6-8-07 // Technology: Split Pivot Suspension

The Split Pivot design accomodates multiple types of shock placement

Dave Weagle is one of the most prolific mountain bike engineers in the business. Years ago he left a high-paying job working in the defense industry to follow his heart and start a mountain bike company. Since making that decision he has been responsible for the creation of Evil Bikes, e.thirteen chainguides and drivetrain accessories and the World Championship-winning DW-Link suspension, which has been used on Iron Horse, Ibis and Independent Fabrications bicycles. Now, Dave has introduced a brand new suspension design and if it measures up to any of his previous designs it’s bound to be very popular and effective. There’s no word yet on what company, or companies, the design is being licensed to, but given Dave’s long-standing relationship with Iron Horse, that’s where we’d put our money. Introducing the never-seen-before Split Pivot suspension system.

Dave had the following to say about the launch of the new system: “I’m thrilled to finally be able to show Split Pivot off. This has been something that I’ve worked on for quite a while, years actually, licensed to partners and talked to others behind closed doors, built prototypes, but nobody in the public has seen it yet. It’s so hard to keep something so exciting a secret for so long so I am glad that part is over. I think that riders are really going to enjoy this system. It allows for atypical pivot placement that works great for acceleration and bump absorption and the concentric dropout pivot lets me tune braking forces at the same time. Basically the Split Pivot bikes are a lot of fun to ride.”

What is it?

The rear triangle has a high pivot placement behind the bottom bracket.

Split Pivot is a worldwide patent pending suspension system for high performance bicycles, where traction, efficiency, maneuverability, and frame stiffness are important factors on the track and trail. Split Pivot’s [concentric dropout pivot] is the heart of this new design and provides performance that no single pivot can duplicate.

How does it work?

Split Pivot separates acceleration forces from braking forces in the suspension. The system reduces excess suspension compression due to acceleration forces, and at the same time reduces excess compression due to braking forces. Braking neutrality can be tuned independently of acceleration characteristics, and leverage rate curves can be tuned to meet the needs of the application. Shock layout can be vertical, horizontal, floating or even driven by a modifier link.

The system lends itself to ease of manufacture, and can be engineered to build lightweight frame structures without resorting to exotic materials or tube shapes. Featuring 12mm thru axle, QR 12mm axle, or 10mm vertical QR possibilities, plenty of stock wheels fit the design.

Split Pivot will be available worldwide in late 2007 and early 2008, details on brands and models to come soon. Prototypes are out there so keep your eyes peeled.

For more information go to www.split-pivot.com

Here's a cutaway view of the unusual concentric rear dropouts.

Here's the rear end with a thru-axle inserted through the concentric pivots.