Polish carbon fibre maestros, Antidote Bikes, have released an updated version of their Darkmatter high pivot downhill bike to the world.
Designed to be an out and out race bike, the new Antidote Darkmatter can be run 29er or Mullet with 190mm or 200mm travel respectively via a high pivot. There’s plenty more going on with this bike than simply those numbers though.
Key features:
- Hand-made carbon fibre frame
- 200mm travel (Mullet), 190mm travel (29″)
- High pivot with idler
- Alloy and titanium hardware
- Inline shock compression
- Frames from 4,999.00 Euro
- Complete bikes from 9,999.00 Euro
- AntidoteBikes.com
The Antidote Darkmatter is the ultimate expression what the Polish brand can offer. All made in-house, the Darkmatter has been made to get down hills fast. Sporting 200mm or 190mm travel depending on what wheel setup you opt for, this travel is offered up by a high pivot system with an idler.
All this has been done to hunt out a ride characteristic that the Antidote team wanted from this bike. The end result is their ‘Noster Kinematics’. The end result is a large portion of the available travel is under rearward axle path, moving out of the way of the hits. Inspired by MX applications, the opening small bump sensitivity ramps up fast at the end stroke. Anti-rise and anti-squat is high, designed to keep the bike composed under hard braking and under power.
The inline shock compression means there is low load on the shock itself, as well as shock hardware. That shock is also mounted low in the frame to improve centre of gravity.
All this is designed to produce a bike that deals with fast, steep and rough tracks with ease.
Two complete bikes, four framesets and a frame-only kit are available. The complete bikes differ in their dampers only, pick between the 10,499 Euro Ohlins or the 9,999 Euro Fox 40/EXT Arma options. If you want to go down the custom build route, there are four options. Frame and fork, similar to the complete bike options are Ohlins or Fox 40/EXT Arma, at 7299 and 6999 Euro respectively. Lose the forks for just the frame and shock, and they come in at 5999 for the Ohlins and 5899 Euro for the EXT.
If you want to pick your own shock, the frame with a seat clamp and rear axle will set you back 4999 Euro.
Geometry
Sizes available on the Darkmatter are M, L and XL. On the M, you get a reach of 445mm with a seat tube length of 430mm. Head angle is 63 degrees. Chainstay length on the 29er is 449mm, and 442mm on the Mullet. Wheelbase is 1257mm.
Darkmatter Complete Bikes
Darkmatter Ohlins
Key features:
- Ohlins DH38 M2 200mm fork
- Ohlins TTX M2 Coil shock
- SRAM XO1 DH 7-speed drive
- SRAM Code RSC brakes
- Industry Nine Grade 300 wheels
- Thomson Elite seat post
- 10,499.00 Euro
Darkmatter Fox 40
Key features:
- Fox 40 Factory 200mm fork
- EXT Arma V3 Coil shock
- SRAM XO1 DH 7-speed drive
- SRAM Code RSC brakes
- Industry Nine Grade 300 wheels
- Thomson Elite seat post
- 9,999.00 Euro
