What Coyote Ultralite is this? toptube mounted shock?

[jimjim2012]

Well, I got this over Xmas as it looked pretty weird for. It cost £27+ post.

Described as an aluminium frame but that's only the rear end part. The front monocoque frame is plasticky in feel. The paint is a glossy red with a white base coat.

I don't know whether the front end is carbon fibre but the clues might be

a/The cable bosses are riveted onto the frame.
b/ where the shock is mounted some paint is scrapped back revealing black.


But maybe it's not carbon fibre as that is a pretty cheap looking shock and also Coyote werea budget brand and I can't imagine them releasing a carbon bike.

There are no frame numbers or any info marking apart from a 'Ultralite' sticker on the chainstay.

So my questions are:

What model is this?
Is the front end carbon fibre or some type of plastic material?


Appreciate any help on this as I tried google trying to find out more to no avail

I'm waiting on a set of those Quasar (Girvin vector) suspension forks which i think suit the weirdness of this frame.

 

[legrandefromage]

cool! in a weird sort of way. What shock is in there> if its original it would be a pointer to the quality of the frame.

 

[jimjim2012]

Well the only markings on the shock are 'KS'

So that indicates to me a crappy shock for a crappy frame, hence why i personally think the frame has to be some sort of fibreglass construction - like a car body kit - rather that carbon fibre.

Either way, i'm pretty pleased with condition and the strangeness of it and look forward to getting a quick build cobbled together to see how it rides.

The only other frames I could find with toptube mounted shocks were;

The Pronghorn

and this Cannondale Chase proto-type

 

[legrandefromage]

**** it! respray in something funky and do it up for a laugh

 

[jimjim2012]

well i might have a go at airbrushing...

always loved the Klein Night Storm paint jobs

 

[novekili]

I saw this bike with Stevens stickers

 

[Anthony]

I haven't seen one of those before. I assume it's an earlier design than the 98 shown below. The 98 had a db 7005 main frame and a carbon fibre swing-arm, with a Shockworks rear shock. It was described in the mbr test as 'a very capable suspension frame with aggressive cross-country geometry and plenty of strength to keep you right-side-up' and they gave it 4/5. The frame cost £700.

I think yours may well be carbon-fibre. You can call Coyote a budget brand, but in 1998 an Ultralite HT2 frame cost £300, a Kula cost £600 and an Orange E4 like mine also cost £600. All made of Easton Elite, all quite likely built in the same factory, or equivalent, and all probably exiting the factory gate for less than £100. You can call one of them budget or you can call two of them rip-offs, but personally I'd just call them all similar. Obviously Coyote didn't have a name they could charge you through the nose for, but my impression was that they had a good reputation and they used good materials.

If that was mine, the first thing I would do would be to weigh it, and then I would measure its bb drop and head angle, to get a rough idea of what length of fork it was designed for. If it was built around 96 and designed for xc, you might think it was intended for a Judy SL to match the swing-arm. Could look quite tasteful.

 

[Chris]

Not sure of the frame but think that shock placement could lead to a nasty accident.....

Ouch :shock:

 

[jimjim2012]

Thanks for the info Anthony.

I'll get the scale out and start getting some stats together. Might try and work out the density and see if it matches that of carbon fibre. The frame does feel quite light.

I just got these forks but that Judy fork idea sounds better and probably more useful.

 

[big.eck]

Thanks for the info Anthony.

I'll get the scale out and start getting some stats together. Might try and work out the density and see if it matches that of carbon fibre. The frame does feel quite light.

I just got these forks but that Judy fork idea sounds better and probably more useful.

ohhhhh they are tasty forks jim

that frame looks alright too.............