Kastle degree 9 0 FS

[Siish]

Just picked this up cheap in my local auction rooms, cheap will be worth keeping an eye on there in future, picture is from their website as i haven't collected yet, It looks like it has canti brakes and gripshift, but can't see anything else, any experts on Kastle bikes out there??

Will upload more pics once collected

 

[Thias]

*Pulling up a chair*
Nice assortment of levers and doodabs underneath the bb. I love that early suspension stuff.
And it's a good looking bike, also.

 

[Siish]

I was unsure about it but the rear triangle had me intrigued enough to put a cheeky bid in

 

[Thias]

It is called "degree FS", I think. 9 or 10, not sure.

The whole rear end kinematic reminds me very much of a GT RTS. Its a single pivot point and a rocker arm to link the swingarm to the dampener.
Even has the "brake stud".

I have a RTS myself. I don't really like the ride, because the pedal bob is real. Might be better with the Kästle, because the pivot point is closer to the bb.

 

[dyna-ti]

https://www.retrobike.co.uk/threads/kastle-5-0-degree-info-please.404478/
Certainly seems to be a number of frames available here and there. History though ,that seems to be lacking.
https://www.google.com/search?q=Kas...BGAm6BgYIAhABGAiSBwMyLjc&sclient=gws-wiz-serp

 

[Thias]

Well, about history. One of those frames has a bit of history, if I remember correctly. Some kind of speed record was made with it. Or was it an attempt? But they "hid" the frame in a aerodynamic (yellow) fiberglass shell. I remember seeing the original bike at a private collection in Germany. Let me do some digging...

edit: found the picture:
https://www.mtb-news.de/forum/attachments/20181224_152224-jpg.1688449/

 

[mk one]

Just picked this up cheap in my local auction rooms, cheap will be worth keeping an eye on there in future, picture is from their website as i haven't collected yet, I tlloks like it has canti brakes and gripshift, but can't see anything else, any experts on Kastle bikes out there??

Will upload more pics once collected

Some of their suspension frames were made by Ancillotti, it should have the branding on the tubes if it is, very nice bikes. TST also made their Ti frames

 

[joglo]

Indeed it's a degree FS and designed by Ancillotti.

There had been some Ancillotti bikes with similar rear suspension


I can look up tomorrow the exact model name an year of the Kästle. First guess 1995ish...

Giovanna Bonazzi was riding the iconic Kästle DH bike with same rear end but fairing like a motorcycle and an eagle nose and won several races plus a speed record.

 

[Thias]

Ah, there it is. So I wasn't wrong.

 

[joglo]

here it is, a Degree 9.0 FS from 1995


The frame design with the Pro-Link called rear suspension was sold from saison 1994, there had been 8.0-14.0 models. This 1995 9.0 was the one with just moderate components for a low-ball price. In particular the Zokes fork may be a bit the weak spot. I would give it a try with a better performing fork. The better models had a Marzocchi DH3.

in 1996 than already a different rear suspension was launched for some models, but Pro-Link was kept for the DH model up to 1997.

I would be interested to hear how this rides.