Eurobike dirt 3: Santa Cruz, Endorfin, Cube and Corsair
More new bikes, some stunning designs
Published:
Earlier this year

Santa Cruz’s V10 downhill beast was on display, accompanied by Steve Peat in poster form
Endorfin
This caged animal is the new prototype
The bike uses a unique asymmetric, interrupted seat tube. This allows them to position the shock in such a way that shorter, lighter-weight link plates can be used.

This prototype from Endorfin hasn’t got a name yet. Ideas on a postcard to Endorfin.
This combines with the fully floating shock to achieve a full 160mm of rear wheel travel. The compact system is not only lightweight, but also gives a low centre of gravity.
Build quality is superb, as Endorfin bikes are all handmade in their German production plant. Although the bike seen is a prototype, Endorfin assure us that the only change for the production model is a re-profiled down tube.
Cube
The new ’09 range from Cube looked quite simply awesome. The superb Fritzz is a refined and polished version of the ’08 bike, which we loved.

Cube Fritzz
The standover height is now 50mm lower with the use of a double hydroformed top tube, where the tube is formed, cut and reformed and welded to produce a flush, triangulated seat tube support.
The back end is now tied together with a DT QR through axle and the stays are braced with a hollow wing-like arc. Fritzz’s little brother, the Stereo gets exactly the same makeover too.
New for ’09 is a carbon framed Sting Super HPC, which uses twin-mold technology to create the same low standover top tube height as the aluminium bikes.
The crowning glory of the range is the Elite Super HPT. This is pure 6Al/4V artwork. Beautifully crafted and shaped tubes, and faultless construction come with a price tag to match, marked up at 7,800 euros!
Corsair
In the little outdoor village we found Mr Pablo Tafoya, designer of Corsair bikes. With a totally fresh outlook on bike design, approaching the bicycle frame from a totally different perspective.

Corsair Crown downhill race bike
The Crown downhill race bike frame features a second shock which allows rearward movement of the wheel when it encounters a square edge hit, helping the bike to carry speed through seriously rough sections. This shock is removable to convert the bike into a simpler single pivot.
The bike also features an idler pulley on the main pivot to eliminate pedal input into the suspension, an adjustable head tube angle by up to 3 degrees and jaw-dropping build quality.