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Yesterday, John walked us through the electronic shifting Pinion C1.12i Smart.Shift gearbox in an in-depth review, and today, we’ll be looking at the bike it was installed on, the Viral Bike Derive hardtail. You know we love hardtails at The Radavist, and this one did not disappoint…
The Pinion Smart.Shift gearbox offers electronic shifting for instantaneous engagement, eliminating the soft or sluggish feeling found with the grip shift Pinion systems. Yet this system isn’t as perfect as it’s marketed, and John found one critical shortcoming during his review period…
The Wanderer is Viral’s drop-bar-specific titanium adventure bike, designed for rough roads and the longest of backcountry adventures, all with an electronic-shifting Pinion gearbox…
Skeptic frame
Viral’s Pinion-powered gearbox bikes made quite the splash when they launched a few years back. New for 2021, the Skeptic got a full geometry overhaul, with a more compact triangle design for increased standover, 440/460/480/500mm reaches across the size run, and is designed for a 150-160mm fork.
Dérive complete
While the Skeptic frame got smaller, the Dérive, Viral’s excursion-ready frame, kept its geometry, while the reach numbers were increased like the Skeptic’s. The Dérive is built around a 120mm fork, like a Lauf or a rigid fork with bosses. Both frames also come in a raw, polished titanium finish now as well.
See more at Viral Bikes.
