Balfa BB7 Nachfolger

[Sethimus]

Appalache is Jérôme Roy, Balfa's founder and chief engineer's latest adventure!



Cycles Appalache presents: Réal

Réal, the first born at Cycles Appalache, is the fruit of extensive engineering experience in DH racing.

The Réal is built for a single purpose; DH speed. The phenomenal efficiency of the high pivot , combined to the most precise handling chassis built, results in a race winning machine. Any race! On fast and smooth courses, its light weight and powerful acceleration leads to podiums. Results are the same on rough edgy races; smoothly keeping up speed where others lose momentum.

This finely engineered frame has an ideal stress distribution; every part of it equally working toward the whole's total strength. Balanced distribution of rigidity yields an impact reaction that is consistent and intuitive. A frame that any rider will quickly learn to like, for a long time...

The Réal is the expression of considerable know how, heir to a long lineage that has borne many technical innovations.

These innovations include:

The high pivot.

This technology is, for us, in its 6th generation. It has been influential to many large and small builders. Its purpose is simply to have a faster bike by allowing the rear wheel to better follow the impacts. This rearward trajectory is possible only if the drivetrain is modified by a pulley that moves the chain near the pivot. This pulley is the sure sign of a true high pivot design. It has two advantages: first, the bike keeps its speed on square impacts and second, it makes the bike stable yet sensitive on sprinting.

The super low center of gravity.

The frame's weight is of great importance in its ease of handling. But equally important is its position. Here again, we have been influential, but we're still ahead with the lowest C.G. in the industry. That makes the Réal easier to flick and more stable under heavy braking.

The Bi-chassis.

The front triangle and the swingarm of a suspended bike have similar goals. To be as strong and light as possible. But they must do so in very different environments. While the front triangle can be quite voluminous, the swingarm must make way around the tire and chain. So the front takes advantage of aluminium low density by using large diameter tubes. The rear makes use of steel’s rigidity, even for the small diameter tubing required. Steel gives you more: the dropouts are incomparable and the narrower rear goes like a knife trough narrow rock gardens.

The thickest headtube.

What makes a headtube resist ovalizing is not its diameter, but rather its thickness. Ours is thick!

Uninterrupted seat tube

Interrupted seat tubes are getting rarer these days. We've always preferred the traditional closed structure for the seat tube. The shock is protected from flying dirt. The seatpost has more adjustment range and the frame is simply stronger. We think this outweighs any perceived style advantage!

Standard hardware

Industrial bolt companies know their stuff. We prefer the bolts they roll to the one machine shop cut. We also choose the most common bearings series. That way you can find what you may wear out whether you are in Prince George, in Cairns or in Birmingham.