearcol
7 years ago

Are those single ply tires? I tried running those e13 tires and pinched the casing after 4 rides, patched the tire then cut the sidewall on the next ride. This is on a trail bike too.

Mr. P
7 years ago
Reply to  bearcol

Good call. Single ply should not be on a DH bike.

bearcol
bearcol
7 years ago
Reply to  Mr. P

Proper 29 DH rubber is going to be heavy. Proper 29 DH rims even in carbon are going to be heavy too. Couple heavy wheel/tire weight that doesn’t want to accelerate fast, with a huge wheel base and super slack HA and you’ll have a bike that doesn’t want to change lines, deal with tight corners, or get back up to speed after some tight stuff. THere’s no getting around how 29″ wheels are like sails in the air too.

I’m sure this bike is crazy fast under the right conditions. How could it not? 8′ travel, big attack angles, but there’s a lot more to DH than attack angle and straight line speed.

knarc
knarc
7 years ago

29ers they do everything well. Yes, if the trail is like a dirt road.

Mr. P
7 years ago
Reply to  knarc

Your lack of skills are showing.

Raymond Epstein
7 years ago
Reply to  knarc

The Wreckoning is not a full bore DH rig nor are NWCup tracks World Cup runs, but that didn’t stop Strobel from smoking it on a 29’er. https://www.facebook.com/EvilBikes/photos/a.445243515952.221116.56838605952/10154373361750953/?type=3&theater

dustytires
7 years ago

Finally a DH bike that just might be monstrous and glued to earth enough to compensate for my lack of skills. that is what more and more bike is for right, a crutch forless skills, fitness and natural talent?

Mr. P
7 years ago
Reply to  dustytires

Perhaps a crutch, but I see more straight line speed as a RACE bike, not a park bike.

P

knarc
knarc
7 years ago
Reply to  Mr. P

I see many racers :P.
But where is the fun?

Thor29
Thor29
7 years ago

The anti-29er trolls appear… So who is right, knarc with his “29ers are only for dirt roads” or dusty tires with his “crutch for less skills, fitness, and talent”? The answer is… neither of you guys. Big wheels have advantages and disadvantages and will work perfectly well on a DH bike where they will excel at certain things, like blasting through rocky, chunky terrain, but will be more prone to damaged wheels and will be slightly less agile.

Dockboy
Dockboy
7 years ago
Reply to  Thor29

Yep, and with rim advancements and wider hubs (120 or more by 20mm? With bolt on crowns, any custom width (and rake) front end is possible), any agility or durability problems can be minimized just like other bikes.

bearcol
bearcol
7 years ago
Reply to  Dockboy

Maybe we’ll go back to 110x20mm forks? super Boost plus!

Ol Shel
Ol Shel
7 years ago
Reply to  Thor29

That’s it: smaller wheels change direction more quickly, even when you don’t want them to. Everyone needs to find their own compromise between grip/stability and agility.

knarc
knarc
7 years ago
Reply to  Thor29

Yes, if moves in a straight line with smouth turns, but if the course has many tight turns? I know that 29ers have benefits, but in boring (for me) courses.i remember what the industry was saying as before some years.100gr in a bike or 5mm shorter chainstay make a huge difference. I said this, because i see the game is change in the name of the “win” and “money”. Is like to put a mercedes a-class to race in WRC : )

Ol Shel
Ol Shel
7 years ago

People who get upset over other’s chosen wheel size don’t have much going on in their lives. That describes a large portion of the gravity crowd.

bearcol
bearcol
7 years ago

Since no one chimed to answer my question about the tires I looked into it and thought I would share for anyone that cares. There are no DH trs tires available so these are either prototypes or they are folders. Considering the 32lbs complete weight I’m sure they are folders; light weight folders at that.

James
James
7 years ago

32lbs??? A carbon session comes in at 34, how did they drop 2 pounds with an aluminum frame and bigger wheels? I’m thinking that may be a bit off

Lewddude
Lewddude
7 years ago

Hey Cory, Manitou Dorado 29er is a real thing.
it has been around for 3+ years now.

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