Over the last few years Kinesis UK has been sweating the details at our design studio in Partridge Green, West Sussex thinking how we can improve on our previous Mountain Bike frames.
Having the test ground of the South Down on our doorstep, means we are in the ideal location to put in the sweaty hours putting our thoughts and ideas through their paces.
We’ve spent those hours either playing around in the woods or with a number board strapped to the bars to develop our latest XC aluminium mountain bike frame the ‘X’.
We have put everything we have learned during the last 17 years of alloy frame design and manufacture into this completely new and very advanced alloy mountain bike frame. Whilst other manufacturers focus has been on carbon, we believe that by putting the same development into alloy tubing, we have created a frame that rivals carbon in many ways, and hands down beats it on price.
Damian Mason of Kinesis UK said ‘Kinesis are the only frame manufacturer to use Super Plastic Forming (SPF) on their alloy frames. Most manufacturers use Hydroformed tubes, but with SPF we can create lighter tubes and more intricate shapes that will build into a lighter and stiffer frameset.’
One of the Kinesis Maxlight X’s design features is an oversized downtube with an SPF created hexagonal cross section, an ultra-flat top tube and seat stays with a flat diamond cross section. These tubes combine to give a frame that is superbly stiff laterally, whilst vertically compliant to help smooth out the ride.
The Kinesis UK X frame comes in a true full size range from XS through to XL. The XS frame is designed around 650b wheels, whilst all other sizes have 29”, to minimise stand over height and toe overlap, benefiting the rider when hustling the frame around your local XC course or when loaded up for your next adventure.
The Kinesis X mountain bike frame has been designed to be compatible with a 100-120mm suspension fork, a Lauf Trail Racer fork or our Maxlight Carbon rigid fork.
The Kinesis Maxlight X has been designed with internally routed full-length gear outer as this is better for sealing out the elements and will keep you shifting accurately for longer. Full length outer has the added benefit of making an internally routed gear cable change simple and quick to do.
We’ve integrated the replaceable rear derailleur hanger into both the Thru Axle and the dropout of the frame. This increases the rigidity of the rear hanger, without compromising its ability to break away in an emergency, giving you the tight and precise shifting.
Adaptable cable ports allow you to build the Kinesis X frame with the set up of your choice. Di2, 1x gearing, dropper post – it’s your choice.
Super Plastic Formed 7046 Aluminium tubing
148mm Boost rear axle spacing
31.6mm seat post required
Tapered Integrated headset required
73mm threaded BB
160mm max rotor size
Clearance for up to 29 x 2.4” tyres
Di2 compatible
Stealth Dropper compatible
1750g (medium frame)
Sub 10kg complete weight with Lauf fork, XT and carbon wheels
Colour: Hyper Blue
Sizes: XS (27.5”) / SML (29") / MED (29") / LRG (29") / XL (29”)
The Kinesis Maxlight X Frame is supplied with seat clamp, rear through axle, frame ports and cable guides
Price: £500 for the frame only
Review Submission by Rowan Hargreaves – May 2020
"Absolutely the best mountain bike I have ever owned It's so responsive feeling like you constantly have more speed Will be using this
frame for my venture into ultra endurance cycling Roll on the divides"
