Pedaling Efficiency > Pedaling efficiency is a challenge facing every long-travel bicycle design. The Crown utilizes a swingarm-mounted idler pulley to neutralize chaingrowth and reduce pedal feedback. We have opted for a pulley position that creates a very slight stiffening of the rear swingarm while pedaling. This is often referred to as “anti-squat” and gives a more efficient and responsive pedal feel. 

The idler pulley system’s effect on chain growth is notable - 11mm at 170mm of travel and 26mm at 240mm of travel are very low numbers, better than many short travel XC bikes, not to mention other DH designs.

Low Mass Swingarm > A swingarm with a low mass can compress and rebound faster while transferRing less feedback to the frame.  To illustrate this, try swinging the heavy end of a baseball bat versus the lighter end. The Crown’s swingarm design allows for more control of the rear wheel by the suspension. 

An important real-world benefit? a light swingarm allows higher tire pressures without sacrificing traction, giving more predictable cornering characteristics and higher straight-line speeds.

Adjustable Headtube Angle > Corsair frames are equipped with a headtube/headset system that allows 3 degrees of headtube angle adjustment. The Crown is shipped with a zero-degree headset that results in a headtube angle of 65 degrees when using a 568mm fork with 203mm of travel. For riders that love to fiddle, our optional 1-degree headset allows the headtube angle to be increased to 66 degrees, or decreased to 64 degrees. The 1-degree headset is also extremely helpful when using a fork that differs from the recommended axle-to-crown measurement.

Center Balance > The pivot point on the Crown is in a mid-high position and is vertically aligned with the bottom bracket. Center balance avoids the heavy feel that can be associated with a forward pivot location by keeping the pivot in line with or behind the bottom bracket. Corsair bikes have a lighter, more maneuverable front end and feel because of the center balance design.

Axle Path > The Crown’s axle path is carefully studied to produce maximum suspension performance. The greater the rearward movement of the axle, the more efficient the design becomes at transferring energy to the rear shock and not the frame. Combined with our idler pulley, Center-balance and dual-shock features, the Crown’s rearward axle path offers efficient suspension movement and energy management while maintaining a good pedaling feel.

Two Shock System  >  This system is designed to give the rider the greatest amount of tune-ability possible. For faster, smoother courses, utilize 7” of travel. For a course with larger technical features, using the optional blow-off shock increases travel to 9.5”. 

The Crown is designed around a 3 x 9.5” e-e main shock. With two shock mounting positions, this allows 7” of travel at 2.2:1, Or 8” at 2.8:1. To make the Crown one of the most tunable platforms available, we add a blow-off shock option that increases travel to a maximum of 240mm and can be tuned independently of the main shock for the ultimate in bottom-out control.

Low Leverage Ratio > While many bikes are developed around suspension systems that result in leverage ratios of approximately 3:1, the low stroke ratios utilized by the Crown result in a number of benefits: First, longer and lower stroke ratio shocks have a larger environment in which to do their work, resulting in less stress on the shock itself, leading to a more durable and longer lasting piece of equipment. Second, longer stroke shocks offer a greater range of adjustability. Finally, lower spring rates result in more sensitive shock reaction.