# SHE'S A STRANGE BIRD - Xprezo



## rep_1969 (Mar 25, 2004)

Hadn't heard of this brand before today, was reading about them in the "press and news" section of MTBR. So I went to their web-site to check them out. I kinda like the simple, and clean lines.

I did a search and didn't see anything posted on these before, so i hope I'm not re-posting.

http://reviews.mtbr.com/blog/xprezo-impact-design-novatec-racing-team/


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## ruralrider528 (Nov 8, 2008)

looks like a lovechild of a karpiel and a balfa bb7. Interesting bike tho, is it steel?


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## Jerk_Chicken (Oct 13, 2005)

Very interesting.

It kind of looks like it boils down to a high forward pivot, with a system that just looks a bit different. However, it looks pretty cool.


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## Prettym1k3 (Oct 11, 2005)

Looks like it will sell for a reasonable price.

My only worry: That swingarm looks thin. Is it Steel? Chromo? Aluminum?


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## rep_1969 (Mar 25, 2004)

ruralrider528 said:


> looks like a lovechild of a karpiel and a balfa bb7. Interesting bike tho, is it steel?


Not sure, I don't see it on the website either. This is about all I found.

Two years of development have lead to this : an extraordinary race beast which shamelessly betrays a long and exhaustive experience in research, conception, fabrication and real world experience.

This mono-pivot design is optimized to ensure full efficiency of the suspension throughout its entire 216mm of travel. The 4.3kg FURAX frame inherits legendary ADN from its predecessors and meets up with our highest standards in terms of light weight, flawless efficiency and reliability. The FURAX is diabolically efficient and stable thanks to a low center of gravity and open head angle. The short swingarm takes advantage of a 12 x 150mm standard rear axle.

Pursuance, or reincarnation, of a legendary tradition!

Home Page: http://www.xprezo.ca/en/xprezo_products.html


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## rep_1969 (Mar 25, 2004)

Prettym1k3 said:


> Looks like it will sell for a reasonable price.
> 
> My only worry: That swingarm looks thin. Is it Steel? Chromo? Aluminum?


 Not too bad I guess, about average now days. $3299.00 CAN (with Rock Shox Vivid)


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## his dudeness (May 9, 2007)

That mainframe is most likely aluminum, the rear is steel. Steel can be done in smaller tubing and be just as stiff as aluminum... plus the rear der. hanger is less likely to crack and break off like aluminum... it can be bent back into place. Hence the beauty and superiority of a steel rear end. The smaller tubing also allows for greater tire clearance.


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## SHIVER ME TIMBERS (Jan 12, 2004)

rep_1969 said:


> Not sure, I don't see it on the website either. This is about all I found.
> 
> Two years of development have lead to this : an extraordinary race beast which shamelessly betrays a long and exhaustive experience in research, conception, fabrication and real world experience.
> 
> ...


wow....fancy word for single pivot


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## essenmeinstuff (Sep 4, 2007)

http://www.xprezo.ca/en/xprezo_history.html

a bit of marketing bollox.


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## his dudeness (May 9, 2007)

SHIVER ME TIMBERS said:


> wow....fancy word for single pivot


You are correct sir.


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## rep_1969 (Mar 25, 2004)

SHIVER ME TIMBERS said:


> wow....fancy word for single pivot


Thanks once again SMT, for calling out the obvious. :thumbsup:


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## tacubaya (Jan 27, 2006)

SHIVER ME TIMBERS said:


> wow....fancy word for single pivot


mono = single duh............... no "fancy word"


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## Hesh to Steel (Oct 2, 2007)

Kinda reminds me of a chumba crossed with a purgatory crossed with an 06 dhr.

Is it 3300 cdn with the spec pictured? Frame only or complete?


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## rep_1969 (Mar 25, 2004)

Hesh to Steel said:


> Kinda reminds me of a chumba crossed with a purgatory crossed with an 06 dhr.
> 
> Is it 3300 cdn with the spec pictured? Frame only or complete?


Frame and shock only.


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## Prettym1k3 (Oct 11, 2005)

rep_1969 said:


> Frame and shock only.


Then that's a rip-off. The Revolt is only supposed to be like $3199. And there's a piss load of other frames that are selling for equal or less that are proven.


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## Raptordude (Mar 30, 2004)

Reminds me of the SWD Crazy 8.


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## Uncle Cliffy (Jul 7, 2006)

I read somewhere (NSMB?) that one of the guys who started this company was from Balfa... That explains the chro-mo rear end, ect.


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## tacubaya (Jan 27, 2006)

3300 cad for that frame? yea rightttttttt


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## his dudeness (May 9, 2007)

Uncle Cliffy said:


> I read somewhere (NSMB?) that one of the guys who started this company was from Balfa... That explains the chro-mo rear end, ect.


That's what I believe too... Jerome Roy was one of the other frame designers at Balfa and he started Appalache which has since had a VERY questionable existence


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## his dudeness (May 9, 2007)

tacubaya said:


> 3300 cad for that frame? yea rightttttttt


Keep in mind that's only about $2600 US for a completely hand made, small batch, boutique frame from Canada. Pretty good deal honestly. Ya'll need to learn your conversion rates a bit better.

They're smaller than Foes and cheaper. last time I checked a DHS Mono was somewhere in the ballpark of $3,000 US, and yes folks its s single pivot too. I highly doubt that one is better than the other in any regard.

Mikey, this is cheaper than the Evil Revolt that you commented on for price ($3,100 US), which I believe is also a (fancy and linkage driven yes) single pivot... and the Xprezzo has been around for a few years while the Evil just has the reputation of DW making it apparently great.


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## Prettym1k3 (Oct 11, 2005)

Ian... conversion-rates, conshmersion-rates...

*ALL YOUR BASES ARE BELONG TO US!*

P.S. I love you, your Dudeness on high.

Just a few more weeks and I'll be locked and loaded for Pacifica.


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## Freerydejunky (Sep 21, 2006)

Reminds me of a gayer Chumba wumba.


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## his dudeness (May 9, 2007)

Prettym1k3 said:


> Ian... conversion-rates, conshmersion-rates...
> 
> *ALL YOUR BASES ARE BELONG TO US!*
> 
> ...


Locked and loaded huh? Sounds more like hot and bothered. If you need help slapping that bad boy together when you get it, give me a call. Thus far in the month of January I have built well over 200 bikes and solved quite a few problems along the way. My magic fingers are working in overdrive... But I might give your bike the Hanta Virus (I'm sick again, yaaaa for another round of antibiotics)


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## tacubaya (Jan 27, 2006)

his dudeness said:


> Keep in mind that's only about $2600 US for a completely hand made, small batch, boutique frame from Canada. Pretty good deal honestly. Ya'll need to learn your conversion rates a bit better.
> 
> They're smaller than Foes and cheaper. last time I checked a DHS Mono was somewhere in the ballpark of $3,000 US, and yes folks its s single pivot too. I highly doubt that one is better than the other in any regard.
> 
> Mikey, this is cheaper than the Evil Revolt that you commented on for price ($3,100 US), which I believe is also a (fancy and linkage driven yes) single pivot... and the Xprezzo has been around for a few years while the Evil just has the reputation of DW making it apparently great.


If I wanted boutique and performance I would have called Turner Bikes.... I PERSONALLY think that the Xprezzo frame is not worth 2600 bucks...


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## Evil Sylvain (Oct 5, 2005)

Here's a video. Xprezo are located in Shefford, across the highway from Bromont. That's where this has been filmed on Nov.6. The rear triangle, even on the more XC bike, is chromoly.


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## NorKal (Jan 13, 2005)

tacubaya said:


> mono = single duh............... no "fancy word"


"Mono" sounds too pedestrian, maybe somebody should market a bike with "Stereo" linkage? Now _that_ sounds fancy.


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## Metanoia (Jun 16, 2007)

reminds me of a chumba f5


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## his dudeness (May 9, 2007)

tacubaya said:


> If I wanted boutique and performance I would have called Turner Bikes.... I PERSONALLY think that the Xprezzo frame is not worth 2600 bucks...


Well that's cool that you know everything about the time and labor involved in handbuilding a frame

I'm not saying I'd buy the bike, I'm just saying don't try to diss something that you know absolutely nothing about and have never thrown a leg over. As far as single pivots go, Balfa's were pretty darn excellent bikes... It's a shame they're not around anymore, but at least a former designer of Balfa is doing his own thing with Xprezzo. And personally, the Balfa bb7 was a much better single pivot design than the Turner DHR, it was just a tad on the heavy side.


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## tacubaya (Jan 27, 2006)

Touché


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## PepperJester (Jan 2, 2003)

I've seen a few of these bikes up close. They are very cool. Top notch construction, would have loved to get a test ride on one but time did not permit.


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## Clutchman83 (Apr 16, 2006)

... Why is the rear swingarm a two piece design? Seems that's just gonna add weight, and flex, oh wait, if it's steel I guess they're okay with flex.

Bet it's plush, don't know how it would feel in the corners. Seems to be pretty quick from the video though. I want to ride that trail sooooo bad!!!


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## Jerk_Chicken (Oct 13, 2005)

High forward single pivot, just like Tomac has been trying to push for a decade.


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## CaliforniaNicco (Oct 13, 2008)

ooooooooohhhhhhhhhh!!! ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!! I get to say it!!!................................

"Looks flexy"

haha


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## viciousdher (Dec 22, 2006)




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## Flystagg (Nov 14, 2006)

And?

Is that you? If it is how about using your words and telling us about the nice frame.


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## norbar (Jun 5, 2007)

What's with the 2600$ is a rip off? Most butique frames are more expensive, even the single pivots and it's cheaper than most. I've seen some quite positive opinions about it around the net. People need to stop hating the single pivot.


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## downhill mike (Mar 12, 2005)

PepperJester said:


> I've seen a few of these bikes up close. They are very cool. Top notch construction, would have loved to get a test ride on one but time did not permit.


We saw a couple of these at Whiteface last year. Very nice looking bikes and they seem to be worthy.


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## boogenman (Sep 22, 2006)

I got you beat old timer


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## captain spaulding (May 7, 2006)

Clutchman83 said:


> ... Why is the rear swingarm a two piece design? Seems that's just gonna add weight, and flex, oh wait, if it's steel I guess they're okay with flex.
> 
> Bet it's plush, don't know how it would feel in the corners. Seems to be pretty quick from the video though. I want to ride that trail sooooo bad!!!


I believe the Linkage portion of the rear swingarm is CNC alu. to keep the stiffness in that area..

Anybody even bother looking at the geometry? looks spot on (modern dh bike standards).. I think bb height fully-built is around the 13.5-13.9" range..


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## rep_1969 (Mar 25, 2004)

My thread LIVES again!!!!


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## Flystagg (Nov 14, 2006)

If you want handmade single pivot go for a sinister F-bomb Frank will weld one of those up for you for $2200, and I'll bet it's lighter than that frame.


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## ridefreeride (Apr 8, 2009)

that frame looks like it has some crazy chain growth problems


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## norbar (Jun 5, 2007)

Flystagg said:


> If you want handmade single pivot go for a sinister F-bomb Frank will weld one of those up for you for $2200, and I'll bet it's lighter than that frame.


Like the geo much much less. Sinister bikes are imho bikes too much into build quality and too little project quality


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