Identiti were one of the first companies to bring out a properly 'hardcore' hardtail back in the '90s, along with the likes of Spooky and DMR.
Since then they've become stalwarts of the UK dirt jump, four-cross and street scene, with some of the country's best riders on their team.
So we were surprised when we spotted this tidy-looking full-suspension frame with their name on it, especially as it's aimed at all-mountain riders rather than trail bosses.
We got the lowdown from team rider Pat Campbell-Jenner, who has been putting the 16in sample through its paces. "We've been working with designs and ideas for a while now and are finally happy with this finished prototype," he said.
"The new frame has been designed as an all-mountain frame – keen to ride through all the rough stuff yet nimble enough to climb technical ascents that all trail centres are challenging the riders with now.
"It has 140mm of rear wheel travel (5.5in in old money), which we feel is almost optimum for UK trail riding, with a 67-degree head angle and 72.5-degree seat angle – great for all-day riding."
So, why are the company bringing out a full-suspension model? "Identiti are well known for being a hardcore hardtail frame manufacturer since day one," said Campbell-Jenner. "We feel that now is the right time to provide a comfortable suspension frame that you can ride to the trails, at the trails and home from the trails.
"It fits in nicely with our solid range of bikes, adding something more diverse and different to the frames that are already rated as some of the best dirt jump (P60 series) and 4X (Krisis) frames in the business. Naturally, we hope to follow our hardtail successes with this new venture and direction."
The frame is expected to be released later this year in 16in and 18in sizes with a RockShox Monarch 4.2 shock. RRP should be just under £1,000.
