We take a look at the bike that helped Kurt Sorge to a rare second Rampage win
WHO IS KURT SORGE?
Hailing from Nelson, British Columbia, Sorge is a freeride superstar, being one of only two people to have won the infamous Red Bull Rampage twice, once in 2012 and then again in 2015. You may recognise him from the epic freeride movie Where The Trail Ends, and he’s also part of the crew behind the super-gnarly FEST Series events.
WHY IS THIS A SUPERBIKE?
- The Collosus DH9 is a Red Bull Rampage winning machine that’s also been proven on the Downhill World Cup circuit by Mick and Tracey Hannah and their Polygon UR teammates
- It’s designed around 650b wheels but Sorge opts to run stiffer 26in hoops, putting the bottom bracket even closer to the ground
- As part of Schwalbe’s tyre development programme, Kurt’s wheels are shod with the latest and potentially greatest rubber, which us punters aren’t yet able to buy
Big mountain freeride is incredibly hard on bikes and bodies. Few Red Bull Rampage winners have been in good enough shape to even attempt to defend their titles the following year and only two have managed to win the event twice. One of those is the reigning champ, Kurt Sorge, and this is the bike that helped him break the Rampage ‘curse’.
Freeride collosus
Launched last August – though Sorge had been riding it since he joined the Polygon team in the spring – the Colossus DH9 is the Indonesian brand’s top-of-the-range downhill/ freeride bike. The biggest change over the old DHX is a step up from 26in wheels to 650b (for stock bikes, at least). Polygon’s Development Manager Zendy Renan says the leverage ratio of the twin-link rear end has also been altered to make the bike more sensitive over small bumps and produce a smoother ride.
While the front triangle is still made from aluminium, the rear end is carbon fibre to keep unsprung mass as low as possible and allow the suspension to react more quickly to changes in surface and give more consistent grip –something imperative to Sorge on the side of a cliff in Utah! Kurt says: “The carbon makes the rear end float over rough terrain and the stiffness improves performance during large hits and cornering.”
The bike uses a twin-link ‘floating shock’ suspension platform, where the rear damper is sandwiched between two triangular links joining the front and rear triangles. This means it’s compressed from both ends, reducing pedal bob. All this is packed low in the frame for improved handling. A ‘flip chip’ at the rearmost shock mount lets you lower the bottom bracket by 3.3mm (361.4-364.7mm) and slacken the head angle by 0.3 degrees (63.1-62.8mm) to create an even more stable bike. Sorge chooses to run 26in wheels in his stock frame, lowering the BB even further.
Sorge’s set-up
Kurt sets up his suspension fairly stiff to keep the bike riding higher in its 203mm (8in) of travel and runs three volume reducers in his SR Suntour Rux fork to keep the front end stiff and progressive enough to soak up big hits. The Cane Creek Double Barrel coil shock has a titanium spring from Lite Springs. Sorge says this absorbs small chatter better than a steel coil, helping the bike to track the ground, while the Collosus’s progressive rear end deals with heavy landings perfectly.
For Rampage, he used a shock with a slower rebound tune so he wouldn’t get bucked off on large hits – an important consideration when you’re about to drop in off a cliff! Kurt trusts his best friend, Chris ‘The Dude’ Woikin, to look after his fork, and for Utah Chris added a new compression damper for a buttery smooth feel.
Sorge relies on Shimano for his stop and go kit, using Saint brakes, cranks and gears for powerful stopping, efficient power transfer and crisp gear changes. Thanks to the MRP chain guide up front, he says he’s never dropped a chain. Two Schwalbe Magic Mary tyres keep him stuck to the ground when he most needs it. They’re labelled ‘First Ride’, indicating that he’s part of the team of pros handpicked to help Schwalbe develop new rubber and given access to all the latest prototypes.
He’s got the talent, the bike and the pro-level kit. All Kurt needs now is a bit of luck to earn his place in the history books with a triple win at Rampage.
FLIPPIN’ GOOD
A ‘flip chip’ on the rear shock mount allows Sorge to select slightly longer and lower geometry to help keep the bike stable at high speed.
DA BOSS
Sorge uses Sensus’s DISISDABOSS! grips – the signature handholds of his buddy and rival Andreu Lacondeguy – to keep him firmly in contact with the bar. They’re a little wider than most, which suits him too.
26 AIN’T DEAD
Sorge runs 26in Hope Tech DH wheels – he reckons they’re stiffer and stronger than the bigger 650b hoops the frame was designed around.
STEEZY
Flat pedals allow Sorge to pull tricks without restriction. Superman? No problem. Freeride is all about the steeze!
GODLIKE CONTROL
Sorge worked with Deity at the start of his career and says he’s stoked to be back with them again, using their Blacklabel bar and Locust DM stem.
UNDER PRESSURE
Sorge ran just under 30psi in his front tyre and 30 on the head in the rear for his steep Rampage run last year.
PRICE: 8025$
